Administrative Assistant

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to delivery more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an independent UN Resident Coordinator – the Representative of the UN Secretary-General and the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System at the country level – support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs. The RC promotes the normative values of the UN: gender equality and human rights, environmental sustainability and leaving no-one behind. In case of a humanitarian emergency, the Resident Coordinator takes on the additional reasonability of being appointed the Humanitarian Coordinator. In addition, the RC supports and promotes the UN's responsibilities to prevent and respond to violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including the responsibilities of UN entities and staff in this regard.

The newly established UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO)/Multi-Country Office (MCO) is based in Kolonia, FSM and comprises a team of national and international staff focusing on strategic planning, joint analyses, supports joint UN operations, communications as well as partnerships and development finance. The MCO Micronesia oversees five Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS or PSIDS), namely Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Nauru and Kiribati.

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to delivery more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an independent UN Resident Coordinator – the Representative of the UN Secretary-General and the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System at the country level – support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs. The RC promotes the normative values of the UN: gender equality and human rights, environmental sustainability and leaving no one behind. In case of a humanitarian emergency, the Resident Coordinator takes on the additional reasonability of being appointed the Humanitarian Coordinator. In addition, the RC supports and promotes the UN's responsibilities to prevent and respond to violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including the responsibilities of UN entities and staff in this regard.
Established in October 2021, UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) Micronesia is the first RCO to have been created for over 20 years. The Office supports the Resident Coordinator (RC) to full his function as leader of the UN Country Team (UNCT) to strengthen coordination of UN operational activities and UN assistance with national priorities. Its mission is to maximize the impact of the work of the United Nations to ensure that the UN system provides collective, coherent, and integrated support to national development priorities, plans and strategies, within the framework of the 2030 Agenda and its associated Sustainable Development Goals as well as other international commitments. The RCO ensures that all UN entities engaged in a country, regardless of their physical presence, are included in UN strategic plans and analyses.
The newly established UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO)/Multi-Country Office (MCO) is based in Kolonia, FSM and comprises a team of national and international staff focusing on strategic planning, joint analyses, supports joint UN operations, communications as well as partnerships and development finance. The MCO Micronesia oversees five Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS or PSIDS), namely the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau. The MCO Micronesia supports the realization of regional and country priorities as defined in the UN Pacific Strategy (2018-2023) which outlines the UN’s programme in the region. The MCO Micronesia is represented in all these countries in the form of an United Nations Country Coordination Specialist.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Head of RCO or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Administrative Assistant will:
Human Resources Management
•Initiates, reviews, processes and follows-up on actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment of staff and consultants, placement, promotion, relocation, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.
•Responds to enquiries and provides information and advice to staff regarding their entitlements, administrative procedures, processes and practices, conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.
•Oversees the maintenance of vacancy announcement files and keeps track of status of vacancy announcements. Reviews and processes personnel actions through IMIS.
•Monitors staffing table and prepare relevant statistical data/charts.

Budget and Finance
•Assists in the preparation and review of financial and human resource proposals/requirements. Consolidates budget/work programme with respect to Headquarters’ budget, trust funds, grants and procurement.
•Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary.
•Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
•Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
•Prepares or customizes financial reports from IMIS system generated reports.
•Coordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.

General Administration
•Drafts routine correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant administrative, financial audit, personnel matters.
•Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field.
•Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g. operational travel programme; monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services; physical space planning; identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems; organizing and coordinating events, seminars, conferences and translations).
•Acts as a focal point for Umoja requisitioner and petty cash custodian for the Country Office.
•May be responsible for guiding, training, and supervising the work of more junior General Service staff.

Contract Administration/Procurement
•Provides operational coordination and administrative services in Umoja, to support procurement projects and activities, following standard processes; raises requests for goods, services, and hiring of consultants/individual contractors.
•Reviews and prepares requirements and scope of work and specifications of goods and services and necessary documentations in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
•Coordinates with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for goods and services.
•Maintains internal files and relevant documentations for procurement activities, including the use and updating of all relevant UN data platforms.
•Inspects and receipts goods/services received against the purchase order, invoices provided by the contractor and perform asset management activities.
•Processes the payment of contractors' invoices and monitor payments upon satisfactory receipt and performance.
•Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff, including: UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, office building access and door keys.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
•Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
•Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
•Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results, and opportunities;
•Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc;
•Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers;
•Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs
•As an active UNRCO team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNRCO and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
Works with minimal amount of supervision; independently provides accurate reports and/or records in the areas of work programming, budget/financial management, personnel administration and other administrative functions; efficiently supervises team of clerical staff.