Administrative Associate

Background

The Executive Office (ExO) requires all staff to be prepared to assist the Administrator and Associate Administrator at any time. This may involve ad hoc interactions at the highest levels. Maintaining a positive and professional corporate image is a key responsibility for all positions within the ExO. Working independently under the supervision and guidance of the Administrative Associate, the incumbent will provide comprehensive administrative and logistical support, including travel arrangements, records management, procurement, and financial transactions. The Administrative Assistant will also collaborate with the ExO’s Administrative Associate and BMS Directorate and its Units—including Travel, Procurement, and Finance—to ensure seamless execution of tasks. Additionally, the incumbent will support Special Initiative sub-units led by the Administrator.

Position Purpose

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Administrative Specialist, the Administrative Associate provides the overall administration and execution of varied and inter-related operational and logistical activities of the office, ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Administrative Associate promotes a client, quality and results oriented approach. UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure effective implementation of the Executive Office’s operational tasks, including administrative procedures, travel logistics, and financial processes 

• Responsible for coordinating and processing travel arrangements for the Executive Office, 
• ensuring compliance with organizational policies and procedures. This includes booking flights and transportation, processing travel expense reports, and liaising with relevant stakeholders, including internal units and external agencies, to facilitate seamless travel logistics. 
• Provides effective logistical support for travel, event planning, and meetings. 
• Supports day-to-day operations, ensuring smooth implementation of programs. 
• Coordinates with internal department and external partners 

Provide effective and efficient comprehensive administrative support service to the Executive Office 

• Ensuring smooth workflow through records management, coordinating logistics, and 
• assisting with procurement and finance-related tasks. 
• Ensures accurate record-keeping and data management to support decision-making. 

Perform efficient financial and procurement responsibilities for the Executive Office 

• Do prompt corrective actions on unposted invoices, including those with budget check errors, match exceptions, and unapproved vouchers. 
• Initiate payments, procurement, and purchase orders for the Executive Office’s financial transactions, ensuring adherence to internal control measures in line with UNDP financial rules. 
• Maintains the Executive Office’s corporate card(s), including validating all purchases, maintaining an up-to-date transaction log, retaining supporting documents, and ensuring timely payments. 
• Performs the Buyer function in Quantum, including the preparation of Purchase Orders (PO) for service contracts and supplier creation. 
• Ensures all relevant documents are complete, including supplier profile forms with banking information, verified bank account details, and appropriate personal identification. 

Support in the asset management function within the Executive Office 

• Assists the Administrative Associate (G7) with asset management functions in the Executive Office which includes timely preparation, and coordination of physical verification of inventory items. 
• Ensures a consistent supply of essential office materials through procurement, inventory management, quality control, supporting efficient operations and minimizing disruptions. 

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Research, analyses, on any information needed for operational support and services to the office. 
• Ensure compliance with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP), for operational tasks within the Executive Office. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation. 

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None

Competencies

Core - CoreBehaviouralCompetencies.pdf (undp.org)

Achieve Results:

• Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively:

• Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 

Learn Continuously

• Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility 

• Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 

Act with Determination        

• Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner

• Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

• Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction & Strategy - Business Acumen 

• Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome 
• Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks 
• Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization 

Business Management - Communication   

• Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication;
• to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels 

Business Development - Knowledge Generation 

• Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. 
• Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. 
• Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations 

Digital - Data Literacy 

• Understand the potential as well as the limitations of using data driven innovation. 
• Ability to use a mix of data sources (quantitative, qualitative or real- time techniques) to develop understanding, identify patterns to inform decision making or identify opportunities for further exploration 

Ethics - UN Policy Knowledge - Ethics 

• Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity 

Administration & Operations - Documents & Records Management 

• Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving. 

Administration & Operations - ERP Travel & Expense Module 

• Knowledge of the ERP Travel and Expense Module; ability to provide help desk support to UNDP and other UN agencies

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education is required. OR 
• University Degree (Bachelor´s degree) in Business or Public Administration, Economics, Management, Political or Social Sciences will be given due consideration, but is not a requirement.
• CIPS level 2 is highly desirable for this position and candidates holding this level at the time of application will have a distinct advantage. If the desired certification is not available at the time of recruitment, it should be obtained within one year of recruitment. Candidates holding a CIPS certification at any level below at the time of application will have a proportionate advantage

Experience:

• Minimum 6 years (with Secondary education) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in administration, procurement and finance functions at the national and/or international level, is required. 
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages is required. 
• Knowledge and experience in handling web-based management system; ERP (Quantum) is required. 
• Knowledge and experience of the UN/UNDP Financial rules and regulations or similar organization is desirable. 
• Knowledge and experience of UN/UNDP system is advantageous. 
• Experience in coordinating logistics will be an asset. 
• Prior experience in asset management is desired.

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in the English is required. 
• Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

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