Program Assistant to the Resident Representative at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Assistant to the Resident Representative

Job Identification: 8818
Location: Abuja
Job Schedule: Full Time
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
Vacancy Type: Fixed Term
Practice Area: Effectiveness
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Grade: G5

Job Description

• Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Representative, the Program Assistant to the Resident Representative ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Resident Representative’s office.
• S/he maintains full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made and undertaking office administration and program support function in the Resident Representative’s office.
• The Program Assistant works in close collaboration with the Resident Representative’s Front Office, the Programmes and Operations teams, UN Agencies and national authorities to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions and agendas.
• The incumbent will approach work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude and display a strong client orientation. As such s/he will display flexibility in performing other emerging tasks assigned by the Resident Representative or supervisor/manager.

Duties and Responsibilities
Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Resident Representative’s office focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Management of the Resident Representative’s office ensuring an environment of professionalism and teamwork at all times and setting exemplary standards of conduct for the Country Office team.
• Efficient and discreet management of the Resident Representative’s schedule with due regard to a balanced load.
• Organisation of regular and ad-hoc management and staff meetings, preparation and circulation of agendas, preparation of minutes and summaries of actions to be taken, tracking of progress on planned issues and follow-up with focal points.
• Ensure smooth meeting and event management, including relationship management for the Resident Representative’s office.
• Screening of all incoming communications, filter outgoing correspondence for the Resident Representative’s signature, clearance and further action by other staff; wherever possible.
• Adherence to appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines by the Country Office team when communicating with Government and other external partners.
• Use of automated office management system.

Ensures provision of effective communications and administrative support to the office focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials. Use of automated filing system.
• Coordination of the information flow in the office and dissemination of corporate and interoffice communication to staff as required.
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to the Country Director.
• Draft routine correspondence, interoffice circulars, general briefing notes, documents, reports, and minutes of meetings when requested, translations when required; Administration of travel, meetings, appointments and briefings of Country Director.
• Including drafting of background notes.
• Maintenance of Teams' status reports, best practices, lessons learned, publishing on section intranet and compiling of information for resource mobilization and communications officers.
• Support to organization of advocacy events if required

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Organization of specialized trainings for team members.
• Facilitation of information sharing with Management Support and Business Development, Programme and Operations Teams.
• Organization of trainings to UNDP staff on coordination, administration and protocol issues.

Impact of Results:

• The key results have an impact on the success of the programmes and activities of the office of the Resident Representative while ensuring the synergy with the Operations and Programmes unit of the CO for efficiency and effectiveness.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Secondary Education is required. 
• University Degree or equivalent is desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in secretarial, administrative activities that include general office management.
• Experience in supporting programme activities at the national or international level on behalf of the Head of Office and coordinate activities around programmes.
• Strong experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (including but not limited to Microsoft Word/Excel/Powerpoint/Outlook etc).
• Experience in handling web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Competencies
Core:

• 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:
Thematic Area - Name -Definition:

Business Direction and Strategy - Strategic Thinking:

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP's objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP

Business Direction and Strategy - Business Acumen:

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

Business Management - Operations Management:

• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization's business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner.
• Knowledqe of relevant concepts and mechanisms

Business Management - Resource Management:

• Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity

Business Management - Change Management:

• Ability to prepare, support, and help individuals and teams in designing and implementing organizational change

Business Management - Communication

• Ability to 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 - Integration within the UN:

• Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Application Closing Date
11th April, 2023 (04:59 AM).

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• 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.
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