SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Secretariat, Agencies, Funds and Programmes based in Kenya is recruiting the following position to fill and populate the UN Kenya Common Roster for Kenya-based UN Offices for General Service and National Officer positions. Under the overall guidance of the Head of the specific Agency/Organization, this post may report to the Administrative Analyst, Operations Officer or designated supervisor of the respective entity. Within delegated authority, the Administrative Associate/Senior Administrative Assistant works in close collaboration with staff in the respective office and other UN offices to ensure consistent service delivery.




Responsibilities

Main Duties: General: * Analyze and maintain an overview of the work of the unit/department to ensure that timely administrative support is provided in general and specialized areas. * Supervise, directly and indirectly, activities concerned with office and/or grounds maintenance, security, transport and/or similar services. * Brief staff on general administrative matters and practices. * Advise and assist senior staff in office management. * Arrange for and/or attend meetings on day-to-day administrative matters. * Participate in discussions of new or revised procedures and practices and interpret and assess the impact of changes and make recommendations for follow-up action. * Prepare correspondence, status reports, draft evaluations, and justifications, as required, by consolidating data and information on general administrative or specialized tasks which may be of a confidential nature within the assigned area of responsibility. * Supervise the maintenance of automated databases and the centralized reference and filing systems. * Verify contractors’ invoices against the goods and services provided by the contractor. * Process the payment of contractors’ invoices and monitor payments. * Identify and resolve diverse issues/problems as they arise and determine appropriate actions. Human Resources * Participate in the recruitment, selection and training of support staff, including evaluating and screening applications of such candidates. * Review and evaluate work of subordinates directly or through lower-level supervisors. * Ensure the timely processing of entitlements by subordinate staff and provide guidance on non-routine cases. * Assist in the organization and conduct of training courses and workshops by conducting simple briefings or courses and identifying vendors to conduct routine specialized training courses. * Supervise and support the maintenance of entitlements reference tables in the human resources ERP system. * Review and process requests for entitlements and exceptions to the Staff Regulations and Rules. * Monitor issues related to conditions of service of staff and advise the supervisor of any developments. * Support policy development for the human resources policies for support staff. Procurement * Research and present information from a variety of internal and external sources on sources of supply, vendors by commodity, etc., and obtain specifications for new products and equipment on the market. * Resolve issues/problems related to delivered goods, including discrepancies between purchase orders and items/quantities shipped or received. * Prepare requisitions for supplies and equipment purchased locally and/or abroad, arranges for control of distribution and maintenance of appropriate inventory records. * Within delegated authority, authorize purchases up to a limit within an assigned area of responsibility. * Coordinate timely delivery of goods and services. The incumbent undertakes the following duties the specific functional areas: * Assist with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and report for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. * Assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages and/or brochures. * Ensure that requirements and background information used for data analysis are documented. * Performs other duties as assigned.




Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: * Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., human resources, operations, project management, logistics, procurement and inventory, travel, visa and immigration support, or related functions. * Ability to coordinate multiple activities, analyze and resolve specific problems and issues, demonstrated service orientation, including a capacity to respond to service needs promptly and pro-actively. * Ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. * Shows pride in work and in achievements and demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. * Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results and is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. * Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. * Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. ACCOUNTABILITY * Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments. * Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. * Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. * Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. * Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. PLANNING & ORGANIZING * Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. * Identifies priority activities and assignments. adjusts priorities as required. * Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work. * Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. * Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. * Uses time efficiently. CLIENT ORIENTATION * Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view. * Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. * Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. * Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. * Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects. * Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.




Education

• Completion of Secondary education or equivalent is required. • Bachelor’s degree in administration or human resources management is desirable.




Job - Specific Qualification

Relevant training in administration, human resources management, operations, procurement, project management or related area is desirable.




Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in administrative services, HR, Procurement, Operations and/or project management functions for candidates who possess Secondary School certification is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to eight (8) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience working with Microsoft Office applications is required. Experience in using web-based or integrated information management systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is desirable. One (1) year of experience within the United Nations or similar international organizations is desirable. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable




Languages

Fluency in English is required and working knowledge of local language is desirable. NOTE: ‘Fluency’ equals a rating of “fluent” in ALL four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ‘Knowledge of’ equals a of “confident” in two of the rating four areas.




Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position may include a substantive assessment, such as a written test, which will be followed by a Competency-Based Interview by phone or teleconference.




Special Notice

This Job Opening is issued for purposes of creating a roster. Appointment against this post is on a local basis and is open for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension subject to the respective entity’s funding availability. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. Internal Applicants – when completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. The United Nations is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.




United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.




No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.