The Position:
The post is located in UNFPA South Africa Country Office and reports to the Representative.
How You Can Make a Difference
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPAs strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to build forward better, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on womens and girls access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose
The incumbent provides senior level communications, administrative and secretarial support to the Representative. The incumbent also supports effective functioning of the Representatives office by providing communications support; ensuring facilitation of knowledge building and management; providing logistical support; and coordinating the administrative services of that office.
You Would Be Responsible For
- Ensures optimal communication flows between the Representatives office and staff of the country office and other Units as well as external counterparts, through effective use of written, verbal and electronic communication.
- Logs and routes incoming documents from the Representative to the CO staff for action; reviews and ensures conformity to UNFPAs guidelines and procedures for all outgoing correspondence and submits for the Representatives signature;
- Drafts non-substantive correspondence, meeting notes, and types correspondence, documents and reports ensuring that spelling, punctuation, and format are correct; to responds to requests for information, which may be of a confidential nature, in a timely, discrete and accurate manner.
- Researches, files, collects requested information, and organizes material to meet the Representatives needs. This includes the preparation of information and/ or briefs, summaries and background documentation required by the Representative for all official missions and special meetings.
- Assembles briefing materials and prepares power-points and other presentations including computer generated visuals such as graphs for the Representative Office. Undertakes logistical administrative, and financial arrangements in consultation with the office of the Country Office Administrative Analyst, for meetings and workshops organized by the Representatives office;
- Organizes and monitors the Representative Offices filing system (both electronically and hard copy); maintains up-to-date electronic mailing lists, with comprehensive contact information of key UNFPA internal and external partners;
- Updates the knowledge base/document repository with information from the Representatives Office including relevant briefing notes, talking points, statements made by the Representative and other relevant documents;
- Responsible for protocol matters. Manages the Representatives calendar and schedule of appointments and meetings. Receives high-ranking visitors/officials. Takes minutes and/ or notes as required, and answers and screens calls with tact and discretion.
- Schedules and organizes key meetings on behalf of the Representatives Office, including CO Management meetings, staff meetings and meetings between the and country office Management teams;
- Makes travel arrangements for the Representative. Monitors the budget of the Representative s Office; sets up and manages administrative files on the Representatives mission travel, mission reports, administers the Representatives leave attendance, and coordinates the preparation and updating of the Representatives travel plan.
- Ensures the implementation of standard operating procedures in relation to missions and meetings undertaken through the Representatives Office, and initiates communication regarding staff movements in the country office as appropriate;
- Perform any other duties, as may be required by the Representatives office.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Completed Secondary Level Education required. First level university degree desirable.
- Six years of relevant experience in administration.
- Some experience in research assistance.
- Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
- Proficiency in current office software applications and corporate IT financial systems.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable.
Values
Required Competencies:
- Exemplifying integrity,
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
- Embracing cultural diversity,
- Embracing change
- Achieving results,
- Being accountable,
- Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
- Thinking analytically and strategically,
- Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
- Communicating for impact
- Business acumen
- Implementing management systems
- Innovation and marketing of new approaches
- Client orientation
- Organizational awareness
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
Disclaimer
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.
