Job Vacancies Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), April 2011

Job Vacancies Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
Job Title Staff Assistant, G5
Department/ Office DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
Duty Station NEW YORK
Posting Period 29 March 2011-28 April 2011
Job Opening number 11-ADM-DEPT OF ECON & SOCIAL AFFAIRS-16184-R-NEW YORK
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Division for Sustainable Development (DSD), of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in New York. The Staff Assistant reports to the Chief of Water, Energy and Strategies Branch, of the Division for Sustainable Development.

Responsibilities
The Staff Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
1. Performs, under minimal supervision, the full range of office management and administrative support functions;
2. Maintains liaison with the Executive Office, senior officials in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General, and other branches and Divisions regarding on-going programmes and other administrative matters;
3. Ensures smooth and efficient information flow within the Branch; prepares and processes confidential information; assists in the development of office administrative systems and procedures, including updating Branch outputs in IMDIS, processing documents in IMIS; processing consultancies and contracts and corresponding payments;
4. Researches, compiles and summarizes background materials for use in preparation of
reports, briefs, speeches, presentations;
5. Provides assistance in the coordination of branch-wide activities (meetings, training, etc.), special projects and events;
6. Orients new staff to relevant administrative procedures and practices and provides general assistance to other office support staff, as required; coordinates the work of office support staff in providing meetings servicing/administrative support to various sessions of the Commission on Sustainable Development and other expert group meetings and workshops;
7. Drafts memos, letters and other Branch communications; uses standard word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports; carries out quality control function for outgoing documents; proofreads and edit texts for format, grammar, punctuation, and style and ensures that all outgoing correspondence conform to United Nations standards for format, style, and accuracy; prepares and distributes minutes of Branch meetings, monitors and follows up activities;
8. Performs a variety of other administrative duties, including leave recording, organization of meetings, room reservations, office supply, and equipment orders, and inventory updates; tracks paperwork through the entire administrative process to ensure timely completion;
9. Maintains calendar/schedules of the Chief of Branch; assists with routing communication; maintains and updates work plan of Branch; provides periodic progress reports on implementation; reminds staff of impending deadlines;
10. Maintains files (both paper and electronic) and databases for the Water, Energy and Strategies Branch; assists in maintaining and updating websites; generates a variety of standard and nonstandard reports from various databases; and
11. Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM:
Knowledge and understanding of the functions and organization of the Division for Sustainable Development, knowledge of the organizational structure and respective roles of related units in the Department and in the UN Secretariat; knowledge of relevant operational and administrative policies, processes and procedures, including records management/filing procedures; ability to research, select, organize and summarize data and information required for reports, studies, briefings, etc.; tact and discretion in dealing with confidential matters; ability to accurately and independently prepare minutes, etc.; 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. Able to work collaboratively with colleagues of other branches and is willing to learn from others to achieve common goals.

COMMUNICATION:
Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

PLANNING AND 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.

Education
High school diploma or equivalent. Secretarial and/or management/executive assistance training/courses are desirable.

Work Experience
A minimum of five years of experience in general office support or related area. Experience in administrative, office management, research and organizational functions is required. Experience in working for senior officials in the United Nations, Permanent Missions of Member States and other counterparts is desirable.

Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage

United Nations Considerations
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Assessment Method
Competency based interview.
Special Notice
This position is for local recruitment. External applicants will be considered only if no suitable internal candidates are found.
Passing the New York Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Service category in the United Nations Headquarters at New York. To make arrangements to take this test, you may bring in person a copy of your completed Personal History Profile to the General Services and Related Categories Staffing Unit (GSRCSU), United Nations Secretariat, located at One United Nations Plaza (at corner of 1st Avenue and 44th Street), Room DC1-200. GSRCSU receives applicants every Wednesday (except public holidays) between 10.00 am and 12.00 Noon.
Persons wishing to take the ASAT are pre-screened and, if successful, scheduled to sit the ASAT at a later 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.




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