Administrative Job at UNOCHA

OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.

Job  Title: Administrative Officer

Department/ Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Duty Station: Maiduguri
Job Opening number: 17-ADM-OCHA-71413-J-Maiduguri (X)
Staffing Exercise ID: N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Special Notice

• This temporary position is intended to fill the functions of short-term duration for nine months, with the possibility of extension. The selected candidate is expected to start on 01 March 2017.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.
• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position.
• The duration of the appointment is subject to the availability of funds.
• Candidates should have no expectation of any fixed-term appointment possibility after the end of this temporary assignment. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member of the UN Secretariat, the selection will be recorded as a temporary assignment.
• Subsequent to the initial temporary appointment, new and successive temporary appointments may be granted for service in the same office or in a different office any number of times, for any duration, provided that the length of service does not exceed the period of 364 calendar days.
• A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories.
• An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing conditions of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• The expression ‘Internal candidates’, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.
• Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on Inspira.
• Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations.
• For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further ‘stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…’ Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: 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 a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
• For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English
• 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.
• The screening and 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.

Organizational Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nigeria, Maiduguri. The Administrative Officer reports to the Deputy Head of Office. OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.

Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Administrative and Finance Officer will be responsible for the following duties

BUDGET AND FINANCE

• Prepare and revise cost plans in line with work plans and financial rules and regulations and ensure that costs are reasonably estimated. Prepare quarterly requests for funds (financial authorizations) and monitor obligations and expenditures against financial authorizations in line with approved cost plans. Develop, implement, and maintain internal controls to monitor and ensure that financial resources are utilized to implement activities in accordance with work plans and cost plans.
• Monitor and follow up on outstanding NGO and UN Agency reports for grants and allocations provided to third parties. Manage petty cash in accordance with established procedures, maintain accurate and complete petty cash records and receipts, and ensure that replenishments are done in a timely manner. Prepare payroll for national staff and follow up with UNDP on monthly payment orders for international staff to ensure timely payments. Verify inter-office vouchers (IOVs) prepared by UNDP to confirm accuracy of accounts and to allow for reconciliation with OCHA’s accounting system. Ensure proper management of office assets, including maintenance of inventory, physical verification of assets and disposal of assets. Provide information needed to respond to audit observations/findings.
• Carry out financial, human resources, procurement, assets and properties management functions through relevant internet applications, spreadsheets, databases and Enterprise Resource Planning systems (e.g. OCHA Financial Accounting System, OCHA Contact Management System, inspira, umoja, atlas).
• Provide guidance to functional units on financial accountability within programme responsibilities and on the effective use of programme resources. Coordinate the production of financial reports for headquarters and donors.
• Review and confirm that proposed obligations or disbursement for goods and services under third-party agreements, are reasonable and in conformity with UN Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Provide guidance and leadership to junior staff.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

• In collaboration with the local UNDP office, coordinate actions related to recruitment and administration of national staff. Provide guidance on requirements of performance appraisal system and maintain a system to track compliance.
• In collaboration with the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) and Head of OCHA field office assist in ensuring Minimum Operation Security Standards (MOSS) compliance for vehicles, office and residential premises. Ensure that the office premises are well maintained and provided with common services.
• Oversee the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems. Ensure adequate level of office supplies and maintain a system for office supplies allocation and tracking. Supervise and/or prepare travel authorizations, ensuring appropriate justification, costing and approvals are in place. Verify travel claims submitted for settlement and track outstanding payments.
• Maintain a central filing system; ensuring consistent use and appropriate archiving of official administrative, finance, and human resource documents. Represent OCHA at meetings on administrative issues such as national salary scales, common services, premises, etc. Supervise national administrative staff on a regular basis, ensuring support and mentoring.
• Maintain confidential personnel files, ensuring that information is complete and updated. Ensure that separating staff finalize in-country formalities prior to their departure. Ensure that staff time and attendance is properly recorded, verified and submitted in a timely manner to UNDP for national staff and to the Administrative Services Branch, for international staff.
• Support procurement of goods through UNDP or Headquarters and ensure that appropriate procedures are duly followed. Verify receipt of goods and services, ensuring specification, condition and quantities of goods are correct and paperwork is complete and properly filed.
• Control and manage equipment (disposal, inventory, NEP/inventory reporting, and fleet management).
• Ensure that the corporate administration of common premises & Service Agreements are done in accordance to OCHA standard templates.
• Perform other duties and/or assignments as required.

Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Technical competence and proven track record in overall administration with emphasis on financial activities, and good knowledge of the United Nations Financial Rules and Regulations as well as accounting practices; good understanding of general administration and human resources management; competence in administrative support for field-based activities. Solid experience in organizational work and cost planning with the ability to set priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor own work plan and those under the supervision; ability to identify priority activities and adjust them. Proactively service staff and other clients to propose appropriate solutions. Technical competence in the use of Enterprise Planning Systems. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law or related area is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, human resources management, or other related area is required.
• Relevant field experience in emergency situations is desirable.
• Experience handling administrative, finance and human resources-related matters is desirable.
• Experience within the United Nations Common System or another international organization is desirable.
• Experience in the region is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a desk review of the applications, an assessment exercise and/or a competency-based interview.

United Nations Considerations
Job openings posted on the Careers Portal are taken off at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

Applications are automatically pre-screened according to the published evaluation criteria of the job opening on the basis of the information provided by applicants.

Applications cannot be amended following submission and incomplete applications shall not be considered. The selected candidate will be subject to a reference checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira.

For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on ‘The Application Process’ and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on ‘Manuals’ on the upper right side of the browser on Inspira.

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.

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law.

Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

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.


How to Apply


Click Here to Apply