Administrative Assistant at World Health Organization

Correspondence: 

• Draft general or administrative correspondence on own initiative or based on instructions.
• Finalize correspondence/reports for signature/clearance and maintain a filing system.
• Verify that outgoing correspondence is presented in accordance with WHO and department styles and check language, grammar, and accuracy prior to submitting for signature and clearance.
• Analyze incoming correspondence and requests in the light of background material, instructions, policies, and precedents, researching, obtaining, and attaching background information in anticipation of the responsible officer’s needs or redirecting them as appropriate.
• Identify and highlight incoming documents, attach background information, and identify areas requiring action by professional staff, drawing their attention to specific items.
• Ensure that technical reports and documents are in line with WHO standards, rules, practices, and procedures, editing and correcting them as necessary prior to their submission for signature or clearance of relevant authority.
• Using appropriate tracking tools, follow-up on and ensure that target dates and deadlines are met and that correspondence and queries are responded to in a timely manner.

Meeting Administration:

• Arrange, coordinate, and lead administrative preparation for meetings, seminars, and workshops, including letters of invitation, cost calculation, and travel requests.
• Assist with preparing documents, dispatching materials, and liaising with participants and others involved. 
• Prepare presentations using PowerPoint and other software packages on their initiative or based on instructions.
• Schedule weekly team and ad hoc meetings according to schedules and needs; taking and preparation minutes. 
• Obtain briefing and background materials for meetings, seminars, workshops, etc., to be attended by the team’s professional staff, checking their availability, and ensuring they have the appropriate briefing files and documents.

Travel: 

• Using GSM/Oracle, prepare travel requests for official WHO travel.
• Make flight and hotel reservations, prepare travel files and deal with other related matters as requested or on own initiative. 
• Support to staff in initiating Travel Requests (TRs) and advising on Travel Claim (TC) submissions with orientations on supporting documentation.

General: 

• Provide background information for appointments with official visitors and/or staff members.
• Disseminate information on administrative procedures to GS staff in the team/department and assist staff in adhering to WHO administrative procedures.
• Monitor requests for goods and services, including receipt, payment, and inventory requirements. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Essential: Completion of secondary school education or equivalent.

Desirable: First Degree in Finance, Management, Business Administration, or related field from an accredited/recognized institute. Training in secretarial tasks and/or in an administrative field is desirable.

Experience

Essential:  A minimum of five (5) years of experience in secretarial or administrative positions.

Desirable: Relevant experience in WHO or another UN agency an asset. Experience in Oracle-based or other ERP systems an asset.

Skills

• Strong skills to work independently.
• Strong organizational skills complemented with the ability to work in a proactive manner, multitask and produce results under pressure.
• Sound knowledge and skills using a variety of office and computer packages.
• Sound knowledge of WHO and/or UN administrative rules, regulations, procedures, and practices.
• The ability to multitask and work under pressure.
• The ability to always exercise discretion in judging the importance, urgency, and confidential nature of various issues and tact when dealing with staff and external partners.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences.
• Communication.
• Producing results.
• Knowing and managing yourself.

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
• Knowledge of another UN official language would be an asset.