Executive Associate at United Nations

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Under the guidance of the Deputy Head of Office and reporting directly to the Head of Office, the Executive Associate ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Front Office, full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow, follow up on deadlines and commitments made.
2. The Executive Associate works in close collaboration with OCHA staff, UN Agencies and NGOs, as well as national authorities in Somalia and Kenya, to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions, agendas, drafts letters on behalf of the Head of Office.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the OCHA Front Office;
2. Ensures provision of effective communication support to the office unit;
3. Ensures administrative support to the office;
4. Provides support to effective advocacy of OCHA activities;
5. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Front Office focusing on achievement of the following results:

1. Coordinate and maintain the supervisor’s calendar of meetings, organize meetings, contacts with high-ranking visitors, arrangement of appointments and meetings, draft replies to invitations and meetings; researches briefing materials, acting as an interpreter when required and/or taking minutes;
2. Preparation of high quality briefing materials for supervisor appointments, meetings, missions;
3. Maintenance of rosters of high-level partners, telephone lists;
4. Preparation of correspondence, directives, comments on his signature and making follow up when required;
5. Use of automated office management systems for effective functioning of the front office.

Ensures provision of effective communication support to the office on achievement of the following results:

1. Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials. Use of automated filing system;
2. Facilitation of information sharing between UNCT and OCHA;
3. Review and screening incoming correspondence for the Head of Office attention and prioritize documents according to action required; review and edit outgoing correspondence for the Head of Office signature; ensure quality control, substance, sensitivity of issues, and that they are prepared according to OCHA standards;
4. Presentation of proposals to eliminate communication bottlenecks in the office and streamline office procedures between the supervisor’s office and subordinate division.

Ensures administrative support to the office:

1. Assist in managing day to day operations of the front office; convey to staff directives and information from the Head of Office; participate in and drafts minutes of meeting and ensure proper dissemination.
2. Make arrangements for official travel of the Head of Office, communicate with meeting organizers/country offices on logistics; set itinerary, follow, obtain clearances, visas, tickets necessary for travel.
3. Preparation and dissemination of briefing packs upon request.
4. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management.
5. Any other assignments at the request of the other staff
6. Provides support to effective advocacy of OCHA activities in close consultation with the Desk Officer in Headquarters and relevant Units focusing on the achievement of the following results:
7. Maintenance of information of Front Office activities.
8. Preparation of public information materials as required.
9. Preparation and dissemination of briefing packs.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

1. Synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt.
2. Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
3. Organization of trainings to OCHA staff.

Competencies

Core Competencies  

1. Innovation – Ability to make new and useful ideas work ; Adapts deliverables to meet client needs;
2. Leadership – Ability to persuade others to follow; Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others;
3. People Management – Ability to improve performance and satisfaction; Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making;
4. Communication – Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform; Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation;
5. Delivery – Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement; Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value.

Technical/Functional  Competencies

1. Building Strategic Partnerships – Maintaining information and databases, Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives.
2. Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing – Basic research and analysis, Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things, Documents innovative strategies and new approaches
3. Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise – Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures, Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position, Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
4. Promoting Organizational Change and Development – Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change, Documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system, Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions
5. Client Orientation – Maintains effective client relationships, Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion, Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines, Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients, Responds to client needs promptly

Required Skills and Experience

Education:        

1. High school with specialized training in secretarial, Administraiton or related fields with a combination of six (6) years of related work experience is required.
2. Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Sciences or related fields with a combination of three (3) years of relevant work experience would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:       

1. 6 years of progressively responsible administrative, secretariat or programme experience is required at the national or international level.
2. Experience working in front office (Senior Management office) is desirable.
3. Experience working with UN agencies or international NGOs is desirable.
4. Excellent communication skills is required
5. Ability to build networks and partnerships and capacity to work in a team set up.
6. Balances meeting deadlines while maintaining highest professional standards and accuracy.
7. Demonstrates critical ability and sound judgment in the pursuit of requests to full completion.
8. Demonstrates the highest level of discretion and helpfulness in a manner that reflects positives on the office.
9. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is required

Language Requirements:

1.     Fluency in English, both verbally and in writing is required.

Other: 

1.     Fluency in English is required
2.     Working knowledge of other UN language is desirable