MEETINGS SERVICES ASSISTANT [Temporary]

This position is located in the Publications & Conference Management Section (PCMS) within the Publications, Conference & Knowledge Management Division (PCKMD) in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Meeting Services Assistant reports to the Chief of Interpretation Unit.

Within delegated authority, the Meetings Services Assistant will be responsible for the following generic duties:

•Organizes and coordinates interpretation arrangements for preparatory meetings with relevant offices and delegations regarding procedural and organizational arrangements for interpretation for the sessions of assigned committees and meetings/conferences.
•Ensures that all required services for interpreters, including the availability and distribution of documents, are available in order for committees and meetings/conferences to convene according to the schedule and for interpreters to perform their work.
•Organizes and maintains reference material and background documents, including resolutions and decisions of main organs for use by interpreters.
•Reports on the execution of interpreters’ work during meetings of committees and meetings/conferences and submit reports, if required, to the supervisor.
•Produces daily and weekly programme of interpreters’ assignments and assists Unit Chief with team scheduling and deployment to ensure adequate interpreter coverage for meetings.
•Maintains a database of continent-wide interpreters and updates list based on interpretation requirements, venue, date and other relevant information on a regular basis.
•Prepares quarterly interpretation statistics on meetings held at headquarters and offices away from headquarters.
•Prepares cost estimates for the consideration of the client requesting interpretation service.
•Attends coordinating/planning meetings, representing the Unit/Section regarding interpretation organizational arrangements for special committees and meetings/conferences.
•Drafts interpreter recruitment and time and attendance correspondence for signature.
•Follows up on interpreter payments with HRMS and the Finance and Budget Section.
•Raises travel for interpreters and liaises with Travel Unit regarding ticketing.
•Makes interpretation arrangements for committees and meetings/conferences to be held away from Headquarters, at other UN Offices or Regional Commissions, coordinates with substantive offices, and prepares cost estimates.
•Maintains and updates filing of interpretation-related correspondence, procedures, and interpreter reference materials to be used during meetings/conferences.
•Responds to queries from delegations and Secretariat.
•Facilitates the recruitment of interpreters and supervises their deployment.
•Provides guidance as needed to support and technical staff.
•Performs other duties as required.

• Professionalism: In depth knowledge of the Organization’s conference policies, procedures, and practices. Ability to research, select, organize, and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings. Knowledge of the terms and conditions of the UN-AIIC Agreement, and experience in Umoja and in Travel Management therein is absolutely necessary. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter, including interpreters’ terms of; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; 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.

• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

•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.

High school diploma or equivalent is required. Additional studies in the area of administration is desirable. Must have passed the United Nations Global General Service Test (GGST) administered by Headquarters.

A minimum of seven years progressive work experience in the area of conference or related area is required. Working in any international organization or the UN is desirable.

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 French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an asset.

The assessment method for this Temporary Job Opening could be one of the following: Desk review, technical test and/or Competency Based Interview.

• This position is temporarily available until the regular filling of the post. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• 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.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

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.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The 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. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. 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 reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.