By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Senior Administrative Officer/Chief of Regional Administration Unit

Multiple locations

  • Organization: UNOCHA - Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
  • Location: Multiple locations
  • Grade: Senior level - P-5, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

Org. Setting and Reporting

These positions are located in the Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is 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 efforts. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.

This job opening is being advertised for two positions as Senior Administrative Officer/Chief of Regional Administration Unit. One position is with the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), located in Bangkok, Thailand and the other is with the Regional Office for Southern & Eastern Africa (ROSEA), in Nairobi, Kenya. The Senior Administrative Officer/Chief of Regional Administration Unit reports to the respective Head of Office ROAP and Head of Office ROSEA, while engaging on functional and technical matters with the Executive Officer of OCHA.

These positions will require regular surge deployments within and potentially outside the region. Candidates are expected to be available and willing to surge for up to three months at a time.

NOTE*: In the cover letter of your application, please indicate which of the duty station(s) you would be interested in and also rank them in order of preference - with #1 being the most preferred.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Administrative Officer/Chief of Regional Administration Unit will be responsible for the following:

• Provides policy guidance to the Head of Office and to Heads of OCHA Offices in the region, on strategy development and management of the implementation of overall strategies and intra and inter-office policies and procedures in the field of administration, including on the optimal and effective exercise of delegations of authority within the framework of the UN Financial Rules and Regulations.
• Oversees a regional procurement network to facilitate the efficient and timely procurement of supplies and services for OCHA field operations in the region, in accordance with the relevant delegations of authority within OCHA and in coordination with the Chief of Procurement (CPO).
• Undertakes regular surge and support deployments in response to humanitarian emergencies in the region and beyond, as requested;
• Coordinates administrative support to OCHA Offices in the region, including providing inputs and advice for work planning and resource allocation as needed, and oversees the establishment, downsizing and closure of OCHA operations in the region, as needed;
• Advises on the improvement of budget reporting systems and cost-effective utilization of program resources for offices in the region;
• Monitors and reviews budgetary allocations through regular reviews for offices in the region and with no budget and finance capacities; drafts routine and ad hoc outputs; and provides effective monitoring reports and data in coordination with the Chief of the Budget and Finance Section. Identifies deviations from plans and proposes corrective measures.
• Coordinates administrative support services, including procurement of supplies and services; transport, travel and traffic, communications, engineering and information technology support; and provision of local utilities and service requirements, for offices in the region and with no procurement and asset management capacities in coordination with the EO Sections in the different areas.
• Supports the engagement of OCHA offices in the region in external oversight activities such as audits and reviews.
• Plans and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Administration Unit; ensures that substantive work programmes and programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion, coordinating diverse projects in the Unit, and, in liaison with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate.
• Manages, supervises and carries out the work programme of the Administration Unit under his/her responsibility. Coordinates the work carried out by the Unit; provides programmatic and substantive reviews of drafts prepared by others.
• Provides substantive input in the preparation of position papers and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies such as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Programme Coordination, Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly, UN Secretariat divisions, and other policy-making organs, as appropriate, in coordination with the respective EO sections chiefs.
• Contributes to the reporting to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Unit maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the Unit under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Carries out administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Unit, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (PAS), interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates.
• Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision.
• Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the Unit and across organizational boundaries.
• Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides programmatic/substantive expertise on an issue, or holds substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of full range of humanitarian and emergency relief assistance and related humanitarian issues. Ability to advise senior management and other senior officials on approaches and techniques to address highly complex/sensitive issues. Demonstrated capacity for intellectual leadership; conceptual and strategic analytical capacity and ability to thoroughly analyze and evaluate critical matters pertaining to a broad spectrum of humanitarian and emergency relief issues/problems. Demonstrated capacity for original and creative thinking, independent judgment and discretion in advising on and handling major policy, project and other issues/problems. Ability to negotiate and ability to influence others to reach agreement on difficult issues. Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human misery). Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to humanitarian affairs and seasoned knowledge of the institutions of the UN system. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; 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. 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.

• ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

• LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

• JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

- A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in administration, budget, finance, human resources management or related field is required.
- A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience at the international level is required.
- A minimum of two (2) years of experience in the administration of field operations in the UN Common system or in other international organization is required.
- Experience in the formulation of budget for field operations is required.
- Experience at the management level is desirable.
- Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems or PeopleSoft platforms, such as Umoja or equivalent is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this position, fluency in English (both oral and written) 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 competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment to this position is limited to a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 July 2020, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

United Nations Considerations

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: