About US:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR’s mandate under the Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead and co-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanent solutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights and well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness, as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Job Summary:  The Senior Administrative Assistant will provide administrative support to the office where the position is located. The Senior Administrative Assistant normally has no direct supervisory functions though it rests upon the supervisor of the post to make time specific arrangements subject to a given situation. The incumbent normally works under the direct supervision of more senior local or international staff, who is required to monitor the performance of the incumbent and provide regular guidance. S/he may liaise with local suppliers and/or officials and/or Implementing Partners (IPs) on routine subject matters under the direction of the supervisor.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in interpreting and processing of entitlements, issuance of contracts and maintenance of various personnel records and files.
• Attend meetings on day-to-day admin matters; administer the movement of UNHCR staff members and monitor their attendance records, leave plans, overtime and visa requirements.
• Search office files and records relating to a variety of topics for information and reference. Select information and records in specified format or on the basis of general instructions for use by others in preparing reports, correspondence, technical papers, project or programme plans and general reference documents.
• Assist in requisition of office supplies, equipment and arrange for distribution together with the appropriate inventory records.
• Assist in administrative formalities related to travel arrangements and issuance/ renewal of visas, licences, travel arrangements and other similar documents.
• Draft correspondence and reports, as required, on general administrative or specialized tasks which may be of a confidential nature within the assigned area of responsibility; Type correspondence, documents and reports, some of which may be highly confidential.
• Arrange appointments and maintain supervisor’s calendar, receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls and answer queries with discretion; Keep lists of names, addresses and telephone numbers of ministers, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps.
• Assist the management to organise and run UNHCR Office and Residential (wherever applicable) compounds.
• Facilitate various official missions of UNHCR staff and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Prepare attestations and certificates required by the staff members for signature of senior officer.
• Assist in processing MIP and various other claims by UNHCR staff and other clients of UNHCR.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Senior Administrative Assistant job should have two years of relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
• Certificates and/or Licenses: Business Administration, Finance, Office Management, Human Resources, or other related field.
• Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position is desirable
• *IT-Computer Literacy
• UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
• IT-PeopleSoft Applications
• Language Requirements: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

NB: Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential.