Org. Setting and Reporting
The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services, and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions. The Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda (RSCE), was established in July 2010, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 64/269.
The Centre provides efficient, client-oriented, and scalable services with the goal of moving transactional, non-location dependent administrative functions to the Centre from its client entities. This includes transactional elements of human resources, finance, multimodal movement and control, personnel and cargo transport and information and communications technology (ICT) support.
In addition to these services, the Office of the Chief RSCE and support offices through the Deputy Chief RSCE provides overall guidance on the operations of the RSCE including strategic planning, communication, budgeting, human resources management, property management, quality assurance and business intelligence, conference services, record keeping and archive management, and audit response and risk management. For more information, please visit https://rsce.unmissions.org. This position is located in the Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE) in the Client Services Section.
The Administrative Assistant at this level reports to the Chief of Section.
Responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Chief of section, the Administrative Assistant GS-5 will carry out the following duties:
Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Section by maintaining contact with visitors and staff, make arrangement of appointments and meetings including meeting room reservation, compiling, and preparing briefing and presentation material, background information and documentation for meetings. Supports the office with leave monitoring and maintaining leave and absences.
Make travel arrangements and hotel reservations, processing requests for visa, ID cards and other documents. Provide administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats. Research and retrieval of statistical data from internal and external sources, preparation of statistical charts, tables, and reports. Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, action taken and coordination of collection and submission of reports to the Chief of section. Assists with archiving and maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials.
Updates and maintains the Chief of section's calendar, keeping him/her informed of any upcoming meetings in a timely manner.
Write, record and maintain minutes during meetings. Human Resources Management
Enters, maintains, and certifies administrative data and records for time and attendance, performance appraisal, etc. in electronic information systems.
Maintains and reviews the section's staffing tables, prints and reviews reports. General Administration
Drafts routine correspondence.
Maintains files of rules, regulations, administrative instructions, and other related documentation.
Maintains up-to-date work unit files (both paper and electronic).
Coordinates extensively with service lines and liaises frequently with RSCE and client mission staff whenever required.
Performs other related administrative duties, as required.
Competencies
Professionalism
Knowledge of United Nations administrative policies, rules, and regulations. Ability to demonstrate effective time management skills. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in written and spoken form. Ability to demonstrate excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills.
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. 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.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Work Experience
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources, or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) for candidates who possess a first level degree or higher. Experience working in a United Nations common system or similar international organization is desirable. Experience in working in a front office setting is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
English | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III | UN Level III
Desirable Languages
Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
French | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by Competency Based Interview.
Special Notice
This position is temporarily available for 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. The selected candidates are expected to start as soon as possible.
This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions.
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. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised.
This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2
(a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2.
(c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.