NATIONAL POST: Administrative Assistant, Colombo, Sri Lanka, G5

The Position:

The Administrative Assistant is responsible for providing administrative and human resource support services to the country office staff and counterparts ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work.

You will work in close collaboration with members of the operations unit to provide organizational functions of the office in terms of provisioning effective administrative and HR support to the office. 

You will report to Operations Manager

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

You will be responsible for delivering quality administrative and HR support services to the Country office staff, mastering all relevant administrative and HR rules, guidelines and processes, and applying established systems and procedures. You will be expected to demonstrate strong client and results orientation in service of the country programme.

You would be responsible for:

• Making travel arrangements for staff; international and local travel ensuring compliance and conformity with Travel policy requirements, maintaining updated Travel database on regular basis for monitoring purposes, including ensuring preparation of timely Travel Authorization and in line with Office Travel Plan.
• Supporting OM in managing the transportation function, dispatches drivers, reviews and certifies vehicle logs, monitors the vehicle movement, ensures timely maintenance of vehicles and reconciliation of the vehicle history record sheets, oversees fuel consumption and fuel coupons management, prepares fuel expenditure reports and analysis.
• Contribute to the smooth running of the office by efficiently managing and maintaining office supplies and services. This includes keeping an up-to-date inventory record of stationery and visibility items, ensuring proper documentation for stock in and issuance.
• Assist management of office premises, including field offices, in compliance with established contracts and MOUs, ensure timely provision of cleaning and maintenance services, and keep up-to-date records and year-end certification in COREM.
• Support Admin and Finance Associate for preparation of materials and reports on common system activities relating to common services and premises, cost recovery, privileges and immunities, entitlement and salary surveys, security, etc.

      Human Resources Management

• Assist Operations Manager for HR operations work in the country office including recruitment, contract extensions, and the separation process for FTA, SC and IC personnel in line with the UNFPA PPM. 
• Assist Operations Manager in promptly resolving HR related queries raised by team members, liaising with the APRO HR Focal Point for assistance as needed. 
• Assist the timely preparation and implementation of personnel and IC hiring plan.
• Assist the Representative and Operations Manager in monitoring the completion and compliance with the Career and Performance Management (CPM) cycles. 
• Support staff learning and development by compiling training requirements and training priorities, maintaining accurate records of completed trainings, following up with staff on pending trainings, and organizing and administering trainings at the organizational level.
• Support maintaining accurate and up to date personnel files in a confidential and secure manner.
• Perform any other administrative and HR-related tasks as assigned by the Operations Manager.
   

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Completed Secondary Level Education required. First level university degree in Business Administration, Human Resource Management or related field is an asset.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At Least 5 years of relevant experience with secondary level education.
• Experience in human resource management, general admin or general office management are required. Experience in travel and fleet management will be an asset. 
• Ability to interpret administrative, finance, travel, and personnel rules, regulation and procedures and explain them clearly and concisely.
• Proficiency in use of Microsoft Office, computerized accounting systems and ERPs.
• Previous experience in UN is desirable.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Ability to plan, organize, multi-tasking, work under tight deadlines, attention to detail are required. 
   

Languages: 

Fluency in English, Sinhala or Tamil is required.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact 

Functional Competencies:

• Supporting organization’s human resources 
• Supporting premises management
• Managing data, information and workflow
• Managing documents, correspondence and reports
• Planning, organizing and multitasking
   

Compensation and Benefits:

 This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.