Administrative Assistant

The Administrative Assistant supports the Administrative and Logistics Unit in the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Syria in Damascus. Responsibilities include human resources management, budget and finance monitoring, general administration, contract administration, and providing administrative support to the Administrative Officer.

Responsibilities

• Enter, maintain and certify administrative data and records for time and attendance, performance appraisal, etc. in electronic information systems.
• Process entitlements-related claims and reports.
• Follow-up on actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities ensuring consistency in the application of regulations and procedures.
• Monitor status of expenditures and allotments through Umoja, record variations, update budget tables.
• Consolidate data and provide support to higher-level staff with respect to budget reviews.
• Review status of expenditures and compare with approved budget.
• Review requisitions for goods and services to ensure correct expenditure and availability of funds.
• Assist in preparation of statistical tables and standard financial reports.
• Provide administrative support to the Administrative Officer.
• Prepare, process and follow-up on administrative arrangements and forms related to official travel of staff.
• Draft routine correspondence including Note verbals to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Maintain files of rules, regulations, administrative instructions and other related documentation.
• Maintain up-to-date work unit files (paper and electronic).
• Perform other related administrative duties such as operational travel programme, monitoring accounts and payments, physical space planning, office technology needs and maintenance, organizing seminars, conferences and translations.
• Assist with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for outsourced services.
• Process payment of contractors' invoices and monitor payments.
• Assist in drafting and updating standard operating procedures on administration matters.
• Assist with data collection, analysis, preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, knowledge management, planning and decision making.
• Assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
• Conduct physical verification, goods issue, service order of UN inventory.
• Perform other duties as required by the supervisor.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in general office support, programme/project budget administration or related area is required.
• The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to one (1) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.
• Experience with the United Nations or other international organizations is desirable.
• Experience working on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Umoja is desirable.
• Good computer skills with extensive experience in word processing, spreadsheets, and other software application is required.
• Good writing skills are required.
• English and Arabic are required at UN Level III for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• Office Support
• Programme and Budget Administration
• Project Budget Administration
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Umoja
• Word Processing
• Spreadsheet Management
• Software Application Usage
• Writing Skills
• Human Resources Management
• Budget Monitoring
• Financial Monitoring
• Contract Administration

Languages

English, Arabic