Hardship LevelE (most hardship)
Family TypeNon Family with Residential Location
Family TypeNon Family with Residential LocationDanger Pay
Residential location (if applicable)
Nairobi (CO), Kenya
GradeGS5
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeGeneral Service
ReasonRegular > Regular Assignment
Target Start Date2025-07-01
Deadline for ApplicationsJuly 7, 2025
Standard Job Description
Senior Administrative Assistant
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
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.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Business Administration, Finance, Office Management, Human Resources, or other related field.
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Not specified.
Desirable
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.
Functional Skills
*IT-Computer Literacy
UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
IT-PeopleSoft Applications
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Desired Candidate Profile Desired Candidate Profile:
The incumbent will be responsible for the routine follow up on Protocol related issues with the relevant government authorities and other related stakeholders. The incumbent should be self-motivated and can follow up on Protocol related issues with the minimum required supervision if needed and can work well within a team environment and under pressure.
The incumbent should possess thorough operational experience, a solid understanding of UNHCR roles and responsibilities in refugees and IDPs response. He/she will be expected to have demonstrated good experience in working within teams as well as fostering a collaborative work environment. The incumbent should exhibit a proven ability to analyze complex situations, identify key issues and develop innovative solutions.
The incumbent should possess excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage with a wide range of stake holders including Government officials and has previous experience in Protocol related areas with embassies, UN agencies and other relevant entities. Strong IT and communication skills including written and verbal proficiency in English.
Additional Assets:
1. Experience in the UN system is desirable.
2. Previous experience with Government Liaison.
3. Strong Microsoft skills and computer knowledge.
4. Filling and archiving experience.
Nature of the Position:
The incumbent of this position reports to the Assistant Government Liaison Officer.
The Protocol Unit and due to the Sudan crisis has come under increased pressure to provide operation wide support to ensure the timely movement of personnel into, within and out of the country. The Unit is responsible to ensure that the legal status of staff members within the country is always maintained. In an ever-evolving environment where new policies and procedures are introduced and developed, the Unit requires a robust workforce that can rise to the challenge and facilitate the work, movement and necessary government documents to support UNHCRโs mandate.
Challenges resulting from additional government policies and restrictions create a high workload, thus requiring well-trained personnel to always equip the Protocol Unit to ensure the smooth operation of the organization. UNHCRโs critical work demands the continuous support of the Protocol Unit and its staff, hence the need for dedicated, reliable and always available staff who can act as back-up during vacations and other absences of colleagues to ensure that the service-level provided to the organization is not compromised. The incumbent must possess the flexibility and ability to adapt to the nature of the Unitโs fast-paced work environment.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
,
Desired languages
,
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
Nature of Position:
Living and Working Conditions:
Additional Qualifications
SkillsIT-Computer Literacy, IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
Education
CertificationsBusiness Administration - Other, Finance - Other, Human Resources - Other, Office Management - Other
Work Experience
CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium
Additional InformationFemale candidates are encouraged to apply.
Candidate must be Sudanese nationality.
Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance