Senior Administrative Assistant
Internal / External Vacancy Notice
Senior Admin Assistant CANTO/PSP/VN/007
Location: PSP Toronto
Title : Senior Administrative Assistant ( Equivalent to Senior Administrative Coordinator) Application deadline: 14 September 2023
Type of contract: Fixed-Term Appointment Category/Grade: General Service, G5
Duration: 01 October – 31 October 2024 (with possibility of extension) Expected start date: October 2023
Workday Reference: JR2325914
1. General Background
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is the world’s leading not-for-profit organization in helping and protecting the millions of people forced to flee their homes because of violence, conflict and persecution. We deliver life-saving assistance, including shelter, food and water while also safeguarding fundamental human rights, safety and dignity.
Our Canadian office is part of a global network that works in 137 countries, protecting over 80 million people. We were founded in 1950 as part of the United Nations effort to help people displaced by World War II. Since then we have been on the ground helping over 89.3 million people forced to leave their homes and have even received two Nobel Prizes for our work.
We are passionate about the people we help—and the amazing team of people who work for us. We thrive on excellence, integrity and respect for diversity. Our culture is dynamic, results-oriented and focused on change, ready to tackle the latest global humanitarian crisis. You will be part of a newly growing team that—due to a significant revitalization process—is set for transformational growth. We need someone who is not only ready to jump in at the start of this journey, but has the skills, energy and creativity to help shape what comes next.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The Senior Administrative Assistant will provide administrative support to the office where the position is located.
The Role of Senior Administrative (Finance) assistant will report to the Senior PSP Operations Associate. The incumbent will support the Administration, Finance and Human Resources as required.
The Senior Administrative assistant will support the financial transactions and provide technical support in the finance domains (i.e. Accounts Payable (AP) processes AP vouchers, Accounts Receivable processes incoming deposits and revenue recording.
Additionally, the hired incumbent will support staff contract administration/onboarding and exit processes. The incumbent will support staff recruitment, including preparing vacancy notices, screening applications, and conducting tests on the required skills. Draft submissions for the Assignment Committee (AC) if applicable.
The Senior Administrative assistant will also support the administration field among the primary responsibilities to manage the office contract and daily administration.
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. 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.
3. 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.
– Perform other related duties as required.
Responsibility
Finance
– Participate in the Operational reviews and meetings to assist the Senior Managers in determining resource requirements for Admin and Operations under area of responsibility while considering budget ceiling and operational needs.
– Maintain financial records for project or other office accounts for which responsibility is assigned.
– Record receipts and payments, assure accuracy of computation and completeness of documents and maintain continuing status of allotments against obligations.
– Maintain contacts with local banks to clarify questions pertaining to office bank accounts.
– Prepare recurring reports on assigned accounts, noting problems resulting from excess cost or less-than expected receipts.
– Contribute to monitor budgetary trends (including expenditures, budget balances and spending authority under ABODs and OPS Projects) and report on cases of significant variances, particularly at year-end period to ensure full utilization of the available budgets and spending authority.
– Perform other related duties as required.
HR
– Support the recruitment of staff including the preparation of vacancy notices, screening of applications, conducting tests on the required skills. Draft submissions for the Assignment Committee (AC) if applicable
– Support the recruitment of staff and international consultants by organizing interview panels for advertised positions and assist in preparing interview questions and drafting of manager’s views if applicable.
– Prepare requests for temporary appointments, contracts and SALs extensions and draft appropriate recommendations to the hiring committee (AC) if required if applicable.
– Assist staff with administrative formalities related to their accreditations, security/ground passes, submission of completed forms and related documents to headquarters, arrangements for their travel, if applicable
– Support the preparation of correspondence, reports, evaluations, and justifications as required on HR and general administrative or specialized tasks, which may be of a confidential nature, within the assigned area of responsibility.
– Ensure that staff personnel data are correctly entered in the Workday database.
– Perform other related duties as required.
3. Qualifications and Experience
a. Education
• University Degree or College Diploma.
• 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
b. Other Qualifications
• Excellent oral and written communications skills Ability to work under deadlines
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Good computer skills, in particular Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• English speaking
• Must be eligible to work in Canada
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
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.
Core Competencies
Accountability
Communication
Organizational Awareness
Teamwork & Collaboration
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Client & Result Orientation
Managerial Competencies
Not specified.
Cross-Functional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
Planning and Organizing
4. Remuneration:
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the International Civil Service Commission at: http://icsc.un.org
To apply for this position, please visit UNHCR career webpage:
https://unhcr.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/details/Senior-Administrative-Asst_JR2325914
For any HR related inquiries, please send an email to cant1adm@unhcr.org indicating the vacancy notice number and related title in the subject line.
Application should be received through Workday to be reviewed.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
WE REGRET WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY PHONE CALLS
The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training.
We welcome applications from candidates with a refugee or stateless background.