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The Position:

Under the supervision of the Country Representative the Executive Assistant will be responsible for running the front office of UNFPA and supporting the daily responsibility of the Country Representative.

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 new strategic plan (2022-2025), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. 

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:

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Country Representative and Deputy Country Representative, the Executive Assistant ensures effective and efficient functioning of their office, full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made.

The Executive Assistant works in close collaboration with Front Office, Programme, Business Development and Operations teams, UN Agencies and national authorities to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions, agendas.

 

Responsibilities:

Qualifications:

Summary of key functions:

  • Provide support for effective and efficient functioning of the Representative’s office;
  • Effective communications and administrative support to the office;
  • Facilitation of knowledge building and management.

Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Country Representative office focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Management of the office, ensuring an environment of professionalism and teamwork at all times, and setting exemplary standards of conduct for the CO team;
  • Efficient and discreet management of the Representative schedules;
  • Organization of regular and ad-hoc meetings; preparation of minutes and summaries of actions to be taken; tracking of progress on planned issues; follow-up with focal points;
  • Screening of all incoming communications, filter outgoing correspondence for supervisor’s signature, clearance and further action by other staff; wherever possible;
  • Adherence to appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines by CO team when communicating with national authorities and other external partners;
  • Use of an automated office management system.

Ensures provision of effective communications and administrative support to the office focusing on achievement of the following results

  • Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials. Use of automated filing system;
  • Coordination of the information flow in the office and dissemination of corporate and interoffice communication to staff as required;
  • Facilitation of information sharing with the different office teams;
  • Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to the Country Representative;
  • Draft routine correspondence, interoffice circulars, general briefing notes, documents, reports, and minutes of meetings when requested, translations when required;
  • Administration of travel, meetings, appointments and briefings of Country Representative. Including drafting of background notes;
  • Maintenance of Teams’ status reports, best practices, lessons learned, publishing on section intranet and compiling of information for resource mobilization and communications teams;
  • Support to organization of advocacy events if required.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
  • Support organization of trainings for UNFPA staff on coordination, administration and protocol issues.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
  • Demonstrates commitment to UNFPA’s mission, vision and values;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

  • Shares knowledge and experience;
  • Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

  • Ability to perform a broad range of activities aimed at effective and efficient functioning of Country Director’s office, including data/ schedule management, maintenance of protocol, information flow;
  • Confidentiality;
  • Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new data management systems.

Leadership and Self-Management

  • Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Knowledge and Experience:

Education:

  • High School graduate with specialized secretarial training or office management. University degree would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

  • 6 years of progressively responsible secretarial, administrative, programme experience is required at the national or international level;
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), experience in handling of web based management systems. 

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English language and Pashto and Dari

 

Submission Guidelines:

Interested Afghan Nationals may send the completed United Nations Personal History form (P‐11) by email along with cover letter to the e‐mail address: recruitment.afg@unfpa.org

Qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply.