Administrative Officer (TJO), P4 at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - UNOCHA

Job Opening Number: 18-Administration-OCHA-106805-J- (X)
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Department/Office:  Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Staffing Exercise N/A
Posting Period: 09 November 2018 - 22 November 2018

Org. Setting and Reporting

• This position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies.
• OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
• This temporary job opening is being published for the position of Administrative Officer in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The Administrative Officer reports to the Deputy Head of Office/Head of Office, OCHA Nigeria.

Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Administrative Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Budget and Finance:

• Serve as an Administrative Officer for OCHA Nigeria, including providing guidance on administrative structure, internal control systems, implementation of the UN Financial Rules, Regulations and Guidelines, use of official forms, protocols, etc.
• Manage and advise the Head of Office on the cost planning process, including cost estimates, redeployment of funds as appropriate, staffing plans and justification of expenditures.
• Monitor OCHA Nigeria expenditures against approved cost plans, ensuring regular verification and reconciliation of charges made by UNDP or other local service providers on behalf of OCHA.
• Monitor and follow up on outstanding NGO and UN Agency reports for grants and allocations provided to third parties.
• Ensure reporting on financial and administrative issues including for headquarters and donors.
• Assess and analyze needs for contributions from Donors, develop procurement plans and supervise purchases in coordination with UNDP or other local service providers, and OCHA Administrative Office.
• Provide information needed to respond to audit observations / findings.

General Administration:

• Manage and monitor the administrative and finance unit of OCHA Nigeria through ensuring individual and unit work objectives and plans are met as well as providing, on a regular basis, solid support and guidance to administrative staff on the ground.
• Conduct and negotiate administrative agreements such as cost sharing arrangements, service provision, etc. with third parties, in particular, UNDP (OCHA's main service provider for field-based activities).
• Oversee recruitment of national staff, including vacancy management and staff selection process.
• Participate in interview panels for recruitment of administrative personnel (both international and national).
• With Head of OCHA Nigeria, elaborate staff development plans and identify training courses and other career development activities.
• Develop and manage orientation / induction programs for newly recruited staff members.
• Oversee and monitor logistical arrangements for OCHA regional / field offices, assets management, procurement, mission travels, workshops, conferences and seminars.
• Represent OCHA Nigeria at inter-agency administrative meetings / forums / seminars.
• Ensure that the office premises are well maintained and provided with common services.
• Oversee the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems.
• Provide sound administrative surge capacity for other field and sub-offices as required.
• Perform other duties and/or assignments as required.

Competencies:

• Professionalism: Technical competence and proven track record in overall administration with emphasis on financial activities, and knowledge of the United Nations Financial Rules and Regulations as well as accounting practices; understanding of general administration and human resources management; competence in administrative support for field-based activities.
• Knowledge of organizational work and cost planning with the ability to set priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor own work plan and those under the supervision; ability to identify priority activities and adjust them. Proactively service staff and other clients to propose appropriate solutions.
• Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning and Organizing:

• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, human resources management, or other related area is required. Field experience in emergency situations is required. Experience within the United Nations common system handling finance-related matters is desirable. Field experience in the region is desirable.

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available for six months. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
• Candidates found suitable and not selected for the announced duty station, may be selected for deployment to other duty stations. The selection will be for similar functions with similar requirements at the same level.

United Nations Considerations

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
• Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
• Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
• Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
• The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines.
• Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted.
• Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.