Org. Setting and Reporting

The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote regional cooperation for inclusive economic and social development in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP’s role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership, through its analytical, normative and technical cooperation, to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region. 

This position is located in the Countries with Special Needs Section, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Section, and overall supervision of the Chief of Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:

1.Provide support in implementing the Project entitled “Promoting regional and economic cooperation in North-East Asia with particular focus on DPRK”;
2.Respond and draft responses to routine correspondence and other communication; use standard word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports;
3.Monitor processes and schedules related to the Section’s outputs, products, tasks, etc; where applicable, assist in the verification of receipt and accuracy of requisite documents, approvals, signatures, and follow-up on impending actions, maintain files and data bases; 
4.Provide secretarial, administrative and logistic support to meetings, boards, committees, conferences, etc;
5.Assist in the preparation of presentation materials using appropriate technology/software;
6.Assist in the maintenance of websites by scanning, converting and posting a variety of documents onto the site, perform data entry and extraction functions; and 
7.Performs other related duties as assigned.

Competencies

•Professionalism: 

Knowledge of internal policies, processes and procedures generally and in particular those related to programme/project administration, implementation and evaluation, technical cooperation, programming and budgeting. Understanding of the functions and organization of the work unit and of the organizational structure and respective roles of related units. Ability to work well with figures, undertake basic research and gather information from standard sources. Demonstrated ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

•Communication: 

Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

•Teamwork: 

Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required. A first-level university degree is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in administrative and office support functions is required.
Experience within the United Nations Common System or other international organizations desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required.

Assessment

Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods.

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is on a local basis; candidates shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the ESCAP office, irrespective of nationality and length of time the candidate may have been in the country. If no suitable local candidate is identified, candidates residing abroad may be considered. The candidate is responsible for any expenses incurred in taking the relevant examinations at the duty station, and of any costs related to traveling and relocating to the duty station in the event of an employment offer.

This post is funded from extra budgetary resources and will initially be available until 28 February 2019. Any extension of appointment is subject to satisfactory performance, project extension and availability of funds. 

Must have passed the United Nations Global General Service Test (GGST) or an equivalent locally administered test at Offices Away from Headquarters.

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, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. 

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 At-a-Glance on “The Application Process” and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The screening and 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, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira. Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations. Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: 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 a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.