Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Programme Planning and Evaluation Unit, Programme Planning and Operations Division, in ECLAC, Santiago, Chile. The Programme Assistant will report to the Chief of the Unit.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region’s economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Programme Planning and Evaluation Unit, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assists in the coordination of programme/project planning and preparation work for, typically, a medium-size and complex component of the departmental programme/project initiatives; monitors status of programme/project proposals and receipt of relevant documentation for review and approval.
• Assists in the coordination of external and internal evaluations, self-evaluations and self-assessments of ECLAC’s programme of work, including the follow-up of the implementation of the recommendations issued as a result of the monitoring and evaluation process.
• Compiles, summarizes, and presents basic information/data on specific programmes/project and related or issues. Compiles, summarizes and enters data on project delivery; drafts related status reports, identifying shortfalls in delivery, budget overruns, etc., and brings to the attention of management.
• Compiles, summarizes, and presents basic information/data on survey initiatives, assisting in the data collection and data processing.
• Reviews project documents especially cost plans/budgets, for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures prior to submission for final approval and signature; identifies inconsistencies; distributes project documents to relevant parties upon approval.
• Reviews budget revisions; verifies availability of funds; ensures necessary approval and entry in computerized budget system.
• Serves as focal point for administrative coordination of programme/project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with a diverse organizational units to initiate requests, obtain necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, etc.
• Drafts correspondence and prepares and updates periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.
• Provides general office assistance; responds to complex information requests and inquiries; reviews, logs and routes incoming correspondence; sets up and maintains files/records; organizes meetings, workshops; handles routine administrative tasks, such as maintaining attendance records, assessing telephone billing, etc.
• Provides guidance/training to new/junior staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of general office and administrative support is required. Knowledge of administrative UN policies, processes and procedures is desirable. Knowledge of ERP systems is desirable. Ability to work with minimal supervision and experience in handling confidential and sensitive matters is required. Ability to work well with figures, undertake basic research and gather information from standard sources is required. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required. Completed first level university degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in management, accounting, finance or related area are desirable.

Work Experience

At least five years of experience in programme or project administration, technical cooperation or related area is required.
Experience in preparing official correspondence is desirable.
Experience in managing databases is desirable.
Experience in planning and organizing meetings, conferences, and / or events is desirable.
Experience making travel arrangements for officials within an Organization or Company is desirable.
Experience in taking notes and preparing minutes and summary reports is desirable.
Experience working with an Enterprise Resource Planning system is desirable.
Experience working within the UN System is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in Spanish and knowledge of English is required.

NOTE: ‘’Fluency’’ equals a rating of ‘’fluent’’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and ‘’Knowledge of’’ equals a rating of ‘’confident’’ in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

– Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
– A staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments.
– The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. ECLAC is fully committed to the implementation of the UN system-wide strategy on Gender Parity introduced by the Secretary-General in September of 2017.
– A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories, on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments.
· For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 August 2019, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

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, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, 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. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

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.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (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.