ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER (PORT SUDAN) – DSS

Job Opening

Job Opening Number	23-Administration-DSS-214548-J-Port Sudan (X)
Post Title	Associate Political Affairs Officer
Locations	PORT SUDAN
Issuing Date	20/07/2023
Closing Date	07/08/2023

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is responsible for providing leadership, operational support and oversight of the United Nations security management system (UNSMS) globally. As a global leader in security risk management principles, UNDSS enables the safe and effective delivery of United Nations programmes and activities in the most complex and challenging environments, while maximizing precious resources. To this end, the work of the Department is aligned under a clear mission, to enable United Nations system programme activities through trusted security leadership and solutions.

This is a unique opportunity to join a diverse, dynamic and exciting organization gaining unique and valuable experience where security provides great value. Besides the opportunity to gain new skills and further advance security expertise, this position offers a fulfilling environment that gives you satisfaction by contributing directly or indirectly to peace and security, human rights, and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Simply, all humanity will be benefiting from your work. Together, we can make the world a better place.

For more information on the Department, and how we make an impact on the world in enabling the achievement of SDGs, visit: https://www.un.org/undss/

This position is located in Port Sudan, Sudan. Movement within Sudan may be required, based on operational requirements. The Administrative Officer reports to the Chief Security Adviser with a reporting line to a Budget and Finance Officer in the Executive Office, DSS. This duty station has been temporarily classified by the International Civil Service Commission as “E” hardship and non-family duty station.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and under the supervision or direction of the Chief Security Adviser, the Administrative Officer will carry out all or some of the following duties:

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
• Provides advice and support to managers and staff on human resources related matters. In collaboration with offices, assess workforce requirements, map available competencies and skills, and provide support in identifying capacity gaps.
• Identifies upcoming vacancies in coordination with client offices.
• Prepares classification analysis of jobs in Professional and General Service and related categories.
• Provides guidance to programme managers on the application of classification policies and procedures and by undertaking whole office review.
• Effectively coordinates actions relative to the administration of human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, placement, promotion, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.
• Defines conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.
• Reviews and provides advice on interpretation of policies, exceptions to policies, regulations and rules.
• Supports the implementation of end-to-end recruitment processes which includes initiating the hiring process, recruitment planning, advising managers in the preparation of Job Openings and reviewing recommendations on the selection of candidates by Hiring Managers.
• Supervises and monitors the work of the Human Resources Assistants in carrying out all human resources administrative transactions including preparation of personnel actions, maintenance of staffing tables, and processing of contracts.
• Provides performance management advice to staff and management. Assists supervisors and staff with understanding and using the performance appraisal system (PAS).
• Reviews post incumbency reports for purposes of vacancy management and staffing table control.
• Develops and maintains procedures, to ensure that HR administration and management information reports are consistent with UN Human Resources policies and practices.
• Reviews and recommends level of remuneration for consultants.
• Prepares special reports and participates and/or leads special human resources projects.

BUDGET AND FINANCE
• Monitors and reviews the work programme and budget by conducting regular and special reviews to assess progress of actual work versus the programme plan. Coordinates the preparation of project budget and financial reports.
• Defines requirements and ensures cost effective utilization of program resources.
• Prepares cost estimates for reimbursements and travel
• Monitors and reviews donor funding agreements from multiple sources
• Provides guidance and leadership to more junior staff.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
• Provides advice and support to managers and staff on administration matters with emphasis on Umoja.
• Supervises and provides guidance on administration and management information issues and practices to colleagues.
• Oversees the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems, coordinating enhancements as necessary.
• Coordinates and liaises with UNDP on a variety of human resources, administrative, finance, procurement and logistics matters
• Prepares logistics and support plans, deployment timelines and budget requirements. Develops logistical plans for the duty station
.• Manages logistics operations including assets and equipment management, materiel and contracts
• Monitors host country agreements
• Performs other related work as required.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of administrative, budgetary, financial and human resources policies and procedures. Ability to apply various United Nations administrative rules and regulations in work situations. Conceptual analytical and evaluate skills to conduct independent research and analysis. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. 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. Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; places confidence in and builds trust with colleagues, staff members and stakeholders.

• TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organisational 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.

• CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients 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) in business, management, human resources, public administration, finance, or related area. A first-level university degree in combination two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, human resources management or related field is required.

Experience in handling complex organizational issues and managing staffing tables is required.

Experience in implementing personnel and administrative policies and procedures of the United Nations or a comparable international organisation is required.

Experience with MS Office tools is required.

Experience in using ERP systems (SAP), such as Umoja, particularly organizational management and travel management is required.

Experience with Host Country and Donor Funding Agreements is desirable

Experience in using an e-staffing/recruitment system such as Inspira, Atlas or Quantum is desirable.

Experience with logistics operations in an international organization is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

•This position is funded from an extrabudgetary project grant which has been approved through 30 June 2024, with the possibility of extension. The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof is subject to the availability of funds, budgetary approval and/or extension of the project grant. Accordingly, the appointment will be temporary for the duration of the grant. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• 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. The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is taking efforts to improve gender parity, including full implementation of the UN-wide, and Departmental Gender Strategies. We are committed to providing an inclusive culture and exciting opportunities for women in the security and operations field.
• Applying to this Temporary Job Opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff members are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with the established rules and procedures.
• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
• Subject to the funding source of the position and the urgency to fill the role, this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based as the duty station.
• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade. However, a current staff member who holds an appointment at the G-6 or G-7 level may also apply to temporary positions in the Professional category up to and including the P-3 level, subject to meeting all eligibility and other requirements for the position. A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, 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. In its resolution 66/234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.
•Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position.
• While this temporary job opening 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. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. 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. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• 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.
• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://hr.un.org/handbook.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.