Administrative Officer Job in Nairobi, Kenya - UN

Posting Title: ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER (Human Resources Related), P3 (Temporary Job Opening)

Job Code Title: ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Department/Office: United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Duty Station: NAIROBI
Posting Period: 02 February 2021 – 22 February 2021
Job Opening Number: 21-Administration-UN-HABITAT-149241-J-Nairobi (X)
Staffing Exercise N/A

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

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Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. This position is located in the Human Resources and Training Unit of the Management, Advisory and Compliance Service (MACS) of UN-Habitat in Nairobi. MACS is responsible to coordinate and provide administrative support for the implementation of UN-Habitat’s work programme, either directly or through the engagement of third-party service providers.

The Unit is responsible for the implementation of human resources policies, procedures and strategies to support UN-Habitat and its personnel in the implementation of its mandate. The position encompasses sub-functional specialties such as recruitment and placement, human resources planning, and staff development and career support. The Administrative Officer usually reports to the Chief of the Unit. There is a functional reporting relationship to the Assistant Secretary-General, OHR.

Responsibilities

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

Human Resource Management

•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.
•Provides support in the implementation of the e-Performance system.
•Provides support and coordinate activities related to investigation in rebuttal cases to the Performance Appraisal System.
•Provides support and coordinate activities related to the management evaluation and investigation cases.
•Provides guidance to programme managers and their designated staff in the utilization of Inspira for staff selection, ensuring compliance with the provisions of the administrative instruction on staff selection system.
•Reviews monthly post incumbency reports for purposes of vacancy management and staffing table control.
•Assists the Chief Human Resources Officer in all personnel related issues, including meeting with departmental staff representatives, discussing and proposing solutions on a variety of subjects relating to staff welfare and conditions of work.
•Discusses, as required, grievances with individual staff members, supervisors and/or staff representatives, mediates.
•Organizes, gathers and maintains statistics and prepares reports on personnel matters as required.

General Administration

•Oversees the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems, coordinating enhancements as necessary.
•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 evaluative 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.
  • Planning& 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.
  • 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.
  • Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; manages in a deliberate and predictable way; operates with transparency; has no hidden agenda; places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients; gives proper credit to others; follows through on agreed upon actions; treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately

Education

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with 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 recruitment and staff selection using integrated information management systems is required.
  • Experience in administration of large-scale staffing table is desirable.
  • Experience in supporting an organizational-wide change management programme is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

  • This position is temporarily available for 364 days. 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.

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.

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.

How To Apply

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