Senior Programme Assistant at UNIDO

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Senior Programme Assistant

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Employer: UNIDO

Employment: Full-Time | Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Salary: 21,998 USD / Annual

Posted date: 16 hours ago

Deadline: September, 01/2025 (17 days left)

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Vacancy Announcement

This post is for local recruitment only.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Organizational Context

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Field Offices under the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO) are responsible for representing UNIDO in their host countries and promoting the Organization as an effective partner for development, and for this purpose maintain close contact with all local stakeholders at the country and regional level as appropriate, including government institutions and international entities.

The Field Offices are further responsible for identifying national development and donor funding priorities in the countries and regions of coverage, and contributing to the formulation, implementation and monitoring of technical cooperation projects and programmes, in collaboration with the relevant technical departments and other appropriate organizational entities.

The Field Offices are also responsible for coordinating and reporting on UNIDO activities in their countries of coverage, and providing inputs to the development of regional strategies and policies. They actively participate in, and contribute to, country and regional level activities aimed at strengthening United Nations system-wide coherence.

This position is located under the Regional Bureau for Africa (GLO/RFO/AFR), at the UNIDO Sub-regional Office (SRO) in Ethiopia. The SRO is headed by the Regional Director and UNIDO Representative (RDUR), based in Addis Ababa, that covers the UNIDO Programme for Country Partnership (PCP ETH) in Ethiopia and countries of coverage and the Africa Union Commission (AUC) as well as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The RDUR is responsible for representing UNIDO in the host country and countries of coverage, to promote the Organization as an effective partner for development, and to maintain close contacts with local stakeholders at the country level as appropriate, including government institutions and international entities.

At the G6 level the incumbent is expected to perform highly independent and specialized processes focusing on specialized service delivery and support services within the organizational environment and team. His/her interventions result in processes integrity.

The UNIDO Staff Performance Management System reinforces the collaboration within formal units as well as among cross-functional teams. In this context, the incumbent collaborates with his/her supervisor and colleagues, within as well as outside the unit. Within the formal teams, the incumbent may be expected to backstop other team members as required.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the First Reporting Officer, the Senior Project / Office Assistant is responsible for the finalization of all administrative tasks of technical cooperation programmes and projects, as well as providing administrative support and being responsible for the following key functions:

• Receive incoming requests and prepare the appropriate actions for supervisor’s signature on non-technical aspects; provide relevant background/project information whenever necessary to supervisor(s); keep track of pending matters, follow up with other offices on deadlines.
• Draft routine and non-routine correspondence (both on administrative and/or TC-related matters).
• Prepare papers, statistics, reports and presentations by extracting/summarizing statistics; undertake computer-based searches, compile background information to assist in project identification and formulation.
• Represent UNIDO in the OMT and relevant Working Groups and act as a Focal Point for issues related to UN common services at a country level
• Assist in organization of UNIDO-led global conferences, fora and event, including mobilization of national participants
• Act as Focal Point for coordination and management of communication, visibility and advocacy in the SRO, including the official use of social media
• Responsible for the initialization and monitoring of exercises related to the implementation of TC projects and programmes (e.g.: budget revisions, obligation reviews, re- phasing, extension or completion of projects, issuance of new project allotment documents/due sub-allotments, TC allocations and monitoring related exercises, or other administrative functions as per the specific specialization of the job family). Interpret or consult to clarify the application of new financial procedures and rules, UNIDO Administrative Instructions, policies and Regulations and Rules, TC guidelines and other instructions. Keep track of project budget expenditures; recommend and initiate budget revisions; complete justification for budget revisions; provide information and draw the supervisor’s attention to problems encountered. Retrieve substantive information on administrative matters and/or TC projects from the SAP modules which have been designed to support results-based management.
• Make recommendations for improvements to the design and delivery of the work processes and practices, by focusing on the provision of defined services and seeking opportunities to improve the delivery of the service by collaborating or integrating processes or activities.
• Being knowledgeable in the overall service and proficient in all aspects of the work, provide supervision, advice and coordination of the work planning and implementation, within the immediate work unit and direct team.
• Providing advice, solutions and answers to inquiries related to the specialized services of the work team/division, as and when received from clients in other organizational units.
• Using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to recruitment of staff, experts, training and study tours, purchase of equipment, payments, travel authorizations requests/claims and deal with all related inquiries.
• Follow-up on budget, research for information and reference material. Prepare requests/documents, e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests/authorizations, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, etc.
• Maintain an up-to-date filing system (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work.
• Carry out ad-hoc assignments and research activities, as required.
• Perform any other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Education:

Completed higher secondary education, high school diploma or equivalent is required.

Credit towards total working experience may be considered on a year by-year- basis, up to maximum of four years, for a higher degree education (including first university degree or equivalent diploma and/or master’s degree), in a relevant field to the post.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of work experience in providing support to managerial/professional staff and using administrative skills to assist in the execution of project and programme development and implementation of work is required.
• Experience/proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, is required.
• Experience in office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, is desirable.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic is required.
• Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core Values

• WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.
• WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.
• WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

• WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.
• WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.
• WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.
• WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

For further information on salaries, refer to the International Civil Service Commission website: https://icsc.un.org/Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System using the button below. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.

Visit the UNIDO careers site for details on how to apply: https://careers.unido.org/

NOTE: The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.

Notice to applicants: UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unido.org

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