The incumbent reports to the Project Coordinator. The incumbent will work on a four-year project administered by the Geneva Branch of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, located in Geneva.

Along with one P4 Legal Officer (Project Coordinator) and two P3 Project Officers based in Geneva, and in close cooperation with the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit (BWC ISU), the Administrative Assistant will support the implementation of a of a multi-year project that aims at supporting universalization and effective implementation of the BWC in Africa. All activities of the Administrative Assistant will be coordinated with the BWC ISU and the EU Council Decision project staff based in Geneva.

The BWC ISU forms the core of the secretariat of BWC meetings; maintains and develops the Convention's website; receives and distributes information submitted annually by States parties under the system of Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs); collates details of national measures to implement all aspects of the BWC; acts as a clearing house for assistance; interacts with relevant international organizations, scientific and academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations; and attends relevant meetings and events.

The ISU also assists the Chairperson of BWC meetings in promoting universalization of the BWC, conducting outreach, maintaining details of progress towards universality and reporting on progress to States parties.

Responsibilities:

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

• Performs a wide range of office support and administrative functions for the project including the organization and arrangement of meetings, workshops and side events, making travel and hotel arrangements, and preparing and/or processing in Umoja (the UN Secretariat's ERP system) administrative tasks such as travel requests, expense report claims, requisitions, purchase orders, etc.
• Responds or drafts responses to routine correspondence and other communications; uses standard word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports.
• Monitors project progress and expenditure and assists in preparing project progress reports and other narrative and financial reports in Umoja.
• Generates a variety of standard statistical and other reports, work orders, etc., using various databases.
• Screens phone calls and visitors; responds to moderately complex information requests and inquiries (e.g. answers requests requiring file search, etc.), and as necessary, refers inquiries to appropriate personnel for handling.
• Assists in the maintenance of the dedicated project website by scanning, converting and posting a variety of documents onto the site.
• Generates a variety of standard statistical and other reports, work orders, etc., using various databases.
• Maintains calendar/schedules; monitors changes and communicates relevant information to appropriate staff inside and outside the immediate work unit.
• Reviews, records, distributes and/or processes mail and other documents; follows-up on impending actions.
• Updates and maintains large distribution lists; monitors, prepares and distributes various materials, reports, where possible using electronic formats; handles arrangement for printing and translation as necessary; coordinates shipment arrangements, courier services, etc.
• Performs general administrative tasks (e.g. leave and attendance recording, arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, etc.), to include preparing and/or processing administrative requests/documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests, contracts, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, etc.).
• Maintains files (both paper and electronic) and databases for work unit.
• Assists in providing software and office equipment support.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of three years of experience in general office support or related area is required.
• Experience in project administration and financial management, preferably in the context of the United Nations or at the international level, is desirable.
• Experience using ERP systems, such as Umoja, SAP or similar is desirable.
• Experience with the maintenance of content management systems and websites is desirable

Languages:

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