Vacancy for Program Management Assistant at United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland

Responsibilities

The incumbent will do the following duties

• Assists in the coordination of program/project planning and preparation work for the Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section, including in supporting the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples; and also monitors the status of program/project proposals and receipt of relevant documentation for review and approval.
• Compile, summarize, and presents basic information/data on specific programs/projects and related topics or issues.
• 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, verify availability of funds and also ensures necessary approval and entry in the 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.
• Compile, summarize and enter data on project delivery; drafts related status reports, identifying shortfalls in delivery, budget overruns, etc., and brings to the attention of management.
• Drafts correspondence on budget-related issues and prepares and updates periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.
• Provides general office assistance; response 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 as well as performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements 

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent. In addition to that, at least five years of experience in program or project administration, technical cooperation or related area.
• Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, such as Umoja is desirable.
•  Knowledge of internal policies, processes, and procedures generally and in particular those related to program/project administration, implementation and evaluation, technical cooperation, programming, and budgeting.
• Understanding of the functions and organization of the work unit and of the organizational structure and respective roles of related units.
• Ability to work well with figures, undertake basic research and gather information from standard sources.
• For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of French is desirable. Furthermore, knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.