Position: UN Coordination Assistant
Type of Vacancy: National UNV (NUNV)
Agency: UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office/UNDP
Project Title: Support to the UN Country Team in Performance of the UN Mandate in Kenya
Opening Date: 26 July, 2013
Closing Date: 2 August, 2013
Duration of assignment: 1 year, with possible extension
Location, Country: Nairobi, Kenya
Background
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization
that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide.
Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it
benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV
contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism
globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into
development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.
In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established,
ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In
this context, UNV volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism
and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host
agencies and local communities.
In all assignments, UNV volunteers promote volunteerism through their
action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and
positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as
well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host
community. This will make the time they spend as UNV volunteers even
more rewarding and productive.
Brief Project Description:
Under the overall guidance of the UN Coordination Specialist and the
direct supervision of the UN Coordination Associate, the UN Coordination
Assistant will assist in the management of UN Development Assistance
Framework (UNDAF) Roll-Out specific administrative services,
administering and executing processes and transactions aimed at ensuring
high quality and accuracy of work. The UN Coordination Assistant
promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach and works that
ensure vibrant exchange of information and consistent service delivery
Host Agency/Host Institute: UN Resident Coordinator’s Office/UNDP
Organizational Context:
The role of the United Nations in Kenya has become increasingly
important, as both the Government of Kenya and its Development Partners
consider the United Nations Country Team to be a key strategic partner
and as playing a vital role in coordinating and channelling support to
the country. The United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) is
supporting the UN Country Team (UNCT) in these processes. Therefore, in
order for the UNCT to successfully fulfil its mandate, increased
capacity is needed. A strong, flexible and versatile support Office with
strategic policy, advisory, planning and advocacy skills is required.
Accordingly, this Office is working under the leadership of the UN
Resident Coordinator and providing a platform between the various
functions of the UN Resident Coordinator.
The UN Coordination Assistant will perform his or her duties and
responsibilities under the overall guidance of the UN Coordination
Specialist, and under direct supervision of the UN Coordination
Associate, and in close collaboration with the various UN in Kenya
Programme Sectors.
Description of Duties:
Under the direct supervision of the UN Coordination Associate, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Provide administrative support to the various UNDAF Roll-Out teams:
· Communicating agendas of UNDAF roll-out meetings to the participants of the various working groups;
· Assist in the generation of meeting agenda on time based on an agreed RCO time schedule;
· Attend inter-agency meetings on the development of the
UNDAF and UNDAF Action Plan, and serves as technical secretariat with
note taking and minutes drafting;
· Assist in ensuring that follow up actions are communicated and taken in a timely manner
2. Provide support to the UNDAF Roll-Out Consultancy Missions:
· As part of the RCO Team, attend briefing sessions with
the UN Coordination Associate to administratively plan for all upcoming
UNDAF Roll-Out consultancy missions;
· Preparing mission check-lists for all anticipated missions in accordance to their unique requirements;
· Secure accommodation, hotel transfers and other
logistical arrangements for incoming UNDAF consultancy missions as
required;
· Assist in securing appointments or meetings with UN
programme staff as well heads and deputy heads to solicit input and
feedback into the missions;
· Assist in logistics to enable the missions conduct field visits to UNDAF specific elements;
· Assist in logistics to enable the missions conduct
agency, programme and thematic workshops with UN agencies and partners
to validate the road map for the “Delivering as One” (DaO);
· Assist in logistics to enable the missions obtain
meetings and interviews to get the perceptions of Government,
development and civil society partners on UN (relevance, effectiveness,
efficiency, comparative advantage) as on road map for the DaO;
· Collating lessons learnt during the execution of the
mission sessions to enable better executions in subsequent occurrences;
· De-briefing with UN Coordination Associate on the collated lessons.
3. Support the UNDAF Roll-Out Communication mechanisms and processes:
· Creation of accurate meeting/training participants’
databases and active registration of attendance to ensure future
communication with the participants;
· Draft correspondences on meetings, trainings and
workshops to the participants and follow-up on communication to confirm
participation;
· Collects Government reports, plans, development
programmes, policy documents and research reports as required by the
UNDAF roll-out discussions;
· Assists in maintaining a common filing and communication system.
4. Support to UNDAF Roll-Out Internal and External Technical Workshops, Trainings and Meetings:
· Attending briefing sessions with the UN Coordination Associate to administratively plan for all upcoming activities;
· Create a list of requirements of upcoming meetings and
where necessary request for procurement in preparation of impending
workshop/training activity;
· Ensure facilitator’s requirements for a successful meeting are available (e.g. LCD, flip charts, sound etc.);
· Assist in sourcing of venues – Quotations, site visits and venue viability according to the required purpose;
· Administer registration list verification and head count of participants;
· Provide administrative support (photocopying, filing,
typing, liaising with the hotel to ensure meals (lunch, tea/coffee) are
served at agreed times;
· Prepare background materials, working papers and briefs for
circulation meetings and collation of workshop materials thereafter for
distribution to participants;
· Ensuring copies of relevant meeting materials are available as provided by the meeting organizers;
· Provide other logistical support that may be assigned by the meeting organizers;
· Collating lessons learnt during the execution of the
training/workshop/meeting sessions to enable better executions in
subsequent occurrences;
· De-briefing with UN Coordination Associate on the collated lessons.
5. Backstops for UN Coordination Associate;
6. Performs any other duties in line with the assignment upon the request of the direct supervisor.
Qualifications/Requirements:
· At least, University Degree in Economics, Business
Administration, International Relations, Public Administration or
related fields;
· Master’s Degree is a strong advantage, but not a requirement;
· At least, 3 years of progressively responsible
administrative or programme experience is required at the national or
international level;
· Experience in the usage of computers and office software
packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and
database packages;
· Fluency in English;
· Good knowledge of another UN language will be considered an asset;
· Knowledge of the UN system is a strong asset;
· Excellent communication and networking skills;
· Experienced team-player.
Application Procedure:
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting their Curriculum Vitae (CV) marked UN Coordination Assistant (NUNV) by e-mail to: unvkenya@undp.org.
The title of the post (UN Coordination Assistant) MUST appear in the subject line. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. Deadline for applications: 2 August, 2013.
Please note that:
§ Application received after the closing date will not be considered
§ Only those candidates that re short-listed for interviews will be notified
Closing date for application is 2 August, 2013.