Programme Management Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), under the guidance of the Secretary-General, works as a team pursuing, in a cohesive and coherent manner, the Secretary-General's vision, priorities and policies and seeks alignment of the United Nations family in that regard. It is guided by the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity and of achieving gender and regional balance among staff. All EOSG units support the EOSG senior officials, as appropriate, depending on the tasks at hand, regardless of which senior official they formally report to, and work together through a matrix team approach, as necessary, to ensure EOSG leads by example on integration and cross-pillar work. This position is located in the Rule of Law Unit (ROLU) within EOSG, which reports to the Under-Secretary-General for Policy. The Programme Management Assistant will report to the Chief of Unit.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Programme Management Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Provides administrative, logistical, and secretarial support to the Chief and staff of the Unit, including the preparation of draft memoranda, notes, and letters for the signature of the Chief, Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Chef de Cabinet, Deputy Secretary- General, and Secretary-General. Assists in the preparation of necessary documentation required for reports and correspondence, responds to complex information requests and inquiries relevant to the work of the Unit and EOSG, and drafts responses to a diverse range of correspondence and other communications. Ensures availability of background materials for Chief and staff attending meetings. Systematically manages stakeholder information by organizing, maintaining, and working with management information systems. Liaises with the offices of various senior officials across both the Secretariat and the wider UN system regarding on-going programmes, meetings, retreats, and other administrative matters. Provides administrative and logistical support to EOSG in the preparation of meetings, including through circulation of invitations, monitoring of attendance, and coordination of technical arrangements, in particular related to the requirements of remote and hybrid meetings, retreats, and events. Conveys directives, reports, status updates, and other relevant information and brings sensitive and urgent matters - including operational issues - to the attention of the Chief. Ensures the effective and efficient flow of information by processing incoming and outgoing correspondence, overseeing the information flow within the Unit, assisting in the maintenance of correspondence logs, processing requests for clearance, monitoring and following-up on pending actions, and liaising with the Executive Office on administrative matters. Manages and coordinates the assignment and distribution of tasks within the Unit. Provides personal assistance to the Chief of the Unit by maintaining the calendar and processing appointment requests; organizes travel arrangements and prepares other administrative requests for the Chief and other staff of the Unit. Assists staff of the Unit in community management by maintaining SharePoint pages, contact databases, and mailing groups. Assists staff of the Unit in digital communication efforts and event planning by drafting communication materials, liaising with colleagues for programmatic inputs informing digital communication efforts, and coordinating event planning processes related to speaker invitations, guest list management, venue, etc. Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial, and human resource rules and regulations in work situations. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount for 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.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources, or a related area is required. Experience providing assistance to senior officials is required. Experience with Microsoft applications (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and SharePoint is desirable. Experience in planning and organizing special events is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult for details).

Required Languages

LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level II

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 until 31 December 2026, with possibility of extension, subject to confirmation of funding availability. 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. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disability. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disability may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on "Manuals" in the "Help" tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.