Administrative Assistant - World Health Organization

The mission of WHO’s Emergencies Preparedness and Response (EPR) program is to support member states to i) prepare for and prevent disease outbreaks and health emergencies, ii) promptly detect, report, and confirm outbreaks, and iii) strengthen and sustain their capacity to respond to and recover from the negative effects of health emergencies.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

In the context of the WHO Health Emergencies Preparedness and Response (EPR), at the hub level, the incumbent will ensure the smooth flow of work related to administrative activities and coordinating actions with other support staff in the team.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following duties, which are performed according to the needs:

Correspondence:

1. Draft general or administrative correspondence on own initiative or based on instructions

2. Finalize correspondence/reports for signature/clearance and maintain a filing system.

3. Verify that outgoing correspondence is presented in accordance with WHO and department styles and check language, grammar and accuracy prior to submitting for signature and clearance.

4. Analyze incoming correspondence and requests in the light of background material, instructions, policies, and precedents, researching, obtaining, and attaching background information in anticipation of the responsible officer's needs or redirecting them as appropriate.

5. Identify and highlight incoming documents, attach background information, and identify areas requiring action by professional staff, drawing their attention to specific items.

6. Ensure that technical reports and documents are in line with WHO standards, rules, practices, and procedures, editing and correcting them as necessary before their submission for signature or clearance of relevant authority.

7. Ensure the smooth functioning of the GSM workflow process at the cluster level, including organizing regular briefings for staff members.

8. Using appropriate tracking tools, follow up on and ensure that target dates and deadlines are met and that correspondence and queries are addressed in a timely manner.

Meeting Administration:

9. Arrange, coordinate, and lead administrative preparation for meetings, seminars, and workshops, including letters of invitation, cost calculation, and travel requests.

10. Assist with preparing documents, dispatching materials, and liaising with participants and others involved.

11. Prepare presentations using PowerPoint and other software packages on their initiative or based on instructions.

12. Schedule weekly team and ad hoc meetings according to schedules and needs; take and prepare minutes.

13. Obtain briefing and background materials for meetings, seminars, workshops, etc., to be attended by the team's professional staff, checking their availability and ensuring they have the appropriate briefing files and documents.

Travel:

14. Using GSM/Oracle, prepare travel requests for official WHO travel.

15. Make flight and hotel reservations, prepare travel files and deal with other related matters as requested or on own initiative.

16. Support staff in initiating Travel Requests (TRs) and advising on Travel Claim (TC) submissions with orientations on supporting documentation.

General:

17. Provide background information for appointments with official visitors and/or staff members.

18. Disseminate information on administrative procedures to GS staff in the team/department and assist staff in adhering to WHO administrative procedures.

19. Monitor requests for goods and services, including receipt, payment, and inventory requirements.

Other Duties:

20. Perform other related duties as required or instructed, including providing support to other areas of work.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• Completion of secondary school education or equivalent.

Desirable:

• First Degree in Finance, Management, Business Administration, or a related field from an accredited/recognized institute. Training in secretarial tasks and/or in an administrative field is desirable.

Experience

Essential:

A minimum of five (5) years of experience in secretarial or administrative positions.

Desirable:

Relevant experience in WHO or another UN agency is an asset. Experience in Oracle-based or other ERP systems is an asset.

Skills

• Strong skills to work independently
• Strong organizational skills complemented with the ability to work proactively, multitask and produce results under pressure.
• Sound knowledge and skills using a variety of office and computer packages.
• Sound knowledge of WHO and/or UN administrative rules, regulations, procedures, and practices.
• The ability to multitask and work under pressure.
• The ability to exercise discretion at all times in judging the importance, urgency, and confidential nature of various issues and tact when dealing with staff and external partners.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork,

• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences,

• Communication,

4. Producing results,

5. Knowing and managing yourself.

Use of Language Skills

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English

Desirable:

• Knowledge of another UN official language would be an asset.