UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, dedication
In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families. UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/.
Organizational Context and Purpose for the Job
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy, and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
How can you make a difference?
Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Administrative Assistant is responsible for executing a broad variety of routine tasks and some specialized for the respective section, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes, and policies.
Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks
Budget Monitoring
- Monitors budgets and financial expenditures of section, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision/follow up.
- Provides support on budget revision/preparation, implementation status, determination position of funding utilization, operational, and financial closure.
- Prepares and maintains records, documents, and control plans for the budget monitoring of project/programme implementation.
- Carries out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants for his/her section such as registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
Human Resources
- Drafts vacancy announcements for positions within his/her office for review by supervisor to help attract ideal candidates.
- Ensures timely and efficient screening of applications for minimum eligibility, taking into account qualifications, competencies, and post requirements.
- Liaises with candidates in the various stages of the recruitment process.
- Coordinates the scheduling of interviews and technical assessments.
- Records and maintains recruitment files, ensuring all necessary documentation has been prepared.
- Monitors life cycle of recruitment process to update supervisor as necessary.
Office Planning & Project Management
- Ensures the availability of timely, complete and accurate information and data for preparing section work plans and project management plans.
- Undertakes basic research and performs comparative analysis of project/programme related data.
- Monitors project implementation against established milestones and makes recommendations to improve performance.
- Helps ensure timely compliance with agreed deadlines.
- Acts as focal point in the review of the completeness of data reports with key monitoring and evaluation information.
Procurement
- Guides managers in the process of PCA/SSAs in line with the policies and guidance issued by FRG, supply division and DHR.
- Facilitates the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
- Maintains up-to-date vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters.
Communications & Workflow
- Ensures the availability of timely, complete and accurate information and data for preparing section work plans and project management plans.
- Undertakes basic research and performs comparative analysis of project/programme related data.
- Monitors project implementation against established milestones and makes recommendations to improve performance.
- Helps ensure timely compliance with agreed deadlines.
- Acts as focal point in the review of the completeness of data reports with key monitoring and evaluation information.
Procurement
- Guides managers in the process of PCA/SSAs in line with the policies and guidance issued by FRG, supply division and DHR.
- Facilitates the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
- Maintains up-to-date vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters.
Communications & Workflow
- Facilitates the communications and workflow of the organizational unit to enhance the efficiency and timeliness of operations and outputs.
- Manages incoming and outgoing correspondence, e-mails and telephone calls.
- Communicates routine and some non-routine information pertaining to the work of the team.
- Establishes and maintains the office filing and reference systems, both traditional and digital; and ensures the inter/intra-net websites are up to date and accurate
Calendar/Meetings/Correspondence Management
- Maintains office calendar and arranges meetings.
- Takes minutes of meetings, ensuring accuracy, attention to detail and coherence.
Events/Logistics
- Supports capacity development activities and conferences by making the logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, caterers and hosts.
- Arranges times through liaising with participants over availability.
- Liaises with budget focal points and section over costs and needs.
- Prepares background materials for participants and uploads cleared materials on the intranet.
- Prepares and maintains agendas on meetings and events related to the work group commitments.
Travel
- Provides travel assistance to staff members in section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaises with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
- Briefs/de-briefs staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, and documentation procedures.
- Extracts, inputs, maintains, and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel.
- Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintain travel plan and budgetary control records.
- Monitors travel certification and report back to the team.
- Manages transport and supervision of drivers.
Invoice Processing
- Responsible for collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and, thereafter processing in VISION.
- Uploads electronic files and verifies results to destination system.
- Responds to client transaction status and other inquiries.
Supplies/Equipment
- Supports management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating inventory of items.
- Monitors and supervises adequate and appropriate use of supplies. Ensures that services and maintenance of premises are in accordance with organizational standards.
- Arranges for the purchase and timely distribution of office supplies.
Attendance
- Maintains and updates a system which monitors the absence of staff.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.
Experience:
- A minimum of 5 years of relevant administrative or clerical work experience is required.
- A bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution may replace three years of relevant experience.
- A master’s degree from a recognized academic institution may replace five years of relevant work experience.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).
- The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...
- Builds and maintains partnerships (II)
- Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (II)
- Drive to achieve results (II)
- Innovates and embraces change (II)
- Manages ambiguity and complexity (II)
- Thinks and acts strategically (II)
- Works collaboratively with others (II)
- Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (II)
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained or necessary inoculation requirements are not met within a reasonable period for any reason
