Administrative and Finance Assistant, Humanitarian Response Division, Istanbul, Turkiye, G-5

The Position:

The Administrative and Finance Assistant post is in the Global Emergency Response Unit of the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD), based in Istanbul, Turkey. The incumbent is part of the UNFPA’s first responder Global Emergency Response Team (GERT). As such, her/his primary responsibility is to provide support to GERT members to rapidly deploy to emergencies worldwide to ensure timely institutional response.

The incumbent will work under the day-to-day guidance of the Emergency Response Coordinator, GERT HRD (Istanbul) and Operations Analyst, HRD (Geneva). The incumbent will also work closely with the International Operations Manager, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (EECARO) and the EECARO support teams. The incumbent provides essential support for the GERT team members, including administration, procurement, finance, logistics, secretarial and travel. The post works within an integrated, coordinated, and systems strengthening approach which is fundamental to HRD and UNFPA’s overall strategy.

The position reports directly to the Operations Specialist, Humanitarian Response Division (Geneva).

How You Can Make a Difference

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose

The overall purpose of the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD) is to facilitate the delivery of the UNFPA mandate by leading emergency response and supporting humanitarian preparedness actions in increasingly complex humanitarian situations, within globally agreed frameworks (2030 Agenda, Grand Bargain Commitments, Sendai Framework, etc.).

The HRD leads in leveraging and increasing effectiveness, efficiency and capacity of UNFPA staff and partners to scale up UNFPA’s role as a key global humanitarian leader. The ability to timely deploy emergency response staff is a critical factor for effective emergency response.

The GERT team represents first responders in a continuum of humanitarian deployments (deployed prior to surge with the purpose of setting the ground for an effective and coherent emergency response). As part of the GERT team, the Administrative and Finance Assistant provides quality services in the areas of administration, asset management, human resources, procurement, travels and security in compliance with the relevant rules, guidelines, processes and procedures. S/He takes a client-oriented, results-focused approach to interpret rules, procedures and guidelines. S/he works in close collaboration with other work streams in HRD and other ROs and COs.

You Would Be Responsible For

• Administration
• Contributes to the smooth running of the GERT office by ensuring the provision and maintenance of services and supplies.
• Plans, schedules and coordinates logistics for meetings, conferences and special events using planning skills to avoid scheduling and commitment conflicts and gaining the cooperation of participants and clients.
• Makes travel arrangements related to the deployment of GERT members, including drawing up itineraries, preparing travel authorization and visa forms, obtaining clearances and signatures, collecting tickets, processing travel claims as well as requesting for reimbursement of travel expenses, maintaining travel plans, travel report logs and related travel files.
• Assists incoming and outgoing RO staff with logistical arrangements related to personal effects, accreditation, residence permits, liaises with MOFA, customs clearances and related government bodies, induction and on-boarding if and when required.
• Assists with shipments and customs clearance for all GERT procurements.
• Receives and sends GERT’s official pouch and post, oversees postal and currier services and its timely initiation, as well as prepares supporting documents and initiates related payments.
• Finance
• Assists in the management of the GERT budget, by budget formulation, controlling allotments, monitoring expenditures, and preparing revisions as required.
• Maintains an effective financial recording and reporting system, internal control and audit follow-up; and processing financial transactions in an accurate and timely way.
• Support the monitoring of programme financial performance, by providing necessary financial information and analysis, including implementation rate against indicators/results and detecting potential over/under expenditure problems and proposing remedial action.
• Assists HRD Operations Analyst with calculation and payment of entitlement travel of GERT staff (reassignment travel, home leave travel).
• Develop effective mechanisms for monitoring programme and project budgets; coordinating compilation of financial data; and regularly providing accurate, up to date financial information.
• Procurement & Asset Management
• Support the review of procurement requests and carry out procurement activities and projects upon request, including procurement of equipment and supplies, IT equipment and services for in a transparent and cost-effect manner and in line with UNFPA procurement policy, and quality products are delivered to the final consignee within the planned timeframe for GERT.
• Support the monitoring of aspects of asset management to ensure data is up-to-date and accurate in the system. Review asset management reports and timely submit asset certification letter for GERT assets and attractive items in Istanbul office.

Any Other Duties

• Performs any other duties as may be directed by the Operations Specialist HRD, Emergency Response Coordinator HRD, IOM EECARO, including emergency deployment.

Education

Qualifications and Experience:

Completed Secondary Level Education required. A first level university degree is considered an advantage.

Knowledge And Experience

• Five years of relevant experience in administration, human resources, and travel management in the public or private sector including at least 4 years in the same functional area.
• Ability to interpret financial rules, regulations and procedures and explain them clearly and concisely.
• Ability to interpret administrative and personnel rules, regulations and procedures and explain them clearly and concisely. Experience of UN Personnel and administrative procedures desirable.
• Computer literacy – knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Experience in using Peoplesoft ERP system essential.
• Proficiency in the use of spreadsheets, word processing and computerized accounting systems.
• Previous experience in the UN, as well as, an experience of UN accounting framework and systems, Atlas/PeopleSoft desirable; and familiarity with ATLAS will be an asset. proven capacity in use of web-based applications
• Good writing and communication skills.

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other official UN languages an asset.

Values

Required Competencies:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies

• Job knowledge/technical expertise
• Organizational awareness
• Managing information and workflow
• Logistical support and Planning
• Organizing and multi-tasking
• Managing data

Compensation And Benefits

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

Disclaimer

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.