Staff Assistant
Organizational Context
This position is within the eTrade Initiatives Section of the E-Commerce and Digital Economy Branch, Division on Technology and Logistics at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. The Staff Assistant reports directly to the Chief of the eTrade Initiatives Section, supporting the section's operations and administrative functions.
Job Purpose
The Staff Assistant provides comprehensive office management and administrative support under minimal supervision. This includes managing consultancy contracts, travel arrangements for participants, and procurement processes. The role is crucial for ensuring smooth information flow, maintaining administrative systems, and coordinating service-wide activities, special projects, and events. The Staff Assistant also assists in orienting new staff, preparing meeting minutes, drafting correspondence, managing databases, updating the website, and ensuring the quality of outgoing documents. This support is vital for the efficient operation of the eTrade Initiatives Section and its contribution to UNCTAD's mandate.
Responsibilities
The Staff Assistant is responsible for performing a full range of office management and administrative support functions, including preparing consultancy contracts, travel arrangements for participants, and procurement. They will liaise with the Executive Office and other units on ongoing programs and administrative matters, monitoring processes and schedules for unit outputs. Key duties include ensuring efficient information flow, processing confidential information, and assisting in the development of administrative systems. The role involves coordinating service-wide activities, special projects, and events, as well as orienting new staff and assisting other support staff. Responsibilities also include attending meetings, preparing minutes, monitoring follow-up actions, responding to correspondence, producing complex documents, managing and updating databases, updating the website, and generating reports. Quality control of outgoing documents, proofreading, editing, and assisting with presentation materials are also required. The Staff Assistant will maintain calendars, monitor changes, and communicate relevant information. They will perform various administrative duties such as leave recording, meeting organization, reservations, and ordering supplies, including processing administrative requests like travel claims and visa applications. Maintaining files and databases is also a core responsibility.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of experience in general office support or a related area is required. Experience in technical cooperation, ERP software (e.g., UMOJA), and recruitment platforms (e.g., Inspira) is desirable.
Skills
Professionalism, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, administrative support, office management, communication, database management, document production, quality control, meeting coordination.