Programme Assistant

OVERVIEW

Post Number : IOC 375

Grade : G-5

Parent Sector : Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: General Administrative Support

Type of contract : Fixed Term

Duration of contract : 2 years, renewable

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 20-MAR-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Only candidates who are entitled to work in France may apply to this position

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and direct supervision from the Chief of Section, Ocean Observing and Services (IOC/OOS), the incumbent serves as a team member of IOC and the Programme Office for the IOC-led Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The IOC programmes and activities coordinated by OOS, such as the Joint WMO-IOC Collaborative Board, and the co-sponsored GOOS programme operate through the advice and actions of numerous expert teams and steering groups, with linked work plans and projects, supported by a distributed secretariat - a complex landscape requiring good internai and external communication and cooperation. The incumbent is responsible for coordinating and performing a full range of office support, administrative, management, and communications support tasks for the smooth and efficient organization and delivery of the work under the Section. The focus is on information management and monitoring including administrative delivery of the programme and financial tracking, event orchestration, routine communication, GOOS website oversight, and provision of administrative support in contracting.

General Accountabilities:

• Draft and prepare routine correspondence, memoranda and non-substantive reports.
• Maintain confidential and general files and manage file and reference systems.
• Assist in the preparation of budgetary and financial reports, statistics, or projections for head of section’s use.
• Review draft reports, verify overall accuracy and consistency and cross-check consistency of figures.
• Provide guidance and interpretation on HR-related initiatives and administrative rules, regulations and procedures (e.g. recruitment of staff, secondments and interns).
• Schedule and organize inter-sessional meetings, both in person and on-line.
• In collaboration with team members, assess administrative support needs for meetings and events, travel document processing, publication production, consultants and coordinate office support services for the same.

General Accountabilities:

 Finance and Budget Accountabilities:

• Travel: assist and provide guidance in the preparation of travel plans, processing visas, security cards and other documentation. Initiate travel authorization and make travel arrangements for team staff and relevant GOOS experts.
• Assist and inform the supervisor on financial statuses, by using information systems and reporting.
• Record and reconcile accounting transactions.
• Verify and process payments and budgetary transactions.
• Maintain specific accounts, calculate and compile financial data and prepare routine reports.
• Monitor and control commitments and expenditures. 
• Verify contractual files and supporting documents, partner roles, responsibilities, deliverables, mandatory reporting and assurance mechanisms, funds transfer modalities and conditions for collaboration.
• Carry out control checks on all contracts and funds reservations to ensure proposed commitment complies with policy, procedures and administrative process details, and steps are followed.
• Keep track of budget levels, contract end dates, and alert the supervisor to avoid potential shortfalls in funds (validating information and identifying any errors or irregularities).
• Respond to enquiries and follow-up on funding or contractual initiatives.

Communication Accountabilities:

• Coordinate and share relevant information with GOOS community, including in regard to meeting set up and organization. 
• Verify and keep up to date the information on the website, goosocean.org and oceanexpert.org, including contact lists, event details, meeting information, reports and news items.
• Coordinate the GOOS webinar series.

Additional activities that may be required to ensure the success of the work of the team.
Provide back-up assistance to other AO assistants in their absence.  

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Completed secondary, technical or vocational school education.

Work Experience

• At least five (5) years of relevant work experience in programme assistance, and/or administrative support tasks or related tasks.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to take initiative and provide timely, quality support and services.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good IT skills with proficiency in the use of MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.).
• Ability to work under tight deadlines, to deal with complex and sensitive situations and flexibility to adjust work schedules.
• Good organizational and coordination skills with the ability to establish priorities and monitor own work plans.
• Ability to work efficiently in a multi-cultural environment, with team spirit.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience

• Relevant experience in similar functions within the UN system or any international ‎organization/institution.‎

Languages:‎

• Knowledge of French.‎

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc.

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is 48 526 Euros.

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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