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Job Description
Org. Setting and Reporting
ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 SDGs and Agenda 2063. The mission is guided by ECA’s five new strategic directions which are: advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. This position is in the Publications and Conference Management Section (PCMS) within the Publications, Conference and Knowledge Management Division (PCKMD) in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Responsibilities
The incumbent works under the general guidance of the Chief of Publication and Conference Management Section (PCMS) and the direct supervision of the Chief, Conference Management & Interpretation Unit. Within the delegated authority, the Senior Meeting Services Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
- • Reviews resolutions and decisions of assigned committees and meetings/conferences.
- • Prepares draft programme of work of assigned committees and meetings/conferences for clearance.
- • Drafts procedural notes for the chairpersons of assigned committees and conferences.
- • Prepares preliminary list and annotation of agenda items.
- • Prepares invitations to member states, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations to attend sessions of committees and meetings/conferences.
- • Ensures that all preliminary logistic arrangements are made in advance for the efficient conduct of committees and meetings/conferences.
- • Proposes solutions to problems and leads projects for enhancing efficiency and level of services provided in the conference room.
- • Ensures that all required services, including the availability and distribution of documents, and personnel are available in order for committees and meetings/conferences to convene according to the schedule.
- • As lead Meetings Services Assistant, supervises the staff assigned to the meeting room in retrieving documents electronically and in distributing texts of speeches, parliamentary documentation, ballot and results of voting.
- • Reports on the proceedings of committees and meetings/conferences and submits reports, if required, to the supervisor.
- • Works with senior officers and coordinate with host countries on scope and requirements and provides logistical support for committees and meetings/conferences to be held away from Headquarters, other UN Offices or Regional Commissions.
- • Organizes and coordinates preparatory meetings with relevant offices and delegations regarding procedural and organizational arrangements for the sessions of committees and meetings/conferences.
- • Prepares floor plan of seating arrangements in accordance with meeting requirements and UN protocol.
- • Undertakes research and provides reference materials for preparation of briefs, notes and statements for the chairperson of committees and meetings/conferences.
- • Maintains databases of meetings, including g-Meets and Indico.UN, based on requests and publishes the list indicating the interpretation requirements, venue, date and other relevant information, on a monthly basis.
- • Prepares tentative schedule of meetings for current and future years. • Prepares monthly statistics on meetings held at headquarters and offices away from headquarters.
- • Determines the material and human resources requirements of meetings and prepares the cost estimates for consideration by the requesting office.
- • Allocate conference facilities and meeting rooms.
- • Maintains an accurate record of speakers and/or an attendance record and coordinate with delegations on their position on the list of speakers.
- • Maintains database of list and addresses of invitees including member states, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations.
- • Makes arrangements for and coordinates video and teleconference activities at headquarters.
- • Moderating over hybrid/virtual/RSI meeting platforms, including testing with online participants, giving the floor and basic troubleshooting over the chat function and on Signal.
- • Acts as events servicing team leader; coordinating between 50 to 60 events monthly.
- • Responds to queries from delegations and Secretariat.
- • Serves as Late Duty and Weekend Duty Officer for the Unit, and acts as OIC, when required, in the absence of the Chief of Unit.
- •Participates in the recruitment of temporary assistants and schedules and supervises their work.
- •Trains and provides supervision to new and lower-level staff in the unit, including five (5) Individual Contractors.
- • Supervises and trains vendors such as ushers and porters assigned to support events.
- • Monitors and ensures all equipment in the 15 meeting and caucus rooms are functional at all times and regularly maintained.
- • Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.
- • Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.
- • Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of the Organization’s conference policies, procedures and practices. Ability to research, select, organize and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Able to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Education
- High school diploma or equivalent.
Work Experience
- A minimum of ten years of experience in conference support or a related area is required. The minimum year of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience in servicing large meetings/conferences is required Experience in management of hybrid meetings is required. One year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
| Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II | UN Level II |
Desirable Languages
| Language | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I | UN Level I |
Assessment
- Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a substantive assessment, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience, and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect.
The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgment within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts.
The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship.
Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.
Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines.
Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.