Duties and Responsibilities
BACKGROUND: ITC is the joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, fully dedicated to supporting small businesses of developing countries to trade. This position is located in the Women, Youth, and Vulnerable Communities Section (WYVC) of ITC. The Programme Assistant will work in WYVC projects in Uganda, such as the Strengthening Agribusiness Resilience and Competitiveness (STAR) project and the “Enhancing Skills and Enabling Financial Inclusion for Young Women in the Creative Economy” project RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the supervision of the Programme Officer SheTrades and the Programme Officer Youth, and in close collaboration with the SheTrades Senior Administrative Assistant the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Budget and Finance: • Provides expert assistance in the preparation and development of the project’s work programme and budget. • Assists in monitoring budget/work programme on a regular basis, and suggests reallocations of resources and implements the reallocations as necessary. • Collects data from relevant databases and prepares customized financial reports. • Provides assistance in the review, and preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions. • Reviews, analyses and assists in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from departments/offices at headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects. • Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. • Monitors budget implementation/expenditures; maintains financial databases and ensures timely reporting on commitment and disbursements; recommends reallocation of funds as necessary. • Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds. • Assists in preparation of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. • Processes a variety of financial and administrative transactions, including payment requests, purchase orders, travel authorizations, and vendor management, verifying accuracy and completeness of documentation prior to submission. • Supports the HQ Administrative/Finance Leads in preparing financial reports by maintaining accurate records of expenditures, reconciling accounts, and consolidating supporting documentation. General Administration: • Independently carries out a wide range of administrative and operational support functions for the implementation of project activities, ensuring compliance with UN rules, regulations, and procedures. • Leads on day-to-day local operations, overseeing office management, facilities, utilities, and service providers, and ensuring efficient functioning of the project office. • Provides oversight of local logistics, including organization of workshops, missions, and events; coordinates travel arrangements; manages transportation, accommodation, and protocol support as required. Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to other administrative and logistics staff and contractors in the area of responsibility. • Provides assistance in drafting of budget agreements, or contributions for grants or other activities as appropriate. • Identifies and resolves diverse issues/problems as they arise, and determines appropriate actions. • Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field, particularly on operational and financial matters, ensuring timely follow-up and resolution of administrative issues. • Acts as focal point for local procurement processes, including preparation of requisitions, vendor selection, receipt of goods/services, and verification of invoices. • Maintains and updates office files, records, and databases, ensuring proper archiving of administrative and financial documents. • Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., operational travel programme, monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services, physical space planning and the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems, organize and coordinate seminars, conferences and translations). • 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. Contract Administration: • Assists with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for outsourced services. • Audits the contractors' invoices against the goods and services provided by the contractor and approved by the UN. • Processes the payment of contractors' invoices and monitor payments. • Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for project, including (if relevant): UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, swipe-card access and door keys. • Performs other duties as required. Copyright: The personnel has to ensure that s/he has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform his/her services under this consultancy contract and for the subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the Consultant shall request the prior written permission from ITC. S/he has further to ensure to obtain accreditation to event(s), if required.
Qualifications/special skills
EDUCATION: High school diploma or equivalent. EXPERIENCE: A minimum of nine (9) years (reduced to seven (7) years with a completed university degree) of experience in programme or project administration, technical cooperation or related area. Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning software is desirable. Experience in the United Nations Common System is desirable. COMPETENCIES: • Professionalism: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. 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, modelling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. • 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. • Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. • Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.
