Driver/Administrative Clerk

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Office at Nairobi, the UN headquarters in Africa, was established by the General Assembly in 1996. The office is headed by a Director-General, at the Under-Secretary-General level, serves as the representative office of the Secretary-General in Nairobi and performs representation and liaison functions with permanent missions, the host-country and other Governments, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in Nairobi, as well as other organizations of the United Nations system in Kenya.

Context

UNON facilitates cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, and provides administrative support, public information support, conference services, and safety and security services for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and joint and common services to other organizations of the United Nations system in Kenya. This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNON FMTS (Facilities Management and Transport Section) projects and flagship programming initiative, among others.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of the FMTS/UNON Logistics Assistant, the UN Volunteer will perform the following duties and responsibilities: 1. Ensures provision of reliable and safe driving services by:

• driving UN office vehicles for the transportation of UNON staff, all UN Entities who have signed transport-related SLAs with UNON, high-ranking UN officials as assigned by supervisors, support for official delivery and collection of mail, documents and other items;
• pick-up/drop-off of UN personnel and visitors at the airport as delegated, including assisting in visa and customs formalities when required. 2. Ensures cost-savings through proper use of the vehicle through accurate maintenance of daily vehicle logs, provision of inputs to preparation of the vehicle maintenance plans and reports. 3. Ensures proper day-to-day maintenance of the assigned vehicle through timely minor repairs, arrangements for major repairs, timely changes of oil, checking of tyres, brakes, car washing, etc. 4. Ensures availability of all the required documents/supplies including vehicle insurance, vehicle logs, office directory, map of the city/country, first aid kit, necessary spare parts in the assigned vehicle. 5. Ensures that all immediate actions required by rules and regulations (SOPs) are taken in case of involvement in accidents. 6. Supports the FMTS/Logistics team with office logistical/operational activities as required and performs other duties as assigned, including, but not limited to:
• Assisting in conducting staff bus and After Office Hours Shuttle inspections.
• Inspecting official vehicles daily and recommending any remedial action as necessary.
• Ensuring all official vehicles are fuelled and cleaned as per the official schedule.
• Following up on official vehicles in the garage to ensure they are serviced/repaired within the timelines agreed.
• Assisting in any other office or operational work as may be necessary. 7. Supports Logistics Assistants in the establishment and maintenance of records such as data computation as may be required from time to time.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism
• Teamwork
• Client orientation

Living conditions and remarks

The Republic of Kenya lies across the equator on the East Coast of Africa. It borders Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan to the North, Uganda to the West, the United Republic of Tanzania to the South and the Indian Ocean to the East. The official languages of the Republic of Kenya are English and Kiswahili. Kenya has a population of 53 million according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in 2022. Nairobi is Kenya’s capital city with a population of 5 million people. The weather in Nairobi is generally very pleasant. February-March ordinarily marks the end of the dry season before the onset of long-rains in April. During the rainy season, heavy showers are common, especially at night. Given the tropical nature of the Nairobi region, humidity during that period tends to be high. Average temperatures during February-March are 27°C (80°F) during the day and 14°C (57°F) or lower for cold nights. The official currency of the Republic of Kenya is the Kenya Shilling (KES) which is a convertible currency. The use of credit cards to pay for purchases and services in major facilities is fairly common. Automated Teller Machines (ATM) banking services are situated at major centres across the city. ATMs services are also available on the UN compound. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is the main airport in Kenya and serves as a regional hub for many global airlines. JKIA is 15 Kilometres from Nairobi’s central business district and 25 Kilometres from the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) in Gigiri. It is UNVs’ responsibility to obtain visas for Kenya. A valid passport, not expiring for at least six months from date of departure is required for an entry visa into Kenya. Public health Yellow Fever: A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required if arriving in Kenya from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Malaria: Nairobi is generally malaria-free, but it is still recommended to consult your doctor about all malarial prophylaxis if travelling into Kenya and beyond Nairobi, especially if going to the Kenya coast and Lake Victoria region. Adequate safeguards against mosquito bites are recommended, such as insect repellents, bed nets, long trousers, and long-sleeved clothing covering all arms. Diarrhoeal Diseases: In Kenya, food poisoning and infection from waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, are common - depending on the hygiene standards of the places you visit for food. It is advisable to avoid raw foods, while fruits and vegetables that must be peeled and cleaned properly. Drinking water directly from the municipal taps is not advisable. Please ask for treated bottled water from a certified company with a secured seal. General Security precautions Nairobi is a beautiful city with a large expatriate community and modern amenities where people can move around freely in a relatively safe manner. However, it is advisable to take necessary precautions and exercise common sense in light of certain security concerns. It is also advisable to be vigilant especially in Nairobi where petty crimes like phone and handheld property snatching, theft of valuables, including from in vehicles, are not uncommon.