Team Assistant

• Occupational rate: 100% (Full-time)
• Duration: 364 days, with the possibility of extension

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is a voluntarily funded, autonomous institution within the United Nations. One of the few policy institutes worldwide focusing on disarmament, UNIDIR generates knowledge and promotes dialogue and action on disarmament and security. Based in Geneva, UNIDIR assists the international community to develop the practical, innovative ideas needed to find solutions to critical security problems.

Within the limits of delegated authority, the Team Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Performs a wide range of office support and administrative functions for multiple UNIDIR programmes.
• Responds to, or drafts responses to, routine correspondence and other communications; uses a standard word-processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports.
• Monitors processes and schedules related to the unit’s outputs, products, tasks, etc.; where applicable, assists in the verification of receipt and accuracy of requisite documents, approvals, signatures, etc., to ensure compliance with relevant legal, financial and other requirements.
• Researches, compiles and organizes information and reference materials from various sources for reports, workplans, studies, briefings, meetings and conferences, etc.
• Generates a variety of standard statistical and other reports, work orders, etc., using various databases.
• Proofreads documents and edits texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style, and for adherence to established standards for format.
• Initiates the payment of contractors’ invoices and monitors payments.
• Provides secretarial, administrative and logistics support to meetings, boards, committees, conferences, etc.
• Assists in the preparation of presentation materials using appropriate technology and software.
• Maintains calendars and schedules; monitors changes and communicates relevant information to appropriate staff inside and outside the immediate work unit.
• Performs data entry and extraction functions.
• Reviews, records, distributes and/or processes mail and other documents; follows up on impending actions.
• Updates and maintains large distribution lists; monitors, prepares and distributes various materials and reports, where possible using electronic formats; handles arrangements for printing and translation as necessary; coordinates shipment arrangements, courier services, etc.
• Performs general administrative tasks (e.g. leave and attendance recording, arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up), including preparing and/or processing administrative requests and documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests, contracts, expenditure authorizations, visa applications).
• Maintains files (both paper and electronic) and databases for the work unit.
• Assists in providing software and office equipment support.
• Provides guidance to less experienced staff on general office processes and procedures, computer applications, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

A workplan will be agreed within the first two weeks of the contract. The Team Assistant will have regular meetings with their First Reporting Officer in order to set assignments within the workplan and monitor progress. They will inform their First Reporting Officer and relevant personnel if there are any issues concerning meeting agreed deadlines.

The Team Assistant will be evaluated against their agreed workplan and according to the United Nations staff performance evaluation guidelines.

The Team Assistant is required to demonstrate the core values of the United…