Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

UNICEF is the world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foun...

Responsibilities or duties

Under the close supervision and guidance of the Programme Specialist (Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation), as the Programme Assistant you will provide administrative, procedural, and operational support to the Polio Eradication Programme at Headquarters. As part of a pooled Programme Assistant function, the incumbent supports multiple workstreams and teams across the programme, including colleagues based in Nairobi and New York. The Programme Assistant carries out a range of administrative and operational tasks as follows:

Administrative and office support: Assist with correspondence, presentations, research, meeting scheduling, calendar management, minute taking, records management, office supplies and equipment, and general office administration.

Travel and event coordination: Coordinate travel arrangements, including travel authorizations, itineraries, visas, security and medical clearances, accommodation and transportation, and provide logistical support for meetings, conferences, capacity development activities and official visits.

Consultancy and contract administration: Facilitate consultant, vendor and partner contracting processes, prepare and process documentation, upload TORs in VISION, and support consultancy assessments in coordination with operations colleagues.

Financial and budget support: Process invoices, maintain financial records, monitor commitments and expenditures, and support Annual Work Plan (AWP) budget preparation and monitoring.

Programme support: Maintain programme records and monitoring documents, process programme transactions in VISION, ensure programme coding aligns with AWPs, support programme implementation and financial monitoring, and maintain records for the Polio Eradication Programme workstreams.

Cross-functional support: Provide administrative and operational support across programme workstreams and undertake additional tasks to ensure efficient team operations.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Minimum requirements:

Education: Completion of secondary education is required.

Skills:

• Demonstrated skills in project management, collaboration, problem solving, and digital dexterity.
• Good knowledge of IT tools including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ERP (VISION) and SharePoint is required.
• Knowledge of English language at a Proficient/Fluent level is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.

Supplemental technical or university courses related to the work of the organization are an asset.

Experience in facilitating the processing of contracts for consultants, vendors and external partners that support delivery programme is desirable.

Experience in arranging travel using online booking tools to set up itineraries, request visas, security and medical clearances, hotel bookings and ground transportation as an asset.

Excellent understanding of contractual regulations and processes in UNICEF or the UN system desirable.

Experience providing administrative and operational support in a fast-paced, multi-team or programme environment is an asset desirable.

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

Experience needed

Work Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience is required.

• Assist with correspondence, presentations, research, meeting scheduling, calendar management, minute taking, records management, office supplies and equipment, and general office administration.
• Coordinate travel arrangements, including travel authorizations, itineraries, visas, security and medical clearances, accommodation and transportation, and provide logistical support for meetings, conferences, capacity development activities and official visits.
• Facilitate consultant, vendor and partner contracting processes, prepare and process documentation, upload TORs in VISION, and support consultancy assessments in coordination with operations colleagues.
• Process invoices, maintain financial records, monitor commitments and expenditures, and support Annual Work Plan (AWP) budget preparation and monitoring.
• Maintain programme records and monitoring documents, process programme transactions in VISION, ensure programme coding aligns with AWPs, support programme implementation and financial monitoring, and maintain records for the Polio Eradication Programme workstreams.
• Provide administrative and operational support across programme workstreams and undertake additional tasks to ensure efficient team operations.

• Demonstrated skills in project management, collaboration, problem solving, and digital dexterity.
• Good knowledge of IT tools including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ERP (VISION) and SharePoint is required.
• Knowledge of English language at a Proficient/Fluent level is required.

• Completion of secondary education is required.