Senior Staff Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support within the Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (PBPSO) of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). PBPSO was established under A/43S/80/242 on December 31, 2025, to lead the United Nations' efforts in Peacebuilding and Peace Support. The office comprises various components focused on Rule of Law and Peacebuilding, including Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, Justice and Corrections, and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security Sector Reform. The PBPSO is headed by an Assistant Secretary-General who reports to both the Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations and the Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The office aims to enhance the effectiveness of peacebuilding initiatives globally, ensuring that the UN's peacebuilding strategies are implemented effectively across member states.

Job Overview:
The Senior Staff Assistant plays a crucial role in the administration of the department/division, providing both substantive and administrative support to the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and the Deputy Head of the Office. This position requires a proactive approach to managing priorities and workflows, ensuring that management directives are executed efficiently. The Senior Staff Assistant will act as the first point of contact for incoming communications, manage the ASG's schedule and travel arrangements, and liaise with senior officials both internally and externally. The role demands a high level of discretion and the ability to handle sensitive information, as well as the capacity to prioritize tasks effectively in a fast-paced environment. The Senior Staff Assistant will also be responsible for organizing meetings and official receptions, preparing confidential documents, and maintaining internal databases, all while ensuring that the office operates smoothly and efficiently.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Staff Assistant's responsibilities include: assisting in the overall administration of the department, providing substantive and administrative support, coordinating and monitoring diverse activities, managing the ASG's diary and travel, handling inquiries and requests for information, serving as a communications link between the supervisor and senior staff, managing time and scheduling, screening and prioritizing correspondence, compiling background documents, establishing administrative procedures, organizing official receptions and meetings, preparing and processing confidential information, managing administrative duties such as leave records and travel arrangements, exercising quality control for outgoing documents, updating internal databases, assisting with data collection and analysis, and performing other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. The position requires a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible work experience in general office support, administration, or a related area. Front office experience is essential, along with experience in making travel and accommodation arrangements for senior officials. Familiarity with the workings of the UN Secretariat or a comparable public international organization is desirable, as is experience dealing with high-ranking officials in the diplomatic community. Proficiency in using enterprise resource planning information systems such as Umoja is also preferred.

Educational Background:
A high school diploma or equivalent is required for this position. There are no specific job-related qualifications listed beyond the educational requirement, but relevant experience in administrative roles is crucial.

Experience:
The role requires at least seven years of progressively responsible experience in general office support, administration, or a related field. Candidates should have front office experience and a proven track record of managing travel and accommodation arrangements for senior officials. Experience working with different offices within the UN Secretariat or similar organizations is highly desirable, as is experience interacting with high-ranking officials in the diplomatic community. Familiarity with enterprise resource planning systems like Umoja is also beneficial.

Languages:
English is the required working language for this position, with a minimum proficiency level of UN Level II in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. French is also a working language of the United Nations, and proficiency in French is considered an asset, although not mandatory for this role.

Additional Notes:
This position is temporarily available until December 31, 2026, and is funded from voluntary contributions. If the selected candidate is a current staff member of the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. This temporary assignment does not guarantee future employment in the same position. Candidates who are nearing the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of this temporary position are not eligible to apply. The United Nations does not charge any fees during the recruitment process, and candidates are encouraged to provide complete and accurate information in their applications.