Administrative Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), specifically at the Regional Hub for Central and West Africa in Dakar, Senegal. The OHCHR is dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights globally, ensuring that the principles of the United Nations Charter are upheld. Established in 1993, the OHCHR operates in various regions, focusing on human rights issues and providing support to member states in implementing international human rights standards. The organization employs a diverse workforce and collaborates with numerous stakeholders across multiple countries to advance human rights initiatives.

Job Overview:
The Administrative Officer plays a crucial role in the effective management of human resources, budget, finance, and general administration within the OHCHR's Regional Hub. This position requires a proactive approach to coordinating human resource activities, ensuring compliance with UN policies, and managing financial resources efficiently. The officer will be responsible for overseeing recruitment processes, onboarding new staff, and ensuring that performance appraisals and training programs are effectively implemented. Additionally, the Administrative Officer will lead budget implementation, ensuring that financial resources are allocated appropriately and in line with the Programme Budget. The role also involves providing guidance on financial administration and management information issues, thereby supporting the overall operational efficiency of the office. The Administrative Officer must demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and client orientation in all aspects of their work, ensuring that the needs of the office and its clients are met effectively.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Administrative Officer will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including but not limited to:

• Coordinating human resource activities such as recruitment, onboarding, performance appraisal, and staff training, ensuring adherence to UN rules and procedures.
• Leading the implementation of the work programme and ensuring financial resources are utilized effectively in accordance with the Programme Budget.
• Defining requirements and collaborating with systems units to enhance budget reporting systems and optimize resource utilization.
• Supervising financial administration and providing guidance to colleagues on management information issues.
• Overseeing procurement processes, billing, and income receipt from various services, as well as monitoring vendor contracts and payments.
• Assessing office space requirements and identifying technology needs for office operations.
• Performing other related administrative tasks as required to support the office's functions.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong understanding of administrative, budgetary, financial, and human resources policies and procedures. They should demonstrate the ability to apply UN administrative rules in various work situations and possess conceptual, analytical, and evaluative skills for independent research and analysis. The ideal candidate will show a commitment to gender perspectives and the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Additionally, they should exhibit professionalism, accountability, and client orientation in their approach to responsibilities.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law, or a related area is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. This educational background is essential for understanding the complexities of administrative and financial management within the UN framework.

Experience:
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, or human resources management is required. Candidates should have experience in providing administrative and HR advisory support to managers and staff, as well as experience in managing budgets. Familiarity with the implementation of administrative and financial policies within the UN Secretariat or similar international organizations is desirable. Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as Umoja, and data analytics is also advantageous, with two or more years of experience in these areas being preferred.

Languages:
The working languages of the United Nations Secretariat are English and French. For this position, proficiency in either English or French is required, with a minimum level of proficiency specified according to the UN Language Framework. Candidates must demonstrate their language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, with a minimum level of II in both languages being preferred.

Additional Notes:
This position is categorized under the National Professional Officer category, meaning candidates must be nationals of Senegal. The recruitment process emphasizes the importance of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, with a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The United Nations encourages female candidates to apply and provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. The position may involve an initial probationary period of one year, and candidates should be aware that all employment decisions are made based on qualifications and organizational needs. The UN does not charge any fees during the recruitment process.