UNESCO Secretarial Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, was established in 1945 with the mission to contribute to peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms. The organization operates in over 190 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. UNESCO aims to build peace in the minds of men and women, focusing on education, science, culture, and communication as key areas for development and cooperation.

Job Overview:
The UNESCO Secretarial Assistant position is a critical role within the organization, providing essential administrative support to the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in the Pacific, located in Apia, Samoa. The incumbent will be responsible for coordinating a wide range of office management and administrative tasks, ensuring that workflows and information management are executed with high quality and consistency. This role requires a proactive approach to managing the Director's calendar, responding to sensitive correspondence, and leading secretarial support for high-level meetings and special projects. The position also involves overseeing the work of other support staff, managing incoming communications, and maintaining the office's filing and reference systems. The Secretarial Assistant will play a vital role in enhancing the efficiency of office procedures and contributing to the overall success of the organization’s mission in the Pacific region.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the UNESCO Secretarial Assistant include but are not limited to: screening appointment requests based on urgency, maintaining the supervisor’s calendar, confirming schedules, and receiving visitors. The incumbent will respond to queries and correspondence, often of a sensitive or technical nature, and coordinate secretarial support services for meetings and training sessions. Responsibilities also include attending meetings, preparing minutes, and monitoring follow-up activities. The role requires arranging for editing and translation services for documents, overseeing the work of support staff, managing incoming mail, drafting technical responses, and performing quality control on outgoing documents. The Secretarial Assistant will conduct research, compile background information for reports, and generate statistical reports from databases. Additionally, the incumbent will update the office website and knowledge management tools, periodically review office procedures, and recommend improvements.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a completed secondary education, technical diploma, or vocational school certification. A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in administrative or secretarial support roles is required. The ideal candidate should have experience in agenda management, logistics, report preparation, and file management. Proficiency in knowledge management tools and databases is also essential. Candidates should demonstrate integrity, confidentiality, and reliability, along with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent planning, organization, and interpersonal communication skills are necessary, as well as a strong command of MS Office applications and database management.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a completed secondary education, technical diploma, or vocational school certification. This foundational education is essential for performing the administrative and secretarial tasks expected of the role.

Experience:
The position requires at least five years of relevant work experience in administrative, secretarial support, or closely related fields. Candidates should have a proven track record in managing agendas, logistics, and preparing reports, briefs, and speeches. Experience with knowledge management tools and databases is also highly valued.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is excellent knowledge of English, both spoken and written. Additionally, knowledge of French and another official language of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) is considered desirable and advantageous for candidates.

Additional Notes:
This position is a fixed-term contract for a duration of two years, with the possibility of renewal. It is open to both internal and external candidates, but only those entitled to work in Samoa may apply. The approximate starting annual salary for this position is 31,457 TALA, and benefits may include 30 days of annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, and a pension plan. UNESCO emphasizes the importance of diversity and encourages applications from candidates of various backgrounds, including individuals from minority and indigenous groups, as well as persons with disabilities. The organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and is committed to achieving gender parity and equitable geographical distribution among its staff.