OVERVIEW
Post Number : SHS/PA 050
Grade : G-6
Parent Sector : Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)
Duty Station: Paris
Job Family: General Administrative Support
Type of contract : Project Appointment
Duration of contract : 1 year
Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 02-JAN-2026
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
Initial contract duration is for 12 months, renewable subject to funding and satisfactory performance
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS) and under the direct supervison of the Senior Finance and Administrative Officer, the incumbent assists in the delivery of activities financed from Regular Budget and Voluntary contributions. The incumbent provides high-level administrative and support services in a range of specialized areas and plays a lead role within the unit in ensuring application and compliance with the rules, regulations, policies and practices in place.
More specifically, the incumbent shall perform the following tasks:
General Accountabilities :
Act as certifying officer up to an authorized level; Provide guidance and interpretation on administrative rules, regulations and procedures; Advise on operational and technical routine transactions; Recommend process and system related modifications and improvements to supportsuccessful administration and financial monitoring and control; Interpret provisions and provide guidance on complex and non-recurring issues; Coordinate and lead meetings related to financial and administrative services.Long Description
Financial Accountabilities:
Ensure the Sector's/Division's financial resources and expenditures are fully and properly accounted for and that internal control systems are adequate and functioning; schedule payments and disbursement of funds; Ensure accurate and timely processing of assigned accounts, developing budget estimates and monitoring expenditures, participating and advising in the preparation of financial statements and budgets; Assist in the preparation and coordination of financial activities under Regular Programme and Voluntary Contributions; Compile and consolidate data from various sources into financial statements; Monitor expenditures, review payments and unliquidated obligations and reconcile accounts; Investigate anomalies and erroneous charges and take corrective action; Provide assistance and guidance to undertake coding and data entry task and to extract information, from online financial systems.Long Description
Budgetary Accountabilities:
Prepare Regular Programme and Voluntary Contributions budget reports and communicate on them to enable informed decision making and timely implementation of activities; Assist and advise on planning and budgeting and recommend modifications; Prepare budget proposals and cost estimates and ensure that data is correct; Identify irregularities and undeitake transactions to correct errors/omissions.Logistics Accountabilities:
Procurement: Research and retrieve information on supply sources, vendors by commodity and obtain specifications on the market; Review contractual documents; Resolve issues/ problems related to delivery of goods/services; Prepare requisitions for supplies and equipment; ensure that payments are processed and provide information to the assigned Division on invoicing and payment issues; Arrange for control and distribution of inventory records; Liaise with UNESCO internal services.Reporting:
Maintain and update budgetary and financial documents/reports for audit purpose and take action to implement audit recommendations; Prepare and review correspondence explaining budgetary/financial data and related issues and resolve problems.Human Resources:
Assist in the recruitment process of Affiliated Staff, providing support on the conduct of the recruitment process, preparing all relevant forms, vetting of references, ensuring all administrative formalities are completed, establishing contracts for signature.COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C)Communication (C)Innovation (C)Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)Planning and organizing (C)Results focus (C)Teamwork (C)Professionalism (C)
- For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Completed secondary education, technical or vocational education.Work Experience
Minimum eight (8) years of relevant work experience in secretarial and/or administrative tasks.Skills and competencies
Excellent analytical skills and capacity to make sound judgements. Proven experience in problem solving in the field of Human Resources, finance and budget. Ability to provide quality and timely support and services. Ability to deal with confidential matters with tact and discretion. Ability to build effective working relationships, in a multicultural environment, with a variety of internal and external partners. Ability to take initiative and seek innovative ways to improve results. Excellent IT skills with proficiency in the use of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and ERP systems.Languages
Excellent knowledge (spoken and written) of English and good working knowledge of French.DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Diploma in Public/Business Administration or related fields. Specialized secretarial training/certification or first university degree in administration.Work Experience
Relevant experience in similar functions within the UN system or any international organization/institution.Languages