Job Description
Tiered Approach
In Line With The Commitment To Safeguard Capacity And Support Personnel Already In The Organization, a Majority Of UNDP UNCDF/UNV Vacancies Are Advertised Using a Tiered Application Process Whereby
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Background
UNDP’s Country Programme supports Jordan’s efforts in further developing a more inclusive and resilient nation to deliver on national priorities and commitments to the 2030 Agenda. The Jordan Country Office Programme is focused on the following Unit Priorities: Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Livelihoods, Environment, Renewable Energy and Climate change, SDG impact, Governance and Peace (including PVE and Social Cohesion).
The Country Office is trying to address the main development challenges, mainly the shortage of water and energy resources, climate change, desertification, poverty, and unemployment, weak Financial Literacy, weak women's contribution to the labor market and in decision-making positions, weak youth empowerment, high refugees’ presence within host communities, weak decentralized government, violent extremism, weak institutional capacities at national and local levels, data availability challenges.
The new 2023-2027 Country Programme Document (CPD) takes a Portfolio approach toward a more responsive and impactful programme. The CPD identified 3 portfolios: Prosperous and Productive people, Green and Safe future pathways, and Holistic and transformative systems and capacities.
The Country Office has undertaken a Portfolio Initiation exercise (PIF) as a learning experience towards establishing portfolios and moving into the design of a new proposition that cuts across existing CO teams. The PIF is aimed at addressing the inconsistency between the Strategic Plan’s stated intent of “moving to portfolios” and the current practice driven by a projectized logic (and UNDP’s business model driven by that logic).
The CO has 51 categorized projects, ideas, and prototypes, of which 15 projects cover Prosperous and Productive people, and 21 cover Green and Safe future pathways, contributing to 70% of the CO Programme.
UNDP Jordan’s shift to portfolios is seen as a continuum; in other words, the CO will continue to deliver projects, but will increasingly plan, align & manage them as portfolios. The portfolio way of working allows UNDP to position itself as a go-to partner for developing new value propositions that are coherent with the scale & scope of complex, systemic issues.
Position Purpose
Under the guidance and supervision of the Administrative Analyst, the Administrative Assistant provides administrative and logistical support to office operations by performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. This position plays a crucial role in maintaining efficient administrative functions that align with organizational goals and standards.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of the interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration
Duties And Responsibilities
- Support administrative processes and procedures in accordance with UNDP operational rules and standard operating procedures.
- Ensure full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
- Provide inputs to preparation of administrative team results-oriented workplans.
- Effective implementation of the Travel and Events (T&E) Dashboard & Travel Management
- Coordinate all travel-related matters with the travel agent. Coordinate administrative arrangements for official travel and missions., calculation of airfare, terminal expenses, daily subsistence allowance DSA for staff traveling on missions, etc.
- Provide guidance to the staff in relation to the travel request, travel claim submission, or creation.
- Prepare and manage events, including logistics and administrative support.
- Provide administrative support for operational monitoring and documentation of administrative expenditures
- Extract, input, copy and file data from various sources.
- Review travel authorizations, documentation, and follow up on payments for vendors.
- Support the implementation of the cost recovery process. Prepare the invoices and support in submission of the cost recovery on the service portal.
- Support in the maintenance of the premises and follow up on Assets within the premises.
- Prepare and follow up on Common Services invoices and collection
- Provide appropriate and required administrative and logistical services to the Country Office, as assigned.
- Arrange travel and hotel reservations, prepare travel authorizations. When requested, collect information for DSA, travel agencies and other administrative surveys.
- Maintain files and records relevant to office maintenance and for Administrative Unit. Check vehicle logs and prepare draft vehicle history reports and maintenance plans.
- Support arrangements of events (such as meetings, workshops, conferences, seminars, and training, including venue management, invitations, and support during the event). Provide administrative support to organization of conferences, workshops, retreats.
- Prepare routine correspondence, memoranda and reports in accordance with CO SOP.
- Support knowledge building and sharing in the Country Office.
- Help organize and participate in training for the operations/projects staff on administration.
- Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None
Competencies
Core
Achieve Results
LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively
LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously
LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility
LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner
LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion
LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Management Customer Satisfaction/Client Management
- Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs.
- Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
- Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
- Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
Administration & Operations Documents and records management
- Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
Administration & Operations
UN travel documents
- Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and processes related to UN travel documents; ability to facilitate the insurance of UN travel documents for UNDP and UN agencies; processing of visas, and ensure oversight and endorsement
Administration & Operations Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings)
- Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
Education
Required Skills and Experience
- Secondary education is required.
- University Degree (bachelor´s degree) in Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Experience
- Minimum of 5 years (with secondary education) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in administration or programme support services is required.
- UN Experience is desirable.
- Experience in travel web-based systems (such as Galileo) is desirable.
- Experience in travel and events management is required.
- Experience in the use of computers, office software (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
- CIPS1 is desirable.
- Other Certifications in Administration and Procurement are desirable.
- Fluency in English and Arabic is required.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
