Administrative & Finance Assistant -(Open to all applicants)

Grade: FTA Local · Schedule: Full time

This vacancy is open to UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments of all nationalities. Other applicants must be nationals of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.

Background

As the lead United Nations agency on international development, for six decades, UNDP has worked in some 170 countries and territories. UNDP has shaped the progress of human development, providing integrated support at scale to improve lives for millions of people worldwide. UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2026-2029 helps countries and communities in their progress towards high human development while protecting the planet through four strategic objectives – prosperity for all, effective governance, crisis resilience, and a healthy planet. The plan is powered by three accelerators: digital and AI transformation; gender equality; and sustainable finance. All are underpinned by a commitment to human rights and to leaving no one behind.

The Bureau for Advocacy and External Relations leads and supports UNDP to build and deliver essential strategic relationships and alliances. It creates and delivers a strong public narrative about the organization, the impact of our work, and how we align with partners to identify and build solutions towards achieving sustainable development. The Bureau also leads UNDP’s work with traditional donors, as well as building innovative and diversified funding relationships. BERA communications enable strong political and financial backing by providing partners and supporters with a clear understanding of what UNDP does and how our mission, capabilities and services reinforce global, regional, and national development priorities. BERA leads efforts to optimally position UNDP within the UN Development System, with Member States and in the inter-governmental and inter-agency fora. It identifies strategic opportunities to partner with agencies through multi-stakeholder and bilateral platforms. It provides intelligence, advises on relationships with key political constituencies, incl. UN Member States, G77 and China, WEOG, EU, Executive Board, and develops strategies. BERA coordinates and sets corporate standards across the functions of political positioning, partnerships, marketing and communications within UNDP and leads on internal communications.

The Administrative and Finance Assistant will support the Representation Office in Germany on financial management, planning and reporting, procurement, and general administrative support. The Representation Office located in Berlin plays a critical role in UNDP’s relations with Germany. The Office cultivates, builds, and nurtures strategic relationships, including with parliament and its committees, Ministries, KFW, civil society, the private sector, foundations, academia, think tanks, and the media.

Position Purpose

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Director, the Administrative and Finance Assistant plays a key role in helping to support the sound and efficient operational management of the office, with a focus on finance, procurement, and administration. With the pooled operations support of BERA in Bonn, the incumbent is expected to work and and contribute actively to integrated ways of working within a distributed organizational model to ensure seamless delivery across global locations.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

a) Administrative support

• Manage the daily schedule of the Director.
• Maintain travel plans of the office and coordinate travel arrangements, liaising with the travel unit for travel schedule/itineraries and related documents
• Organize, compile, and prepare documentation and materials for meetings and missions.
• Provide logistical and operational support for organization of meetings and workshops.
• Provide human resources management support, including the recruitment of consultants and experts through preparation and posting of TORs, creation of position numbers, contract separation process, preparation of contracts, both in and out of Quantum, and setting up vendors.
• Ensure effective filing, including through automated filing systems, and ensure safekeeping of documents and other materials required; regular updates to Google Drive operations documents to keep a live tracking of outstanding or upcoming tasks.
• Coordinate information flow and dissemination of communication to staff as required; follow up on deadlines.
• Support in completing the Environmental Report (EMT) for the GRO annual reporting.
• Knowledge sharing on operational management activities for GRO colleagues, as needed.
• Manage staff leave plans and update the leave calendar.
• Maintain inventory and office asset records and assist in organizing office supplies and materials for staff use.

b) Financial support

• Effective budget management, including revisions, monitoring, and reconciliation; support to project budget/Quantum monitoring and reporting.
• Generate expenditure reports from computerized information system databases; assist in preliminary analyses of the extracted information and the reports generated.
• Support the preparation of budget performance reports, performing preliminary analysis of variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Assist with implementing budget and project award revisions, providing COA authorizations, creating requisitions, and receipts.
• Assist with the preparation of pre-encumbrances and obligations and review them to ensure that funds are available, and the correct account has been used.
• Provide regular monthly updates on project expenditure status, and project resource balances, etc., maintaining the internal expenditure control system
• Prepare payment invoices and follow up on the status of payments.
• Support with VAT payments and reimbursements.
• Assist in monitoring the availability of funds for financial commitments.
• Assist in the preparation of supporting documents (narrative and supporting tables) with respect to finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements.
• Monitor and track all donor agreements and contributions received and expected and support the preparation of financial and donor reports; prepare DMS forms as needed, working with Finance colleagues to ensure submission to GSSC.
• Assist with year-end deadlines from BMS and in preparation of closing projects financially and operationally.
• Support the transfer of residual balances of the various projects as well as donor refunds.
• Support with project and award creation in Quantum.

c) Procurement Support

• Ensure sufficient supplies have been acquired and venue arrangements are procured in a timely and complete.
• Liaise with the appropriate procurement colleagues in obtaining necessary clearances, as well as preparing CAP and ACP submissions as needed.
• Prepare draft (standard) contractual documents for the procurement of equipment/services, all in accordance with established procedures.
• Assist in managing contracts for the service providers (for publications, experts, venues), ensuring effective contract management and their successful closure.
• Help solve budget errors expeditiously, so POs/vouchers are approved in a timely. Make budget checks for requisitions, purchase orders, and vouchers.
• Verify and provide support to the team members in the approval processes in Quantum.
• Present information for audit of Unit’s projects; support implementation of audit recommendations.
• Keep up to date with new releases vis-à-vis ATLAS and UNDP regulations, and exchange information.
• Support with supplier registration in Quantum.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate timely resolution of administrative and procurement matters.
• Ensure that team members follow UNDP operational guidelines and procurement procedures.
• Perform other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: none

Competencies Core Competencies

• 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 a 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 the 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

• Administration & Operations — Documents and records management: Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
• Administration & Operations — Entitlement travel: Knowledge of policy and procedures related to entitlement travel, including the identification of entitlement for lump sum for UNDP as well as other UN agencies
• Administration & Operations — Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings): Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
• Procurement — Contract management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations
• Finance — Accounting (General): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations
• 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 input to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate clients' upcoming needs and concerns
• Business Direction & Strategy — System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Required Skills and Experience Education:

• Minimum 5 years with Secondary education or 2 years with a university degree of progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national level.

Experience:

• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and advanced knowledge of automated procurement systems
• Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages is required
• The ability to use good judgment and experience working in a multi-cultural setting is critical.
• Experience in project management, procurement, and finance is required.
• UN/UNDP work experience is a strong asset.
• Familiarity with Quantum is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English and German (oral and written) 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.