Administration Associate

Job Description

Under the supervision of the Director and in coordination with the Assistant Secretary General (ASG) , the Administration Associate will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assists in the overall administration in the project, i.e. provides substantive and administrative support in managing priorities and work flow of the ASG of the Climate Action Team and the work unit; coordinates and monitors multiple and diverse activities and work processes to ensure that management directives and decisions are properly carried out and products delivered in a timely manner.
• Compiles and analyzes basic data from a variety of sources (including IMIS), summarizing and presenting conclusions for review by manager.
• Serves as a communications link between the ASG and senior staff; on behalf of the ASG , keeps others informed by conveying directives, reports, status updates and other relevant information; brings sensitive and urgent matters to the attention of the manager.
• Takes full responsibility for time management and scheduling on behalf of manager with appropriate consultation as required; effectively prioritizes and resolves related conflicts and competing demands.
• Undertakes representational duties on behalf of the ASG, including serving as first point of contact and liaison with senior officials internally and externally.
• Screens and prioritizes all incoming correspondence; compiles relevant background documents and references; identifies issues requiring the manager’s attention and refers others to relevant officers for appropriate disposition; monitors and follows-up on actions to be taken.
• Researches, compiles and summarizes background materials for use in preparation of reports, briefs, speeches, etc; scan reports from specialized agencies, as well as newspapers, magazine, periodicals and other information sources to identify articles of interest to the ASG.
• Independently handles a wide range of complex information requests and inquiries (e.g. answer requests requiring file or other research); responds, or drafts responses, to a diverse range of correspondence and other communications.
• Supports the ASG in presentations to intergovernmental bodies and other meetings, researching issues, preparing briefing notes, slides and subject files, gathering relevant documentation, etc.

• Secondary education/High school diploma is required.
• University degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s), will be considered an asset and may substitute for some of the required years of experience.

• A minimum of six (6) years experience in programme or project administration, technical cooperation or related area is required.
• Experience working with the secretariat and other UN agencies is required

• Fluency in English (write, read, talk) is required.
• Knowledge of other UN working languages is desirable.

About the Organization

New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) of the United Nations to implement the activities of the Climate Action Team (CAT) Project.

Following COP26 in Glasgow and COP27 in Sharm el-Sheik, there is less than a decade to prevent a climate breakdown. Without deep emissions cuts, the world is heading towards 2.4-degrees Celsius of warming with catastrophic consequences. At current levels of warming the world is experiencing unprecedented climate impacts.

An increase in global average temperature above 1.5˚C would mean extreme weather and climate disasters increasing in frequency and intensity, putting billions of people at immediate risk with significant parts of Africa becoming unlivable and whole countries ceasing to exist. The Secretary-General’s call to all countries, cities, companies and institutions to go into emergency mode on climate is needed more than ever.

While climate change risks undermining the 2030 Agenda, as well as the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable development, climate action also presents an opportunity. Green investments boost growth and jobs; just transitions are inclusive and help to eradicate poverty; and enhancing carbon sinks strengthen biodiversity and resilience. It will be essential to ensure that the transformation of economies and societies takes place to enable accelerated climate action in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The objective of the Secretary-General’s climate action strategy throughout his second term will be to accelerate this decade, the transition towards a resilient, net zero world, that keeps the 1.5˚C goal alive, to secure the alignment of public and private finance, of technological transfers and capacity building to enable the necessary cooperation and support needed by developing countries, to significantly enhance the credibility and accountability of commitments taken by governments and non-state actors to reach the Paris Agreement goals.

It will be critical to build on progress made at COP26 and COP27. The two-year period from Glasgow in November 2021 to the Global Stocktake in November 2023 will be essential to meeting this goal and is aligned with the complementary push for accelerated efforts during the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs by 2030. This will require enhanced coordination and collaboration across the United Nations System especially at the country level.

The Secretary- General’s Climate Action Team will focus on the following:

• Raising ambition levels and concrete mitigation commitments by the major emitters, particularly the G20.
• Contributing to the reform of the international climate finance architecture and the multilateral development banks including through the design and operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund decided at COP27.
• Delivering tangible results to scale up adaptation and resilience finance and projects in developing countries including through cooperative initiatives.
• Developing and implementing targeted strategies for fossil fuel phase-out and renewable energy scale-up including through the Just Energy Transition Partnerships and other cooperative initiatives.
• Strengthening and verifying short-term and longer-term commitments made by non-state actors to reach net zero by 2050 through the implementation of the guidelines recommended to the Secretary-General at COP27 by the High-Level Group of Experts on Net Zero pledges
• Enhancing UN system support to countries to deliver on the climate and environment-related Sustainable Development Goals this decade.
• Providing up-to-date analytics and policy guidance for the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, UN leadership and Member States.
• Designing and executing a cross-UN global communications campaign and movement focused on SG and UN leadership on climate action at all levels, and messaging and storytelling to build political will, elevate local solutions and mobilize individual actions.

The incumbent of this position will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.