339 - Quartet - Special Assistant to Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission - Jerusalem

Application Type : External Vacancy
Job ID/Title : 339 - Quartet - Special Assistant to Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission
Category : Other
Brand : UNDP
Post Level :
Application Deadline : 21-Jun-10
Duty Station : Jerusalem
Type of Contract : SSA,
Post Number :
(for 100 Series Contracts)
Languages Required :
English,
Starting Date :
(date when the selected canditate is expected to start)
Duration of Initial Contract : 6 months with possible extension
Expected Duration of Assignment :
Background:
On June 27, 2007, the Quartet (US, UN, EU and Russia) appointed Quartet Representative (QR) Tony Blair to advance the objectives of the Quartet insofar as they relate to the development of the Palestinian economy and PA institutions. The QR is charged with:
 
       Mobilizing international assistance to the Palestinians, working closely with donors and existing coordination bodies;
       Helping to identify, and secure appropriate international support in addressing, the institutional governance needs of the Palestinian state, focusing as a matter of urgency on the rule of law; and
       Promoting Palestinian economic development, including private sector partnerships, building on previously agreed frameworks, especially concerning access and movement.
 
The Office of the Quartet Representative in Jerusalem (OQR) houses the group of experts from various countries/institutions, as well as the administration and security teams, intended to support the QR during his trips to Israel/Palestinian Territories. The OQR also acts as the representative of the QR in all daily functions. The OQR is managed by a Head of Mission (HoM) and a Deputy Head of Mission (DHoM).
 
Description of Responsibilities:
 
To support effectively the Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission so they are able to perform their duties effectively.
Work needs
This post requires the post-holder to be prepared to work out of normal working hours when necessary. In particular managing the HoM’s schedule will require taking and making calls from counterparts in late evenings and weekends. Applicants should be prepared to commit to this level of engagement.
Scope of Work
 
  • Efficient and discreet management of the Head of Mission’s (HoM) and Deputy Head of Mission’s (DHoM) schedule; full administrative support, logistic coordination and assistance as and when required;
  • Drafting official communication of the OQR office, policy statements, donor reports, letters to capitals and correspondence to donors and diplomatic/governmental officials.
  • Proof-reading, editing and formatting official OQR communication.: including routine correspondence, interoffice circulars, briefing notes for international community, documents, reports, and minutes of meetings when requested;
  • Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of reports to the Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission.
  • Adherence to appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines by Quartet team when communicating with governments and other external partners;
  • Assistance in management of the OQR office, ensuring an environment of professionalism and teamwork at all times, and setting exemplary standards of conduct for the OQR team;
  • Managing the local visit schedules of the Quartet Representative when necessary
  • Coordination of the information flow in the office, discretion and dissemination of interoffice communication to staff as required;
  • Organization of regular and ad-hoc meetings, preparation of minutes and summaries of actions to be taken, tracking of progress on planned issues, follow-up with focal points;
  • Screening of all incoming communications, filter outgoing correspondence for supervisor’s signature, clearance and further action by other staff; wherever possible;
  • Administration of travel, meetings, appointments and briefings, including drafting of background notes.
  • Maintenance of the filing system, ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials, use of web-based filing system; and telephone lists;
  • Support to OQR for all relevant events if and when required.
  • Other ad hoc duties as requested, including covering administrative duties of staff absences and/or vacancies
                        Deliverables
 
  • Effective continuous support to HoM and DHoM, and broader OQR
  • Effective delivery of all duties and responsibilities as spelled out on ToR on a continuous basis
Competencies :
  • Ability to work well under stressful and dynamic conditions
  • Exceptional team building and team working skills.
Qualifications :
Education: Social Sciences University degree (BA)
·     Work experience: At least 5 years of relevant experience.
·     Extensive experience and high capabilities in the usage of computers and Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc) and experience in web based information management systems.
·     Experience managing schedules, contacts and agendas
·     Experience in working with political missions, the donor sector, and the international community
·     Excellent verbal and written communication skills
·     Ability to draft official communication to a high standard in English
 
·     Language requirements: Fluent English
·     Arabic and Hebrew are an asset
 
                Evaluation and submission information
The award will be made to the highest qualified candidate, meaning the candidate who obtain the highest technical score during the evaluation process.
Candidates are requested to submit a CV with a covering letter explaining why they consider that they are the most suitable person for the work.
Please note that if a candidate has any immediate family members working in the UN system, this should be declared in their application.
" UNDP/PAPP is an equal opportunity employer: Applications from men and women will be considered equally "