General Service

Senior Administrative Assistant

Grade G-7
The Hague, Netherlands
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Org. Setting and Reporting

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It is composed of 15 judges, elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council. The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The Court is the only principal organ of the United Nations not serviced by the Secretariat. The Court has its own administration, the Registry, which provides judicial support to the Court and acts as a permanent administrative organ. The Registry is headed by a Registrar, elected by the Court. The position is located in the Registry's Administrative and Personnel Division and reports directly to the Head of the Division.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Head of the Administrative and Personnel Division, the Senior Administrative Assistant is responsible for: Protocol-related functions: - Liaise with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Municipality of the Hague with respect to host country protocol matters; - Draft and finalise Note Verbales and letters to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant embassies, consulates and local administration in accordance with protocol procedures; - Receive, log and route applications for official identity cards/residence permits/working permits, visas for arrival/departures, United Nations laissez-passer, importation and purchase of tax-free vehicles, car registration, fuel cards, Dutch driving license, Libre-Permis, VAT refunds and other relevant privileges for Judges, staff members and other personnel working at the Court, as well as their family members forming part of their households appropriately. - Liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) regarding queries related to those applications, and follow through until the return of the documents. Upon receipt of those documents, distribute them and update databases accordingly. - Provide general or specific guidance to Judges and staff members in resolving problems concerning the above matters or local conditions in The Hague, such as accommodation, suitable stores, schools, family doctor registration, banking, etc., when necessary; - Maintain and update lists of contact details of officials within relevant Ministries, governmental agencies, Embassies, Consulates and United Nations entities; - Prepare circulars and information notes to notify Judges and staff of information communicated by host country authorities; Human Resources administrative functions: - Assist in the recruitment and selection processes by compiling candidates' lists, inviting candidates to the written assessments and/or interviews, proctoring written tests, and organising the logistics of interviews. - Assist in the onboarding, orientation, and induction of new staff members by ensuring the coordination of all aspects of the onboarding process, from the acceptance of a job offer until the full completion of the onboarding process; create and confirm index numbers for new staff members; and liaise with all relevant departments/divisions to ensure office setup and scheduling of security briefing, medical briefing, and solemn declaration. - Ensure that staff members complete their check-out procedures in a timely manner. Liaise with relevant Departments and Divisions to ensure timely signing of the check-out forms. - Raise travel requests on behalf of new staff members and those without access to Umoja. Follow up with certifying officers and travel processing officers regarding travel approval. Run travel reports and flag any open items, e.g., unsubmitted expense reports. - Draft memos, contracts, letters of appointment, information notes, circulars, employment certificates and statements, and broadcast messages to the Registry staff. Other general administrative functions: - Draft contracts for consultants and individual contractors, and initiate their shopping carts and services entry sheets in the system. - Acts as the requisitioner and plays related roles in Umoja for the Administrative and Personnel Division. - Maintains and files all documents created, received, or sent by the APD according to the pre-determined filing system and following the established routine. - Monitors the APD service portal and mailboxes and follows up with the APD staff in charge to ensure timely response to staff queries and requests. - Assist in searching and compiling the information needed for different reports, policies, and other strategic APD documents. - Assist in compiling information for and drafting the ICJ HR newsletters and other staff information materials. Assist in updating the APD’s intranet pages. - Assist in organising APD meetings, workshops, information-sharing sessions, etc., by ensuring venue booking and all other logistics. Assist in taking meeting minutes and notes, as necessary. - Perform any other related assigned task, as necessary.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM Is able to perform a broad range of administrative functions; shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter, is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; COMMUNICATION Speaks and writes clearly and effectively, listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately, asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication, tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience, demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. TEAMWORK Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. CLIENT ORIENTATION Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required. A university degree in Public administration, Business Administration, Law, Communications, Public Relations, International Relations, or related areas is desirable.

Job - Specific Qualification

Additional training in protocol and/or diplomatic communication is desirable Relevant training in drafting formal correspondence is desirable

Work Experience

A minimum of 10 years of experience in administration with a focus on drafting formal correspondence and maintaining administrative records is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to 8 years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience in protocol services and/or drafting diplomatic communication is required Demonstrated experience in using office applications (i:e MS Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint) is required Experience in using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs) such as PeopleSoft or SAP is desirable. Experience within an international environment such the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English and French are required. Dutch is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org [link removed] for details).

Required Languages

LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeaking
EnglishUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level III
FrenchUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level III

Desirable Languages

LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeaking
DutchUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level II

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates will include written assessment followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The Court is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, to apply to become a staff member. This post is subject to local recruitment pursuant to United Nations Staff Rule 4.4. All staff in the General Service and related categories are in principle recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the seat of the Court, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment is not eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Candidates living outside the Netherlands or beyond commuting distance of the seat of the Court may apply for the position but will be regarded as local applicants and be subject to the same conditions. Depending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. If the selected candidate is a staff member from an organization applying the United Nations Common System of Salaries and Allowances, the provisions of the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan shall apply. The selected candidate may be subject to security clearance, including verification of the information provided and a criminal record check. All candidates should be able to submit an electronic copy of their passport, recent performance appraisal reports, and all diplomas listed on their profile when requested. The Registrar reserves the right not to appoint any candidate to the post, or to appoint one at a lower level or on the basis of a modified job description. Suitable candidates not selected for this position may be placed on a reserve list for consideration in case a similar vacancy arises in the future.

United Nations Considerations

In accordance with the ICJ Staff Regulations and Rules, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with ICJ if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on "Manuals" hyper-link on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances, and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in Inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision, or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised in Inspira will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
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