ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT in Bonn bei United Nations

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is a global intergovernmental treaty aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species and their habitats. Numerous additional intergovernmental instruments on migratory species conservation have been adopted under the broad umbrella of CMS which are supported by the CMS Secretariat. In addition, two regional agreements on migratory species adopted under CMS have their own Secretariats which are co-located with the CMS Secretariat in Bonn - the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the Agreement on the Conservation of European Populations of Bats (EUROBATS).

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. In the present context, UNEP provides the administrative functions for the CMS, AEWA and EUROBATS Secretariats.

This post is located within the CMS Secretariat at the Bonn duty station in Germany. Under the overall supervision of the Executive Secretary, and direct supervision of the Administrative Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

A. Travel
Functions as an Umoja Travel Processing Officer (TPO), reviews and processes travel requests and approve expense reports, including:
1. Provides advice to staff and consultants on the most direct and economical routes for such travel as permitted by the rules and regulations
2. Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries, as requested for budgeting purposes for Administrative Officer
3. Approves travel request for staff members, meeting participants, consultants and experts, ensuring proper and complete documentations required and advises the travel agency to issue tickets; discusses discrepancies and problems
4. Arranges for changes or cancellations requested by travelers and has tickets reissued, including obtaining reimbursement, where applicable. Reviews the partially used tickets when there is a rerouting
5. Converts departure and arrival times, as needed, and determines class of accommodation corresponding to the nature of the travel
6. Calculates and approves self-ticket maximum amounts
7. Computes and determines the revised amounts per diem where there is deviation from original travel plans
8. Approves expense reports with self-ticket reimbursement and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy and validity, prior to forwarding to the travel unit; ensures that entitlements are in conformity with Staff Rules. Refers discrepancies back to Administrative and /or Certifying Officers for clarification and possible correction
9. Processes and reviews travel agency invoices and uploading to the system for payment. Reconciles the accounting records with the travel agent
10. Reviews request for ad hoc DSA rates wherever applicable
11. Recommends Executive Office and Administrative Officer of more efficient and cost effective routings with regard to more complicated itineraries, and assists them in making travel plans in order to take advantage of the benefits to be derived from advance purchases
12. Initiates quarterly travel plan and collects all necessary information from travelers for the approval of the Executive Office in accordance with relevant travel rules and regulations

B. Procurement
13. In collaboration with the other administrative staff, processes requests for the procurement of furniture, equipment, office supplies and services, including purchase orders and other necessary forms and follows-up orders; assists in the receipt and control of inventory of furniture, supplies and equipment by comparing deliveries against purchase orders, and processes the payment of goods and services
14. Supports Administrative Officer for overseeing the procurement needs of the Secretariat on completion of annual procurement planning. Assists with day-to-day administration of contracts between the Secretariat and external contractors for outsourced services and ensures to timely renewal of contracts before the expiry
15. Maintains inventory records of non-expendable equipment; assist in the preparation of annual inventory records to UNEP

C. General Administration:
16. Provides general office support services; draft and/or process a variety of correspondence and other communications;
17. Maintain reference files/records;
18. Undertake research on a range of travel administration and procurement related issues and assist in the preparation of notes/reports;
19. Assists with