MEETINGS SERVICES ASSISTANT

This position is located in the Meetings Servicing Unit in the Meetings Support Section, which forms part of the Meetings and Publishing Division of the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM). As part of the Meetings Support Section, the Meetings Servicing Unit provides meeting and documentation services to all intergovernmental organs and expert bodies meeting at Headquarters and as required, at other locations. The Meetings Services Assistant reports to a Senior Meetings Servicing Assistant, under the general supervision of the Chief, Meetings Servicing Unit.

Responsibilities Within limits of delegated authority, the Meetings Services Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assist in servicing large and complex meetings to ensure that required services and documents are available for meetings to convene at the scheduled time.
• Ensure the distribution of procedural notes, statements and other relevant meetings documents to support services such as interpretation as well as the chairpersons of assigned committees and meetings and/or conferences.
• Assist with preparatory logistics for meetings and performs room checks to all assigned meetings in accordance with established meetings services checklist.
• Assist in the voting and election process through distributing and collecting ballots.
• Maintain an accurate record of speakers and/or an attendance record in coordination with other meeting room staff and delegations on their position on the list of speakers.
• Prepare floor plans of seating arrangements in accordance with meeting requirements and UN protocol.
• Attend coordination/planning meetings, representing the Unit regarding organizational arrangements for special committees and other meetings and assist with the related logistical arrangements.
• Prepare for committees and meetings/conferences to be held away from Headquarters, other UN Offices or Regional Commissions, coordinates with substantive offices and,
• Respond to queries relating to meeting services from delegations and Secretariat.
• Replace senior staff, as needed, in related functions.
• Provide guidance/training to temporary assistants less experienced staff as a team leader.
• Perform any other duties assigned and support the supervisors.

Competencies •PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the United Nations conference policies, procedures and practices or that of a similar international organization. Ability to research, select, organize and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Work Experience

Seven years of experience in conference support or related area is required

Experience in servicing intergovernmental meetings and providing in-room support in particular, for high level meetings is desirable.

Experience with voting procedures of an intergovernmental body is desirable.

Experience with conference servicing technologies is desirable.

Experience with procedures and practices for United Nations conferences or similar
international organizations is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. Selected candidates/staff members will be responsible for any costs related to their travel and relocation in the context of onboarding to report for duty. If the selected candidate/staff member does not already have the right to work in the duty station, appointment is contingent on issuance of a visa from the local authorities.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test [in English] at the United Nations headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International criminal tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, 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 the United Nations 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. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully 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 on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the 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 on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.