Assistant to the Head of Gaza Sub Office

This vacancy is advertised using a tiered application process:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments.
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers.
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates.

Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) derives its mandate from United Nations General Assembly Resolution 33/147 of 20 December 1978. Called upon by United Nations Member States in that year, UNDP was requested “to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people by identifying their social and economic needs and by establishing concrete projects to that end”.

UNDP’s Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2023-2027 sets out a vision of “a world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free society”. The PPF is centered around the concept of “Transformative Resilience” and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership. Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian national development plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas: i) democratic governance and quality services; ii) inclusive economic opportunities; iii) sustainable natural resources management.

Against the backdrop of the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, UNDP/PAPP has developed an integrated emergency response and early recovery program to address the urgent and life-saving needs of the Palestinian people. Since October 2023, UNDP/PAPP has been working closely with UN agencies to ensure the continuity of critical services and humanitarian operations. A key enabling element of this response is the efficient management of Administrative and Facilities Assistant within the UNDP Building, which is essential to sustaining the operational functionality of UNDP and the other UN agencies sharing the Facilities.

Responsibilities

Executive and administrative support

• Manage the calendar, appointments and official engagements of the Head of the Gaza Sub-Office and coordinate scheduling requirements with the Head of Programme.
• Organize internal and external meetings, prepare agendas and background materials, and ensure that relevant documentation is available in advance.
• Draft routine correspondence, meeting records, minutes and administrative notes, and support the preparation and formatting of briefing materials.
• Coordinate official missions, representation activities and meeting schedules, including logistical and administrative arrangements.
• Provide informal interpretation and translation, as required.
• Apply established protocol requirements for official meetings, visits and high-level engagements.

Coordination, information flow and management follow-up

• Facilitate the timely flow of information between the Head of Office, the Programme and Operations teams, UNDP/PAPP senior management and relevant external counterparts.
• Monitor weekly decisions, deadlines, commitments and action points issued by the Head of Office and the Head of Programme.
• Maintain weekly HOGSO action trackers and follow up with responsible colleagues and units on the timely completion of agreed actions.
• Compile inputs and prepare periodic status updates, briefing notes and management summaries for review by the Head of Office.
• Support in identifying administrative or communication bottlenecks and propose practical measures to improve coordination and workflow efficiency.

Meetings, events and official visits

• Coordinate senior management meetings, official visits, workshops and events organized by the Gaza Sub-Office.
• Support the HOGSO and Head of Programme in liaising with Programme, Operations, Security, Protocol, Communications and other relevant teams on logistical, administrative and protocol arrangements.
• Coordinate invitations, participant lists, meeting documentation and follow-up actions.
• Monitor event preparations and provide regular progress updates to the manager responsible or task team.

Records, correspondence and contact management

• Maintain secure and organized electronic and physical filing systems, ensuring the safekeeping of confidential information.
• Review, register and route incoming correspondence and ensure appropriate and timely follow-up.
• Maintain accurate and updated contact lists and databases of government, UN, donor, civil society and other relevant counterparts.
• Support the effective use of digital office-management, scheduling, document-management and collaboration tools.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance of the Special Representative of the Administrator and the direct supervision of the Head of the Gaza Sub-Office with secondary reporting to the Head of Program, the Assistant to the Head of Sub Office provides administrative, coordination, and operational support to ensure the efficient functioning of the head of Gaza office. The incumbent facilitates effective communication and information flow, coordinates reporting requirements, and monitors the timely follow-up of key actions and management decisions.

Core Competencies

• Achieve Results LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt With Agility LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
• Act With Determination LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
• Engage And Partner LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
• Enable Diversity And Inclusion LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

• Communications - Creative direction and copywriting: Ability to creatively communicate concepts in an engaging and simple way.
• Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
• Digital Behaviour changes communication / communication for development: Knowledge of appropriate digital communication methodologies for development and behaviour change, and ability to apply them practically.
• Business Management - Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and program.

Requirements

Education

• High School Diploma; or
• Bachelor’s in management, Public Administration, Business Administration or other related fields.

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years with high school diploma or 2 years with university degree of relevant experience in Administration, experience in providing coordination support to senior management, including calendar management, meeting coordination, correspondence management, and follow-up on key actions and commitments, is required.

Skills

• Ability to maintain accurate documentation and records.
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP.
• Ability to review and edit documents, ability to produce meeting reports identifying key actions.
• Ability to work under supervision in a fast-paced operational environment.

Desired Skills

• Experience providing executive, administrative, or coordination support to senior management.
• Experience in coordinating office operations, managing information flow, and tracking actions, deadlines, and management decisions.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing correspondence, briefing materials, meeting minutes, reports, and presentations.
• Experience in organizing meetings, official visits, and high-level events, including related logistical arrangements.
• Experience maintaining calendars, scheduling appointments, and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders.
• Previous experience with the United Nations, international organizations, NGOs, or development agencies is an asset.

Languages

• Proficiency in Arabic and English languages is required.