Coordination & Administrative Assistant

UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need.  Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and achieving adequate shelter for all. UN-Habitat's work is aligned with the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11, aiming to create inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.

UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) manages UN-Habitat’s project portfolio in the Arab States. It ensures that country priorities are in alignment with the UN-Habitat’s organizational policies and strategic objectives and brings through its Regional Representative to the attention of the Executive Management Committee (EMC) opportunities and challenges in the region, allowing for timely feedback and responses to urgent demands and requests from Member States. 

UN-Habitat is operational in Yemen since 2018 and has established a strong presence in the country, given a diversity of implemented programs in different sectors. This includes Protection, Shelter, WASH and Climate Resilience. Operations include the geographic areas of Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz. Moreover, UN-Habitat has established close ties with national, governorate and local level authorities, which is essential to successfully implement programs in Yemen. In Yemen, UN-Habitat is a core member of various coordination entities (UNCT; PMT; working groups).

The Yemeni conflict in 2014 resulted in almost total collapse of basic services and institutions, as well as immense pressure on essential basic services and the ultimate collapse of institutions. Hence UN-Habitat developed four inter-related and mutually reinforcing areas of intervention, focusing on a development-oriented urban recovery process, whilst continuing to respond to immediate needs presented by the ongoing crisis. The specific foci include: (1) Increased and equal access to basic services; (2) Effective settlement growth and regeneration; (3) Adequate shelter and housing, land and property (HLP) rights; and (4) Strengthened climate action and improved urban environments. 

The Coordination & Administrative Assistant at UN-Habitat Yemen Country Office is responsible for providing coordination and administrative support for project teams to facilitate activities effectively. The position will work closely with the country team and report to the Head of UN-Habitat Yemen office. 

The position will be based in Yemen’s temporary capital Aden. 

To facilitate coordination with national and local authorities’ focal points, as well as community leadership for the effective implementation of project activities. In addition, supporting administrative processes at office level.

Functions: 

1. Project Activities Support 

• In consultation with the UN-Habitat team, coordinate and meet with community leaders and members and convene meetings in project target areas

• Assist in initiating community outreach activities, i.e., facilitating beneficiary selection processes 

• Inform project stakeholders on project activities 

• Facilitate regular field visits 

• Assist the team and partners to identify projects and needs related to project components

• Assist in coordinating with relevant agencies and institutional counterparts where necessary, and ensure follow-up actions 

1. Administrative Support 

• Liaise with government counterparts and stakeholders, coordinate and schedule meetings, and sustain strong professional relationships with them

• Provide administrative support for conferences, workshops and retreats

• Follow up on deadlines, commitments and actions, coordinating the collation and submission of reports as required

• Assist in record keeping and data entry

• Compile and organize information for periodic audits

• Contribute to office management and procurement, including travel support

1. Travel and Logistics 

• Prepare documentation for security clearances 

• Support travel transaction processes, including requests for visas, identity cards, and other documentation for personnel, UN officials and visitors, ensuring compliance with UN rules and regulations

• Arrange hotel reservations and organize pickups, hospitality, protocol customs, and immigration support for visiting officials

• Provide timely updates to individuals or units on administrative steps, project file status, and pending issues

• Support overseeing external transportation service contractors, including performance monitoring and invoice processing

Required: 

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 4 years of relevant experience OR

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, development or other disciplines with 0 years of relevant experience is required.

Required: 

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in coordination and facilitation of field activities.

• Relevant experience in administration, logistics, operations or related areas.

• Experience in the use of collaboration and productivity tools (MS Office, G-Suite, etc.) requires.

Desired:

• Experience working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country.

• Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills.

• Experience working in development or humanitarian contexts.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.