Project Assistant ( Education )

UNESCO; Paris; On-site; EUR 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

UNESCO in Paris seeks a Project Assistant to provide administrative support to programmes on education addressing racism, antisemitism and Holocaust history. Duties include procurement, document preparation, budgeting, and event logistics, working under supervision with growing responsibilities.

The role emphasizes independent work, initiative, and effective collaboration with internal and external partners in a multicultural setting.

Qualifications

• Excellent organizational and coordination skills, with a strong ability to manage travel, mission, and meeting arrangements.
• High attention to detail and ability to work under pressure; flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work in a multicultural team with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Ability to act with tact, diplomacy and discretion.
• Ability to convey verbal information effectively, to draft correspondence and correct documents in accordance with established standards and requirements.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Knowledge and integrated enterprise resource planners (preferably SAP).

Responsibilities

• Assist in procurement and finance-related tasks, including processing contracts, purchase orders, and travel arrangements in compliance with UNESCO rules and procedures, based on documentation provided by the concerned project officers (including data entry in DUO, drafting contract amendments, liaising with contractors, preparing payment files, etc.).
• Assist with the creation, review and delivery of documents, including correspondence, memos, reports, and presentations. Liaise with corporate services for translation, printing and dissemination; maintain organized reference filing systems;
• Assist in monitoring of project activities and budgets, including liaising with the ED/EO to monitor commitments, and assisting in the preparation of budget revisions, decentralizations of funds, and internal reporting.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for missions, meetings, workshops, and conferences, including the preparation of working documents, coordination of participants, and logistical arrangements. Participate in meetings as required, preparing minutes or summaries as needed.
• Perform any other related duties that may be assigned by the Chief of Section or the relevant programme specialists, provided they are consistent with the function as set out above.

Skills

Communication

Accountability

Knowledge sharing

Completed secondary education

Education

Completed secondary education

Tools

MS Office

SAP

Job description

Job Family: General Administrative Support

Contract Type: Project Appointment

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Duration of contract: 1 year with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

INSTRUCTIONS

Only candidates who are entitled to work in France may apply to this position.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director General for Education and the Director of the Division for Peace and Sustainable Development, the overall guidance of the Chief of Section on Global Citizenship and Peace Education, and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist/Team Leader for Memory and Non-discrimination, Citizenship and Peace Education Section, the direct supervision of Mr Karel Fracapane, and working in close collaboration with the Programme Assistant, the contractor will provide administrative assistance to UNESCO’s programmes on addressing racism through education, addressing antisemitism through education and teaching and learning about the Holocaust and the prevention of genocide.

The Project Assistant shall in particular:

• Assist in procurement and finance-related tasks, including processing contracts, purchase orders, and travel arrangements in compliance with UNESCO rules and procedures, based on documentation provided by the concerned project officers (including data entry in DUO, drafting contract amendments, liaising with contractors, preparing payment files, etc.).
• Assist with the creation, review and delivery of documents, including correspondence, memos, reports, and presentations. Liaise with corporate services for translation, printing and dissemination; maintain organized reference filing systems;
• Assist in monitoring of project activities and budgets, including liaising with the ED/EO to monitor commitments, and assisting in the preparation of budget revisions, decentralizations of funds, and internal reporting.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for missions, meetings, workshops, and conferences, including the preparation of working documents, coordination of participants, and logistical arrangements. Participate in meetings as required, preparing minutes or summaries as needed.
• Perform any other related duties that may be assigned by the Chief of Section or the relevant programme specialists, provided they are consistent with the function as set out above.

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Work assignments require the incumbent to operate independently, take decisions on work priorities and exercise initiative in dealing with cases without precedents. The incumbent troubleshoots when problems arise, makes suggestions for improving processes in her own area of work. Oversight focuses on work results. The supervisor provides developmental support.

The incumbent establishes effective working relationships with internal and external contacts at all levels in order to obtain/provide information/documents and to discuss/ address relevant issues.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Completed secondary education, technical or vocational education.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Minimum five years of work experience in administrative support and/or project/programme implementation assistance.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Excellent organizational and coordination skills, with a strong ability to manage travel, mission, and meeting arrangements.
• High attention to detail and ability to work under pressure; flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work in a multicultural team with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Ability to act with tact, diplomacy and discretion.
• Ability to convey verbal information effectively, to draft correspondence and correct documents in accordance with established standards and requirements.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Knowledge and integrated enterprise resource planners (preferably SAP).

LANGUAGES

Excellent knowledge of English or French and good working knowledge of the other language (verbal and written).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE

Previous experience with UNESCO and understanding of the Organization, including its administrative procedures and financial process, including tasks related to meetings, travel, etc.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Knowledge of UNESCO rules, integrity, professionalism, administrative procedures and standard practices.

LANGUAGES

Knowledge of another UNESCO Official languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS