Principal Administrative Officer

UN Secretariat; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

UN Secretariat in New York invites applications for a Principal Administrative Officer within the Operational Planning Service (OPS) to support cross-cutting operational responses across the UN system. The role focuses on operational planning capacity, advisory support, and coordination for field entities during start-up, surge, transition, liquidation, and crisis response.

The incumbent will lead the OPS work program, supervise staff, develop policy papers, and report on budget performance.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in business/public administration, finance, accounting, law, engineering, or a related field.
• A first-level university degree with two years of qualifying experience may substitute for the advanced degree.
• Fifteen years of progressive experience in HR, logistics, financial management, or budgeting.
• Experience leading cross-cutting operational planning and supporting start-up, surge, transition, drawdown/liquidation, or crisis response in an international organization.
• Crisis response experience and developing policy papers/reports for intergovernmental bodies.
• Two years in a field-based operational support or senior advisory role; headquarters coordination desirable.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement the service's work program and oversee its activities.
• Coordinate work within the division, department, and with other UN system organizations.
• Lead and supervise the work program, review drafts, and coordinate cross-cutting operational support.
• Provide operational planning, advisory, and coordination support for field entities during various phases.
• Oversee development of policy papers, manuals, and reports for senior leadership and intergovernmental bodies.
• Report on budget/programme performance, manage staff and tasks, and recruit development.
• Represent the division in relevant meetings.

Skills

Professionalism

Planning and Organizing

Leadership

Judgment/Decision-Making

Report Writing

UN Rules & Regulations

Effective Communication

Staff Management

Education

Master’s or equivalent in business/public administration or related field

First-level university degree with two years of qualifying experience

Job description

Organizational context: The Department of Operational Support (DOS) provides operational advisory services across the UN Secretariat, supporting entities with start-up, surge, transition, and liquidation needs. The Division for Special Activities (DSA) oversees specialized capacities, and the Operational Planning Service (OPS) within DSA identifies support requirements and offers planning capacity. This Principal Administrative Officer role is within OPS in New York, reporting to the Director of DSA.

Job purpose: This Principal Administrative Officer role is crucial for supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Department of Operational Support's (DOS) cross-cutting operational responses. The position focuses on providing operational planning capacity, technical assistance, and advisory support to various UN entities, particularly during critical phases such as start-up, surge, transition, liquidation, and crisis response. The role involves coordinating activities within the Operational Planning Service (OPS) and with other UN entities to ensure effective mandate delivery in both headquarters and field settings. The incumbent will contribute to the strategic direction and operational effectiveness of the service, ensuring high-quality outputs and timely delivery of support to client entities.

Responsibilities: The Principal Administrative Officer will formulate and implement the service's work program, overseeing its activities and ensuring timely execution. This includes coordinating work within the division, department, and with other UN system organizations. The role involves leading and supervising the work program, conducting substantive reviews of drafts, and coordinating cross-cutting operational support and planning activities for effective mandate delivery. Responsibilities extend to providing operational planning, advisory, and coordination support for field entities during various operational phases, and overseeing the development of policy papers, manuals, and reports for senior leadership and intergovernmental bodies. The officer will also report on budget/programme performance, manage programmatic and administrative tasks, recruit and develop staff, lead coordination efforts, and represent the division in relevant meetings.

Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in business/public administration, finance, accounting, law, engineering, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree with two years of qualifying experience may substitute for the advanced degree.

Work experience: A minimum of fifteen years of progressive experience in areas such as human resources, logistics, financial management, or budget is required. Essential experience includes leading cross-cutting operational planning and providing support during start-up, surge, transition, drawdown/liquidation, or crisis response phases in an international organization. Experience in crisis response and developing policy papers/reports for intergovernmental bodies is also required. Two years of experience in a field-based operational support or senior advisory role is necessary, with experience in headquarters coordination being desirable.

Skills: Professionalism, Planning and Organizing, Client Orientation, Leadership, Judgment/Decision-Making, ability to produce and review reports, application of UN rules and regulations, effective communication, and managing staff.

Required languages: English

Desired languages: French