Branch Support Assistant, Grade M2B

Org. Setting and Reporting

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5.8 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance.

UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a tangible difference for one of the most vulnerable communities in the world, UNRWA would like to hear from you.

The incumbent of this post reports to the Branch Manager and is responsible for performing administrative functions and processing loan applications within the set guidelines and procedures. The incumbent receives general guidance on policy, standards and performance from the field’s administrative officer.

Responsibilities

In accordance with the Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent:

1. Maintains and coordinates administrative operations of the branch, including, personnel, supply, security and maintenance;
2. Maintains records for branch’s staff including attendance, leaves, and coordinates all personnel requests to MD National Office;
3. Maintains the general archiving system of the branch, ensuring safety of documents and

easy retrieval of informaion and forms, including client’s files, PMA inquiry and responses, loan applications, clearance, legal notification and registered mail for clients transferred to legal cases and any other records related to branch’s operations;

1. Drafts and prepares Branch Office documentations, including, client contracts, notarial deeds, memoranda and other relevant programme documents;
2. Checks that loan contracts, supporting documents and data has been properly completed, duly signed and notarised before transfer to the Branch manager for approval;
3. Acts as alternative branch cashier; receives payments and issues receipts to clients during the absence of the MD Cashier;
4. Receives clients and other visitors to the Branch Office and directs them to relevant staff;
5. Sorts and distributes incoming mail. Photocopies, collates and binds reports letters, memoranda and training material.
6. Arranges and schedules all office meetings in consultation with the branch manager;
7. Performs any other duties that may be assigned.

Competencies

UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity, and Core Competencies of Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default.

• Excellent Knowledge of computer processing skills, MS-Office access and other databases;
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with heavy workload;
• Thoroughness and attention to detail;
• Ability to organize and plan own work;
• Confidentiality

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews: https://hr.un. org/page/prepare-competency-based-interview

Education

• Two years post-secondary diploma in business and office practice or business administration or other related discipline.

Work Experience

• Three years’ experience in office work, data entry and processing in a computerized environment is required.
• Two years post-secondary diploma in business and office practice or business administration or other related discipline is required.
• Are you currently residing in Duty Station. Please specify your current location. It is required.
• Good working knowledge of spoken and written English and Arabic is required.

Languages

• Good working knowledge of spoken and written English and Arabic.

Please list all languages that you know including your mother tongue and indicate your proficiency level from the drop-down list provided in the system considering the below:

If you possess a very good to excellent level of proficiency in English language, kindly indicate this as “Fluent” in your application.

If you possess a good level of proficiency in English language, kindly indicate this as “Confident” in your application.

If you possess a basic level of proficiency in English language, kindly indicate this as “Basic” in your application.

Assessment

During the assessment, the applications will be given preference based on the following desirable qualifications:

• Provided very good understanding of the context of Palestine refugees and UNRWA operations.
• Excellent Command of Written and Spoken English.
• A bachelor’s degree in business administration or any related discipline.
• Experience in customer service.

The shortlisted candidates will be afterwards evaluated based on:

• Technical Test
• Competency-based Interview

Special Notice

Type of Contract:

Limited Duration Contract (LDC); up to 1-year renewable; based on continued need, fund availability and satisfactory performance. Appointment subject to funding confirmation.

Benefits:

Occupational Microfinance Salary Scale: ML2B, Monthly basic salary JD 475.700 fills. Other benefits include compulsory medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave pro-rated to the duration of the contract where less than one year, and family allowance (if applicable).

Additional Benefits:

• 2 days of sick leave for each completed month of service.
• Maternity Leave, upon meeting eligibility requirements.
• 2 weeks paternity leave. upon meeting eligibility requirements.

Department/Office: UNRWA – Microfinance Department – Jordan Duty Station: Microfinance Branches /All Areas

Other Information:

• Appointment rosters will be established per area; Amman (covering Wehdat, Ballad & Bayader branches), Zarqa (covering Zarqa& Russiefa branches), Irbid (covering Irbid & Husun branches), Jerash (covering Jerash Branch) and Madaba (Covering Madaba Branch).

Equivalency:

Equivalency may apply for this post.

• Candidates with a combination of additional relevant academic qualifications and/or additional years of progressive work experience may also be considered on equivalency.

NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination.

General Information:

• This vacancy notice is open to internal candidates holding LDC contracts and external candidates. Only candidates residing in Jordan, and within commuting distance of the duty station with authorization to work in the duty station at the time of application are eligible to apply.
• The Agency will not assume responsibility or accountability to support or facilitate the issuance of work permit in Jordan, and without a valid work permit, the appointment may be rescinded.
• Since the Vacancy is an Area Staff post, the Agency will not provide coverage for relocation costs.
• Preference will be given to registered Palestine refugees and candidates of the underrepresented gender to assist the Agency to meet its commitment to gender parity. UNRWA welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.
• UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced women.
• To ensure efficiency and timeliness of the recruitment process, if a large number of applicants pass the test, the Agency may decide to invite to the interview only the candidates with the top scores to ensure a manageable number of candidates to proceed to the personal interview stage.
• A roster may be created from the selection exercise, and successful candidates may become eligible for appointment to the same post or a similar post. In the case of multiple or recurring posts, that a roster will be created from which the candidates will be selected for appointment;
• Only applications that have been fully completed in UNRWA’s online e-recruitment system inspira will be considered and no late applications will be accepted. The PHP should be completed with full relevant work experience under the experience tabs as per the requirements in the Job Opening. All acquired university degrees must also be stated, if applicable. Please make sure that your application is filled in properly, correctly, and completely; any missing or incomplete information may lead to the rejection of the application by the system. Applicants applying to positions for Grades 12 to 20 or LDC Bands E to H must submit a cover letter/motivational statement in order to be considered. Additionally, providing incorrect or misleading information on an application will result in the immediate disqualification of a candidate.
• Applicants will be disqualified when it becomes apparent that he or she provided incorrect, incomplete or misleading information on his or her personal history profile or during the recruitment process. If the applicant is also a staff member, the provision of incorrect, incomplete or misleading information in the personal history profile may also amount to misconduct. The Agency may indefinitely refuse to accept applications from an applicant who has previously provided incorrect, incomplete or misleading information on his or her personal history profile or during a recruitment process or committed plagiarism.
• For UNRWA internal staff, they are required to specify and include their current UNRWA grade level. To do so applicants should select under “Category” RLG, scroll down to see all categories, then select their local grade.
• Please find below the link to a video that guides applicants on how to apply to Job Openings: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MH-IYA6Y8kxA1fgao5qyTV8VwNajgx4u/view? usp=sharing
• Advertisements published only in English will only accept applications in English, and Arabic submissions will not be considered.
• The Agency may disqualify applicants whose name appears on the UN Sanctions List or a UN database of staff separated for reason of misconduct or of staff who separated whilst misconduct processes were pending.
• UNRWA shares investigation and misconduct information with other UN Agencies, and past and prospective employers, about staff members who have been separated for misconduct, or who have separated whilst an investigation and/or disciplinary process for misconduct is underway; and such persons may be prohibited from employment with the United Nations.
• The Agency will immediately disqualify applicants who are ineligible for any reason in accordance with the Agency regulatory framework.
• Applications from UNRWA staff member who had been demoted with deferred eligibility for promotion will not be considered.
• Applications from Staff members who were recipients under the Early Voluntary Retirement or Exceptional Voluntary Separation Schemes will not be considered.
• Applications from Internal candidates serving for less than one year in their current post will not be considered.
• The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or to change the contract Modality.
• A candidate is not eligible for consideration if he or she was short-listed and found not suitable for the same post within the previous 12 months unless the post description has since been altered by 30% or more, as determined by ODCS.
• UNRWA reserves the right to proceed only with internal candidates or proceed with the candidates of an under-represented gender for any vacancy announcement when it determines that the short-list for a single post at any grade level is excessively long.
• UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states, regional bodies, business foundations and individual contributions. The mission of UNRWA is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development under the difficult circumstances in which they live.

For more details on UNRWA, please visit: https://www.unrwa.org

United Nations Considerations

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and to assignment by him or her.

UNRWA is committed to achieving gender parity at all levels of staffing under the current UN-wide gender agenda and strongly encourages applications from qualified applicants from under-represented groups.

At UNRWA, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. UNRWA is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

UNRWA Considerations

UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of efficiency, competence, neutrality, impartiality and integrity. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. Candidates will not be considered for employment with UNRWA 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. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. The Agency may disqualify applicants who have separated for reason of misconduct, who left a UN Agency while misconduct processes were pending, or who appear on the UN Sanctions List.

UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

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 RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA) DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE OR REQUEST MONEY FROM CANDIDATES AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING, ONBOARDING). UNRWA DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.