Office Assistant / Receptionist (ADM)

The Office Assistant / Receptionist provides general office support services to facilitate the smooth functioning of the unit under the supervision of the Director and Representative of UNESCO in Brazil and other senior officers. The role includes handling phone calls and visitors, managing schedules, correspondence, filing systems, data entry, and supporting procurement and vendor processes.

Responsibilities

• Receive/screen phone calls and visitors, respond to routine inquiries and information requests, including drafting routine written responses or routing to appropriate personnel.
• Maintain calendar of appointments and schedules of meetings for BRZ Office; monitor changes and communicate relevant information to appropriate staff.
• Collect, sort, record and disseminate correspondence, reports and other material.
• Use standard word processing packages to produce a variety of routine correspondence, reports, tables, charts, graphs, etc., in accordance with UNESCO standards.
• Review, record, route and/or process mail or other documents; retrieve, gather and structure pertinent background material from various sources; track and monitor follow-up action as required.
• Maintain and update filing systems (both paper and electronic) and databases for work unit.
• Update and maintain large distribution lists; assemble documents, reports and other materials for global dissemination, using electronic formats where possible; coordinate courier services.
• Perform basic data entry and extraction functions. Check accuracy of simple calculations, codings, data, etc. Initiate a low volume of transactions in automated systems and run reports.
• Create requisitions for purchase orders, contracts or letters of agreement from standard templates for low value items.
• Support the vendor creation process using applicable systems and liaising with internal and external stakeholders, as necessary.
• Perform any additional activities required to ensure the success of the work team.

Requirements

• Completed secondary, technical or vocational school diploma.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience in general administrative support tasks.
• Experience in the use of computerized telephone systems and customer relations.
• Experience in working in a multicultural environment.
• Ability to relate to the public; warmth and friendliness; clear speaking skills.
• Discretion, confidentiality, courtesy and capacity to deal efficiently and tactfully with people of different cultural backgrounds.
• Cooperative behavior, patience and ability to contribute to team-building and to provide quality and timely support and services.
• Good interpersonal communication skills including in drafting correspondence, accurate typing and attention to details.
• Good organizational skills. Flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities.
• Pro-activeness and ability to work under pressure.
• Good IT skills with proficiency in the use of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Working knowledge (oral and written) of English and/or French.
• Full proficiency in Portuguese.
• University degree, specialized training, courses or certification in administration, secretarial functions or related fields (desirable).
• Experience in the field of secretariat and administration in an international environment (desirable).
• Experience in international organizations or within the United Nations System (desirable).
• General knowledge of the organization’s programmes, activities and protocols (desirable).
• Knowledge of website content management systems/ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) (desirable).
• Working knowledge of Spanish will be an asset (desirable).

Skills

• General administrative support
• Computerized telephone systems
• Client Relations
• Multicultural Environment Experience
• Interpersonal Communication
• Drafting Correspondence
• Accurate typing
• Attention to Detail
• Organizational Skills
• Work Schedule Flexibility
• Proactive Work Approach
• Working Under Pressure
• Office Software Proficiency
• Outlook
• Word
• Excel
• Power Point
• Portuguese Proficiency
• Data Entry
• Filing Systems Organization
• Procurement Support
• Vendor Management

Languages

English, French, Portuguese