Administrative Assistant, G-5, Temporary Position for 364 days, National Response Coord, O/P Rome, ECAMENA Regional Office #00137288

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Results

How can you make a difference?

Within the ECAMENA regional context, the Italy Migrant Response Office (MRO) in Rome supports UNICEF’s migration response in Italy through strengthening national systems for refugee and migrant children and families. The office works with national and local institutions, civil society, and other partners to support programme implementation and coordination in a country setting without a standalone UNICEF Country Office operating a Country Programme Document. Within this office setting, the Administrative Assistant provides administrative and financial support to the implementation of office and programme activities, particularly those funded under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). The role contributes to the timely execution of activities by supporting compliance with UNICEF procedures, applicable donor requirements, reporting processes, and national administrative procedures, and by facilitating the organization, documentation, and follow-up required for effective office and programme implementation.

Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Administrative Assistant is responsible for executing a broad variety of routine regular administrative transactional tasks and some specialized responsibilities for the respective section/office, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Budget Monitoring 

• Monitor section budgets and expenditures, ensuring compliance with UNICEF and donor (AMIF) rules.
• Support budget preparation, revisions, financial planning, forecasting, and fund utilization tracking.
• Assist with interim and final financial reporting, including expenditure justification and audit trail documentation.
• Ensure accurate budget coding and proper fund allocation aligned with grant components.
• Process grant-related transactions in VISION and track expiring funds.

Office Planning & Project Management

• Support preparation of work plans and ensure availability of accurate data for planning and reporting.
• Monitor implementation against milestones and support timely delivery of results.
• Provide basic data analysis and support monitoring and evaluation reporting.
• Guide teams on financial procedures, compliance, and AMIF requirements.
• Support procurement-related financial processes and partner capacity building.

Procurement

• Support processing of contracts (PCA/SSAs, consultants), including documentation and system uploads.
• Maintain vendor, partner, and consultant records.
• Guide managers on procurement procedures per UNICEF policies.

Communications & Workflow

• Facilitate efficient communications and workflow within the team.
• Manage correspondence, emails, calls, and filing systems (electronic and physical).

Calendar, Meetings & Events

• Manage calendars, schedule meetings, and prepare accurate meeting minutes.
• Support organization of events, trainings, and workshops, including logistics and materials preparation.
• Coordinate with stakeholders on schedules, costs, and event requirements.

Travel

• Arrange staff travel in line with UNICEF policies and ensure cost-effective planning.
• Provide guidance on travel procedures (visas, clearances, documentation).
• Maintain travel records and support travel budgeting.

Invoice Processing

• Verify invoices against financial rules and donor requirements.
• Ensure correct coding, documentation, and full audit trails.
• Process payments in VISION and respond to transaction inquiries.

Supplies & Equipment

• Support management of office supplies, equipment, and inventory.
• Monitor proper use and maintenance of office resources.
• Assist with procurement and annual inventory checks.

Attendance

• Maintain records of staff attendance and absences, if required.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  SJD Administrative Assistant (G5) TA PN137288 ECARO OP Rome Italy.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary education is required. University studies in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related field are an asset.
  A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) from a recognized academic institution in a field relevant to the position may replace 3 years of related work experience. A Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) may replace an additional 2 years.
• Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of relevant administrative or clerical work experience is required. Experience in coordinating and tracking administrative or project-related processes and deadlines is required. Experience drafting correspondence, summaries, and routine reports, and supporting communication with internal and external counterparts is required.
• Skills: clerical work, drafting reports, transaction processing, project coordination, tracking deadlines, records management.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Italian is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)
• Experience reviewing information, identifying discrepancies, and supporting the resolution of administrative or operational issues is desirable.
• Experience using organizational systems and digital platforms for records management, workflow support, and document handling is desirable.
• Experience using digital productivity tools, including AI-enabled tools where relevant, is desirable.
• Relevant experience in finance or accounting is desirable.
• Experience with EU-funded projects or similar donor frameworks is desirable.
• Experience with AMIF grant management is highly desirable.
• Experience working with international organizations or public sector institutions is an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.