Senior Secretary

Title of position:     Senior Secretary
Grade:                 GS
Duty Station:         Hanoi with travel to provinces
Duration of post:    SST contract (until 31 December 2011)
   
Background
Towards achieving the goal of decent work for all in Viet Nam, ILO Office in Viet Nam focuses  it’s Decent work Country Programme on three strategic areas: of Labour Market Governance; Employment and Sustainable Enterprise Development; and Social Protection.
In the  implementation  of its  activities and programmes in Viet Nam, the ILO Office in Hanoi works  in close partnership with the Government of Viet Nam, in particular its technical line ministry, MOLISA and its social partners, the employers' and workers' organizations. The DWCP Vietnam Programme is an integral component of the One UN Plan. Vietnam has endorsed the Paris Aid Effectiveness Declaration by its Hanoi Core Statement. Vietnam is one of the 8 UN Reform Pilot Countries. 

Description of Duties
The Senior Secretary will be expected to undertake the following specific duties.

1. Receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls, and answer queries with discretion.
2. Search for and prepare briefing materials for the supervisor for use on official trips, special meetings and for action. Collect, solicit and coordinate briefing materials for the management’s missions and meetings, ensuring that submission timetables are adhered to. Select and make pertinent abstracts and undertake searches for information.
3. Arrange, and participate in, meetings with high-ranking officials providing interpretation and taking notes for follow-up.  Arrange official receptions for the Management and/or the Office.
4. Participate in the organization and preparation of staff or special meetings, and take minutes and/or notes. Oversee all important arrangements and facilities for conducting workshops and seminars.
5. Prepare informal translations, and act as interpreter.
6. Provide office management and administrative support services to other professional staff, when necessary.
7. Draft non-substantive correspondence and ensure follow-up.
8. Take and transcribe dictation on a variety of subject matters, ensuring that spelling, punctuation and format are correct. Type correspondence, documents and reports, including those of a highly confidential nature.
9. Maintain contacts with officials in government offices, ministries, workers’ and employers’ organizations and UN agencies, and update relevant lists.
10. Make travel arrangements for the management and perform liaison duties with other units of the Office.
11. Perform other duties as assigned by the Director or the officer-in-charge.

Education – Completion of secondary school education and secretarial training. Successful completion of the typing and standard office computer applications test is compulsory. Some Offices may require successful completion of the shorthand test.
Experience – Six to seven years of secretarial experience, and formal secretarial training.
Languages – Excellent knowledge of the working language of the duty station and of another working language. Good knowledge of the local language may be required.
Competencies – Proven ability to use word processing software and email. Ability to use other software packages required by the work unit. Proven shorthand and typing abilities. Thorough knowledge of secretarial practices and procedures, and good knowledge of administrative procedures and practices. Thorough knowledge of modern office procedures, and computer software packages required for work. Knowledge of in-house procedures for the preparation of documents and administrative forms, and for the creation and maintenance of filing systems. Knowledge of protocol. Knowledge of procedures governing missions and other official travel. Good knowledge of the work of the office, and the work carried out in other work units. Proven ability to draft non-routine correspondence and to ensure correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Proven ability to take minutes of meetings. Ability to reply in an appropriate manner to telephone and in-person inquiries. Ability to work well with colleagues. Good organizational skills. Ability to evaluate correspondence and inquiries for best course of action. Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks. Ability to search and retrieve information from databases and compile reports. Ability to respond to requests from high-ranking officials, and to deal with high-level visitors with tact and diplomacy. Ability to determine relevant background and reference materials for others, to screen requests for urgency and priority, and to respond to requests requiring input from various sources. Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion. Supervisory skills. Discernment. Excellent time management skills.

Please submit your letter of application, together with your CV, a recent photograph and two references at the latest by 12 October 2011 (17:00) to the Director/C.o Operations Manager of the ILO office in Vietnam, 48-50 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi.

Submitted Application Documents will not be returned.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified and contacted for an interview. Salary will be based on the UN salary scale in Viet Nam