Administrative Assistant

1. SUMMARY

The NATO Chief Information Officer (CIO) function brings Information and Communications Technology (ICT) coherence across NATO Enterprise’s civil and military bodies. The NATO CIO is empowered to realize the Allies’ vision for the NATO Enterprise, is accountable to the Secretary General and is responsible for the development of Enterprise directives and advice on the acquisition and use of information technologies and services. The NATO CIO provides Enterprise oversight on cybersecurity issues, and, in close coordination with all relevant NATO civil and military bodies, works towards the continual improvement of the cyber hygiene and cybersecurity posture in the NATO Enterprise.

The Office of the NATO CIO (OCIO) has an integrated staff comprised of International Staff (IS) and International Military Staff (IMS) members.

The incumbent is accountable for efficiently handling a wide range of administrative and organizational support duties (such as budget/financial, travel, information management, etc.) in order to ensure the smooth operation of the Office. In particular, the incumbent will be responsible for the financial aspects of duty travel, which includes but it is not limited to, hospitality, training, timesheets, invoices, purchase requisitions, etc. (both from the civil budget and the military budget). S/he will assist in preparing and helping run meetings, reserving conference rooms and videoconferences.

2. QUALIFICATIONSANDEXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must:

• have a good general education at least to higher secondary level;
• have at least 4 years of professional experience in administrative and organizational work;
• be proficient user of software packages, in particular the Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and SharePoint);
• have experience in organizing conferences or programme administration;
• have knowledge of and experience in budget administration;
• be familiar with procedures, tools and concepts used in resource management;
• demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, resilience, flexibility, drive for teamwork and capacity to work under pressure;
• demonstrate clear and effective oral and written communication skills; and
• possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; II (“Elementary”) in the other.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

• higher education degree in a field relevant for this position;
• experience working with high level officials;
• experience with an ERP toolset (ideally Oracle e-business suite);
• Project Management certification (such as Prince 2);
• experience in an Information and Communications Technology environment; and
• Have knowledge of the processes and procedures at NATO Headquarters, or a national civil/military or joint organization.
  

3.MAINACCOUNTABILITIES

Planning and Execution

Assist with the day-to-day administration of the OCIO schedule: arrange meetings and handle related details, such as necessary travel arrangements and mission coordination and administrative tasks. In coordination with the Administrative Officer (AO) and the Executive Officer (XO), organize official engagements attended by the OCIO personnel in their official capacity. Organize own workload to ensure the accurate and timely execution of duties. Ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the Office, working in close co-ordination with other staff in the Front Office.

Information Management

Screen and organize all incoming administrative correspondence and documents, maintaining an effective system for follow-up and reminder of classified and unclassified documentation. Draft memoranda and cover letters for documents. Take minutes at meetings as necessary. Review the OCIO documents and correspondence for format and accuracy, including tables or figures requiring careful presentation, observing standard processes and templates.

Knowledge Management

Collect, categorise, and track relevant information required for various tasks and projects. Maintain well-structured paper and electronic filing systems. Inform the AO and XO of all procedural and administrative changes, upcoming projects and subjects of interest in a timely manner. Record, distribute and follow-up on tasks for the CIO Office.

Stakeholder Management

Build relationships with key points of contact across the Enterprise and act as a reliable and effective point of entry for all administrative matters. Maintain lists of internal and external contacts and liaise with them to ensure efficiency in the daily management of workload and processes.

Organizational Efficiencies

Provide constructive suggestions to improve office procedures. Find ways to be more effective in managing information, reporting, and using office tools.

Financial Management

Monitor budget execution and prepare forecasts and reports as requested. Ensure that proper financial procedures are followed. Provide support to the AO and/or to the Budget Officer (BO) in the development and monitoring of the OCIO budget, program of work and other specific projects as required. Prepare the necessary financial documents, follow-up on activities to ensure financial files are correctly processed and maintain records of all financial transactions.

Expertise Development

Proactively develop skills in areas such as planning and organizing, new technology, languages, budget handling and effective communication. Liaise with other staff to leverage knowledge.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The incumbent reports to the Administrative Officer / Budget Officer, and maintains close working relationships with the NATO CIO Front Office and other Assistants throughout the Office. S/he will closely cooperate with all OCIO personnel as necessary. The incumbent also works in close cooperation with the IMS Office of Financial Controller, the IS Office of Financial Controller, NCIA and the resource community representatives. S/he may be called upon to substitute for other administrative assistants of the office when they are absent.

Direct reports: N/a

Indirect reports: N/a

5. COMPETENCIES

The incumbent must demonstrate:

• Clarity and Accuracy: Checks own work;
• Customer Service Orientation: Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems;
• Empathy: Listens actively;
• Flexibility: Acts with flexibility;
• Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
• Organizational Awareness: Understands the Organization’s structure; and
• Teamwork: Expresses positive attitudes and expectations of team or team members.