UNU Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)

UNU-IAS, created from a merger of the former UNU Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) and the UNU Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP) in January 2014, will be located at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo. The new UNU-IAS builds on a strong tradition of UNU research and capacity development in Japan, undertaken in collaboration with a global network of professionals and scholars, particularly in Africa and Asia. The UNU-IAS research programme will focus on high-level policymaking based on aspects of environmental research, including the science of sustainability, biodiversity and environmental governance.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Director of UNU-IAS, and in close coordination with the Office of the Rector and UNU-IAS staff, the Special Assistant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

- Provide administrative support to the Director, including scheduling and updating of appointments, answering telephone calls, receiving visitors and handling queries;
- Manage and handle all forms of correspondence for the Director, including e-mail, in English and Japanese;
- Make necessary arrangements for the Director¡Çs official travels and prepare necessary forms for visa and other travel matters;
- Provide support to the Director, including preparation and editing of speeches and seminar presentations;
- Be involved in arranging contacts and meetings with Japanese government officials and other public figures for UNU and UNU-IAS;
- Coordinate with the Office of the Rector and other units of the University for arranging various meetings and events;
- Prepare various announcements to be dispatched by the UNU-IAS Director, such as staff announcements and UNU-IAS academic meetings, as well as update the UNU-IAS Global Directory, when necessary;
- Process vouchers relevant to the office of the UNU-IAS Director;
- Perform other duties as may be assigned.

Vacancy Announcement: Special Assistant to the Director of UNU-IAS (380.8 kB PDF) (http://bit.ly/JX0B1b)

Required qualifications and experience
- A university degree;
- At least three (3) years of work experience in an academic or research institution. Work experience in an international organization is preferred;
- Computer and web literacy required. Strong IT skills would be an asset;
- Excellent communication skills with fluency in both oral and written English and Japanese. Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset;
- Good team player with strong interpersonal skills, demonstrated by the ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Duration of contract:
This is full-time employment on a Personnel Service Agreement (PSA) with UNU. Initial appointment will be for one (1) year, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory work performance, with the combined duration of appointments not exceeding six (6) years.

Starting date: As soon as possible.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants should submit their applications by email (to 2014iassa@unu.edu ), and must include the following:
- a cover letter setting out how the qualifications and experience match the requirements of the position;
- a curriculum vitae and a completed and signed UNU Personal History (P.11) (http://bit.ly/14h9KXk) form. Please avoid using similar forms provided by other United Nations organizations;
- full contact information of three (3) referees;
- an indication of the reference number of the vacancy announcement (2014/UNU/IAS/PSA/SA/02).

Closing Date: 24 January 2014

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UNU-IAS
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