Executive Associate

Job Highlight

A trusted and highly visible executive support role at the centre of UEMCO leadership, connecting the MCO Director with personnel, UN counterparts, government institutions and external partners.

About The Group

The UNOPS Ukraine and Eastern Europe MCO (UEMCO) operates in Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland, supporting urgent humanitarian needs while building pathways for recovery and development. In Ukraine, UEMCO delivers large-scale infrastructure, energy, housing, education, and mine action projects in partnership with UN agencies, international financial institutions, the European Union, and bilateral donors. Its agile portfolio responds to fast-evolving needs with strong procurement and implementation capacity. In Moldova, UEMCO supports justice sector reform and is exploring opportunities to expand its role across public sector modernization and infrastructure. In Poland, UEMCO works with government and private sector actors to strengthen ties with UN procurement and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, leveraging Poland’s EU experience to support Ukraine’s future accession and integration.

Role Purpose

The Executive Associate provides comprehensive executive, administrative, communication, protocol and coordination support to the MCO Director. The role enables the Management Office to operate efficiently, ensures timely follow-up on decisions and commitments, and supports strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Accurate analysis and presentation of information strengthen office capacity and promote UNOPS as an effective service provider and contributor to Ukraine’s recovery and development. The incumbent’s initiative is essential to achieving results and ensuring timely delivery.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Effective and efficient functioning of the Management Office
• Support the MCO Director with administrative tasks related to the management of UEMCO, promoting professionalism, teamwork and exemplary standards of conduct.
• Manage the Management Office’s schedules and calendars efficiently and discreetly, and organize official meetings in accordance with applicable protocol.
• Organize regular and adhoc meetings; prepare agendas, minutes and action summaries; monitor progress on planned issues; and follow up with focal points.
• Coordinate and organize visits by high-level UNOPS, UN and partner-organization officials.
• In cooperation with the administration team, support special corporate events such as luncheons, receptions and dinners for representatives of international missions, governments, UN agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations and other partners.
• Help establish and maintain effective networks and information exchange with internal and external partners.
• Organize and maintain effective communication systems for the Management Office and the wider office, covering internal interlocutors and external partners.
• Ensure that the Management Office and office personnel follow appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines when communicating with government and other external partners.
• Serve as the protocol and liaison focal point between UNOPS Ukraine and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Ukraine.
• Exercise sound judgement in managing access to the MCO Director, prioritising and filtering requests, information and correspondence, redirecting matters where appropriate, and ensuring that issues requiring the Director's attention are brought forward in a timely and appropriately prepared manner.
• Undertake designated transactional roles in the OneUNOPS system, when required.
• Effective communications and administrative support
• Anticipate the MCO Director's information, scheduling, briefing and follow-up requirements, proactively identifying upcoming priorities, potential conflicts, outstanding commitments and matters requiring management attention.
• Initiate, maintain and manage written and verbal communications on behalf of the Management Office; clear outgoing correspondence for the MCO Director’s signature; and obtain pre-clearances and further action from other personnel when required.
• In agreement with the MCO Director, initiate and coordinate information flow within the office and disseminate information to personnel as required.
• Facilitate information sharing across all divisions of UEMCO.
• Maintain an effective system for tracking decisions, commitments and actions arising from the MCO Director's engagements, proactively following up with responsible personnel and escalating delays or unresolved matters where appropriate.
• Prepare routine correspondence, interoffice circulars, briefing notes, documents, reports and meeting minutes, and provide translations when required.
• Prepare slides and tables, ensuring appropriate style and accuracy of information, as requested by the MCO Director and/or Management Office.
• In cooperation with the administration team, manage official missions, representation schedules and related travel arrangements for the Management Team.
• Prepare high-quality briefing materials for the MCO Director’s appointments, meetings and missions.
• Recommend changes to priorities and appointments, resolve scheduling conflicts and help streamline procedures between the MCO Director’s office and subordinate divisions.
• Provide other related administrative, logistical, protocol and secretarial services to the MCO Director.
• Stakeholder collaboration and relationship management
• Support the Management Office in maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and, as requested by the MCO Director, facilitate or initiate contact in support of UEMCO's strategic objectives.
• Develop and maintain effective communication with counterparts in other UN agencies in Ukraine.
• Interact with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and prepare talking points for meetings between the Resident Coordinator and the UEMCO Management Team.
• Where applicable, provide support and advice and maintain communication and liaison with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on protocol matters.
• Draft agendas for official meetings and events in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries involved in UNOPS programme activities.
• Prepare background documents for high-level officials of the Government of Ukraine.
• Knowledge building and knowledge sharing
• Support the MCO Director in delivering corporate UNOPS initiatives across the country team and within the ECR context, with a view to meeting corporate objectives and implementing organizational policies and priorities.
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Contribute advice and recommendations to the development and positioning of UNOPS in Ukraine.
  
  

Education Requirements

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 6 years of relevant experience OR
• A bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field, may be accepted and may reduce some of the required years of experience.
  
  

Required

Experience Requirements

• A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience (or less depending on academic credentials) in executive support, office administration, coordination or a related field is required.
  
  

Desired

• Experience in public relations and communication with senior officials and representatives of diplomatic missions and non-governmental organizations is desirable.
• Knowledge of UN rules and regulations and familiarity with government institutions, NGOs, UN agencies, embassies and other relevant offices is desirable.