06-4629  OFFICE(06)/105 
 28 September 2006 
 
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 
 
WTO  
 
Geneva  
 
Vacancy Notice No. 586  
  The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill th e position of  Administrative Assistant, General 
Council, in the C ouncil and TNC Division. Serving staff members interested in this pos ition are also invited 
to apply.  The WTO is an Equal Opportunities Employer. 
 
TITLE AND GRADE: Administrative Assistant, General Council – Grade 7
1 
 STARTING SALARY: Approximately Swiss francs 91,000 net p.a. 
 
OTHER CONDITIONS: In accordance with WTO Staff Regulations and Staff Rules and 
WTO Pension Plan Regulations.   
   A package of expatriate benefits  is available to staff recruited 
internationally. 
 
TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: Fixed-term contract fo r two years, with possibility of extension. 
 GENERAL FUNCTIONS: Under the supervision of the Director of the Division, the 
incumbent will perform the following duties: 
 (a) Serve as Personal Assistant to the Chairman of the General 
Council and, with utmost tact, discretion and efficiency as 
dictated by the high level, politically sensitive and confidential nature of the latter's day-to-day contacts, manage all aspects of the Chairman's continuously evolving agenda.  This involves convening, organizing and servicing all bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral meetings and 
consultations called by the Chairman, receiving telephone 
calls and visitors, scheduling and screening appointments, handling correspondence, and typing and processing highly 
sensitive and confidential memoranda and other documents.    
 
 (b) Assume overall responsibility for all administrative and 
other support work aimed at ensuring the smooth functioning, efficient organiza tion and follow-up to formal, 
informal and other consultativ e meetings of the General 
Council and formal plenary meetings of the Ministerial 
Conference.   
     Lead, supervise and coordinate the work of other support 
staff in this regard, establishing and ensuring a team approach, and prepare and ensure the accuracy and timely 
circulation of all communications, documents and decisions.   
                                                     
 
1 The post may be offered at a lower grade if the sel ected candidate does not fully meet all of the required 
qualifications. OFFICE(06)/105 
Page 2  
  Organize, administer and manage Speakers Lists for all 
plenary meetings of the Ministerial Conference.   
   Prepare transcripts from recordings of meetings.       (c) Maintain and update Divi sional online calendar of all 
formal, informal and other c onsultative meetings of WTO 
bodies, the Council Chairman's private meetings and consultations, Ministerial meetings of WTO Members, as well as other local, national and international meetings.  
 
 (d) Organize, maintain and update all administrative records and 
the Division's filing system in relation to the work of the General Council and meetings of Ministerial Conferences.  
   Supervise the work of other support staff in this area of the 
Division's work by organizing the work and determining 
priorities, providing guidance, giving instructions, controlling the quantity and quality of work, arranging training, contributing to evaluation reports and helping resolve performance-related problems.   
 
  Coordinate and monitor document processing to ensure that 
all outgoing written communications conform to WTO format and presentation standards, and provide, as necessary, editorial assistance in the context of Secretariat reports or correspondence.   
 
 (e) Liaise with Secretariat staff outside the Division, including 
senior management, as well as with Chairpersons and senior officials of delegations (Minis ters, Ambassadors) in regard 
to the work of the General Council and Ministerial Conference;  draft correspondence and respond to enquiries 
from – and provide background in formation to – delegations 
and other individuals within and outside the WTO on procedural, administrative and other matters in connection with this work.   
REQUIRED  
QUALIFICATIONS: Completion of secondary school and/or secretarial or commercial 
school equivalent, with specialized  training in the secretarial field and at least 15 years of progressive secretarial experience in the WTO or similar organization. 
  Excellent knowledge of administrative and secretarial procedures, 
as well as of applicable word processing, scanning and other 
software packages and secretarial support techniques;  familiarity with, or ability to adapt rapidly to, the workings of the WTO Secretariat, including regarding documentation processing and servicing of meetings. 
 Strong sense of responsibility and organization;  ability to work 
quickly and independently, and adapt rapidly to changing circumstances and fluctuating workloads;  ability to be determine priorities, and work consistently with high accuracy, efficiency and 
focus, especially in periods of  heavy and sustained pressure;  
ability to delegate and coordinate work and supervise other support OFFICE(06)/105 
Page 3 
 
 
staff in ensuring work requirements and deadlines are met and are of the highest standard.     
  Ability to work in harmony with  other colleagues in a diverse 
international setting, and with the utmost tact and discretion given 
the politically sensitive and confiden tial work involved in the post. 
 LANGUAGES: Excellent knowledge is required in at least two of the 
organization's working languages.  Proficiency in the third working language is highly desirable. 
 
APPLICATIONS:
2 Please use the online application form which may be downloaded 
from the WTO website – www.wto.org  - under "vacancies".  If you 
are unable to download the application form, please send an e-mail or fax to the Human Resources Division requesting the form.  A 
completed form may also be submitted to the following address: 
  Director, Human Resources Division 
  WTO   Centre William Rappard   154, rue de Lausanne   1211 Geneva 21 
  Switzerland 
  E-mail:  humanresources@wto.org
            Fax::  +41-22-739 5772 
  Please do not send your application via multiple routes.  It is not 
necessary to follow your application up with copies of qualifications, previous employment  contracts, entire publications 
etc. 
  Candidates must  indicate clearly in section 15 of the application 
form the Vacancy Notice No. 586. 
  Applications will not be acknowledged.  Only applicants 
possessing the required qualifica tions will be taken into 
consideration.  Only the successful  candidate will be notified of the 
outcome of the competition. 
  Candidates are kindly requested to refrain from enquiring about 
progress of their application. 
 CLOSING DATE OF THIS  
VACANCY NOTICE:  9 November 2006 
   No applications will be considered after this date. 
 The WTO is a non smoking environment. 
 
                                                     
 
2 Only applications from nationals  of WTO Members will be accepted. 
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