The Markets for Change Project is a UN women project jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Pacific Office. The Markets for Change – Fiji, Vanuatu and Vanuatu Project (hereinafter referred to as the M4C PROJECT) has begun its second phase implementation and the initiative is aimed at ensuring that marketplaces in rural and urban areas in Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands are safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory environments, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.  UNDP implements outcome two of the project which focuses on “improving the socio-economic security of women market vendors through three main interventions:

• Financial literacy and business training through the Continuing Market Business Education.
• Market Business Fairs at the Municipal Markets and Communities across Vanuatu Project sites ( Efate and Santo).
• Agricultural productivity training through Improving Productivity and Income for Vendor Farmers (IPI-VF) program.

The Project Associate is a key position for the M4C outcome two components. The incumbent will be responsible for the management and administration, including coordination and implementation, of the UNDP M4C component of outcome 2.

The role of the Project Associate will also support gender empowerment for women and girls in rural communities helping them understand Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment in the context of development.

In summary, key functions of the Programme Associate as an integral member of the project team to support in:

• Planning and Coordination
• Training, Mentoring and Awareness Programmes
• Monitoring and Field visit report writing and Donor Report writing.
• Community engagement, and partnership with stakeholders at all levels

The Project Associate will work in close consultation with the Markets for Change Project Manager.

The Project Associate is responsible for the following key functions:

• Support Community Engagement, Networking and Building Partnership and delivering to stakeholders at Community Level
• Provide community level coordination, economic empowerment and identification of communities based on training needs assessment.
• Organize family approach economic development activities that encourages women economic empowerment and gender equality.
• Coordinating with Provincial Offices, Village Headman, on all M4C planned community engagement to build initial community awareness of the M4C Project and seek community endorsement, contribute to development by providing community specific socio-economic context/data.
• Organize and conduct zoom monthly meetings, workshops, seminars, and other meetings in collaboration with community development agencies and partners, including regional and local level Government agencies as well as present monthly progress reports at the Project Working Committee meetings.
• Liaise with local government and non-government service providers and promote gender equality and women economic empowerment through the establishment of strong linkages for acquiring services and to undertake advocacy campaigns on Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment
• Organize programs for stakeholders site visitation and project stakeholders as required.
• Conduct community group assessments every six months in collaboration with Project Manager and share the findings with respective community groups for future improvement.
• Regularly meet with key project partners to ensure agreed workplans are prioritized by key project partners.
• Meet and coordinate discussions with partners and stakeholders on issues affecting the project and bring the same to the attention of the M4C team.
• Attendance at any forums where M4C stakeholders might highlight issues that could affect the project or add to the scope of the project and bring the same to the attention of the M4C team.

Support effective implementing of the M4C Project at community level by organizing training, mentoring  and awareness programmes.

• Organise logistics for all Financial Literacy and Business Management Trainings as per the Approved work plan to strengthen and sustain community groups and support their economic development at the community level.
• Facilitate community-based training programs in consultation with the Project Manager team and the Implementing partners.
• Assist field-level workers of project partners in organizing awareness programs and workshops at community and district levels around Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment
• Create awareness prior to conducting financial literacy trainings and business management trainings. Ensure the awareness are linked to the M4C Project theory of change, and outcome 2 outputs.
• Organise market vendors and farmers across the 2 Project sites into 4 cluster groups.
• Ensure the market vendors and farmers are properly grouped into the 4 cluster groups for mentoring programs.
• Work closely with the Implementing Partner to develop mentoring programs and schedules for the 4 clusters.
• Ensure the 4 clusters are well equipped with resources, to attend the in – person and online zoom call sessions.
• Provide support to consultant in developing of training materials for the Mentoring Programme
• Provide support to the consultant in organising the training of trainers’ program.
• Ensure the consultant is recruited to translate the toolkits into the local languages.
• Test the toolkits in at least two selected communities, and 2 selected markets.

Support livelihood development and economic empowerment in the project.

• Support M4C project to identify and support communities build capacity to prepare to access and make the best use of business development/support opportunities available by government and non-government agencies.
• Support livelihood, skills and resource analysis of communities’ support by M4C Project. This includes leading the identification of existing and potential business ventures.
• Provide Business Development Services to various identified and potential social businesses and entrepreneurs in communities supported by M4C Project. This includes linking the M4C project with other Government and non-government stakeholders to conduct market feasibility analysis and support setting up community cooperatives where needed.
• Support community groups to improve their capacities to effectively raise issues of concern at the local level, and to act as advocates for community members during decision-making related to M4C Project and broader development as well as to secure necessary support from government and non-government stakeholders.

Assist in the implementation of the Markets for Change Program/ Project Activities.

• Provide project coordination, planning and implementation of the project activities.
• Provide support in quality control of project activities, including ensuring the preparation of appropriate training materials, assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensure timely and efficient delivery.
• Attendance at M4C Project Management Committee, and Project Working Committee meetings when required and preparation of presentations to report on activities.
• Preparation of events budgets.
• Timely acquittals and reporting after field visits.
• Ensure contracted stakeholders follow their contract and deliver on planned activities.
• Timely provision of support to procure goods and services required by the project, in liaison with the relevant M4C staff and relevant units of UNDP Country Office.
• Provide support to the Project Manager on the Monitoring and Reporting.
• Prepare activity reports, with analysis of project outputs and relevant findings to inform reporting to UNDP Multi country office and UNwomen. [Quarterly/annual reporting]

Contribute to Knowledge Management and Learning from the project activities.

• Compiling, organizing and filing of information and documents, including correspondence and minutes, for reference and use by team members.
• Document lessons learnt and recommendations to improve activities in the communities.
• Liaise with Communications support personnel to create Communications Plans for events and to highlight project results.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.