ABOUT THE COMPANY:

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

JOB SUMMARY

Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), UNDP in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UNDP’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across four broad Priority Pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, (2) UXO clearance and risk education, (3) natural resources, climate change and disaster risk reduction, as well as (4) effective, responsive, and accountable governance.

UNDP has a long history working in Lao PDR.

UNDP’s comparative advantage has been its ability to work closely with a very broad range of government and local-level institutions at all levels.

The new UNDP country programme is aligned with the 9th NSEDP and is anchored in UNDP’s long-term partnership with the Government of more than three decades. The new programme builds on the achievements of the previous CPD that saw the incorporation of the SDGs into the national planning architecture. It will aim to support Lao PDR recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue its transition from LDC status, with a particular emphasis on supporting inclusive growth and reducing inequality.

UNDP Lao PDR, Governance Unit:

The UNDP’s programming on effective, responsive and accountable governance, inter alia, focuses on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR to (1) enhance the rule of law, access to justice, and protection of human rights, (2) strengthen people’s participation in decision-making through increased access to information and political representation, (3) enhance public administration reform through institutional capacity-development and implementation of the Government’s decentralization policy (Sam Sang Directive).

Being the largest global development knowledge network with particular institutional expertise on governance, UNDP in Lao PDR co-chairs the Governance Sector Working Group (along with co-chairing the Public Sector Improvement Sub-Sector Working Group and Legal and Institutional Oversight Sub-Sector Working Group) of the Round Table Process, a national mechanism to coordinate the implementation of the NSEDPs and SDGs across the governmental institutions, development partners, CSOs and the private sector.

STEPS Project:

The Strengthening Capacity and Effectiveness of the People’s Assemblies System in Laos Project, or STEPS, is a 5-year initiative, supported by USAID, to strengthen the Assemblies’ and their Members’ ability to represent better their constituents, in particular women and vulnerable groups, to hold the government to account and to explore an expanded role in the budgeting and law-making.

Women Members of Parliament and staff, and gender champions will be supported to mainstream gender equality and inclusion in all law-making, oversight and representation activity.

These interventions will ensure better and more inclusive decision-making on policy and investment for those left behind (or at risk of being left behind) by Laos’ development journey so far. Improved performance will allow the Assemblies to establish themselves, build strong alliances with constituents and gradually expand the scope of their work to have more influence on policy and law-making.

Such successful Assemblies create popular demand for increased formal powers which are then institutionalized and translated into increased influence for the legislative branch in Laos governance system.

This creative tension will improve the governance of Laos at both central and provincial levels, lead to better quality decisions and ultimately strengthen alignment of the country’s development path with the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.

STEPS takes an adaptive, integrated and inclusive approach to strengthen the capacity of Laos’ Assemblies to perform their functions and to achieve the stated outcomes of the project:

• Adaptive programming;
• Comprehensive capacity-development programming;
• International good practice and common principles for strengthening parliaments;
• Implementation of the SDGs and ‘Leaving No One Behind’;
• Sustainable strengthening of capacity across election cycles.

The Project Associate works in a UNDP Project management team of international and local professional and support staff.

The Project Associate will provide project management assistance to the Project Manager by supporting the effective implementation of operational, administrative, procurement and financial processes.  The Associateis expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.

S/he works in close collaboration with the Project Technical Team, M&E Officer and Project Manager, and maintains effective working relationships with project Implementing Partners (IPs), donors and other partners such as UN agencies.

The position will be based in in the UNDP Lao PDR Country Office in Vientiane.

UNDP Laos is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Persons with disabilities, persons from ethnic groups and people from other diverse groups are encouraged to apply.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Provide project management assistance by supporting administrative and logistical processes;
• Support financial, procurement and human resources processes;
• Facilitate knowledge building and management.

Provide project management support  by supporting administrative, operational and logistical processes, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Pro-actively contribute to day-to-day project implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and project work-plans;
• Contribute to the effective management of data in programme implementation, across the data lifecycle.  Follow up on programme and project performance indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, and preparation of reports.

Implement corporate results-based management mechanisms and tools.

• Ensure compliance with procedures frameworks, including by learning and applying UNDP’s Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP), and USAID financial and administrative requirements;
• Prepare relevant background materials for use in discussions, correspondence, and briefing sessions;
• Draft meeting minutes, translate and interpret from Lao into English and vice-versa;
• Ensure efficient travel arrangements are made for the team as required, ensuring proper use of UNDP resources;
• Assist in arranging appointments, organizing meetings, events, taking minutes of meetings and drafting correspondence for STEPS Project Team;
• Keeps lists of names, addresses and telephone numbers of applicable government and non-government partners;
• Maintain policy, confidentiality and general management files.

Ensure support in financial, procurement and human resources processes, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Learn processes and operations of the UNDP Quantum Platform;
• Provide administrative support in the planning, execution, and review of Project Financial Reports on Quantum Platform;
• In accordance with the Annual Work Plan, arrange for the procurement of equipment, supplies and services and ensure timely follow-up with procurement requests;
• Assist in recruitment processes by reviewing job descriptions, job classifications, forming vacancy announcements, screening candidates, and facilitating interview panels;
• Maintain leave records and travel plans of the Project staff.

Facilitate knowledge building and management, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• In accordance with the Project Document and in close coordination with the Responsible Parties, adhere to the Quarterly and Annual Targets according to UNDP timelines;
• Organize events for the STEPS Project Staff; Compile lessons learned and best practices.
• Provide sound contributions and support to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms Provide high-quality interpretation and translation in support of the project as needed.

Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.

Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Procurement:

• Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

How to Apply
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Good luck!