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The Development Partners Group (DPG), established in 2001, currently comprises 35 multilateral and bilateral development partners that provide development assistance to Ethiopia. The DPG was established to catalyze policy dialogue and to coordinate and harmonize development partners’ support to the implementation of national development plans and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The DPG Dialogue Structure includes the DPG Heads of Agency (HoA), Executive Committee (ExCom), Sector Working Groups, High-Level Fora, and the Effective Development Cooperation Taskforce (EDCTF). The DPG Secretariat supports DPG co-chairs – which rotate every year, one representing the bilateral member agencies, and one the multilateral) in the coordination of the framework. The DPG Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office and provides support to the Ministries of Finance (MoF) and of Planning & Development (MoPD) in fulfilling their mandates on development coordination, expansion of development financing options, and integrated development planning, monitoring & evaluation. The Secretariat follows up ongoing agendas and new initiatives launched by the DPG. It also provides technical and administrative support to organize: 1) High Level Fora and workshops, and 2) monthly DPG Executive Committee (Ex-Com) and DPG Heads of Agency meetings. In addition, it facilitates policy discussions between the government and development partners. More information on the DPG structure can be found on the DPG website: https://dpgethiopia.org/.

The DPG Pooled Fund project is jointly managed and implemented by Development Partners, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Development through the Steering Committee. The pooled fund is a mechanism to ensure donor coordination and reduce transaction costs both for the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and donors by pooling resources to support the following three outputs: (1) Effective support to the implementation of the national development plan and the SDGs; (2) Strengthened dialogue between the DPG and the Government; and (3) Enhanced capacity of Government and development partners to achieve aid effectiveness and harmonization targets

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Policy and Aid Effectiveness Specialist, the Project Associate shall provide, as member of the DPG Secretariat, programme administrative and operational (financial management, procurement and administrative) support to the Development Partners Group (DPG) facilitating the implementation of the DPG Pooled Fund project.

S/he will work in close collaboration with operations and programme staff in the UNDP Ethiopia Country Office and UNDP HQ, government and development partners as required to facilitate information exchange and ensure effective service delivery:

Ensure effective client relationship management

• Coordinate the information flow in the DPG Secretariat and follow up on circulation files;
• Facilitate information sharing between DPG Secretariat and DPG;
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, action points agreed and coordination of collection and submission of reports by Implementing Partners to the Policy and Aid Effectiveness Specialist;
• Support the Communications Officer in the DPG Secretariat in updating content of the DPG Ethiopia website and managing the online collaborative platform;
• Compile and analyze information to produce the DPG annual report and other knowledge products including commissioned studies;
• Support and share knowledge as necessary;
• Present data analysis reports and summaries, updating the DPG database.

Ensure effective procurement of goods and services

In coordination with UNDP Country Office Procurement Unit, implement procurement of the DPG Pooled Fund project in line with UNDP rules and regulations, including:

• Logistical organization and coordination of Executive Committee and DPG Heads of Agencies meetings, retreats, and High-Level Fora;
• Procurement of goods and services – including consultancies/technical assistance;
• Overview of procurement of goods and services by Implementing Partners carried out through the National Implementation Modality;
• Develop annual procurement plans for the DPG and upload them in UNDP’s Quantum management platform;
• Prepare Requests for Service Form (RSF) for the procurement of goods and services and initiate procurement processes through PROMPT (UNDP procurement planning system);
• Liaise with any suppliers as needed and perform Project Support roles when required;
• Preparation of non-PO vouchers (general ledger journals) for development projects.

Support administrative management of the DPG Secretariat and Pooled Fund Project

• Assist in the preparation for DPG Pooled Fund Steering Committee meetings & annual work plans;
• Follow up on administrative matters of the DPG Secretariat with other units of the office, other UN Agencies, and project personnel;
• Communicate and liaise with the Ministry of Finance and Aid Management Platform (AMP) – existing aid information management system in Ethiopia – service providers to address any  connectivity and related technical issues;
• Work with Ministry of Finance focal points to ensure that the Aid Management Platform service providers fulfill their contractual obligations;
• Preparation of correspondence related to the DPG project functionality, Memos, Notes to the File and waivers;
• Maintenance of the DPG Pooled Fund automated filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials.

Support financial management of the DPG Pooled Fund project:

• Smooth financial management of the DPG Pooled Fund Project ensuring full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations and policies;
• Keep up to date on changes in UNDP programme and operations, including project budgeting and accounting;
• Preparation of reports using internal expenditures control system taking timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, or unapproved vouchers;
• Maintain and update financial records of the DPG Pooled Fund project;
• Monitor donors’ cash positions to ensure sufficient funds are available for disbursement;
• Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP through advancement of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using FACE (Funding Authorization and Certificate of
• Expenditures);
• Prepare final Combined Delivery Report (CDR)/FACE for signature by UNDP and Implementing Partners;
• Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
• Ensure effective transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment, and materials to national beneficiaries upon project closure;
• Management of Donor Contributions and Agreements, contributing to financial and narrative reporting, and managing administrative relations with donors;
• Follow up on donor contributions received and record them in Quantum;
• Timely payment of requests from implementing partners and clients.

Support advocacy, monitoring, evaluation and reporting tasks in relation to the DPG Pooled Fund Project

• Support gathering of data/information for project monitoring and evaluation processes for reporting on results and progress towards outcomes;
• Assist in promoting dialogue and good practice among different stakeholders;
• Assist in the preparation of reports as well as in the planning and revision of project workplans;
• Maintain proper project-filing system;
• Ensures timely follow-up of routine actions and deadlines.

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

Institutional Arrangement: 

The Project Associate will be seated at the DPG Secretariat Office and will report directly to the Head of the DPG Secretariat.

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Business Management – Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making

Business Management – Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed

Business Management – Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs. 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.

Business Management – Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.

Business Management – Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.

Technical – Finance – Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets

Technical-Procurement – Procurement Management: The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source