Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP
The Accelerator Labs are UNDP’s new way of working in development. The labs will transform our collective approach by introducing new services, backed by evidence and practice, and by accelerating the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. Sense-making, collective intelligence, solutions mapping, and experimentation will be part of the new offer from UNDP to governments.
Together with national and global partners, the UNDP Global Accelerator Labs started with 60 Lab teams covering 78 countries and have now expanded to 91 Labs covering 115 countries. The Accelerator Labs will work together to find radically new approaches that fit the complexity of current development challenges. The labs will analyze challenges within local contexts to identify connections and patterns in search of new avenues of work to act effectively in addressing wicked development challenges.
The Project Assistant will work with the Accelerator Lab Pacific to develop and deploy Accelerator Lab methodologies to address development challenges in the Pacific.
Duties and Responsibilities
Support the project team to ensure effective project planning and implementation.
- Assist in compiling and summarizing information and data for the formulation of project work plans. In consultation with project team, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project related topics or issues.
- Support project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners. Review project documents for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures and identify inconsistencies for referral to supervisor. Compile, summarize and present basic information/data on a specific project and related topics or issues;
- Contribute to and support data collection for gender analysis and gender mainstreaming at the project level.
- Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure successful project delivery that includes organization/coordination of project events, procurement and finance-related activities, contract management, recruitment, and coordination of field visits and project-related missions.
Support partnerships and resource mobilization.
- Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, and other partners and relevant stakeholders. Provide support in updating database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
- Support regular communication with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
- Support dissemination of high-quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders.
- Assist project team in identifying and gathering information on opportunities for resource mobilization.
Provide support to the effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on progress of project implementation.
- Support implementation of the project monitoring system in alignment with its Monitoring and Evaluation framework to facilitate effective information sharing on project status and achievement of targets.
- Collect, analyze and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Assist team in the design and conduct of internal evaluations and surveys. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
- Support the organization of progress meetings, field, and study visits to monitor project implementation and support organization of workshops, roundtables, and conferences within the project.
- Assist in implementation of effective risk management for the project with a well-documented risk mitigation plan in place. Support monitoring of previously identified and emerging risks. Update the status of risks in relevant project risk logs and/or databases.
- Monitor project budget, financial resources, and accounting for effective and transparent use of available resources and to ensure accuracy and reliability of data/information used in financial reports.
- Support the preparation of weekly, quarterly, annual, and other requested project reports in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.
Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing relevant to the assigned project.
- Participate in training on internal procedures for the project staff and provide support to the organization of training and other capacity building activities as needed.
- Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Maintain organized records of project data, field activities, case studies, human-interest stories, photographs, and other relevant documents that can be drawn upon in support of knowledge sharing and advocacy.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core |
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 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 |
R
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies
Thematic Area |
Name |
Definition |
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
|
Administration & Operations |
Event Management |
- Support projects with event management including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
|
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Secondary education is required, or
- University Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
- Experience in preparation of financial reports and overviews
- Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools
- Knowledge of project management processes
- Knowledge of procurement procedures of national / international organizations
Language:
- Fluency in English language is required.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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