The global agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGoffers a crucial opportunity to address gender disparities and dismantle barriers to human development. However, governments often struggle to translate these global goals into effective national policies. In Montenegro, despite progress in legal frameworks and policy initiatives influenced by EU accession and the SDG 2030 Agenda, persistent patriarchal norms and systemic discrimination continue to undermine gender equality. Women face significant challenges, including inequalities in decisionmaking and economic participation, high levels of genderbased violence (GB, and job insecurity. Traditional values and entrenched social norms hinder progress, resulting in structural segregation in traditionally maledominated fields and the education sector. Although women’s rights are supported in principle, tangible advancements are limited, as reflected in the Gender Equality Index, with low political participation and prevalent genderbased hate speech and misogyny.

To tackle these challenges, UNDP provides comprehensive support to help align national policies with international gender equality standards. Central to this effort is the UNDP Gender Equality Seal, a framework designed to embed gender perspectives into institutional practices and governance. This Seal facilitates the establishment of baselines, refinement of strategies, and evaluation of gendersensitive policies, driving systemic changes and fostering inclusivity across various sectors.

In addition to institutional gender mainstreaming, UNDP is focusing on enhancing genderresponsive initiatives in rural development. This includes supporting business development and green innovation for rural women, aiming to improve their access to resources and financing. By fostering economic growth in underdeveloped regions and creating opportunities for women, this approach complements the goals of the Gender Equality Seal. It demonstrates a commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, addressing both gender disparities and regional inequalities. Together, these efforts contribute to a more equitable and just society, promoting gender equality and addressing systemic barriers throughout Montenegro.

Under direct supervision of the Project Analyst for Economic Empowerment of Women in UNDP Country Office in Montenegro, and overall supervision of the Team Leader for Gender Equality in UNDP Country Office in Montenegro, Project Assistant is responsible for all the administrative and accounting matters under the Gender Equality portfolio of projects as set out in the overall Project documents, and in accordance with the UNDP standards and best practices.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Ensure overall administrative, logistics and accounting support to implementation/delivery of different aspects of the project work:

• Draft routine correspondence, facsimile, memoranda and reports from oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources, in accordance with the standard office procedures, and ensure appropriate followup; write minutes from the meetings; provide translation/interpretation services into English and vice versa, when needed.
• Assist the M&E officer in matters related to M&E and knowledge resources management and in the preparation of progress reports. The project teams report progress twice a year to the donors, at least once a year to the Project Boards, and continuously to the CO management, and the task is to support these reporting processes with continuous track record of implemented activities.  Assist in the preparation of substantive progress and financial plans and reports;
• Ensure all project documentation (progress reports, consulting and other technical reports, minutes of meetings, etc.) are properly maintained in hard and electronic copies in an efficient and readily accessible filing system, for when required by the Project Boards, Technical Advisory Committee, UNDP, project consultants;
• Provide logistical support to the Gender Equality portfolio of projects and ensure provision of adequate secretarial and interpretation facilities (organization of Projects’ events, meetings and study tours, travel arrangements, arrangement of shipments, project vehicles maintenance, conference facilities arrangements, visits of experts, timely processed daily subsistence allowances, etc.);
• Maintain daytoday communication with Operations Unit regarding the projects related administration matters: procurement, human resources, travel and finance matters; provide administrative support regarding recruitment of experts and procurement of goods and services under the Projects;
• Provide support to procurement processes related to the implementation of projects in hand: enter project procurement plans in Quantum, provide support to organization of procurement processes including preparation of tender documents, provide support to organization of the tendering and contracting procedure (publishing tender, if necessary organizing prebid conference and site visit, selecting and contracting companie, support to receipts of quotations, bids or proposals, and their preliminary evaluation; provide support to monitoring and of consultants’ works  and related payments, provide support to identification of needs for equipment, and procurement and installation of necessary equipment;
• Perform regular financial and administrative duties necessary for the successful and timely implementation of projects within the said portfolio:  Ensure daily transactions are processed in the Quantum system (vendors, invoices, requisitions, etc.); Keep track of all transactions in a budget notebook; Perform regular budget revisions; Provide regular delivery estimation and monthly expense estimation to the Finance Unit; provide regular reporting regarding the Projects’ expenditures; Prepare periodic Projects’ asset/inventory reports; Ensure completeness of documentation, check accuracy of calculation for all financial transactions related to the Projects, and prepare/process financial transactions in the system in accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.

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 Assistant will be responsible for providing daily support to Project Analyst for Economic Empowerment of Women and Team Leader for Gender Equality in UNDP Country Office in Montenegro.