UNV Jobs - 38202- Portfolio Associate

Portfolio Associate

Advertised on behalf of

UNV

Location :

Bonn, GERMANY

Type of Contract :

TA Local

Starting Date :

01-Jul-2013

Application Deadline :

19-Jun-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

GS-6

Duration of Initial Contract :

4 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

4 months

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.

Background

United Nations Volunteers Programme
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity.

UNV engaged 6,807 UN Volunteers in 2012, on a total of 6,912 assignments. With an average age of 38 years and the requisite professional skills and qualifications of some 5 to 10 years relevant experience, UN volunteers served in 127 countries in 2012 and came themselves from 159. The majority – 79 per cent – come from developing countries themselves. One third of UN volunteers served in their own countries, with the others carrying out international assignments. The financial equivalent of programme activities exceeds US$220 million annually.

UNV is headquartered in Bonn, Germany and has approximately 150 staff positions – with the majority in Bonn and some positions with different UN peacekeeping and political missions, and in other Headquarters locations (e.g. New York and Tokyo). The major organizational groups within UNV are:

The Office of the Executive Coordinator (OEC) comprising the Evaluation Unit (EU) and the Corporate Planning and Performance Unit (CPPU);
The Volunteer Programming and Management Group (VPMG) comprising the Peace Division (PD) and the Development Division (DD), Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section (VRRS), Quality Assurance Unit (QAU), Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation Section (VKIS);
The Partnerships and Communications Division (PCD) comprising the Partnerships Section (PS) and the Communications Section (CS);
The Management Services Division (MSD) comprising the Information and Communication Technology Section (ICTS), Finance Section (FS), Human Resources Section (HRS), and the Administration Unit (AU). Additionally the Common Services Unit (CSU) provides support to the UN presence in Bonn.

Organizational setting:
As one of the key pillars, the Peace and Development Portfolio Team is responsible for implementing UNV’s Programme Strategy including volunteer management at global, regional and local levels. The team is responsible for the following tasks: performs strategic planning and programming in the portfolio of countries based on the UNV programme strategy; builds and strengthens relationships with main partners within the UN System and with external partners operational on programmatic matters; ensures effective coordination between HQ and Field Units (FU) for quality programming and volunteer management; monitors the implementation of programming and volunteer management at the final level; provides substantive focus area in-puts and support to cross-unit and corporate initiatives related to programming and volunteer management activities.

The Portfolio Team within the Peace and Development Divisions is responsible for the implementation of the UNV programme strategy, including volunteer management, at global, regional and local levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Portfolio Manager Development Division, the Portfolio Associate contributes to the timely and efficient: i) implementation of volunteer management processes in respect of fielding and administrative management of UNV volunteers, and d ii) support of programme management processes. The Associate is responsible for the provision of qualitative and quantitative services in a team setting.

Specific duties include the following:

1. Ensures effective support to implementation of programme focusing on achievement of the following results:

Works closely with Field Units (FU), coordinates all queries from the field and forwards to specific units in HQ for specialized support and follows up for implementation;
Provides well researched and useful volunteerism inputs and background information for formulation of UNDP programme processes such as UNDAF and CPAP, and corporate reports for consolidation by the portfolio specialist;
Monitors all routine administrative issues concerning UN Volunteers and prepares appropriate responses to UNDP Country Offices, UN Missions and/or Agency headquarters;
Ensures funding availability for all UN Volunteer assignments;
Prepares financial reports and monthly statistics for monitoring and reporting on volunteer allocated resources;
Performs budget revision on volunteer administrated projects as and when required;
Generates monthly statistics of all serving UN Volunteers in the Development portfolio and other relevant data to support the Portfolio Manager in the elaboration of the country profiles

2. Provides support to volunteer administration in the Development Division focusing on achievement of the following results;

Provides advice to selected candidates, serving and former on general inquiries related to conditions of service and volunteer management cycle;
Finalizes recruitment formalities and provides guidance on operational issues such as offers, vendor set-up at HQ, Letter of Offer, medical clearances, security and Government clearances, travel arrangements, use of training allowance, health insurance and dependency allowance;
Follows through the recruitment and administration of UN Volunteers within the team under the supervision of portfolio specialist and in close relation with Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section;
Coordinates with FUs colleagues for smooth handling of cases of medical evacuations and security relocations/evacuations;
Performs ATLAS HCM and e-Reta roles related to position administration, contract management, payroll validation, earnings and deductions, leave management, terminations, etc;
As a quality check, ensures that all recruitment procedures are completed prior to fielding of UN Volunteers;
Prepares drafts ToRs for review and approval by the portfolio specialist ensuring that the ToRs are in line with the Volunteerism for Development dimension of the UNV business model;
Generates end of assignment certificates and shares with FU for distribution to volunteers;
Monitors pipeline recruitments in liaison with the Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section and provides feedback to Portfolio Manager,
Ensures training for field staff on Basic and Advanced security in the field, conditions of service, country specific briefing and administrative procedure.

3. Responsible for operational and programme management support with the following expected results:

Prepares vouchers for pre-assignment entitlements to UN Volunteers and takes timely corrective actions on incorrect vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors;
Ensures completeness of documentation and processes volunteer benefits payments. Such benefits include: accommodation supplement, repatriation grant, dependency allowance;
Plans logistic requirements for workshops, events and meetings, liaising with MSD or UNDP COs as applicable for necessary support;
Instructs the in-house travel unit in MSD, or the UNDP COs to make arrangements for UNV Volunteer travel;
Acts as first level support and guidance for problem solving at every level of the UNV programming cycle and replies promptly to queries on conditions of service and administrative processes or coordinates with the respective unit;
Maintains an accurate record of data and files including status of posts in designated countries and volunteer records for selected candidates (orange files) in the computerized system ensuring accuracy and backup;
In coordination with the Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section, keeps abreast of new positions requested from different candidates’ submissions and follows-up on selection/clearance processes;
Provides administrative backstopping to Portfolio Manager on all matters related to field operations.

Other related duties that may be assigned.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Building Partnerships

Tracks and reports on mobilized resources

Promoting Organizational Learning And Knowledge Sharing

Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
Possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks (specialized knowledge related to programme and operations management)
Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

Documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system
Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

Uses information/databases/other management systems
Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems

Client Orientation

Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion
Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
Responds to client needs promptly

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

Maintains databases

Core Competencies:

Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
Self-development, initiative-taking
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
Creating synergies through self-control
Managing conflict
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others
Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education. University Degree is desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

6 years of progressively responsible administrative or programme experience is required at the national or international level.
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English. Knowledge of second UN language is an asset.