Background

The Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) project is managed by UNDP in support of elections and more broadly, the deepening of democracy in Nigeria. It is funded with contributions from The European Union, the UK Department for International Development (DfID), UNDP, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The project duration is 2010-2015. It aims to consolidate and advance democratic governance and accountability in Nigeria to achieve the country’s stated development priorities and outcomes as specified in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP).
These objectives are pursued through four components:
1. Promoting Credible, Transparent and Sustainable Electoral Processes
2. Improving the Democratic Quality of Political Engagement
3. Enhancing Participation by Women, Youth and other marginalized groups
4. Strengthening Channels of Civic Engagement.
The Project is headed by a Project director who manages the project technically and liaises with the donors and UNDP in the implementation project activities and pursuit of the Project goals. The project Associate position is located within the office of the Project Director. Hence, the Project Associate directly reports to the DGD Project Director, for general guidance and supervision and is responsible for providing a variety of executive administrative support to the Director and, in close coordination with the Programme and Operations staff, in managing the efficient flow of information and communication to ensure expeditious dissemination of information and timely action. In general, she/he is required to ensure effective and efficient functioning of the PD office, full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made.

The Project Associate to PD works in close collaboration with the DGD project staff, UNDP CO, Development partners and national Partners to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions, agendas.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key Functions

• Ensure the effective and efficient functioning of the Project director office;
• Provide effective communications support to the office;
• Support the programme activities of the Project;
• Provides support to external relations activities:

1. Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the PD office focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Manage the Project Director’s calendar of activities, events and travels. Schedule requests for meetings from DGD staff and UNDP/CO and other agency partners, external partners, e.g. government officials, INEC and other delegations. Follow appropriate protocol procedures in scheduling meetings and events.
• Arrange travel, hotel accommodations and other logistics for the Director in collaboration with PMU Operations staff.
• Draft routine correspondence for the Director.
• Prepare high quality briefing materials for supervisor for appointments, meetings, missions.
• Collect, review and organize briefing materials for the Director for appointments, meetings, official missions and other critical and key events.
• Maintain the roster of Project Director’s contacts for easy access and reference.
• Arrange coverage and backstopping for the Project Director as at when required.
• Provide any other ad-hoc support to the Director, as needed.
• Use of automated office management systems for effective functioning of the PD office.

2. Ensures provision of effective communications support to the office focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Maintain the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials including use of automated filing system.
• Coordinate the information flow in the office, review, prioritize and route correspondence to and from the Office of the Director. Take proactive follow-up action and keep the Director informed.
• Review correspondence for proper internal clearances prior to the Director’s signature.
• Respond and/or direct inquiries to the appropriate PMU Unit for timely action and/or response.
• Maintain and organize up to date hard and electronic files for easy access and retrieval and organize the share drive. Ensure safekeeping of confidential materials.
• Establish efficient communications systems and streamline procedures to enhance the flow of information/communication between DGD Project Director and other units within and outside the PMU.
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordinate the collection and submission of reports to the Project Director.

3. Ensures the support to the activities of the UNDP/DGD focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Coordinate the timely preparation and communication of invitations/documentation for all meetings/activities of programme team, donor partners including Steering committee and Technical Committee meetings. Perform follow-up with relevant partners and stakeholders.
• Coordinate and oversee meeting logistics, including venue, and video/teleconferencing for donors and key stakeholders in collaboration with the Operations Unit.
• Ensure briefing materials are compiled and made available to Project Director in advance of UNDP/DGD-related meetings with donor partners, MDAs and/or other key stakeholders (both internal and external).
• Keep up to date the lists of UNDP/DGD donor partners, MDAs and other agencies.
• Assist in managing and maintaining up-to-date templates of email groups of internal and external contacts and stakeholders.
• Assist the Communications Specialist in updating the content management system, post documents related to DGD events and list of members on the DGD web site and perform revisions to posted documents when required.

4. Ensure Support to external relations activities:
• Keep abreast of activities in DGD and keep the Director informed for his/her attention, action or intervention.
• Schedule and facilitate the Director’s interaction with various external partners such as donor partner agencies, INEC and government counterparts, parliamentarians and other high-level senior officials.
• Build and maintain strong collaborative and proactive relationship with personal assistants and Executive Secretary of key partners and counterparts.
• Organize official events/hospitality for the Director.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Project Director;

Competencies

Functional Competencies:  

• Ability to perform a broad range of specialized activities aimed at effective and efficient functioning of the Director’s office, including data/schedule management, maintenance of protocol, information flow;
• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding the position;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion;
• Ability to provide input to business process re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new data management systems.
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
• Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions
• Provides inputs to the development of simple system components
• Good knowledge of administrative rules and regulations
• Good understanding of international affairs and donors community
• Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks by establishing priorities.
• Ability to handle a large volume of work possibly under time constraints.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary education.  First University Degree desirable, but it is not a requirement. Specialized secretarial training desirable. 

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years working experience in providing project support and/or coordination of activities with NGOs, UN agencies and/or other donor or international organizations required
• Previous experience of supporting donor projects
• Experience in managing an executive office
• Must have excellent IT skills especially in the use of MS Word, Excel, and Power Point
• Experience in preparing presentations at stakeholders meetings e.g steering committee
• Familiarity with online resources on democratic governance
• Demonstrable writing skills
• Additional experience of research is an added advantage

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. Qualified women are highly encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence