Background
UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries. It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance and investment capital. UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia and the Pacific, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis. It provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support to help microfinance institutions reach more poor households and small businesses, and local governments finance the capital investments – water systems, feeder roads, schools, irrigation schemes – that will improve poor peoples’ lives.
Established by the General Assembly in 1966 and with headquarters in New York, UNCDF is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with UNDP.
UNCDF launched Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) in 2012 with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to promote branchless and mobile financial services in several focuses countries in Africa and Asia. MM4P is currently present in Malawi, Liberia, Laos, and Nepal and is expanding to Uganda in 2014.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct responsibility of the MM4P Operations Associate, the Consultant will specifically:
- Support the MM4P team in preparing the programme expansion;
- Assist MM4P in setting up a project office in Uganda ;
- Organise the MM4P annual conference in December 2014;
- Perform other related tasks as required by the MM4P Operations Associate.
In close collaboration with the MM4P Operations Associate the Consultant will provide effective to the MM4P Programme, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Support the MM4P in the revision and update of MM4P office files, archives and documents as well as the creation of new ones for additional countries;
- Making arrangements of travel and hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations, processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents for MM4P project staff;
- Assist the MM4P operations associate in the management of contractors (office and vendors).
- Liaise and provide support to UNCDF´s interim Uganda team during 2014;
- Support to organization of common services with UNDP Uganda country office;
- Assist the MM4P team travel arrangements;
- Supporting procurement processes as needed (basic office services);
- Creating Uganda office files and archives.
- Secure premises for the conference;
- Hire all related conference services (transport, catering translation);
- Support conference logistics (hotel reservations, travel arrangements, payments, etc.) for guests.
Competencies
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
- Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively.
Functional Competencies:
- Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing;
- Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things;
- Documents innovative strategies and new approaches;
- Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise.
Required Skills and Experience
- Secondary Education, preferably with specialized certification in Management, Accounting or Finance.
- 4 years of progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national or international level;
- Specialized training in office management and administration is highly desirable;
- Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable;
- 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.
- Fluency in English;
- Proficiency in French preferred, but not mandatory.
Note:
This a part time position: The consultant is expected to work 50% of the regular office hours and no more than 20 hours a week.