UNDP Jobs - 52464- Re-Advertisment - Programme Assistant, PREP (Open

Re-Advertisment - Programme Assistant, PREP (Open to Somali National Only)

Location :

Mogadishu, SOMALIA

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

01-Apr-2015

Application Deadline :

30-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

GS-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

One Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One Year

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

Somalia faces many challenges in achieving the MDGs. Persistent insecurity, coupled with fast depleting natural resources, natural disasters such as floods and droughts and impact of sea piracy have contributed to Somalia's stunted development and economic growth. Somali women's lack of education and the country's cultural norms give women limited control over resources. These complementing manmade and natural catastrophic disasters have extremely undermine the over livelihood of the Somali population as a whole and threaten the country’s early recovery and future development. Over two decades of the Somali conflict has not only caused severe losses to human life, property, economy and social and political structures, but it has also resulted substantial deteriorations to the productive economic infrastructures and natural environment.

In the on-going Country Programme (2011-15), UNDP is implementing initiatives to establish foundational policies, institutional arrangements and capacities for livelihood improvements that are mainly focusing peace building and enhancement of sustainable recovery of the economic productive sectors. Environmental recovery, livelihood restoration and disaster risk reduction in the Puntland, Somaliland and South Central are among the main entry points.

The overall, UNDP Somalia’s Country Programme is strongly focused on post conflict recovery and consolidation of peace, human rights and Gender and HIV/AIDS prevention as the e cross issues for all its programmatic interventions.

It is composed of three main programme portfolios that are:

Rule of Law and Security (ROLS);
Governance;
Poverty Reduction and Environment Protection Programme (PREP).

The Poverty Reduction and Environmental Protection Programme (PREP), is mandated to work towards the achievement of the third outcome of the country program; which is that the “Somali women and men benefit from increased sustainable livelihood opportunities and improved natural resources management”

The Programme specifically focuses on the following sub-outcomes that are:

MDG planning, programming and policy implementation capacities developed among partners for robust, participative analysis;
Strategic economic development policies formulated and implemented with focus on small and micro-finance for inclusive growth;
Formulation and implementation of strategic policies on sustainable, equitable, gender- and conflict-sensitive utilization manner of Environment and natural resources;
Local communities empowered to analyze, participate in and advance recovery and development, local enterprise, conflict and sustainable environment management.

In achieving these sub-outcomes, the programme management is going to ensure the enhancement of effective management that could deliver quality services at all levels. In this regard, the programme wants to recruit a programme assistant in Mogadishu, Somalia.

In general, the Project Assistant will be supporting the proper implementation of the several projects implemented under PREP mainly: Local Economic Development project (LED), Trade and Private Sector Development (T&PSD), Environment and Energy, Statistics and Economic Analysis and any other project could be assigned under PREP.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Ensures implementation of operational strategies;
Ensure effective procurement, budgeting and financial and assets management;
Effective administrative and financial control in the Programme;
Update and input of information in the Web-based database management system;
Knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Ensures implementation of operational strategies, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies;
Ensure strong linkages between PREP programme and projects;
Support Project Managers and PREP team on UNDP procedures to follow in terms of budgeting, contracting modalities with implementing partners;
Actively participate in the preparation of work plans and operation plans as well as procurement plans for projects, Monitor progress and advise on timely corrective actions for proper operational project delivery, Analyze quality of project delivery and advise on project implementation, including devising M&E project indicators and tool;
Liaise with counterparts in the preparation of contracts including letters of agreement (LOA) and Micro Capital Grants (MCG) including activities, work plans, budget and schedule of payments and submit draft of agreements to Project Managers for approval; ensure that such agreements are up to date and that activities are not undertaken beyond contractual period;
Perform quality control function of project activities, including assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensure timely and efficient delivery of project through a client-satisfaction approach;
Maintain an appropriate filing system documenting the implementation of approved work-plan activities;
Monitoring of achievements of outcomes and outputs as per LOA sand MCGAs and supporting counterpart through supervision and training in ensuring timely and proper financial and narrative reporting in collaboration with the Programme Specialist;
Undertake regular monitoring and data collection of project activities and provide weekly work-plan and progress reports to the Project managers;
Produce timely implementation and monitoring reports as required by PREP.

Ensure effective procurement, Budgeting and Financial and Assets management, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Assist in the preparation of project activities budgets based on approved work plans;
Provide logistic and admin support to the project;
Raise requisitions and be the financial focal point utilizing ATLAS (UN financial management system);
Provision of inputs to preparation of procurement plans for the office;
Preparation of inventory reports and keep up to date the office filing system;
Review financial reports submitted by counterparts and liaise with counterparts to ensure the transparent and accountable use of funds provided in the framework of LOAs and MCGs;
Collect, maintain and update data relevant to the project areas being supported, maintain work plan information for the programme;
Support coordination of activities implemented in all regions and promote information sharing between the regions and different components of PREP Program;
Support the counterparts and UNDP PREP Staff on operational issues, and complying with UNDP rules and procedures under Letter of Agreements and Micro Capital Grants Agreements;
Coordination of assets management in PREP Programme, timely preparation and submission of periodic projects inventory reports, coordination of physical verification of inventory items.

Provides support to timely and quality reporting to Project Managers on Poverty Reduction and Environmental Protection Programme activities, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Ensure that donor and other kinds of reporting are done in a timely manner and within the UNDP rules and regulations or according to the criteria set out in partnership documents with donors;
Ensure proper reporting to Project managers on implementation, the achievement of outputs as well as, contribute to reporting on progress towards outcomes and impact;
Prepare presentations to development partners, Head of Sub Office and Project managers as required;
Produce bi-weekly progress reports, issues and constraints against work plan and as required to be submitted to the Head of Sub-Office and the programme team;
Liaise with the Programme Specialist and Programme Officers to provide regular project updates for the sub-office as required, especially as related to relevant outcomes in UNSAS;
Provide support and initiate dialogue with relevant authorities, line ministries, local and international NGOs, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders, and advance UNDP PREP agenda on issues relating to the program.

Ensures effective administrative and financial control in the office, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support and guides project staff in the field, implementing partners and consultants on UNDP administrative and Direct; Implementation Modality (DIM)reporting requirements, clearance procedures for finance, procurement, recruitment, travel, and related issues;
Prepare budget and budget revisions as required; Update and initiate processing of project and financial entries in ATLAS;
Reconciles the records of payments with activities and prepare new disbursements to the Project Manager;
Review of data integrity in the database, control project; analysis of results and initiation of corrective actions when necessary;
Proper inventory control; supervision of proper issuance of inventory items and supplies;
Review of travel authorizations, documentation, payments;
Assistance in the preparation of budget, audit and other reports;
Provision of researched information, reports for audit exercises.

Ensures Database Management system focusing achievement of the following results:

Provision of e-support to all UNDP and partner users in updating the PREP programme website and Intranet based database management system;
Inform users of facilities and services available under this data base and advise staff of any changes and updates;
Provision of e-assistance for data access, uploads, transfer and conversion;
Participating in the organization of staff training profiles;
Coordinate and conduct training specific to the users’ needs;
Coordinate arrangements for briefings and demonstrations (of UNDP and user-related systems) and coordinate field (remote) training sessions.

Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the PREP team and CO, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Promotes identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the project for organizational sharing and learning;
Supports capacity-building of national counterparts; and
Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the PREP/CO.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the efficiency of the Poverty Reduction and Environmental Protection Programme in Somalia. Works undertaken will increase the timely delivery of projects, ensure they meet with UNDP Procedures and regulations and strengthen the capacity of the project as a whole. The incumbent’s own initiative is decisive in results of work and timely finalization.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Support the preparation of information for advocacy;
Results-Based Programme Development and Management;
Contributing to results through provision of information;
Building Strategic Partnerships;
Maintaining information and databases;
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches;
Implementing processes and uses products;
Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations);
Providing information for resource mobilization strategies;
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing;
Basic research and analysis;
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise;
Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures;
Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals;
Research and analysis.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education preferably with specialized certification in Accounting and Finance;
University Degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences and Social Sciences would be desirable, but is not a requirement.

Experience:

5 years of relevant 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 knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language:

Strong written and spoken English and Somali language skills is required.