UNDP Jobs - 57599- Project Assistant - Emerging States (Open to Somal

Project Assistant - Emerging States (Open to Somali Nationals Only)

Location :

Mogadishu, SOMALIA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

10-Jul-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SC-6

Duration of Initial Contract :

One Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One year (with possibility of extension)

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

In 2012, after a long and troubled transition, a new political dispensation was found in Somalia, with the adoption of the Provisional Constitution, the selection of a new parliament, the election of president and formation of a new government. The challenges faced by the Federal and State Governments are enormous.

The challenges can be summarized as follows:

The long civil war and looting have destroyed physical infrastructure, equipment and the institutional memory of most government agencies and ministries;
There is a lack of clarity on the mandate and functions across Federal and State Government institutions and between the federal and subnational levels of government;
Core work-processes in government have suffered in quality and consistency, and service delivery is in many areas virtually absent;
Staff capacity is low across the whole spectrum of government institutions with limited mechanisms to identify and redress these capacity gaps.

The Federal and State Governments face significant capacity challenges - at the individual, organizational and institutional level - in implementing their mandate and require institutional support to roll out the New Deal process and implement the different reforms.

On State Level, the Puntland Government is fairly well established. However, the process to establish new State Level governments in ‘south-central Somalia’ has started during 2014. This highly sensitive process is about merging different regions into a state level government administration. It requires an inclusive (political) debate and technical guidance.

The Support to Emerging Federal States (StEFS) Project is one of the Projects developed in response to the New Deal. Aligned to the priorities and principles spelled out in the Somali Compact, the StEFS Project aims to support the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Emerging Federal States in achieving the Peace-building and State-building Goal (PSG) 1, Inclusive Politics Strategic Objective, to “achieve a stable and peaceful federal Somalia through inclusive political processes.”

Specifically, StEFS supports Priority 1 of PSG 1: Advance inclusive political dialogue to clarify and settle relations between the federal government and existing and emerging administrations and initiate processes of social reconciliation to restore trust between communities.

The StEFS Project is designed in response to the current political dynamic in which two Interim State Administrations – the Interim Juba Administration (IJA) and Interim South West Administration (ISWA) – have recently been established with FGS and international stakeholder support, while state formation processes are underway for an emerging state comprising two central regions of Galgadud and Mudug. At least one additional state will likely follow. StEFS builds on the positive gains, experience, expertise and added value of UNSOM and UNDP in advancing these processes while further delivering key capacity support needed for these new governance structures to function effectively within a nascent federal system.

The Project prescribes a coherent approach to address the needs of Emerging Federal States in addition to those federal level institutions that enable and facilitate the formation and development of these new state structures. It ensures that UNSOM and UNDP support, working in close coordination with other development actors, responds to the needs of Somali government structures, particularly those ‘core public sector capacities’ references in the Compact, but also tangentially aligned with cross-cutting issues of Bringing Tangible Results to People (by helping establish governance structures that will in all likelihood deliver increased services in their geographic zones), Gender, Human Rights (StEFS will proactively promote the participation of women throughout the Project and embed Human Rights principles in training on conflict mitigation and management) and External Relations (support to emerging federal states will also improve their capacity to engage with the federal government and with the international community).

The Project Assistant will be part of the Emerging State team based in Mogadishu. The Project Assistant will assist in the overall management of administrative and financial services relating to project activities in Mogadishu, including facilitating the work and travel of Nairobi based staff in Mogadishu. The Project Assistant will provide quality support to the Mogadishu based programme and project staff, including the team leader, and Nairobi based staff, and work closely with Government institutions and the project experts to encourage the timely and high-quality completion of UNDP’s work programme in South Central Somalia.

The Project Assistant will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the Project Team Leader in Mogadishu. The Project Assistant will work in close collaboration with the Capacity Development and Governance Programme and project staff in the Country office, UNDP counterparts and other UN agencies’ staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Support to implementation of programme strategies;
fficient administrative support;
Support to administrative and financial control;
Support to Knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Support implementation of project strategies, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Ensuring full compliance of administrative activities with UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies;
Support to the development of the Emerging State annual work plan and budget;
Provide support to the project funded experts’ activities in Federal and newly emerging State Institutions by ensuring that the relevant ministry or department is prepared prior to their arrival.

Ensure efficient administrative support, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Assist in the organization and coordination of shipments and customs clearance;
Assist in the organization for procurement processes including the preparations of RFQs, ITBs, or RFPs documents;
Assist organization of workshops, conferences and project board meetings, as required;
Acts as a backup minute taker during project meetings and workshops, distributes and files agreements;
Coordinates travel and logistical requirements for project and sub-office missions;
Assist in the processing of DSA and Travel Authorization, and Security Clearance for project staff;
Research and retrieval of statistical data from international and external sources; preparation of statistical charts, tables and reports.

Provide support for effective administrative and financial control focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Process payments in the ATLAS Financial System and review them for completeness prior to submitting to the project Manager;
Maintain administrative control records such as commitments and expenditure and monitor project budget/work program against expenditure;
Ensure that project reporting requirements are followed by partner institutions, and contribute to the development of Sub-Office Reports;
Liaise and cooperate with the Finance Unit and the Project Assistants in Nairobi to ensure consistency in financial reporting;
Confirm availability of funds prior to review by supervisor; liaise with the operation unit for the creation of vendor set-up information on the ATLAS Financial System;
Proper control of supporting documents of activities;
Maintain proper filing system for finance records and documents as well as project assets in hard and soft copies;
Act as the Mogadishu Country office focal point for the preparation of project audits;
Maintain the internal expenditure control system which ensures that vouchers are processed and matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas;
Initiate timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers;
Presentation and analysis of information on the status of financial resources as required.

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

Train staff on the administrative procedures;
Brief/debrief staff members on issues relating to area of work;
Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
Collect and store knowledge products, and archive all the decisions, maintain files of programme decisions and communications.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the efficiency of the Project. Accurate analysis and presentation of information, thoroughly researched and fully documented work strengthens the capacity of the office and facilitates subsequent action by the supervisor. Incumbents own initiative is decisive in results of work and timely finalization.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
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:

Ability to participate effectively in team-based information sharing environment;
Ability to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time;
High client service orientation and initiative to solve problem, excellent analytical and communication skills;
Ensures high quality and accuracy of work;
Executes processes and transactions with a results-oriented approach;
Consistently approaches work with energy and positive, constructive attitude;
Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
Ability to extract, interpret, analyze data and resolve operational problems;
Ability to perform work of confidential nature and handle a large volume of work;
Good knowledge of administrative rules and regulations;
Strong IT skills and knowledge of web based systems;
Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system.

Leadership and Self-Management:

Focuses on results 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Completion of Secondary education preferably with specialized certification in Administration/Accounting/ Finance, or any related field;
University Degree in business or public administration is desirable but not a requirement.

Experience:

3 years of administrative or programme/project experience is required at the national level;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office package) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems;
Programme/project experience in administration with UN system will be desirable.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English and Somali.