Background

UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.
 
Our focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Energy and Environment, HIV/AIDS.  UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women.
 
The Young Professional Officer (YPO) Programme is designed for highly qualified and motivated young professionals recently graduated from University with specializations and skills in Poverty Reduction, Good Governance, Communications, Management Support, and Administration.
 
The purpose of the Programme is two-fold:
  • The Programme provides the opportunity to start a development career through “on the job” professional development and exposure to UNDP’s policies and operations. 
  • The Programme aims to strengthen the resource base and research capacity of our team. YPO candidates are expected to make significant contributions to the work of UNDP Cambodia.
The YPO candidates will work in a “flat” office environment with an emphasis on teamwork.  More specifically, the candidates will work closely on ongoing research activities in the office.  The Head of the unit/cluster will be responsible to provide primary oversight of the work of the candidate assigned to them.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Young Professional Officers will provide substantive research and analytical support to the UNDP’s different teams including Poverty Reduction, Good Governance, Finance, Management Support, Administration and Communications, by:

  1. Providing conceptual, analytical and substantive contributions to the on-going or new office initiatives related to programmatic or key management practices
  2. Supporting the data analysis, business process improvement, and design of new framework, development of business solutions.
  3. Supporting research activities, including the distillation and codification of lessons learnt in contribution to policy development tasks.
  4. Proactively identifying lessons and comparative experiences from UNDP’s global activities and sharing them with our counterparts.
  5. Monitoring UNDP’s knowledge networks and liaising with UNDP’s Regional Centers in Bangkok and Colombo to support our ability to link UNDP Cambodia with international/global expertise.
  6. Preparing background/concept notes for workshops and conferences, ensuring high quality and uniformity in content and form.
  7. Preparing technical/policy notes to share UNDP’s view on particular global/national issues with government and other partners.

SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE YPO:

Poverty Reduction Cluster

  1. Implement and improve capacity development strategy of the Poverty Reduction Cluster;
  2. Manage and share knowledge on the country development dynamic in the country office;
  3. Map funding and partnership opportunities inside and outside the country for Poverty Reduction Cluster;
  4. Draft policy paper for the lagging NSDP/CMDG targets to be used during the annual policy dialogue.

Good Governance Cluster

  1. Support in mapping and designing monitoring tools for donor and development partners for governance portfolio;
  2. Provide substantive support in communication and advocacy work on governance portfolio including coordination and facilitation of key events;
  3. Support the new programme initiatives and draft programme-based approach for gender.

Communications Unit

  1. Conduct media behavior analysis and improve engagement of UNDP with journalists in Cambodia;
  2. Support in developing and implementing communications strategy;
  3. Conduct daily monitoring of print and online media coverage of UNDP and produce analysis of the coverage.

Finance Unit

  1. Elaboration and implementation of the Country Office cost saving and reduction strategy
  2. Support in establishment of the change management process regarding to implementation of IPSAS (International Public Service Accounting Standard)
  3. Optimization and enhancement of the cost-recovery mechanism and control of account receivable
  4. Revisit of the existing Control mechanism to prevent financial fraud and risk at all level

Management Support Unit (MSU)

  1. Support key initiatives in enhancing evidence-based programme formulation and policy influence through researches and synthesis of good practices and lessons learnt from projects and programmes;
  2. Support business process improvement of NGO committee through developing detailed NGO profiles;
  3. Support the formulation and implementation of capacity development programme initiated by MSU;
  4. Support UNDP/donor partnership improvement through effective monitoring of programme and project reporting timeline and establishing electronic tools that allow better follow-up.

Administration Unit

  1. Provide support on new initiatives and review the office premise cost sharing methodology and MoU with agencies;
  2. Provide substantive support in revising and simplifying business process of duty free fuel import with the fuel supplier and the government;
  3. Strengthen and improve the existing vehicle information record system for audit purpose;
  4. Review and enhance archiving and incoming mail registry system to establish a standard guidelines for country office following Record Management of ASD/HQ;
  5. Develop effective monitoring and reporting tools for the administration unit.
      

Competencies

 

Required Skills and Experience

YPO Programme is meant for Cambodian nationals only. The eligible age for this Programme is 30 years old and below. All staff and personnel holding contract with UNDP and other UN Agencies are not eligible for this Programme. UNDP may accept YPOs providing the following conditions are met:

1.Educations

  • Recent University Post Graduates or equivalent either in areas of relevance to UNDP’s work, such as – but not limited to: development economics, social development, public policy,  political science, or international relations, or business or public administration.
  • Excellent academic qualifications and UNDP’s staffing needs.

2.Experience

  • No prior job experience is required. Candidates who have work experience of one year or more are not qualified for YPO Programme.

3.Required Knowledge and Skills

  • Excellent command of English, both written and spoken is essential
  • Excellent research skills
  • Strong analytical skills
  • Flexibility and the capacity to work in different parts of the organization
  • Commitment and enthusiasm for development work
  • Ability to adapt quickly to new working environments
  • Fully computer literate
  • Good interpersonal skill