Background

The UN is scaling up its recovery and development efforts in Somalia, under the overall coordination and leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator. The Resident Coordinator’s Office is responsible for supporting the RC and the UN Country Team, carrying out their vision through developing strategic frameworks and work plans, day to day coordination of operational activities of UN Agencies operating in Somalia, streamlining existing coordination mechanisms, harmonizing administrative rules and policies of the UN, supporting common services and premises in advance of the UN Reform Agenda, sharing-information and advocating on key issues and objectives with national partners, donors and other key stakeholders. 

In this regard, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office for Somalia has identified the need to recruit a Programme Associate to support the functioning of the RC Office in Nairobi and in Somalia.

The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the coordination experts and strategic planners in the Resident Coordinators office as well as with the finance, operations, programme and project staff in UN Somalia. The programme associate is required to maintain external contacts with the government, civil society, embassies, donors, other UN Agencies and NGOs to exchange information and support programme delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Financial management & monitoring
• Administrative support to the RC office
• Provision of logistical and secretarial support through organization of workshops, meetings, & missions.
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.
• Backstopping the executive officer to the Resident Coordinator.

1. Provide effective and efficient financial management and monitoring of the RC Office Budget, focusing on the achievement of the following results

• Provision of efficient support on day to day financial issues to enable better planning.
• Support the formulation of the annual work plan.
• Maintenance of internal expenditure control system which ensures that purchase orders, vouchers and direct payment are prepared and completed and transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas. Preparation of required budget checks, and budget revisions.
• Timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, & unapproved vouchers.
• Preparation and review of financial reports, including expenditure and progress reports against the work plan and amendments made accordingly.
• Track and report on mobilized resources.
• Review of contribution agreements and management in Atlas.

2. Ensure efficient administrative support to the RC office, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Support to all administrative functions, including drafting correspondence, organizing meetings and liaison with government officials, UN Agencies, NGOs, donors and civil society are carried out efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Support communications and interaction with Somalia media.
• Supports all human resource related issues, logistics and procurement in close contact with UNDP Operations staff.
• Maintenance and monitoring of attendance and leave records for all RC Office staff, and submitted to UNDP on a monthly basis.
• Regular liaison with field staff on relevant policies and procedures to ensure effective fulfillment of administrative duties in field offices. Preparation of travel arrangements, including processing of Travel Authorization, documents, payment and security clearances for all RC Office staff traveling. Regular briefing to staff on policies and procedures relating to official travel. Provides guidance on proper completion of travel claims, and follow-up to ensure timely processing.
• Support to protocol matters, registration of staff, coordination with UNDP on space and other administrative matters
• Ensure electronic and paper filing systems are set up and maintained. Record-keeping system is regularly updated for audit and other purposes. Recommendations from audits are carried out.
• Ensures that the RCO is represented in relevant operational (financial, human resources, logistics, administrative, etc) meetings and discussions, and feedback is provided to all RCO staff.

3. Provide logistical and secretarial support to the workshops, meetings, missions, focusing on the achievement of the following results: 

• Provide secretarial support to workshops, high-level missions, and meetings
• Ensure timely and organized delivery, collection, reproduction and transmission of correspondence, documents, publications, pouch services and administrative supplies.
• Inventories for Nairobi and the field are established and updated.

4. Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of training for staff on programme, administrative, financial and operational matters.
• Synthesis of lesson learnt and best practices in programme
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice

5. Provide backstop support to the Executive Officer to the UN Resident Coordinator.

• Provide full administrative support to the RC on an as needed basis.
• Other tasks are performed as required. 

Impact of Results

• Provision of up-to-date and accurate financial information, improving the quality of RCO support to the UN Country Team.
• Improve donor relations and increase future fund raising ability.
• Strong administrative support, increasing the value of day-to-day engagements, meetings and workshops and allow for more efficient delivery of UN programmes in Somalia.

Competencies

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Advanced organizational skills.
• Technological skills, IT experience, including in Microsoft Office and related programmes
• Knowledge of United Nations systems, including UN Reform.

• Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks related to Results Management, including screening and collecting of programme/ projects documentation, projects data entering, preparation of revisions, filing, and provision of information.
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems, including new IT based systems.
• Good knowledge of Results Management Guide and Toolkit.

• 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.
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:  

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

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years relevant and progressively responsible work experience in management, human resources, finance and administration.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel etc) and experience in handling of web based management system.
• Knowledge of budget management is desirable.
• Work experience within the UN or NGO is desirable.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.
• Knowledge of Somali is essential.