UNDP Jobs - 38318- Project Assistant

Project Assistant – LECB and TNC-BUR

Location :

Bangkok, THAILAND

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

02-Sep-2013

Application Deadline :

07-Jul-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SC-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year extendable based on performance and budget availability

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

Thailand has been engaged in the United Nations climate change since 1992, when the UNFCCC was conceived in Rio. Since that time, much progress has been made, especially in participation in climate change negotiations, using government policies to drive climate change agendas, and in shaping economic and social development toward a low carbon and climate resilient development pathway. To date, the country’s efforts towards the low carbon pathway include the preparation of National Communications (now the third one), research activities, conceptions of a climate change strategy, a draft master plan, and more recently, an inclusion of climate change aspects in the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan, 2012- 2016. The Thai government has moved quickly to implement the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan by approving the Country Strategy that would make development (1) more inclusive; (2) greener and (3) more competitive. Importantly, this Country Strategy will be used to guide the 2014 budgeting preparation.

In terms of institutional set up, substantive progress has also been made as a result of international engagement and changed awareness at all levels, namely establishments of (1) a National Climate Change Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, (2) Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) responsible for carbon trading and other technical matters related to mitigation, (3) an Office of Climate Change Coordination at the Office of Natural Resources and Environment (ONEP), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE). Moreover, climate change is increasingly not an inclusive government affair; the private sector has shown progressive interests and actions in capitalizing on climate change opportunities. This role has been invisible until COP15 when the private sector representatives came forward to question Thailand’s engagement with the Copenhagen Accord, and repeated call for debriefing after each COP. Presently, the key private sector organizations like the Federation of Thai Industry (FTI) and Thai Chamber of Commerce, for example, have come forward to propose a climate change strategy to the government. It is becoming inevitably clear that future space in public policy making will be reserved for the private sector to play an increasingly proactive and constructive role. While the Government is facilitating certain aspects of rule setting as well as financial and technology transfer, and assisting in setting targets and implementing steps needed to fulfill mitigation goals, the private sector will assess their real mitigation potentials, confirm feasibility of targets, and lead implementation.

All in all, Thailand has a low carbon economy vision and several actions and sectors are geared towards that direction. Capacity building to enhance readiness for nationally appropriate mitigation actions can be instrumental to enable Thailand to make the transformation happen.

The Low Emission Capacity Building Project in Thailand will be nested in the above national policy and institutional context. The interventions are designed to complement and be in synergy with existing groundwork and on-going collaborations with other development partners in the areas of Low Emission Development Strategy and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in Thailand. The project is also designed to be implemented in parallel and in complementary with the UNDP-GEF supported Third National Communication and Biennial Update Report (TNC-BUR) as the outcomes of these two projects are closely linked, especially with regards to national greenhouse gas inventory and on mitigation actions. Also, the implementation timeframe and steps are in tandem.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Function: The Project Assistant will support the project management unit to provide logistic support and administrative functions to ensure smooth implementation of the LECB and TNC-BUR projects. He/She will be responsible especially for financial reporting on a quarterly and annual basis, and in case of needs, according to the government and UNDP requirements, for both LECB and TNC –BUR Projects.

1) Support for Planning Process through the following tasks and duties:

Collection, analysis and presentation of information for joint planning meeting, quarterly work plans, and budget work plans to support project implementation;
Prepare information for Project Manager for his/her advice to donor, implementing partners and UNDP;
Creating project in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revision of project status, determination of unutilized funds;
Prepare and regularly update the Annual Workplan and the project budget; and
Undertake project operational and financial closure formalities including submission of terminal reports, transfer and disposal of equipment, processing of semi-final and final revision and support project manager in preparing the terminal assessment reports.

2) Supports to Implementing and Managing Projects through the following tasks and duties:

Providing administrative, operational and logistical supports for the achievement of the outcomes of both LECB and TNC-BUR projects in a timely manner;
Support NEX project implementation activities according to UNDP workflows (including IC process, organization of forums, workshops, travel, etc);
Taking all necessary steps for the contractual procedures for the procurement of the goods and services as well as Individual Contracts are taken place in line with UNDP’s rules and regulations;
Proving input on the terms of references for the services and goods that will be required for the smooth implementation of the project when required;
Controlling the expenditures of the projects and ensure adequate management of the financial resources provided;
Creation of requisitions in ATLAS for development projects, register of goods receipts in ATLAS;
Issuing the project-related payments and ensuring that all payments are proceeded in a timely manner in line with the UNDP’s financial rules and regulations;
Preparing financial reports to be submitted to project management and donor when required;
Participating workshops, meeting, missions in the projects’ field when needed;
Preparing correspondences relating to the implementation of the projects;
Making logistical arrangements for the missions of the project team, consultants and any other relevant actors to the projects’ field; and
Making project-related translations when needed.

3) Support to Monitoring and Evaluation of the projects through the following tasks and duties:

Prepare information for Project Manager in finalizing project progress reports (quarterly and annual/financial and substantive) and final project reports; and
Support to the organisation of project mid-term reviews and final evaluation meetings.

4) Reporting and Audit:

Establish and maintain a systematic filing system of key documents (in hard copy and soft copy) in line with audit requirements;
Assist Project Manager in closing projects operationally and financially in accordance of rules and regulations of UNDP and in close coordination with Implementing agencies;
Liaise with UNDP on the conduct of project audit and ensure access by auditors to project documentation, personnel and institutions involved in the project; and
Presentation of information for project audit.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promote the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; and
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

Shares knowledge and experience; and
Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

Good knowledge of the Results Management;
Good IT skills; and
Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.

Management and Leadership

Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedbacks;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive and constructive attitude;
Remain calm, in control and good humored even under pressure; and
Ability to provide guidance and leadership to partners and project staff as needed.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Thai national with Bachelor’s Degree in science, social science, or related professional qualifications.

Work Experience:

Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in administrative, financial, or office support functions in an organization;
At least 3 years of specific experience in project management and/or government institutions;
Fluency in the local language for day-to-day business contacts both within and outside organization;
Good knowledge of English for daily contact and dialogue with the supervisor and/or other foreign professional staff in the office in the course of performing official duties, including response to queries, and to possess sound comprehension in English language drafts and documents;
Experience in climate change related projects is an advantage;
Experience in organizing events involving international participants (i.e. workshops, meetings, etc) would be an added advantage;
Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database packages and web browsers. Knowledge of UNDP ATLAS financial system would be an advantage;
Good organization, administrative, financial, and communication skills;
Ability to meet tight deadlines. Flexible working attitude and good team spirit; and
Familiarity of UNDP system, rules and procedures is an advantage.

Language Requirement:

Excellent command of writing and speaking Thai and English.

REMARK: THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO THAI NATIONAL ONLY.