UNDP Jobs - 110106- Project Associate (For the nationals of Colombia o

Project Associate (For the nationals of Colombia only)

Location :

Bogota, COLOMBIA

Type of Contract :

NPSA (Regular)

Starting Date :

01-Feb-2023

Application Deadline :

19-Jan-23 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NPSA-7

Duration of Initial Contract :

one year

Languages Required :

English Spanish

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Initial duration of six months with possible 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

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors.
A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

The UN Secretary-General established the UN SDG Action Campaign to inspire people and organizations from all backgrounds and every part of the world to take actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, while holding decision-makers to account for progress society-wide. The UN SDG Action Campaign is hosted and supported by UNDP and is based in Bonn (Germany) with a lean team that marshals rapid support for new initiatives as opportunities arise and provides partners with on-demand strategic creative services that inspire local SDG action.

The UN SDG Action Campaign is working closely with cities and local governments to showcase how they are actively contributing to implement Agenda 2030, accelerating transformative action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for all, and everywhere.

Within this context, the UN SDG Action Campaign is seeking to recruit a Project Associate on Caring Cities to maximize UNDP efforts to support local and regional governments innovating SDG local action.

Local and regional governments are already responsible for over 65% of the SDG targets, most of them linked to basic service provision from water, sanitation, mobility, climate action, health or education. Cities and territories are playing a big part on the implementation of SDGs, that are becoming a new tool for strategic planning and budgeting in the mid to long-term. The Project Associate will support UNDP Country Office working with municipalities around the world to exchange experiences, generate knowledge about the latest local development trends and collect data about city innovation to upscale and replicate such innovations. The Project Associate will also ensure that the experience generated by the Global Mayors Challenge project is shared, upscale and communicate worldwide.

Within this context, the UN SDG Action Campaign is seeking to recruit a Project Associate to support cities and local governments to advance on the concept of “Caring cities” and how local policies contribute to SDG implementation. Working closely with the municipality of Bogota, the Project Associate will gather information, process data and share with other UNDP beneficiary cities technical inputs about how cities are moving towards the concept of “Care”, focusing on how local governments are transforming from service providers into providers of care. Local governments are leading the innovation in basic service provision, increasingly co-creating services with citizens and providing extra-mile inclusive services for those who need it the most.

The Project Associate will support the UNDP global learning network on Caring Cities and SDGs, generating and sharing knowledge about how cities are developing new inclusive public services to achieve the SDGs targets and indicators.

Duties and Responsibilities

SDGs are genuinely interlinked with service provision at local level. Across the world, many cities are transforming their approach to service provision. Taking inspiration from the broad spectrum of targets and indicators offered by SDG, cities are introducing innovative practices and rebuilding the concept of social contract from the local level.

The Project Associate will work with the UNDP-UN SDG Action Campaign Network to:

Facilitate the exchange of experiences amongst participating local governments.
Identify similar experiences worldwide, analyze public policies and share technical expertise to the UNDP beneficiary cities globally.
Analyze data and generate knowledge assets.
Support project implementation and replication of experiences of local governments wishing to implement policies of care.
Provide technical support to the implementation of the Global Mayors Challenge in Bogota, Colombia.
Prepare and implement needs assessment for beneficiary local and regional governments.
Technical support in preparation and review of training resource materials
Prepare any relevant documents to support the necessary capacity development activities;
Prepare a monitoring framework for the status, results, milestones for the capacity development;
Identify and map different resource persons and institutions working on similar issues, worldwide;
Identify and facilitate documentation of human impact stories, good case studies, project success, challenges and innovative models;
Facilitation of knowledge building and management, producing and disseminating lesson learnt from designated projects and support to the promotion of cross-project, cross-unit knowledge
Any other task assigned by the supervisor.

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Associate will report to the Project Manager, based in UNDP New York Headquarters as well as to the project focal point in the UNDP Country Office in Colombia.

Competencies

Core:
Achieve Results:	Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
Think Innovatively:	Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
Learn Continuously:	Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
Adapt with Agility:	Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
Act with Determination:	Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
Engage and Partner:	Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:	Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies:

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business Development	Knowledge Facilitation	Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.
	Knowledge Generation	Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
Business Management	Results-based Management	Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.
Digital & Innovation	Innovation Capacity Building	Ability to define and create the conditions for trying out new ways of working or introducing new problem solving approaches to an organisation. Ability to develop, manage and evaluate a learning curriculum that raises awareness, builds confidence, strengthens innovation capabilities around a certain method, tool or technique; or helps develop an innovation mindset. Ability to create the authorising environment (mandate, incentives) to embed and spread new ways of working. In-depth knowledge of one or more innovation methods, broad knowledge of innovation processes and innovation management. Ability to align a learning and development strategy with broader innovation strategy. Digital & Innovation Innovation management
	Behaviour change communication/communication for development	Knowledge of appropriate digital communication methodologies for development and behaviour change, and ability to apply them practically.
	Experience Design	Knowledge of experience design methodologies and ability to design end-to-end experiences that meet user and business needs.
External relations & Advocacy	Event Planning & Execution	Ability to plan, manage and execute public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education Requirements:	Completion of High School education is required. A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business, Law, Public Administration, Political Science, Urban Planning, International Development or related field is desirable.
Min. Years of Relevant Work Experience:	A minimum of seven (7) years with High School Diploma or four (4) years with a Bachelors Degree of relevant professional experience working with public administrations, preferably at local level in issues related to service provision, public management and finance or public policy is required.
Required Skills:	Proficiency in the use of computer and MS software packages such as MS Word, Excel and Power point, is required.
Desired skills in addtion to the competencies covered in the Compentencies section:	Proven professional experience focusing on client management and working with a diverse team will be an asset. Understanding of UNDP rules and procedures or experience of completing UN assignments would be an asset. Proven experience in working with local governments and their associations is an asset. Proven professional experience focusing on client management and working with a diverse team will be an asset.
Required Languages:	Proficiency in Spanish and English languages, both written and oral is required. Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.