Organizational Context

UNDP Country Programme in Myanmar (2013-15) aims to promote poverty reduction and sustainable development that are rights-based, gender-sensitive, inclusive and equitable by strengthening institutional capacity of national and local governments and non-state actors. UNDP’s programme in Myanmar focuses on three areas: local governance, disaster resilience and environmental governance and democratic governance.

Pillar II focuses on strengthening capacities at local, regional and national level to manage and utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, and to enhance resilience and adaptive capacity to long-term climate change – including variability impacts and to reduce the associated risk of natural disasters. One of the components of the pillar II is to develop the “capacities to adapt to climate change and reduce disaster risk at the local, regional and national level”.

In this regard, UNDP formulated a project in consultation with the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry and the Adaptation Fund. This project, underlying the present TOR, aims to address climate change risks on water resources and food security in the dry zone of Myanmar. The principle objectives of this project are to:

• Respond to the climate-induced reduction of freshwater supply;
• Introduce climate-resilient food and livestock production systems;
• Improve the dissemination of climate risk information.

This project will reduce the risks and effects from the increasingly recurring incidents of drought through improved water management, as well as a crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. The programme is based on principles of local empowerment and implemented by community-based organizations (CBOs) such as Village Development Committees, Water User Committees, farmer groups, communal forest user groups, and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The anticipated impact of the project is the reduction of food insecurity and losses from extreme climate events in 50,639 households.

Under the overall supervision by the National Project Manager, the Project Assistant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Support to the management of the Dry Zone Conservation and Rehabilitation project;
• Maintain proper control over various financial records such as commitments and expenditures against budgeted amounts; initiate actions related to the general financial information, travel payments, and procurement transactions;
• Prepare budget, accounts, financial reports, statistical reports and other reports as required;
• Prepare cash forecasts for project and operations on a monthly basis, as well as budget revisions;
• Extract data from financial or accounting systems and other sources, if required;
• Enter data into financial or accounting systems;
• Provide assistance to all staff services such as travel, expense claims, document retrieval, etc;
• Assess project budgets and advise the National Project Manager on budget status;
• Support implementing partners in terms of utilizing budgets based on approved budget lines;
• Advise the National Project Manager on the status of project agreements, donor requirements and reporting, as well as other compliance systems, as required.

Administrative support to the project:

• Liaise and follow-up with relevant counterpart departments on administrative and programme matters;
• Prepare correspondence to/from representations in the field, relevant counterpart departments, implementing partners, UNDP Units and UN agencies - in English as well as in Myanmar language;
• Assist correspondence and the production of other documents including reproduction by copiers;
• Receive and direct visitors; receive and direct incoming calls and visiting staff; receive and deliver telephone messages for staff on missions;
• Maintain incoming and outgoing correspondence register and track circulation of letters and memos; maintain up to date chronological files and office files in a systematic manner;
• Assist in monitoring the use of office equipment, furniture, machinery and other inventory and ensure timely service and repairs;
• Provide administrative support to the organization of conferences, workshops, retreats and other events;
• Prepare routine correspondence, faxes, memoranda and reports in accordance with CO guidelines;
• Document project and technical meetings, keep record of attendance, keep minutes of meetings, and keep trac and follow-up on the submission of relevant reports;
• Extract, input, copy, and file data from various sources;
• Check documents, field reports and plans for completeness, inform and follow-up missing sections/attachments when necessary;
• When necessary, assist projects on data base access/entry, PMIS, monitoring and reporting;
• Maintain files in the project office/hardcopy and electronic filing of all supporting documentation, project documents;
• Coordinate with procurement for logistics needs;
• Ensure logistics for staff travel, meetings, and trainings;
• Ensure field staff follows the procedures for travel and security clearances;
• Assist in proper control of supporting documents for payments and financial reports;
• Any other duties assigned by the National Project Manager.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge Management and Learning:
• Shares knowledge and experience;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• 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, provision of information;
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system, including new IT based systems;
• Good knowledge of Results Management Guide and Toolkit.

Leadership and Self-Management:

• 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.

• The incumbent must hold at least a high school degree and should ideally also have a Bachelor’s degree, although the latter is not mandatory. A certificate in Business Administration, Accounting or Finance would be ideal but is not obligatory.

• At least 5 years of financial/administrative/secretarial experiences with development projects;
• Experience with international organization is an asset. Experience in the use of Microsoft Office package (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is essential;
• Prior work with UNDP as well as ATLAS and/or IPSAS certificates constitute an advantage.

Language Requirements: