Background
The UNDP-GEF Unit is based in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and is responsible for providing leadership, technical support, and implementation oversight to the delivery of GEF managed Trust Funds. The Unit is organized into a number of substantive technical teams with staff located in both HQs and UNDP's Regional Hubs in Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Panama, and Bangkok, and with a decentralized structure in terms of financial, operational, and budget management with authority delegated to respective managers located in HQ or in the region.
Recently UNDP–GEF has approved number of global and regional DIM projects. In order to support these DIM projects in effectively and expeditiously implementing their project preparation phases, UNDP-GEF is seeking a Project Support Consultant to assist some of these projects, which are mostly in their early stages of implementation.
Under the overall joint supervision of the UNDP-GEF Project Managers, the Project Support Consultant (PSC) will provide administrative support to UNDP-GEF Global DIM projects. Other projects may be supported as necessary if workload/timing permits. This includes effective data management, procurement including preparing necessary related documents, travel and workshops and corresponding authorizations, monitoring task deadlines and budget, drafting information summaries/reports as needed, and general administrative support. The consultancy demands the ability to meet deadlines and maintain high-quality outputs while working under pressure, as well as, practical experience with relevant databases and an understanding of UNDP Procurement guidelines and Financial Regulations and Rules.
Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilites
The PSC will work under the supervision of the Project Managers and carry out the following activities:
Procurement and Contract Management Support :
- Prepare/examine/review procurement support documents including requests for Atlas vendor profiles, requests for contract, desk reviews, TORs, etc.;
- Review requests for payment for accuracy and completeness, obtains clearances and ensures timely processing of payment;
- Collaborate with supervisors to finalize consultant evaluations, follows up on disbursements of consultant fees, maintains appropriate electronic records in Dropbox or similar cloud software or on UNDP database as appropriate;
- Examine and review for accuracy all consultants’ requests for mission travel including completion of Advance and Basic Security in the Field II courses prior to commencement of travel, obtains written clearances in advance of mission, and analyzes expense reports (F10s) prior to requesting clearance and submitting for reimbursement;
- Ensure compliance with UNDP Procurement and Travel guidelines;
- Maintain appropriate electronic records.
Workshop Coordination:
- Assist in the co-organization of project events as needed (workshops, meetings, and other). This may involve contacting partners, maintaining lists and agenda, managing travel, booking rooms, making arrangements for goods transport, translation/interpretation and printing services, drafting meeting notes and any other engagement with prospective service providers;
- Prepare information packages to share with workshop participants;
- Communicate directly with UNDP Country Offices (COs), and when necessary, UNDP-GEF Headquarters and Regional Coordination Units to support organization of workshops, including obtaining budgetary clearances and preparing financial authorizations;
- Responsible for collection, data completeness and analysis of relevant surveys and questionnaires as directed.
Administrative Support:
- Support in managing tasks carried out by responsible parties, including contractors and service providers, and monitoring task related details including schedules, deliverables, risks and budgets to ensure tasks are on track. Flags delays / prompts action as required to ensure deadlines are met;
- Ensure compliance with UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules and the Internal Control Framework;
- Coordinate with the UNDP-GEF financial unit and COs regarding operational and financial aspects of approvals and implementation;
- Support the development and output of Global DIM project documents as required (PPGs, CEO endorsement requests), ensuring that UNDP formats and Global Environment Facility (GEF) templates are followed;
- Organize and update project records, as necessary, in PIMS;
- Any other tasks as required.
Key performance indicators:
- Effective, timely, high-quality, and often independent, support to the projects;
- Demonstrated attention to detail;
- Procurement actions examined and managed timely;
- All records are maintained current on a daily basis.
Information on Working Arrangements:
- The PSC will be home-based;
- Irrespective of his/her location, the PSC is expected to be available for skype/phone meetings and be in reliable email contact at least 4 hours/day during the regular business hours of New York and Panama City, Panama, and to be available for at least one weekly call with Bangkok, so as to simultaneously facilitate communications with the direct supervisors and region-based colleagues;
- Due to the demand-driven nature of a number of activities, deliverables will be reassessed and agreed upon with the Supervisors on an ongoing basis;
- The PSC will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
- The PSC will be responsible for providing her/his working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, free Dropbox, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection;
- Payments will be made once a month upon satisfactory submission and acceptance by the supervisors of the monthly outputs, activity progress report, and timesheet providing details of time spent on respective deliverables and their timely execution, along with the certificate of payment.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Functional Competencies:
Professionalism:
- Demonstrated ability to set priorities, produce quality outputs, manage many tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines;
- Demonstrated analytical and organizational skills including ability to work remotely, and handle a large volume of data accurately and thoroughly with great attention to detail within an overall context of high-performance.
Teamwork:
- Ability to participate effectively in a highly team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating calmly and cooperating harmoniously with others;
- Strong service and client orientation.
Communication:
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and in writing) to share tactful and timely information;
- Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately;
- Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication;
- Proven ability to use information technology effectively as a tool and resource;
- Welcomes constructive feedback.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Bachelor’s level degree in management, administration or environment or closely related field (max 10 points).
Experience:
- At least 3 years of experience in project management and/or programme support functions, including in operations, preferably in UNDP (max 25 points);
- Demonstrated experience with UNDP-GEF templates and processes related to the project preparation phase desirable (max 10 points);
- Good knowledge of UNDP’s rules and procedures related to travel, finance, and procurement; (max. 15 points)
- Experience in data handling, including through the use of Microsoft Office package, client management and logistics and solid command of Microsoft Excel (max 5 points);
- Experience in procurement, organization of workshops, and providing travel assistance in line with applicable guidelines and rules (max 25 points);
- Demonstrated ability to, and experience in, working with others remotely using diverse and appropriate forms of communication and data sharing; (max. 5 points)
- Experience with ERP software (i.e. ATLAS) including travel requests, purchase orders, receipts, running project reports is advantageous (max 5 points).
Language:
- Fluent in English with good oral and written communication skills (max 10 points);
- Working knowledge of other UN languages is an asset (max 5 points).
Evaluation Method, Criteria, and Award of Contract:
- Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;
- Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the technical criteria will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
- The technical criteria (education, experience, language) will be based on a maximum 115 points. The top 3 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 80.5 points from the review of the technical criteria will be deemed technically qualified and considered for financial evaluation;
- Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
- The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive daily fee. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of this daily fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment);
- Applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.
Documentation to be submitted
Interested individuals must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
- Duly completed and signed P11 Form, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
- Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application.
Annexes
Individual IC General Terms and Conditions
UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.