Jobs - 106519- Programme Support Assistant

Programme Support Assistant - HABITAT Somalia

Location :

Nairobi, KENYA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jul-2022

Application Deadline :

23-May-22 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SC-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 Months (with possibility of extension)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One Year (with possibility of 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 United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations agency for Human Settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

UN-Habitat has been active in the Somalia urban sector for more than 20 years and currently is implementing a portfolio of interventions worth USD 50 million with communities, local authorities and central government. The activities have evolved from responding to immediate local needs for reconstruction to systematic attempts to address sustainable urban development through integrated human settlement programmes. Somalia is faced with one of the highest urbanization rates across Africa and beyond, and there is a strong link between urbanization and displacement caused by natural disasters, civil unrest and other internal conflicts.

Currently, UN-Habitat’s portfolio and interventions are aligned with the changed political and socio-economic context in Somalia in general and towards response to the needs of new member states and urban centres affected by rapid growth and large-scale displacement in southern and central Somalia in particular.

UN–Habitat is an active member of the UN Country Team and works in support and the Somalia National Development priorities and the Somaliland NDP II as well as contributes to the Pillar Groups, and Durable Solutions initiatives. UN-Habitat Somalia provides support across the following thematic fields; local governance, shelter and protection in the context of urbanization, livelihoods, infrastructure and return and integration linked to durable solutions.

The Programme Support Assistant will support implementation of these projects working under the overall guidance and supervision of Programme Management Officer.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

Support programme implementation, including research, data collection and support of other project activities as required
Support field staff in administrative and logistic matters,

Duties and Responsibilities:

Support preparation and tracking of all partnership agreements and contracts and maintain data to track contracts, and agreements of cooperation;
Prepare and/or review terms of reference and all contractual documentation for consultants and implementing partners;
Prepare documents for drawing up Agreements of Cooperation and other legal instruments applicable in the implementation of programme activities;
Review interim and final narrative and financial reports submitted by project partners and identify missing documentation and support documents;
Organize all logistical and procurement services (travel, transportation, accommodation, and other relevant bookings);
Support other administrative and financial tasks and coordinate as appropriate with other UN-Habitat staff and departments;
Assist in procurement processes, working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in Nairobi and Somalia, and maintain data for the tracking of procurement processes;
Organize project activities and meetings in Nairobi and Somalia as required and in close cooperation with project staff and counterparts;
Organise training workshops and meetings in Nairobi including liaison with training providers and participants, organising contracts, conducting site visits, and assisting with writing/analysing training reports;
File contract documents, reports, etc;
Assist in preparation and organisation of consignments, parcels and shipments;
Support the communication strategy and maintain effective communication amongst relevant stakeholders (disseminating important and relevant information as required);
Undertake any other duties and responsibilities which are within the incumbent’s expertise and experience and related to the Programme.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Professionalism: Knowledge and experience in project logistics and administration, basic office management, communication and public relations, including familiarisation with key software and communication tools.
Planning and Organization: Ability to work under pressure, establish priorities and plan, develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, and use time efficiently.
Communication: Excellent written communication skills in Somali and English, with the ability to articulate ideas in a clear and articulate manner; the ability to prepare and edit a variety of documents, reports and briefs.
Team Player: Able to motivate and work in harmony with field staff, partners and stakeholders; strong sense of initiative; and willingness towards long working days if needed
Proactive: Results oriented; independent; and able to identify and carry out duties and responsibilities with minimum supervision

Functional Competencies:

Takes ownership of responsibilities:

Recognizes potential road blocks to completing tasks and seeks guidance from supervisors to address issues.
Based on formal and informal feedback received, takes action to address areas for growth and improvement

Meets goals and timelines for delivery of products or services:

Embraces expanded responsibilities and challenges self to excel
Accepts responsibility for the outcomes of own work
Seeks to deepen awareness of organizational policies and procedures and how to interpret directives and requests, in consultation with supervisors and colleagues

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education with a combination of five (5) years of relevant experience is required.
A first level university degree with a combination of two (2) years of relevant experience would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

A minimum of five (5) years with secondary education OR two (2) years with a bachelors degree of relevant experience in programme or project administration, conference management, travel logistics, and technical cooperation or other related discipline is required.
Experience with an ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning Software) system is required
Working experience with SAP (System, Applications & Products)/Umoja in data processing, in particular, in the area of travel is desirable

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and national language of the duty station.