Project Assistant (NPSA-4), 90% part-time

UNDP supports countries to tackle complex development challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through SDG integration. In the context of its country programme for Serbia for 2021-2025, the UNDP Country Office (CO) in Serbia, through the SDG Integration (SDGi) Center is scaling up its support to the SDG agenda in Serbia through integrated policy and programming as well as innovation and learning.

The UNDP CO in Serbia recognized the importance and need for supporting a new program promoting circular migration in Serbia. UNDP already undertook initial activities through UNDP Accelerator Lab in the field of circular migration and Serbian diaspora, while accounting for immediate and urgent needs for diaspora engagement in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea is to create a platform that will be in contact with Serbian diaspora in a novel way came after the first annual diaspora conference “Talent meetup 1.0” that happened in December of 2018, which was followed by discussions between the Serbian Prime Minister and numerous diaspora organizations. 

UNDP and the Government of Serbia are developing a comprehensive portfolio to address demographic change, based on a system transformation approach. This project represents one of the critical points in the portfolio, aiming to redefine the country’s relationship with the skilled diaspora and foreigners, as well as the narrative on migration in general. It will assist Serbia to proactively reconnect to its diaspora and develop sustainable legal, economic, financial and social models that will offer the Serbian diaspora opportunities to relink to Serbia and contribute to its social and economic growth. The Project also focuses on enhancing and diversifying the Serbian workforce, opening up the Serbian labour landscape to foreigners and strengthening Serbian government institutions to provide better support and services to foreigners interested in working from Serbia.

Through strengthening the capacity and expanding the potential of the Returning Point team by building on the results achieved in the Returning Point Initiation phase, this project aims to 1) develop a Platform that will communicate to the Serbian diaspora interested in reconnecting to Serbia, 2) successfully match interested repatriates to jobs that require international experience, 3) develop and pilot sustainable legal and economic models for diaspora engagement and 4) identify, develop and proactively deploy sustainable diaspora services and simplified administrative processes. Also, the Project will work to 5) enhance the provision of services and support Serbian government institutions offer to foreign nationals that live and work in or are interested in moving to Serbia.

 

In this sense, UNDP will provide support by providing services that will contribute to effective and efficient implementation of these initiatives.

Provide support for project implementation and communication

• Research and gather Serbian diaspora information through different communication channels
• Maintain communication with Serbian diaspora through various other, already established, communication channels
• Compile list of participants and prepare communication proposals for different events for diaspora, organized within the project
• Maintain communication with partners in diaspora
• Provide support to developing project’s communication strategies and plans Supporting organization of the events: undertake logistical administrative arrangements and correspondence with all parties involved, in consultation with the supervisor
• Provide support to identification and draft the proposals for information-sharing opportunities, activities, approaches and platforms
• Manage relationships with PR agencies, maintain and update media database
• Support communication and outreach efforts by organizing the design, printing and promotion of materials and knowledge products in line with UNDP visibility guidelines and create informative content to promote the project results. 

 

Provide support for project administration

• Ensure timely and adequate implementation of activities according to the project activity plan and effective delivery of results
• Provide administrative and logistical support in preparation of and participate in meetings, training sessions, conferences, and public promotion of the project
• Prepare regular and ad hoc financial updates and cost predictions for events and other related project activities. 
• Maintaining close cooperation with responsible partners and beneficiaries to ensure effective implementation of the agreed activities and delivery of outputs in a timely manner 
• Establish and maintain project filing system, incoming and outgoing correspondence and maintain calendar of events
• Drafting meeting notes and reports for direct communication with the project board
• Provide substantive support in drafting various other documents, such as: updates, talking points, presentations, reports, agendas. 
• Supporting preparation of regular updates on project results

 

Facilitate knowledge management and sharing

• Contribute to the identification of best practices and lessons learned
• Identify, collect and analyze relevant communication and other information and data, relevant to the Project.
• Provide/exchange information with other members of the team to acquire and share relevant knowledge and information

Performing other relevant tasks/duties as assigned by the supervisor.

 

Institutional Arrangement

 

The Project Assistant will work under the overall guidance and supervision of Programme Analyst – SDG Integration.

Competencies

Core Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open-minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area Name Definition Business Development Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need

 

Business development Human-centered Design Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process  Business Management Monitoring Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and program performance and results Ethics UN policy knowledge - ethic

Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff 

Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to 

ethics and integrity

 

• Track record of preparing high quality outputs is requested. 
• Good proficiency in MS office
• Ability on drafting, presentation and reporting skills; 
• Good organizational and time management skills.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability. 
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling ethical standards.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Desired additional skills and competencies:

• Experience in implementing projects in event coordination with different type of stakeholders.
• Participation in learning activities or forums and platforms of various kinds where communication trends were presented or discussed.  
• Experience in preparing reports and/or communication materials 
• Previous or present affiliation, membership, joint activities or projects implemented with Serbian diaspora organizations, groups or individuals. 
• Educational and work experience abroad would be considered an asset.

Required Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Serbian and English.

The online application form must be fully completed. Applicants are required to carefully complete their online application form and reflect all of their work experience history in the application. 

Only attaching a CV is not sufficient for applicants to be considered for positions. All applicants have to complete the Experience, Education, Language, and Nationality & Permanent Residence fields fully.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.