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Programme Assistant (For Sierra Leonean Nationals ONLY)

Freetown

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Freetown
  • Grade: Administrative support - Administrative Services and Support - Generally no need for Higher Education
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Administrative support
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: 2024-10-24

Background

 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

 
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.

 
<Job Purpose and Organizational Context>
 

As the Country Office is transitioning into a new CPD with potential increase in resource mobilization with targeted programme delivery of $20M per year, the need to recruit an additional Finance Assistant remains critical to ensure timely financial services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work to efficiently and effectively deliver the country's programmes and projects. 

The Programme Assistant supports the Country Office (CO) in the promotion of its sustainable development agenda by continuously enhancing CO Programme performance, delivering sound administrative programme support.

Position Purpose:

Under the supervision of the Team Lead, the Programme Assistant provides administrative support to the implementation of projects ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. The Programme Assistant promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Programme Assistant works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects’ staff in the Country Office (CO) and with UNDP HQ and GSSC staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.


 
Duties and Responsibilities
 

Administrative support to the programme /projects` unit:

  • Provides administrative and operation support on implementation of project;
  • Assist in projects financial resources management, human Resources Management, efficient procurement and logistical services;
  • Supports the elaboration of projects related Terms of Reference;
  • Participation in selection processes for Letters of Agreement signature, as well as undertake activities related to LoAs/RPAs monitoring;
  • Participates in consultants selection panels;
  • Support to follow-up on project auditing issues;
  • Follow-up, on a daily basis, with project partners and donors, to guarantee smooth implementation of administrative and operational activities of the project;
  • Elaboration of project revisions in Quantum system;
  • Undertake other project related QUANTUM transactions, in line with project assistant profile;
  • Maintain up-to-date files and records of project documentation;
  • Provide logistical support for workshops and other meetings as tasked by the SLED Projects;
  • Process project-related travel arrangements;
  • Perform any other tasks assigned by the SLED Team Lead/Project Managers..

Support to management of the project(s):

  • Provides support to the SLED/Project Managers in follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to project manager;
  • Supports the coordination of the recruitment processes necessary for the implementation of the project/sector activities;
  • Supporting the review of deliverables and to check the overall consistency between all submitted documents;
  • Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials;
  • Collects and compiles, on a monthly basis, the following inputs related to project: list of the activities, expenditures and results achieved during the previous month as compared to the work plan, monthly expenditure reports and other related documents;
  • Maintenance of teams’ status reports, best practices, lessons learned and compiling of information required for programme / project management;
  • Provides support to the Project Managers in the update of projects in Quantum, preparation of required budget revisions, revision of project award, project status and risk register;
  • Creation of requisitions in Quantum and budget check for development projects, register of receipt in Quantum;
  • Use of automated office management system;
  • Perform any other tasks assigned by the supervisor

Support to the implementation of projects as Project Assistant:

  • Contacts with visitors and staff, arrangement of appointments and meetings, acting as an interpreter when required and/or taking minutes;
  • Compilation and preparation of briefing and presentation materials, speeches, background information and documentation for meetings and missions;
  • Provision of translation in accordance with business processes as required;
  • Administrative support to conferences, workshops, events;
  • Organization of regular and ad-hoc meetings and visits; preparation of minutes and summaries of actions to be taken; tracking of progress on planned issues; follow-up with focal points;
  • Screening of incoming communications, filter outgoing correspondence for supervisor’s signature, clearance and further action by other staff; wherever possible;
  • Adherence to appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines by office team when communicating with authorities and other external partners;
  • Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials;
  • Maintenance of contacts with the stakeholders; and
  • Contributes to paperless office and archiving;
  • Perform any other tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

  • Participation in the trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme;
  • Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in programme;
  • Contribution to knowledge networks and communities of practice
     
Competencies

Core Competencies:

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 & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies) 

Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Management

Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

 
  • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns
Business Development Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Business Management Communication
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
Administration & Operations Documents and Records Management     
  • Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
Ethic Ethics Advice & Guidance:
  • Ability to quickly analyse complex fact patterns and provide comprehensive, sensitive, and confidential ethics advice and guidance
Communications Writing and editing
  • Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages
General (across the functions) Event planning and execution
  • Ability to plan, manage and execute of 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. 
  • Being flexible and able to improvise; adapting and changing approaches in response to the needs, while staying true to the intent and objectives of the session.
Digital & Innovation Creative facilitation
  • Ability to design workshops that considers and addresses multiple interests, agendas, worldviews; set out clear objectives and engaging activities; select appropriate tools, materials, resources that are needed to enable or support the activities.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Required Skills and Experience

 
Education:
  • Secondary Education (High School leaving certificate)
  • A university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement
Experience:
  • 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative/management experience is required at the national and/or international level.
  • Experience with web-based management systems and database packages.
  • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) database packages, and web-based management systems such as ER
  • Ability to review and edit documents and produce meeting reports identifying key actions.

Language Requirement:

  • Fluency in English Language is required.
  • Fluency in Krio
Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

 
Disclaimer

 

 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

 
Applicant information about UNDP rosters

 
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

 
Non-discrimination

 
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

 
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

 
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