Project Associate

1. Project Description

The Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program for Ethiopia was initiated as a crucial step towards implementing the peace agreement signed between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) on 2nd November 2022 in South Africa. This agreement ended the long-standing conflict that had arisen between the TPLF and the central government in Ethiopia, resulting in widespread violence and displacement.

The objective of the DDR program is to facilitate the disarmament of former combatants from Tigray, Amhara and Afar, their demobilization and eventual reintegration into civilian life. The program is geared towards restoring peace, promoting reconciliation and creating a conducive environment for sustainable development. Eventual areas of coverage will go beyond Northern Ethiopia and cover other regions of Ethiopia. 

The Government of Ethiopia has mandated and created the “National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC)” which is responsible for design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of the DDR programme in the country. The overall DDR beneficiaries identified are 371,971. The Government has planned implementation of the programme. In Phase 1, a total of 75,000 combatants will be demobilized in 2024 and the balance will be demobilized in 2025.

UNDP is supporting the NRC in close coordination with various national and international partners, including the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and other actors. It is expected that the DDR program will provide an opportunity for the combatants in North Ethiopia to turn their focus towards peaceful and productive activities, thereby contributing to the overall stability and development of the North Ethiopia region.

The DDR program has close linkages with the National Dialogue, Transitional Justice, and Peace Support programme. The DDR programme is anchored in the Governance Unit.

2. Scope of Work, Expected Roles, and Responsibilities of the Incumbent

2.1 Support the implementation of project activities based on approved AWP in coordination with the National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC) focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support data collection, analysis, and presentation of background information for preparation for effective application of RBM tools and establishment of management targets
• Support formulation of draft project documents, annual work plans (AWP), budgets proposals and implementation arrangements.
• Based on approved Annual Work Plan (AWP), support the overall implementation of project activities in the region
• Support with project business processes with UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures (POPP) and UNDP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). When necessary, provide guidance to project staff on business processes, administrative and other requirements and procedures. 
• Support mainstreaming gender equality in the project implementation, including in data collection and compilation.

2.2. Coordinate and facilitate capacity building trainings and consultative workshops focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• In consultation with NRC, support the identification of capacity building needs and liaise with the CO to identify competent consulting institutions/ICs potentially capable to provide trainings
• Support designing of workshops that consider and addresses multiple interests, agendas. set out clear objectives and engaging activities; select appropriate tools, materials, resources that are needed to implement activities.
• Based on approved AWPs, support facilitation of National Regional level consultative DDR workshops
• Support procurement of services and materials necessary for the  trainings  and consultative workshops
• Closely work with procurement and finance teams to properly file relevant procurement and financial documents; timely settle outstanding advance and other payments

2.3.  Support partnerships and coordination mechanisms with government and non-government partner focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the engagement of wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust, and mutual understanding between the organization and wide range of stakeholders
• Support engagements with emerging partners, develop, and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships
• Support use available knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms
• Conduct stakeholders’ mapping using 5Ws (Who is doing What, Where, When and with/For whom)

2.4.  Ensure reporting and communication support focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the organization of weekly briefing sessions with Senior DDR Advisor
• Support provision of updates to the SMT during  monthly Programme/Operations Meetings
• Support collection and compilation of progress updates from the field and from implementing partners, share monthly/quarterly/semi-annual and annual reports with Senior Advisor DDR.
• Collect, analyse and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
• Regularly monitor expenditures and commitments against the project budget and relevant plans and provide finance-related information to support project implementation. When necessary, recommend corrective actions and draft various correspondence concerning finance, operations, and budgetary issues.

2.5. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the organization capacity building trainings for the project/operations staff on project/programme design, implementation, and monitoring/evaluation
• Support synthetization of lessons learnt and best practices in project implementation for internal sharing
• Support provision of sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice

2.6. Support  operations related tasks including staff, premises and asset management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support staff welling, and staff safety and security related compliance mechanisms are in place
• Support supervision of overall office and premise/compound management
• Supervise staff under direct supervision, support staff to perform respective roles and responsibilities,
• Support and capacitate staff to develop key performance objectives and evaluate achievements

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
 

3.  Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Officer or his/her designate, the Project Associate ensures effective delivery of the DDR project contributing to the overall implementation of project activities designed under the programme. 

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 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

Business Management- Project Management - Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Business Management- Resource Management - Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity.
Business Management- Working with Evidence and Data - Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.
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.
Business Management- Operations Management - Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the organizations business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner.
Business Management- Digital Awareness and Literacy - Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.
Administration & Operations- Documents and Records management - Overall document (hard or electronic) management registry and retention policy including storing and archiving.
 

Secondary school education is required or University degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, international relations, law, development studies, social sciences, project management or related fields will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience

A minimum of 6 years (with a high school diploma) or 3 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required 

Required skills

Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages. experience in handling web-based management systems is required.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the competencies section

• Experience in Programme/ Project Planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• At least 2 years of experience working with UNDP and UN system policies and programming
• Experience and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages and handling web-based management systems (e.g. Quantum)
• Experience in the preparation of financial reports and overviews.
• Experience and knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools 
• Experience and knowledge of project management processes 
• Experience and knowledge of procurement procedures of national/international organizations

Required Language(s)

Fluency in English and Amharic is required.