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UNWOMEN - Programme Assistant

Istanbul

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Istanbul
  • Grade: Volunteer - National Specialist - Locally recruited Volunteer
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Administrative support
    • Project and Programme Management
    • UNW Programme Team
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Preamble:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

In most cultures, volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.

In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

*Dependent on continuation of mandate, availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance; there is no guarantee of assignment extension.

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The position reports to the UN Women Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Programme Specialist for general guidance and direct supervision and is responsible for providing a variety of executive programmatic support to the  Office maintaining full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment and, in close coordination with the office management and staff, for supporting in the efficient and accountable flow of programmatic activities in support of the Regional and Project Offices.

The Programme Assistant works in close collaboration with the programme and projects staff and the Operations team to ensure consistent service delivery.

Supervision, induction and duty of care of UN Volunteers

UN Volunteers should be provided equal duty of care as extended to all host entity personnel. Host entity support to the UN Volunteer includes, but is not limited to:

  • Introductory briefings about the organisation and office-related context including security, emergency procedures, good cultural practice and orientation to the local environment;
  • Support with arrival administration including setting-up of bank accounts, residence permit applications and completion of other official processes as required by the host government or host entity;
  • Structured guidance, mentoring and coaching by a supervisor including a clear workplan and performance appraisal;
  • Access to office space, equipment, IT support and any other systems and tools required to complete the objectives of the assignment including a host entity email address;
  • Access to shared host entity corporate knowledge, training and learning;
  • Inclusion of the volunteer in emergency procedures such as evacuations;
  • Leave management;
  • DSA for official travel, when applicable;
  • All changes in the Description of Assignment occurring between recruitment and arrival or during the assignment need to be formalized with the United Nations Volunteer Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of ECA Regional Office Programme Specialist or their designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Programme Assistant will:

Summary of Key Functions: 

  1. Provide programmatic and operational support to the management of Regional programmes
  2. Provide operational support to the financial management of programmes and projects
  3. Provide programmatic and operational support to the programme team
  4. Provide operational support to resource mobilization
  5. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing
  6. Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
  1. Provide programmatic and operational support to the management of Regional programmes:
  • Provide programmatic and operational support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements, including tracking the delivery of funds;
  • Provide programmatic and operational support to the responsible parties on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
  1. Provide operational support to the financial management of programmes and projects
  • Create projects in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
  • Provide operational support in monitoring and preparation of budgets and the finances of programmes/projects, and in the preparation of FACE forms;
  • Prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
  • Process payment for consultants, as delegated;
  • Create requisitions in Atlas for development projects; register good receipts in Atlas.
  1. Provide programmatic and operational support to the programme team:
  • Undertake all Logistical, operational and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
  • Make travel arrangements for the team, including travel requisitions and claims;
  • Provide operational support for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations; 
  • Identify sources, gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers, in collaboration with the programme team.
  • Draft minutes in meetings, as delegated;
  • Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations, in collaboration with the Programme team;
  • Organize and coordinate filing of documents; maintain mailing lists.
  1. Provide administrative support to resource mobilization:
  • Organize, compile, and process documentation and information from donors, and programme team as inputs to various databases and documents.
  1. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:
  • Provide administrative and operational support to the organization of training for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

  • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
  • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
  • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.  
  • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
  • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
  • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs:

  • As an active UN Women team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UN Women and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of theirs functions, including:
  • Support implementation of programmatic and operational strategies of ECARO
  • Ensure accurate and timely filing of all key documents, including maintenance of PCA folders and tracking table
  • Ensure taking minutes of meetings
  • Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing
  • Support to audit and verification missions
  • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.
  • The key results have an impact on the efficiency of the unit and of the Regional Office.  Timely delivery of services and accurate presentation of information strengthens the capacity of the office and promotes the image of UN Women.
  • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment
  • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

Competencies

Core Values:

  • Respect for Diversity
  • Integrity
  • Professionalism

Core Competencies:

  • Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
  • Accountability
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Effective Communication
  • Inclusive Collaboration
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Leading by Example

 Please visit this link for more information on Un Women’s Core Values and competencies:

https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Required Skills and Experience

Required Degree Level: Secondary Education

Required Experience: 2 years

Education, qualifications, skills, experience, areas of expertise

  • Secondary education.   Undergraduate degree in Business Administration or related fields is desirable;
  • Experience in administration, logistic support service, administration or project management/support;
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.). ATLAS system experiences an asset;
  • Experience in using MS application;
  • Experience in using conferencing software such as Webex is an asset;
  • Familiarity with UN Operational work flows (SOPs) is considered an asset;
  • Have affinity with or interest in gender equality volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System

Language skills

  • Fluency in spoken and written English and Turkish is required;
  • Working knowledge of any other UN Language is an advantage;

Living Conditions:

The UN Volunteer will be based in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey where everything is available including education, health services and entertainment. There is a lively and large group of international community. Istanbul airport has direct connections with all European and global cities.

Istanbul is a Security level 3 (Moderate) duty station.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.

Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers

The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.

Travel to duty station (if applicable) and a Settling-In-Grant will be provided in the event the duty station is not within commuting distance from the place of recruitment. The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents), as well as final repatriation (if applicable) and resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.

Furthermore, in non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, a Well-Being Differential (WBD) will be provided monthly.

Disclaimer

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

United Nations Volunteers reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this opening for other openings with United Nations Volunteers with similar assignment description, experience and educational requirements.

This vacancy is now closed.
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