Programme Associate

IMPORTANT NOTE: This position is advertised to internal and external applicants.  Candidates must be legally present in Mexico at the time of application, recruitment and hire. Only candidates holding a permanent residency in Mexico will be considered eligible.

Group 1 Candidates: comprises current GS staff members holding an indefinite or fixed-term appointment who, at the date of the deadline for application, are serving in the country of the vacancy at the grade of the position or one grade below or above.

Group 2 Candidates: comprises candidates from the categories listed in the RALS after completion of one cumulative or continuous year of service in the country of the vacancy. The Group 2 status should have been confirmed by the HR Unit in Mexico before the application is submitted.

External Candidates: are candidates who are not in Group 1 or Group 2. Programme Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Programme Associate would normally receive guidance from more senior programme staff in the operation/bureau/division. S/he may receive indirect guidance from other sections and units relevant to the country/region programme(s). UNHCR Manual, Operations Plans, UN and UNHCR financial/budgetary rules and regulations will guide the work of the Programme Associate. S/he is expected to stay abreast of the challenges posed by the operational context, the UN and humanitarian reform and institutional developments.

The incumbent is expected to have contacts within the organization and outside the duty station, as well as with partners and other stakeholders to collect information, monitor programme activities and implement administrative requirements. The incumbent will have to establish good working relationships with their peers at country level to facilitate the collection of information and other programme management related activities.

The incumbent is expected to work in line with the multi-functional team (MFT) approach as defined within the Program Manual, ensuring the participation of relevant stakeholders in all phases of the Program Management Cycle.


All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

- Support the assessment and analysis of the needs of persons of concern in the country/region in a participatory manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective as basis for planning.
- Assist in managing the development of a broad network of partners, good coordination practices and the development of partner capacities related to programme management if applicable.
- Assist in organizing and documenting the selection of partners in accordance with the policy on selection and retention of partners, ensuring due diligence to meet the requirements of projects.
- Provide support to the field with technical advice to ensure partnership agreements are established in a timely manner, regularly monitored and reported on in compliance with established guidelines and procedures included in the framework for implementing with partners.
- Support the implementation and performance of partnership agreements through field visits and appropriate physical monitoring if applicable, reviewing performance and financial reports.
- Support the development and implementation of MFT monitoring plans for activities implemented through partnerships and those under direct implementation in line with Programme Manual and programming instructions.
- Contribute to the review and analysis of operations plans, mid-year and year-end reports of the different UNHCR offices, ensuring quality assurance and compliance with established policies, guidelines, procedures and standards. Generate and maintain records of implementation rate (performance progress and expenditures) on a regular basis.
- Follow up on any change in regards to alignment of results chain, verifying indicators, budget, prioritization, apportioning needed to measure programme performance, trends and target interventions, contributing to soundness of Operations Plan and enhancement of data quality.
- Follow up with UNHCR offices the compliance with issuance of audit certificates for partners in line with the Policy on Risk-Based Project Audits.
- Provide support to the field through technical advice and training on resource allocation processes and other programmatic issues.
- Use UNHCR's corporate tools (e.g. Focus Client, Global Focus Insight and FOCUS Reader, MSRP) for core activities related to planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting, generating data for evidence-based programmatic decisions and analysis.
- Support UNHCRs programming of community of practice and continuously contributing to improvements of programming tools and processes.
- Perform other duties as required

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
not specified

(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
n/a

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Demonstrated experience in programme management, Operation Management Cycle and related processes. Knowledge of Results Based-Management. Computer skills (in MS office) including advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, data management, etc.)

Desirable:
Completion of UNHCR Learning Programmes or specific training relevant to function of the position including Programme Management - Level 1. E-tutoring of PM1, Framework for Implementing with Partners Learning Programme. Experience in programme management training and capacity building activities.

Functional Skills
*IT-Computer Literacy
PG-Programme Management (project formulation, programme cycles and reporting standards)
PG-Results-Based Management
DM-Database Management
PG-Programme Analysis
PG-Assessments and Surveys

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.


This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates. Core Competencies

- Accountability
- Communication
- Organizational Awareness
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Commitment to Continuous Learning
- Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

- Empowering and Building Trust
- Managing Resources

Cross-Functional Competencies

- Analytical Thinking
- Planning and Organizing
- Stakeholder Management Proficiency in English and Spanish is essential. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No late applications will be accepted.

Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a technical assessment or written test and later on, invited for an oral interview.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing or any other fees). The closing date for submission of aplications is 23 August 2020 (midnight Geneva time).