Background
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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.
Office/Unit/Project Description
On October 21, 1974, the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Barbados entered into an agreement to “support and supplement the national efforts of developing countries at solving the most important problems of their economic development and to promote social progress and better standards of life.”
Subsequently,
similar agreements were entered with Governments of the ten countries and territories that the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean serves: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean
Multi-Country Office (MCO) aims to create an enabling environment where our national governments have the capacities for inclusive and sustainable human development; meet their regional commitments, and internationally agreed objectives including the SDGs. The MCO focuses on policy and knowledge advisory services that facilitate poverty reduction, improved democratic governance, economic recovery, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, social inclusion, and human rights. UNDP partners with governments and people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life of everyone. We are on the ground in around 170 countries, to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP’s work in the region continues to evolve and includes three clusters: Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE), Prevention, Recovery and Resilience (PRR), Poverty and Governance (P&G) and an Accelerator Lab. The MCO hub is in Barbados, with Project Offices in Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.
As part of UNDP Barbados MCO support to the Commonwealth of Dominica, a Project Office was established in 2017 to assist the government with immediate response, recovery, and reconstruction post Hurricane Maria. This included strengthening national recovery frameworks, disaster preparedness and climate and community resilience, as well as empowering women to take a more proactive role in emergencies. Since 2017, the Dominica Project Office has evolved its portfolio to include climate resilience, economic recovery, and sustainable development initiatives.
Scope of Work
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Head of Project Office, the Operations & Programme Associate will be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the physical project office (which is currently a joint UN office which UNDP manages the day-to-day logistics of) and providing overall guidance to project associates on implementation of ongoing projects within the Dominica Project Office, performing a variety of standard administrative and operational services within the framework of ensuring high quality and accuracy of work following the highest standards in line with UNDP guidelines and procedures. The Operations & Programme Associate will work closely with UNDP Project Coordinators and the UNDP Barbados and Eastern Caribbean MCO to coordinate activities and seek synergies, and support proposal development.
Summary of Key Functions:
(a) Ensures implementation of operational strategies.
(b) Ensures effective administrative and logistical support.
(c) Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO
1.Ensures implementation of operational strategies, focusing on the achievement of the following results;
- Ensure full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.
- Provision of inputs to administrative business processes mapping and implementation of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Provision of inputs for the preparation of administrative team results-oriented workplans.
2. Ensures effective administrative and logistical support, focusing on the achievement of the following results.
- Perform administrative support functions to facilitate the implementation of the project office, programme/project component activities
- Support smooth operational running of the projects by following established operational rules and procedures, including preparation of the supporting documentation for contracts and payments.
- Contribute to the programme component/project annual and detailed implementation work plans and reports preparation in a quality and timely manner based on the requirements of the UNDP and programme/project donors
- Support in initiating, reviewing, processing and following up on actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, including recruitment of personnel and consultants, selection, performance appraisal, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN/UNDP rules and procedures
- Coordination and support to the organization of procurement processes including preparation of Request for Quotations (RFQs), Invitation to Bids (ITBs) or Request got Proposals (RFPs) documents, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, and their preliminary evaluation. Preparation of purchase orders (POs)
- Participate in data collection, analysis and maintenance of programme component/project-related database and files; Keep accurate electronic and paper filing, information, and records systems.
- Participate in project/programme component activities (meetings, round tables, conferences, other public activities); preparation, implementation and follow-up.
- Facilitate and provide full support to programme / project monitoring, evaluation, and audit missions, as well as missions of experts.
- Support proposal development.
- Keep updated programme / project inventory and assure that UNDP regulations on the equipment use, storage and proper maintenance are adhered. Assure that the programme component / project equipment transfer/disposal is being done in accordance with UNDP rules.
- Coordinate database of all stakeholders and partners.
- Maintain contacts with relevant partners on a variety of the related issues.
- Liaise with UNDP Barbados MCO Operations on a variety of the operations related issues: procurement, financial management and human resources.
- Coordinate maintenance of stationery and office supplies, purchase office equipment when needed.
3. Support Project Development, knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the MCO, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Participation in the training for the programme/ project personnel.
- Support the quality resultsshared knowledgea development of project proposals.
- Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Perform other duties within your functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office
Institutional Arrangement Reports to: Head of Project Office Dominica.
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 pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements |
| Learn Continuously: | LEVEL 1: Open-mindedable to 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, ableto deliver calmly 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 Management | Customer Satisfaction/Client Management | - Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provideconsistent solutions, and deliver timely and qualityresults and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.
- Provide inputsto the development of customer service strategy.
- Look for waysto add valuebeyond clients’ immediate requests.
- Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needsand concerns
|
| Business Management | Communication | - Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choosecommunication methods depending on the audience.
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media socialmedia and other appropriate channels
|
| Business Management | Operations Management | - Ability to effectively plan, organise, and oversee the organisation’s business processes in order to convert its assets intoand procedures the bestresults in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.
|
| Administration & Operations | Travelpolicy and procedures | - Knowledge of UN policy andprocedures related to travel,
- Ability to interpret travel policy, staff rules,
administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel-relatedability to matters; |
| Administration & Operations | ERP travel and expense module | - Knowledge of theERP travel and expense module; abilityto provide help desk support to UNDP and other UN agencies
|
Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA
| Min. Academic Education | - Secondary education is required.
University Degree (Bachelor´s degree) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, economics, Environment/ climate change or related fields will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement. |
| Min. years of relevant Work experience | - Minimum 7 years (with Secondary Education) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience in financial and/or administrative management of projects or programmes.
- A national of Dominica or must possess a CSME skills certificate
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, good knowledge, and experience in handling of web- based management systems.
- Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
- Strong ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary and multi- cultural teams
|
| Desired additional skills and competencies | - Experience at the national or international level in offering administrative support and/or managing staff and operational systems
- Experience working with multiple stakeholders and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and government.
- Experience in proposal development and/or report writing
- Experience in logistics and/orprocurement is desirable
- Experience working within the UN common system, international organization, government, NGO is an asset.
- Knowledge of indigenous languages of Dominica is highly advantageous.
|
| Required Language(s) (at workinglevel) | - Fluency in English is required.
|
Travel:
(a) Travel to project sites as needed.
(b) Travel to MCO as needed.
The following documents shall be required from the applicants:
a. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
b. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him/herself to be suitable for the position.
c. 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.
- Annexes to the TOR
- https://www.undp.org/barbados
- https://www.undp.org/barbados/dominica
Disclaimer
Important applicant information
All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.
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 descriptions, 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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