Re- Advertise of Disability Project Associate- SC6

Six years into the conflict, the humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. Over half of the country’s population has fled their homes: 4.8 million people have sought refuge in the region and beyond, and 6.3 million people are internally displaced. 13.5 million people are in need of some form of assistance. Poverty rate is estimated at 85.2%, while the unemployment rate exceeds 52%.  In 2017, with no end to the conflict in sight, humanitarian needs are expected to continue to grow in scale, severity, and complex.  Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2017 preparation process was led by OCHA with a significant contribution from the Early Recovery Sector led by UNDP, which has been bridging Humanitarian assistance and Development by strengthening Resilience of the affected population in Syria. 

The severity of the humanitarian situation of Persons With Disabilities (PwDs) and their families is further exacerbated by the latent socioeconomic problem of them being excluded from social and economic life which leads to less access to income-generating activities and more poverty that negatively affect the overall welfare of the household. According to Syria Humanitarian needs overview (2016), major disability problems are observed in areas witnessing severe conflict such as in (Ar-Raqqa, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and rural Damascus).  It is estimated that there is a 27% increase in the number of PWDs through 5 years of armed conflict in Syria, reaching up to 1.5 million people suffering from different sort and level of disability. Among those, over 80,000 are thought to be in needs for prosthetic devices.

In response to such situation, the priorities of UNDP Syria include, as stipulated in the Country Programme Document 2016-2017, the support to PwDs through restoring the disrupted livelihoods; and restoring, rehabilitating and maintaining sustainable basic services and infrastructure in damaged areas and host communities. The programming principles and approaches that guide UNDP in its crisis response, recovery and development work align with the UN Partnership on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).   

UNDP has been implementing the initiatives to support PwDs through a comprehensive approach that sees disability as an interaction between functional limitation and environmental barriers (physical and social).  The support includes provision of physical rehabilitation services and livelihoods opportunities that will avail necessary resources for them to become independent and productive members of the community. As the scale of needs continues to grow, UNDP plans to expand its support on PwDs through short-term to long-term interventions.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Country Director and direct supervision of the Socio-Economic Recovery Team leader and disability programme manager the project associate shall assist in the day-to-day management, implementation and successful completion of the projects as directed by the programme manager and/or portfolio manager. She/he shall be primarily involved in project activities for the disability programme in addition to assist socioeconomic portfolio in ToR related tasks.    

Assist in the day-to-day management, implementation and successful completion of the programme objectives and project activities (60% disability programme – 40% socioeconomic programme):

• Ensure project’s administrative and financial activities comply with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Ensure the timely and smooth implementation of all project logistics;
• Support the project in the procurement process including preparation of RFPs, TORs, receipts of quotations, bids for proposal and their preliminary evaluation;
• Supports the preparation of project proposals and documents, including project amendments, annual work plans, budgets…etc;
• Follows up and monitor the implementation of activities in the field; in close coordination with the area manager and according to the approved work plans, and insure proper reporting on progress in line with the country office reporting requirements;
• Assist on administrative tasks related to payment, preparing procurement documents and timely submission;
• Follows up on projects and grant agreements signed with local partners and ensures proper delivery of results and financial disbursements according to plans, review progress reports and advises UNDP of any issue or concerns;
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation tasks in close coordination with project manager and M&E officer, and follow up on data entry and progress of delivery of disability projects;
• Organizes the logistics of workshops, training seminars and coordination meetings as required; 
• Supports technical/thematic officers in the field as required;
• Maintain filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials and documents.

Participate/assist in communications with project partners, NGOs and national counterparts.Support UNDP country office in reviewing and applying inclusive policies in physical, processes and communication areas:

• Actively participate in liaising with NGOs, CBOs, local authorities, FBOs, communities’ representatives, and other active stakeholders as well as local municipal and local institutions in coordination with the programme manager;
• Supports mapping of stakeholders and building partnerships with active partners, UN Agencies, private sector, NGOs/ CBOs and other local partners in coordination with the programme manager and in line with the agreed annual work plan;
• Supports the communication strategy of UNDP, ensure their visibility, and develop success stories, lessons learnt, best practices etc.;
• Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO;
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in programme.

Participating in knowledge building and creating good and diverse working environment:

• Collect data from studies, assessment, decrees and government projects related to disability to support the analysis of the situation in the area of supporting PWDs and provide input that would feed into strategies, planning processes, reports, and other documents;
• Ensure UNDP workplace is inclusive and promote diversity in the workplace by setting the example through self-initiatives and sharing knowledge and best practices on diverse work environment.

Functional Competencies:

  Building Partnerships:

• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives;
• Tracks and reports on mobilized resources.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Basic research and analysis;
• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things;
• Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

• Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures;
• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
• Possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks (broad range of specialized knowledge related to financial resources management, including formulating budgets, maintaining Accounts Receivables and Accounts Payables, reporting);
• Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates same in own work;
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work Assignments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

• Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change;
• Documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system;
• Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems:

• Data gathering and implementation of management systems;
• Uses information/databases/other management systems;
• Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems.

Client Orientation:

• Maintains effective client relationships;
• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients;
• Responds to client needs promptly.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

• Gathering and disseminating information;
• Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results based management systems;
• Maintains databases.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Informed and transparent decision making.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in humanities or equivalent.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in working in the field of disability support;
• Minimum 5 years experience in the field of administrative support.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is a must.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC 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 description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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