Project Assistant- SC5 (Myanmar Nationals Only)

Job Code Title: Project Assistant

Grade: SC-5 (Min net pay – 12,938.88 US$/annum to Max net pay – 19,007.64 US$/annum)

Project: Strengthening the Inle Lake Management Authority to Improve Conservation and Development

Department: Sustainable & Inclusive Growth Unit

Duty Station: Nyaung Shwe

Myanmar is a lower middle-income Least Developed Country, and ranks 145 out of 187 countries in terms of the UNDP Human Development Index. Myanmar is undergoing multiple transitions that are complexly interwoven to bring about both opportunities and challenges for attaining sustainable development. For attaining economic growth, democracy and social cohesion together, different sectors and industries of the country remain to be developed in an inclusive, resilient and sustainable manner. Among the key development challenges facing the transitional society is to address the gaps between unsustainable management of natural resources and increasing development pressures.

In response, the Government of Myanmar has committed to a number of institutional and policy reforms to mainstream environmental considerations throughout its budgeting and planning processes of development. In stronger partnerships with MoNREC and State/Region authorities, UNDP Myanmar has formulated a programme portfolio, whereby integrating different national and regional priorities into its new Country Programme Document (2018~2022).

Inle Lake is among important protected areas of Myanmar in which the gaps of unsustainable management of natural resources and development pressures are jeopardizing the sustainability of the local ecosystem. The lake is facing a range of pressures, which are progressively degrading the quality, integrity and sustainability of the lake ecosystem. Processes such as agricultural expansion on the lake (i.e. floating gardens), excessive use of chemical fertilizers, environmental pollution caused by the expansion of the tourism industry, and the threat of indigenous biodiversity due to the increase of alien species have also adversely affected the economic activities and livelihoods of communities around the lake.

UNDP in partnership with MoNREC and the Shan State Government launched the “Strengthening the Inle Lake Management Authority to Improve Conservation and Development” project in early 2018. Building on lessons learnt from the 2012 Inle lake Conservation and Rehabilitation initiative, the new project aims to bring about two key results:

1) to support the strengthening of the Inle Lake Management Authority (ILMA); and

2) to support the sustainable financing of environmental conservation and local community development work, including through the strengthened management of the Inle Lake Conservation Trust Fund (ILCTF).

These two results can further be divided into six outputs that will be attained to fill the gaps of weak environmental governance and increasing development pressures at the Inle Lake.

Output 1: Mechanisms to increase stakeholder participation in ILMA decisions are operational

 Output 2: An ILMA Secretariat is established in Nyaung Shwe

 Output 3: The legal arrangements governing the management of Inle Lake are reviewed

 Output 4: Information is shared with stakeholders and public awareness is increased

 Output 5: ILCTF management arrangements are strengthened

 Output 6: Tourism revenues are effectively collected

To attain these outputs, the project links and integrates the project activities to the ILMA functioning processes of the Shan State Government. UNDP makes sure to provide technical support to strengthening the ILMA. The Shan State Government retains its ownership of the project, including by delegating its staff to lead the secretariat work of the ILMA. The project team will be embedded in the ILMA Secretariat office in Nyaung Shwe.

The project assistant is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems. Under the guidance and supervision of the National Project Coordinator and the Project Manager & Chief Technical Advisor of the Governance for Resilience and Sustainability Project (GRSP), the project assistant will carry out the following tasks:

1. Administrative management:

• Pro-actively contribute to day-to-day project implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and project work-plans;
• Maintain project correspondence and communication;
• Collect, register and maintain all information on project activities;
• Advise all project counterparts on applicable administrative procedures and ensures their proper implementation;
• Contribute to the preparation and implementation of progress reports;
• Prepare agendas and arrange field visits, appointments and meetings both internal and external related to the project activities and write minutes from the meetings;
• Maintain project filing system;
• Prepare routine correspondence, faxes, memoranda and reports in English and/or local language and transmit to relevant departments, responsible parties, UNDP Country Office and UN agencies in accordance with UNDP Country Office guidelines;
• Receive, screen and distribute correspondence and attach necessary background information
• Provide support to international and national consultants in the implementation of their tasks for the achievement of project results (communication, contracts, agenda, visas, travel, hotel reservations, etc.);
• Maintain records on all project personnel/national consultants and their respective status (contracts, TORs, time and attendance – if appropriate, etc.) in accordance with accepted policies and procedures;
• Prepare and issue contracts;
• Assist in logistical organization of meetings, training and workshops; and
• Draft minutes of Project Board and other project related meetings;

2. Financial management:

• Follow-up on timely disbursements by UNDP CO;
• Assist in the preparation of payments requests for operational expenses, salaries, insurance, etc. against project budgets and work plans;
• Support the preparations of project work-plans and operational and financial planning processes;
• Monitor project activities, budget and financial expenditures and maintain a proper record of approved project budgets and their revisions;
• Prepare proposals for budget revisions;
• Prepare and submit expenditure and programme budget status reports;
• Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and special reports as required for budget preparations and audit;
• Advise and assist international advisors and national consultants on all aspects of allowances, travel claims and other financial matters and calculate payments due for claims and services;
• Ensure financial information is kept up to date in Atlas; and
• Undertake other financial and administrative tasks on an ad hoc basis.

3. Procurement:

• Assist in procurement and recruitment processes; assist the project manager in preparation of ToRs for the consultants
• In accordance with the Work Plan arrange for procurement of equipment, supplies and services;
• Create and manage e-requisitions in ATLAS;
• Arrange for equipment maintenance and insurance as required;
• Ensure that contractual processes follow the stipulated UNDP procedures;
• Physically clear and ensure delivery of equipment and supplies procured for the various programme sites; and
• Maintain records over project equipment inventory.

The Project Assistant will also be required to perform other duties in support of the implementation of the Governance for Resilience and Sustainability Project (GRSP) as assigned by the National Project Coordinator and the GRSP Project Manager.

Functional Competencies:             

Level 1.1: Support the preparation of information for advocacy

• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for a variety of audiences

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

Level 1.1: Contributing to results through provision of information

• Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation
• Building Strategic Partnerships

Level 1.1: Maintaining information and databases

• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

Level 1.1: Implementing processes and uses products

• Documents and tracks innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches

Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations)

Level 1.1: Providing information for resource mobilization strategies

• Maintains information/databases on potential and actual donors
• Maintains database of project files
• Provides data and information needed for preparation of project documents

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Level 1.1: Basic research and analysis

• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Level 1.1: Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals

Level 1.1: Research and analysis

• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences

Client Orientation

Level 1.1:  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

Core Competencies

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity 
• 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

• Secondary Education preferably with specialized certification in Accounting and Finance.
• University Degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences and Social Sciences is desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of administrative and financial management experience (with a Batchelor degree, at least 2 years’ experience is required);
• Previous experience with UN projects is an asset;
• Good understanding of environmental issues.
• Good knowledge and experience of results-based management and project cycle management;
• Excellent computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package; and
• Very good inter-personal skills;
• Experience liaising with diverse stakeholder groups, including different ethnic groups, will be an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of written and spoken English and Myanmar language
• Command of other languages in use by communities in Shan State will be considered an advantage

Please note: Paper-based applications will not be accepted. 

UNDP is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

Only those candidates in whose qualifications and experience the Organization has further interest will be contacted for subsequent interview(s).

UNDP regrets its inability to reply individually or attend to telephone or e-mail queries on the advertised posts.