Senior Project Assistant (Livelihoods)

UNDP has been assisting the Government of Iraq with efforts to stabilize the selected areas that have been liberated from occupation by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) through its Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS). The FFS Project was established in 2015 to assist the Government of Iraq to respond to its identified stabilization priorities which allow the sustainable return of IDPs.
The intended objective of FFS is to provide the Government of Iraq with a mechanism to address immediate needs of the populations following military clearing operations and liberation. The project is designed to meet the intended objectives through four windows of engagement which include: 1) Public works and  infrastructure rehabilitation finances light repairs of key public infrastructure, 2) Livelihoods activities to jump-start the local economy and generate income for local households, 3) Capacity-building provides technical support for local governments, boosting their immediate response capacity and 4) Community reconciliation projects to help local leaders and community groups promote social cohesion. UNDP is the primary implementing agency of FFS, though it may partner with other UN agencies for specific projects, and contracts with NGOs and other vendors to facilitate many activities which will allow sustainable return of women and men to their homes.

Under Component 2; the Livelihoods Component and under the guidance and direct supervision of the Livelihoods Specialist, the Livelihoods Project Assistant provides leadership in executing services and managing the data of the contractors and service providers. As well, the Livelihoods Project Assistant provides ongoing project and administrative assistance, collaboration with all the Livelihoods Team members and provides support to the Livelihoods Component in the Funding Facility for Stabilization project as well as performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work.

The Livelihoods Senior Project Assistant works in collaboration with the Livelihoods Team, provides field support in monitoring and data validation, exchanges information and ensures consistent services delivery to all team members and coordinates with local authorities and line ministries to obtain relevant information. The Livelihoods Project Assistant will be based in Erbil, with frequent travel to Ninewah and Kirkuk Governorates.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Management of the ongoing project activities in the Livelihoods Component
• Monitoring, site check visits and direct interaction with beneficiaries in the field
• Coordination and networking with line ministries and local authorities
• Administration and implementation of programme strategies, adapts processes and procedures
• Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1.Support to management of the ongoing project activities in the Livelihoods Component focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Make all arrangements once a project is initiated starting from organizing the kick off meeting and interaction with the contractor, followed by preparation of the notification letter;
• Organize training of the field monitoring staff and CfW workers through UNMAS;
• Support in quality control of livelihoods activities which UNDP is supporting and ensure monitoring in close coordination with the Livelihoods Specialist;
• Gives a hand in organizing and quantifying the records provided by field monitors in comparison with records/ reports provided by the companies/ contractors;
• Conduct any special assignments required by the Livelihoods Specialist regarding quick assessments and field support;
• Writing-up about beneficiaries’ stories and field observations, if needed;
• Back-stopping support to all Livelihoods Team members where and when needed;
• Provides logistic and liaison support for activity implementation of FFIS Livelihoods Component;

2.Ensures monitoring, site check visits and direct interaction with beneficiaries in the field, achieving the following results;

• Participation in monitoring missions and spot check visits to ensure good conduct and compliance to project guidelines and conditions;
• Daily monitoring and quality control for all livelihoods projects through periodic random calls to the workers/ beneficiaries, to ensure that all beneficiaries from the various activities are receiving their benefits;
• Check, review and quantify the records provided by the contractors to make sure all are aligned and complied to UNDP’s regulations

3.Ensures coordination and networking with line ministries and local authorities, in order to achieve the following results;

• Close contact and interaction with stakeholders once a project is awarded and follow up on formulating project’s committees;
• Collection of data and information from different line ministries and/ or local authorities whenever needed;
• Collection and update of relevant data and information on the progress indicators of livelihood activities in a regular manner, through daily follow up and face-to-face interviews with project beneficiaries;
• Assist in coordinating of the planned events of the project

4.Ensures administration and implementation of programme strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist in meeting minutes taking for program/ project meetings and in drafting research reports as required;
• Translation and interpretation of simple correspondences from Arabic to English and vice versa, when needed;
• Maintain an archiving system for all Livelihoods Projects/ contracts in both soft and hard copies including contact details of partners, vendors, field monitors and Liaison Officers;
• Support to the Team administrative business processes mapping and elaboration of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs);
• Prepare the Mission Security Clearance Reports (MSCRs) for the Livelihoods Team and obtaining all relevant coordinates from the field staff;
• Assisting in organizing, executing and coordinating logistical requirements by drawing up an event time-line, programme schedule and checklist for successful holding of events

5. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing   on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of trainings for Livelihoods Team and other support field staff;
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices from the field;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
   

Functional Competencies

Building Strategic Partnerships: Maintaining information and databases

• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives
• Maintains databases of donor information
• Tracks and reports on mobilized resources

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches: Implementing processes and uses products

• Documents and tracks innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches
• Tracks bottlenecks, problems and issues, and proposes solutions
• Responds positively to new approaches

Resource Mobilization: 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: Basic research and analysis

• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents innovative strategies and new approaches

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: 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
• 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
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools, and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals: Research and analysis

• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences
• Maintains a network of contacts in the media and civil society, for use in UNDP’s advocacy efforts

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

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• 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

• High School Certificate

Experience

• Minimum seven (7) years (with High School Certificate) of progressively relevant work experience in programme/ project and/ or administration support, or
• Minimum five (5) years (with Diploma in Business or Public Management, Economic, management, IT and/ or any other related fields) of progressively responsible programme/ project experience or,
• Minmum four (4) years (with Bachelor Degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics, management, IT and/ or any other related fields) of progressively responsible programme experience
• Good capacity to draft reports and minutes of meetings;
• Good experience in field monitoring and interaction with beneficiaries;
• Experience in project monitoring, data validation and site check visits;
• Experience in similar livelihoods projects is an asset
• Experience in working in Development/ Early Recovery Programmes is an asset
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.);
• Advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
• Experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic
• Kurdish would be an asset

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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