Project Associate

The UNDP’s Social Inclusion/Democratic Governance Sector aims to decisively promote social inclusion and empower the most vulnerable, as well as to enhance access to social and economic benefits to marginalised people and communities through specifically tailored sector initiatives and other UNDP sectors’ programmes, fully utilizing CO knowledge and experiences.
Within that sector is the Strengthening the Role of Local Communities (Mjesne Zajednice/MZs) Project, which is a joint initiative of the Government of Switzerland and the Government of Sweden, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in partnership with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Government of Republika Srpska, the Government of Brčko District and both Associations of Municipalities and Cities.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Project Manager/CTA (Social Inclusion), the Project Associate will provide project support services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. The Project Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.
 
The Project Associate works in close collaboration with the Project Manager and project team and will be in charge of support to selected MZ Project project activities, closely working with the project manager, staff and relevant partners.

Supporting implementation of Project strategies:

• Supporting development of project action plans and work plans, providing inputs to elaboration of work-plans;
• Supporting the recruitment processes necessary for the implementation of the project activities;
• Supporting procurement processes necessary for the implementation of the project activities;
• Providing support in organization of external evaluation of the project;
• Supporting planning and implementation of workshops and seminars;
• Drafting of routine official correspondence/documents and assists in the preparation of new project documents;
• Maintains timetables for the Project Board meetings and provides support to organizing and holding the meetings, including the preparation and dissemination of information and follow-up.

Supporting Project Manager/CTA in administrative activities on the day-to day basis:

• Assisting in the organization of field visits, missions and conferences and other logistics arrangements as required by the project activities;
• Monitoring of project staff work attendance and ensuring timely submission of monthly leave reports;
• Organizes translation and interpretation services in accordance with business processes
• Provision of simple translation/interpretation services (both written and oral) as required;
• Preparation of the meetings and the follow-up Minutes and Reports, as required;
• Follows up on timely submission of F10s forms;
• Maintenance of the proper filing system for all project documents.
• Archiving all relevant documents related to work (project documents, reports etc.).

Business Process Quality Assurance:

• Facilitate that business processes followed by the programme are in line with the UNDP rules and regulations, policies and internal control framework;
• Provides support to the Project Manager/CTA in the creation of projects in Atlas, preparation of required budget revisions, revision of project award and project status, determination of unutilized funds, operational and financial closure of projects;
• Assistance in proper control of the supporting documents for payments.
• Processing of financial documentation (vouchers, supporting documents, invoices, etc.)
• Proper receipting of goods and services
• Creates requisitions in Atlas; prepares non-PO vouchers;
• Maintains the internal expenditures control system that ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed; transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas;
• Timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers;
• Proactively provides reporting information;
• Provision of information for reports on financial status, procedures, exchange rates, costs and expenditures and potential funding problems
• Follow’s donor’s and UNDP’s compliance procedures and assists in timely and qualitative financial and narrative reporting;
• Prepares information for evaluations or audit purposes.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing within the project

• Support in the organization of project knowledge management activities;
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in the project;
• Sound contributions to relevant knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Support colleagues within the project;
• Update and maintenance of developed platforms for M&E, as well as knowledge management of the project

Support to the Project Manager in effective mainstreaming of gender equality

• Provides effective support to the Project Manager in mainstreaming gender equality in the project implementation and makes sure that knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in the project knowledge management activities and products;
• Provides effective support to the Project Manager in incorporating gender equality in all the areas of implementation of project components, in the organization of the  project evaluations and audits;
• Ensures that all the data, when collecting  and compiling  inputs related to the project, are gender and age disaggregated and evaluated from the gender point of view ;
• Ensures minimum 30% participation of the other gender in the preparation of meetings/consultations/trainings/commissions.

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda/Support the preparation of information for advocacy

• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for a variety of audiences.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management/Contributing to results through provision of information

• Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
• Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals.

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;
• 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

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;
• 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

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
• 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.

Prince2 training and certification, RMG

Education: 

• Secondary education; University degree is considered as an asset level.

Experience: 

• Six years of relevant administrative or project support experience at national or international level;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc);
• The knowledge of UNDP’s Standard Operational Procedures and Atlas would be an advantage.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English and BHS  languages.

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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