PROJECT ASSOCIATE (Finance) for Enhancing Protected Areas System of Sulawesi (E-PASS)

Jakarta

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Jakarta
Grade: Consultancy - SB-3 (SC6/SC7), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Administrative support
- Banking and Finance
- Environment
- Resilience and Climate Change
- Project and Programme Management
- CLIMATE CHANGE
Closing Date: Closed

Background

“UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, including Indonesia, working to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. UNDP supports implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Indonesia, UNDP works with the Government to integrate SDGs into national plan and policies.”

Enhancing the Protected Area System in Sulawesi for Biodiversity Conservation (EPASS)

Sulawesi (17.46 million ha) is the world’s 11th largest island and is the 4th largest and 3rd most populated island in Indonesia, with a population of approximately 17 million. Sulawesi Island has a mix of both Asian and Australasian species, and subsequently has a remarkable globally significant diversity of terrestrial flora and fauna, as well as extremely rich coastal and marine life. Rates of endemism are extremely high. For example, of 127 known mammal species, 72 are endemic (62%), rising to 98% if bats are excluded. Since the 1980s, the island’s natural habitat has been destroyed and degraded on a large scale, primarily due to logging and agricultural conversion. In order to conserve the island’s globally significant biodiversity, the government has established a network of 62 terrestrial PAs and 6 marine PAs on the island since 1982. The 62 terrestrial PA system covers a total area of 1,600,480 ha (or 9.17% of the total land surface).

Despite such efforts, Sulawesi’s biodiversity remains severely threatened and fast degrading due to a number of humaninduced threats. Protection and management of existing protected areas (PAs) has not been adequate to prevent extensive encroachment and damage within PA boundaries, whilst natural areas beyond PA boundaries have been even more rapidly degraded as a result of logging, conversion, mining, fire and hunting. The longterm solution to conserving Sulawesi’s biodiversity is an improved PA system that is well integrated into its surrounding landscape, with the capacities and financial resources to safeguard biodiversity from existing and future threats.

To address abovementioned problems, UNDP is supporting the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) to implement a GEF funded project titled “Enhancing the Protected Area System in Sulawesi for Biodiversity Conservation (EPASS)” for period 20152020. The project is designed to strengthen the effectiveness and financial sustainability of Sulawesi’s PA system to respond to existing threats to globally significant biodiversity.

Project Associate post is will work under the overall guidance of National Project Manager (NPM). S/He can supervise financial and administrative support staff of the Project Management Unit. The incumbent will coordinate with various units to support finance, procurement, HR, security, communication and project administration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Support the project team to ensure effective project planning, budgeting and implementation focusing on achievement of the following results

Coordination of project planning and preparation work for, typically, a large and highly complex component of the project initiatives;
Analysis, researches, summary and presentation of basic information/data on specific project and related topics;
Preparation for project documents and submission to relevant parties for approval by relevant parties
Implementation of project standard operating procedures in line with the government and UNDP’s regulations;

2. Support to the effective reporting on progress of project implementation

Preparation and analysis of project workplan and budget proposals; provides assistance in the interpretation of budget guidelines; reviews and coordinates submissions of work proposal and budget estimation, ensuring requisite information is included and justified in terms of proposed activities; propose adjustments as necessary; prepares reports and ensures that outputs/services are properly categorized.
Preparation of results oriented progress reports, in line with the monitoring and reporting guidelines and presents it to the project assurance team on a timely manner;
Preparation of data for monitoring of projects; categorization, updating, tracking and analysing data related to projects, e.g. accounting records, outputs, resources utilized, deviations/revisions, etc.; carries out periodic status reviews
Identification of issues and initiates requisite follow-up actions
Preparation of reports on budget revisions, expenditures and obligations, verification availability of funds;
Preparation for financial authorizations for expenditures to be approved and documentation in prevailing budget system;
Preparation of annual and quarterly work plans as well as project board meetings, audit, operational and financial closure of a medium size project.

3. Provides administrative support to the Project Management Unit focusing on achievement of the following results:

Provision of guidance to implementing partner and serves as focal point for coordination, monitoring and expedition of project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with a diverse organisational units to initiate requests,
Preparation of standard terms of reference against project objectives, obtained necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions and provision of solutions to the issues related to project implementation, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, security compliance, etc.
As focal point for responding to the complex information requests and inquiries; review and establishment of filling management system; organization of meetings, workshops; monitoring of implementation of various routine administrative tasks.
Preparation of draft correspondence on complex budget-related issues, periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.
Supervision of project support assistant, clerical level.

4. Support strategic partnerships and support to the implementation of resource mobilization focusing on the following results

Updated database of the relevant public and development partners private sector, civil society and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project;
Establishment of filing management for internal databases; updated statistical tables, graphic content, and other background materials/notes to facilitate audit and other reviews.
Finalization and publication of multiple languages report as a tool to communicate results, deepen stakeholder knowledge and buy-in to the project, and resource mobilization for the project,
In coordination with UNDP’s Communication unit and other relevant counterpart communications department drafts project summaries, coordinates with editor, translation services, etc. on
Preparation of draft correspondence and communications related to all aspects of programme/project administration, including work plan and budgets, revisions and other related issues, as well as prepares project’s contributions for a variety of periodic reports

5.Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff.
Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in project management support function
Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

6. The incumbent of the position should avoid any kind of discriminatory behavior including gender discrimination and ensure that

Human rights and gender equality is prioritized as an ethical principle within all actions;
Activities are designed and implemented in accordance with “Social and Environmental Standards of UNDP”;
Any kind of diversities based on ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, class, gender are respected within all implementations including data production;
Differentiated needs of women and men are considered;
Inclusive approach is reflected within all actions and implementations, in that sense an enabling and accessible setup in various senses such as disability gender language barrier is created;
Necessary arrangements to provide gender parity within all committees, meetings, trainings etc. introduced.

All ATLAS related function performed by incumbent should be done in line with segregation of duties under prevailing Internal Control Framework

Competencies

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

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda

Identifies relevant information for advocacy for a variety of audiences

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

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

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

Documents and tracks innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches
Responds positively to new approaches

Resource Mobilization

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

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

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

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

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

Client Orientation

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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:*

Bachelor degree in in Accounting, Finance, Business, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or other relevant fields of study would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:*

Minimum 4 years of professional experience, preferably in the field of accounting for candidates with Bachelor Degree and 6 years for candidates with Diploma Degree

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English is an absolute necessity;
Fluency in written and spoken Bahasa Indonesia is required.

Other Requirements:

Demonstrated strong familiarity with UNDP development projects in Indonesia is an advantage.
Knowledge of and experience in supporting administration of Environment projects will be highly desirable.
Strong knowledge and solid experience in coordination of project management support are essential as well as ability to draft high quality correspondence on budget-related issues, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc
Good inter-personal and team building skills.
Full time availability for project management support duties is essential.
Familiar with Government and UN/UNDP procedures would be desirable
Advance computer skills required, knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
Experience in handling of web based management systems would be highly desirable.

UNDP 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. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

UNDP Indonesia 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 Indonesia at the same grade level and with a similar job description, experience, and education requirements.