Administrative Assistant with Emergency Crisis Response for Prevention of Famine Project

Sanaa

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Sanaa
Grade: Consultancy - SB-3 (SC6/SC7), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Administrative support
- Medical Practitioners
- Crisis Prevention and Recovery
- Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
- Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
- Emergency Aid and Response
- Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: Closed

Background

Yemen’s current multi-dimensional war is now entering its fourth year. This conflict has exacerbated the Yemen’s chronic vulnerabilities, leaving an estimated 22.2 million people (or more than 75 percent of its population) in need of humanitarian assistance, including an estimated 11.3 million children and 2.9 million Internal Displaced People (IDPs).

Yemen is one of the most food insecure countries in the world. Around 20 million people (70 percent of the population) are facing hunger, a 13 percent increase from 2017. The current conflict has led to a decline in the national economy. Gross Domestic Product was cut in half since 2015, and more than 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line. The fighting around the country’s seaports and the ensuing suspension of commercial imports and supply shortages, the depreciation of the Yemeni riyal, which is now worth barely a third of 2015 level, have combined to push the food prices up.

Only half of health facilities are functioning, and many Yemenis in need of critical treatments especially for malnutrition are too poor to access the ones that are open. Beyond those at risk of famine, many millions with only emergency food assistance to survive, face a collapse in their immune systems – especially children and the elderly – increasing their vulnerability to malnutrition, cholera and other diseases. Chronic water shortages exacerbate food insecurity and risk of famine in areas where people depend on agriculture for food and income.

Against this background, UNDP’s strategy to mitigate the impact of the current crisis, including the risk of famine, is anchored on a two-pronged approach: on the one hand to addressing immediate needs – leveraging and enhancing endogenous support mechanisms to populations at-risk that can complement and safeguard the gains made through the humanitarian response – and on the other hand for the need to maintain the existing capacities and mechanisms at local and national level to maintain the foundation for future reconstruction and recovery.

UNDP will contribute to and complement the overall collective efforts for the prevention of Famine in Yemen. Based on the its comparative advantage and demonstrated results, UNDP’s Famine Response will address the following key critical drivers of food insecurity:

1) lack of income and weak purchasing power of households;

2) deteriorating public infrastructure and community assets creating a gap in the delivery of critical services for famine prevention including Health/Malnutrition, Roads and (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - WASH) ; and

3) lack of local capacities for food production.

The Project is expected to achieve the following results:

- Enhanced Income for Vulnerable Individuals and Households at Risk of Famine.

- Rehabilitation of Key Community Assets for Famine Response (Roads, Health, (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - WASH) and Solar Systems)

- Increased Capacities for Local Food Production

In delivering these outputs, UNDP will be able to ensure that Yemeni households and communities will effectively cope with the current severe food insecurity and mitigate the risk of starvation and be strong drivers of the resilience-building and recovery efforts.

As such, the project contributes towards Outcome 6 of the UNDP corporate Strategic Plan: Early recovery and rapid return to sustainable development pathways are achieved in post-conflict situations.

UNDP Yemen now seeks to hire a National Administrative Assistant to provide the needed support for the project based in the UNDP Country Office in Sana’a.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the National Coordinator, the Project Admin Assistant provides support services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. He/she works in close collaboration with the project staff, operations and programme as required to exchange information and support project delivery. The Project Admin Assistant will provide administrative and programmatic support as guided by project manager.

Responsibilities

Provide general office assistance and handle routine administrative tasks.
Follow up on day-to-day financial and administrative activities of the project including managing travel arrangement, information dissemination, correspondence and translation;
Liaise with the project team to ensure timely submission of progress reports, plans and relevant documents.
Liaise with the country office and project staff to ensure timely submission and processing of requests.
Assist in following-up with finance, procurement and human resources units and ensure timely delivery of services.
Participate in organizing in-country workshops and other related training activities.
Organize meetings for the project management, as well as recording meetings by taking notes, preparing minutes and recording decision points generated;
Maintain all project files and records and update project inventory records;
Prepare notes, letters, background information and hand-outs.
Plan and contribute to portfolio – related communications advocacy events
Participate in monitoring field visits
Assist in maintaining and preparation of budget revisions
Creation of requisitions in Atlas for development projects, register of goods receipt in Atlas.
Maintenance of the internal expenditure control system including timely corrective actions on posted vouchers, including vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, and unapproved vouchers.
Make budget check for requisitions.
Perform other duties as required.

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.

Competencies

Core
Innovation Ability to make new and useful ideas work	Level 3: Adapts deliverables to meet client needs
Leadership Ability to persuade others to follow	Level 3: Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others
People Management Ability to improve performance and satisfaction	Level 3: Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making
Communication Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform	Level 3: Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation
Delivery Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement	Level 3: Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value

Technical/Functional
Client orientation Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients ” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view	Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Accountability Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments	Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Planning and organizing Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies	Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work
Knowledge Management and Learning Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills	Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Public Administration or other related field.

Experience:

At least 3 years of experience in administrative work, accounting/finance, economics, or other substantive area is required. Experience with international development projects would be considered as a strong asset;
Ability to use information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool and resource
Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel), and
Knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages; experience in handling web-based management systems;
Experience with PeopleSoft/ATLAS, knowledge of IPSAS, are an asset;
Working experience in the United Nations system, particularly UNDP, is an asset

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Arabic, both written and oral

Disclaimer

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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This vacancy is now closed.
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