Programme Associate

The UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Team is based in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and is responsible for assisting partner countries to develop and implement programmes and projects that combine and sequence resources from a wide range of global environment and climate funds, financial mechanisms, and instruments including, but not limited to: the GEF managed family of vertical funds such as the GEF Trust Fund, the Special Climate Change Fund, and the Least Developed Countries Fund; the Adaptation Fund; Green Climate Fund (GCF); the Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, voluntary carbon markets and other innovative sources of carbon, climate, and ecosystem finance, as well as a variety of multilateral, bilateral, national, sub-national and private sector sources. The Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Team is organized into teams of staff located in both HQs and UNDP's Regional Hubs in Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Panama, and Bangkok, and with a decentralized structure in terms of financial, operational, and budget managements with authority delegated to respective managers located in HQ or in the region.

Under the overall supervision of the Region-based Technical Advisors (RTAs) and direct coordination and guidance of the corresponding Regional Team Leader (RTL), the Programme Associate will facilitate the effective delivery of the CCA portfolio in Asia and the Pacific, by providing support and oversight throughout the development, implementation, monitoring/evaluation and closure of UNDP-GEF projects. This includes effective portfolio data management and monitoring, to maximize COs' timely compliance with UNDP and GEF requirements.

The Programme Associate promotes a client and results-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations and ensures high quality and accuracy of work. S/he works in close collaboration with other Programme Assistants/Associates, Administrative Associate, as well as, staff in the Regional Hubs, UNDP HQs, and COs as required for resolving complex programme-related issues and exchange of information.

• Compiles documents related to project development in the region (regional and country level projects), checking for accuracy, updating the UNDP project information repository system (PIMS) and finance application (ATLAS), tracking required information and following up on correspondence with project proponents, Country Offices and GEF Headquarters and processing documentation for submission, including final quality check regarding accuracy and compliance with formats and guidelines;
• Provision of support to the formulation of UNDP-GEF climate change adaptation projects (including all GEF-managed family of vertical funds such as GEF Trust Fund, the Special Climate Change Fund, and the Least Developed Countries Fund; the Adaptation Fund; Green Climate Fund (GCF)) by scrutinizing proposals, project documents, implementation arrangements, total budget and work plans and detailed procurement plans to ensure their compliances with UNDP’s and donor’s requirement.
• Follows up on project activities for new projects in the region and recommend executing modalities in order to ensure the best and most cost-effective services;
• Advises RTAs and Country Offices with regards to internal clearance and submission process; keeps track of key milestones for timely delivery.

2. Provides effective support to management of the Regional Programme/s focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Supports RTAs in undertaking financial monitoring of the portfolio in the region and individual project budgets and review budget revisions; advise Country Offices and/or Executing Agencies with regards to redeployment of funds and project closure and prepare GEF quarterly project delivery reports;
• Support RTAs in providing support to country offices in implementation start-up of newly-approved UNDP-GCF projects (Green Climate Fund (GCF)). This ranges from finalization of Funded Activity Agreements and budgets, liasing with UNDP-GEF HQ and the donor in cash transfer, providing guidance to COs during inception phase.
• Keep abreast of UNDP’s and donor’s rules, regulations and requirement in order to provide guidance to country offices throughout project cycle. 
• Monitors project delivery and submission of progress reports and budget revisions for the region; identify reasons for shortfall in delivery and recommend ways to correct situation.
• Maintains close contact with executing agencies recommending courses of action as appropriate and bringing to the RTA’s attention all technical issues that require attention/resolution;
• Assists in all aspects of regional portfolio management, including data analysis, tracking of TPR/APR, PIR and evaluation requirements, and processing of required documents. Maintain electronic and, where necessary, hard-copy files of all project and associated information.

3. Provides administrative support to Regional Programme/s implementation activities focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organizes GEF/GCF training programmes and workshops in the region as appropriate including logistical arrangement, documentation, budget preparation/monitoring, authorization of expenses;
• Manages information flow between Country Offices and HQ on the regional portfolio to meet all reporting requirements and advise environmental focal point on procedural issues (mentoring);
• Assists RTAs in formulating quarterly mission travel plans, obtaining HQ management approval, booking flights and hotels, submitting travel requests, arranging relevant visas and travel documents (including tickets), collecting travel related documents, and submitting completed travel settlement forms;
• Drafts correspondence and assist with other administrative tasks as required;
• Provides effective support on timely procurement of services and goods;
• Assists in the preparation, updating and dissemination of PowerPoint and other presentations and in managing dissemination of information/publications that describe the work and achievements of UNDP CCA Team;
• Backstops other PAs/AA and perform ad-hoc tasks as required.

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

• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in programme with ability to train others;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice, specifically in participation of creation and maintenance of team pages.

Corporate 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:

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.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

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

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;
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
• 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.

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;
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients;
• Responds to client needs promptly.

Education:

• Thai National with Secondary Education or equivalent, preferably with specialized certification in Accounting and Finance.  University Degree in Business or Public Administration, Environment Management, Economics, Social Sciences or other relevant fields would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Work experience:

• 6 years for secondary school, or 3 years for University's degree, of progressively responsible administrative or programme experience is required at the national or international level;
• Extensive experience in project oversight and/or management highly desirable;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems;
• Good knowledge of an ERP System (such as Atlas) and UNDP programming and budget structure is required, with knowledge of procurement will be considered an advantage;
• Knowledge of UNDP-GEF is an advantage.

Language requirement:

• Fluency in English and Thai.

Important applicant information

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

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

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Workforce diversity

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