Project Management Support - Senior Assistant

Sri Lanka

Communities in Puttalam and Mannar feel they have not reaped adequate peace dividends, resulting in underlying tensions. Following the recent attacks in April 2019, this is now an even more critical, timely initiative to address current tensions, especially considering the ethno-religious composition of the two districts, as the willingness of communities to engage in traditional peacebuilding initiatives is low.

This project takes an innovative, integrated approach to peacebuilding, tackling ethno-religious tensions by bringing communities together to provide a sustainable solution for a shared environmental issue, with women at the forefront for conflict prevention. The nexus of Environmental Conflicts – Gender – Communal Tensions is unique, and a new area of peacebuilding not yet explored in Sri Lanka. Moreover, efforts to develop a women-led initiative in de-escalating religious intolerance and violent extremism are minimal.

It is a focused initiative, within the specific context of Puttalam and Mannar, looking at environmental conflicts caused through poor waste management, considering waste is not a gender-neutral concept. The perceived lack of adequate interest by the State has left this issue unresolved, providing an opportunity for communities - particularly women - to develop conflict prevention and resolution skills in relation to the issue of SWM, which can be transferable for solving other communal tensions. This will provide a sense of ownership to citizens over solutions provided to address current issues such as SWM and others in the future. As part of the local governance structure, sustainability beyond the project cycle can be ensured.

The project focuses on women’s role within their communities to support conflict prevention in a context of religious intolerance and violent extremism. Gendered division of household labour results in women being mostly responsible for waste management, hence they play critical roles in responding to environmental degradation at community level. Women’s political engagement results in greater responsiveness to citizens’ needs, often increasing cooperation across party and ethno-religious lines, delivering more sustainable peace. Despite high involvement in communities, women remain under-represented in policy and decision-making; their experiences and skills are often overlooked. 

Women are uniquely positioned within families/communities to influence motivations that drive individuals to support intolerant ideologies or violence. Their gendered roles in shaping and informing families and communities allow women to support in countering intolerant narratives, mistrust and fear, which converge to exacerbate tensions and promote violence. Empowering women – in political, economic, social, religious spheres – resulted in religious moderation, tolerance and curbing radicalization among youth.

The Project Management Support - Senior Assistant will be assisting the Project Manager (PM) for the improvement of waste management system of local authorities in Puttalam District for the setting-up of a customer-oriented waste management services: implementation of efficient solid waste collection and segregation scheme, operationalize composting facility, organize recycling activities,eliminating illegal dumpsite and related operation. The successful applicant will ideally come from a social service background (but not necessarily), have experience in solid waste and project management, a sound understanding of the operation of solid waste facilities and waste collection, including excellent time management and people skills.

The Project Management Support - Senior Assistant will be responsible to: 

Project Support

• Provide effective and efficient support to the Project, including maintaining records of project files and other supporting documents.   

• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to the Project Manager.  

• Assist Project Manager in follow up of project quality indicators and supports monthly assurance tasks.  

• Compilation and preparation of briefing and presentation materials, speeches, background information and documentation for meetings and missions.  

• Conduct data collection and perception survey.

• Develop and maintain the register for individual / entrepreneurs. Provide input to support in the assessment of strengths and weaknesses of existing entrepreneurs. 

• Support in the implementation of a business model to use waste as a resource / input. 

• Closely work with other team members and support to organize community clean-up programs. 

Technical Support

• Support the implementation of an efficient waste management system

• Assist with the statistical analyses of solid waste management issues in the target areas;

• Organize house to house awareness campaigns in the target area. 

• on solid waste management system improvements. 

• Deliver solid  waste management system improvement activities with  special focus on women’s involvement. 

• Support organization and support the public campaign and awareness sessions on waste segregation of household waste.

• Promote awareness of “DO NO HARM” in the development practices of solid waste management. 

• Support the PM through coordination efforts to establish partnerships with local authorities and other development partners to deliver efficient services. 

• Closely work with community to adapt best waste management practices and identify individuals who could actively contribute to resolve issues related to solid waste management in their community. 

• Provide technical support to increase the volume of waste collection by local authorities in the targeted location. 

• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above 

• Implementation and delivery of the required outputs as per time, cost and quality. Submission of regular report update to Project Manager.

• Maintained daily diaries of work.

• Secondary school education is required.
• Bachelor's degree or Diploma / Certificate in Social science, business administration may be considered in lieu for some required years of experience.
• Training certificates related to solid waste management, community education and mobilization, and/or other relevant areas will be an advantage;
• Certificate in standard computer applications including MS office is an asset.

• At least 5 years of experience in general social work, community organizing, community development works, and other various fields of social mobilization 
• Minimum 1 year of experience of working with local authorities especially in capacity building projects.
• Experience in  working with local authority officials and staff to implement development projects particularly in the field of solid waste management is an asset
• Experience in administrative and procurement works for SWM facility operations support and related activities is desired.
• Experience preparing monitoring reports, progress / accomplishment reports is required.
• Previous working experience in conflict affected areas is an advantage.
• Experience working with UN agencies and other international organization will be an advantage 
• Experience in computer operation : MS office
• Experience in working with women empowerment projects will be an advantage 

• Good understanding of written and oral English is essential.
• Working knowledge of one or more of the local languages is highly desired.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 
• The position is applicable to Sri Lankan nationals only.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.