Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

  • Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
  • Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
  • Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
  • Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

 Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP's Country Office in Tajikistan, active since 1994, plays a crucial role in supporting the country’s national development strategy for poverty alleviation. The organization is guided in its work by the Country Programme Document, which in turn builds upon the Sustainable Development Goals. UNDP has made a significant contribution to developing the National Development Strategy with an outline of policies and investments necessary to reach the SDGs on time by 2030. Together with the Government of Tajikistan, civil society and the people of Tajikistan, UNDP works towards identifying local solutions to global and national development challenges. Our main focus is reaching sustainable development by enhancing accountability of the current governance system, mitigating natural disaster threats, contributing to environmental sustainability and reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS on the population.

The Climate Change, Energy and Environment (CCEE) Cluster of UNDP Tajikistan manages a diverse and growing portfolio of more than ten ongoing projects currently under implementation across the country. The Cluster provides strategic, technical, and operational support to national counterparts in addressing Tajikistan’s key environmental, climate, and energy challenges, in line with national development priorities and international commitments.

The Cluster’s programmatic focus spans several interrelated thematic areas, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, integrated water resources management, sustainable land management, urban resilience to disaster and climate risks, promotion of renewable and green energy solutions, and biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration. Through these interventions, the Cluster aims to strengthen institutional capacities, improve policy and regulatory frameworks, pilot innovative solutions, and support scaling up of climate-resilient and low-emission development pathways.

Implementation of these projects is carried out in close partnership with seven key national institutions, namely the Committee on Environmental Protection, the Agency for Hydrometeorology, the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation, the National Biodiversity and Biosafety Center, and the Municipality of Dushanbe City. Collaboration with these partners ensures strong national ownership, alignment with sectoral strategies, and effective coordination across government entities at national and sub-national levels.

The Cluster’s portfolio is supported by a range of multilateral and bilateral development partners, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Adaptation Fund, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), as well as the Governments of Japan and the United Kingdom. These resources enable the Cluster to deliver integrated, cross-sectoral interventions that contribute to Tajikistan’s climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and sustainable development objectives.

The Project Administrative Associate (PAA) will be responsible for providing administrative and financial support for the implementation of the assigned project(s), under the direct supervision of a Project Manager within the CCEE Cluster and matrix management oversight of the Finance and Budget Analyst. The PAA will work in close collaboration with relevant UNDP Country Office staff in Dushanbe, project personnel, and national implementing partners, ensuring effective coordination and smooth day-to-day project operations. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Administrative Associate will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

Ensure effective administrative assistance for the project implementation:

  • Perform a variety of standard tasks related to programme development, including screening, and collecting all programme/ project documentation, archiving of project financial documents.
  • Collect, compile, and provide information when required as well as provide assistance and support to programme and project staff in preparation of different presentations, reports, programme profiles.
  • Ensure timely submission of the documents for the project personnel contracts’ issuance and extensions.
  • Assist with the induction process of the newly hired personnel at the project level.
  • Establish and maintain both electronic and manual filing systems for easy retrieval of correspondence and other documentation and ensures safekeeping of supporting documentation for payments and invoices for audit reference 
  • Provides administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, other specific meetings, workshops, trainings, conferences, and any other special events organized by project. 
  • Ensure inventory and asset management according to IPSAS requirements. 
  • Track and monitor the incoming shipments. 
  • Ensure availability of space in warehouse/distribution plans; maintains appropriate filing of logistics and shipping documents. 
  • Participate in regular warehouse physical inventory verification and submits subsequent inventory reports, produce the required release and receiving documents.
  • Make the required travel arrangements, accommodation, venue, and other logistics for workshops, trainings, seminars, etc.
  • Ensuring the project’s travel needs are satisfied. Be directly responsible for the coordination and liaison with UNDP CO’s Travel  and Logistics Assistant for travel reservations and issuance of travel tickets.
  • Preparation and timely submission of Travel Authorizations (TAs) and travel claims. Ensure all travel related files contain up to date information. 
  • Check and review the travel dashboard and take actions, if any, on a regular basis.

Provide effective financial assistance (in close consultations and coordination with the CO Finance unit and PMSU):

  • Support day-to-day management of the projects financial operations in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations and relevant SOPs. 
  • Reviewing and analyzing project budget implementation on an ongoing basis; initiating, preparing and processing budget revisions, as necessary.
  • Monitoring project financial performance and undertaking necessary actions to address inconsistencies and discrepancies.
  • Prepare requests for financial authorization to UNDP CO in accordance with the approved project budget. 
  • Support preparation of accurate financial reports, including monthly and quarterly disbursement reports and financial reports for donor. 
  • Monitor financial expenditure of the project and ensure that financial delivery of the project is in accordance with the project document and annual work plans.
  • In close coordination with the CO Finance Unit and  PMSU support verification of  all supporting documentation for payment requests, disbursement invoices, Implementing Partners’ financial reports and other financial documents when required; ensure timely follow-up actions on pre-payments, including project cash advances.
  • Supporting the preparation of financial reports to donors, consistent with specific agreement requirements.
  • Assist project management in preparation/revision of Annual Work Plan.
  • Assist preparation of  mid-year and annual budget expenditure reports as per UNDP and donor requirements.
  • In coordination with PMSU, support preparation for and support of the annual project audits, and financial spot checks,  regular follow-up to audit recommendations.

Support project procurement processes (in close coordination with the CO Procurement Unit):

  • Assist to the Project Manager in designing the Procurement Plan for the project in Quantum.
  • Contribute to the design of the Requests for Quotations, Requests for Proposals, Invitation to Bids, including Terms of References for recruiting short- and long-term consultancies and for the project-related activities and ensure full compliance with standard requirements. 
  • Registration of tender cases (acquiring tender reference number internally in PTT (Procurement Tracking Tool, creation of requisition in Quantum, budget revisions in PIMS, registration of procurement request in UNall), and further facilitation of theevaluation and contract management procedures.
  • Assist the Project in Contract Management procedures (contract implementation monitoring, follow up on contract due dates, assist in preparation of Performance Evaluations of Contractors upon preparation of final payment, ensure timely processing of the payment upon receipt of invoice.   
  • Contribute to preparation of evaluation reports in UNall.
  • Provision of support in timely extension and/or termination processes of the contracts (Note to files, Memos, Amendments).
  • Ensure timely follow-up actions on and prepare a set of supporting documentation required for Purchase Orders, Receipts and PO-based regular invoices. 
  • Ensure timely corrective actions on Purchase Orders and invoices with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved/pending POs and invoices.
  • Ensure timely closure of purchase orders in ERP system.
  • Support the creation of supplier profiles in ERP system  

Provide support for other project activities:

  • Support the preparation of analysis, infographics, and presentations on project budget planning, forecast and delivery.
  • Maintaining project information calendar in MS Teams. 
  • Assists in meetings, drafts minutes and correspondence as requested.

Support knowledge building, knowledge sharing and capacity building relevant to the assigned project:

  • Participate in training and organize briefings on internal procedures for the project staff. Provide support to other capacity building activities, including to the design and delivery of tools, materials for workshops, or platforms that tap into the collective intelligence of communities and mobilize action.
  • Provide support in the dissemination and sharing of relevant data and lessons learned within the CO and regionally. Keep pulse on emerging best practices nationally, regionally, and internationally that relate to the work of the assigned project.
  • Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Support compiling and systematizing project knowledge, products and tools as well as their wide distribution to partners.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Programme Administrative Associate will report directly to the Project Manager of UNDP Tajikistan's relevant projects and under the general supervision of the Operations Specialist. The incumbent will be based in Dushanbe, either at the UNDP Country Office or at the premises of the national partner, depending on the assigned project(s). Projects may be implemented under direct implementation modality (DIM) or national implementation modality (NIM).

Competencies

Core competencies:

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements. 
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible. 
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination. 
     

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Direction and Strategy        

  • Business Acumen:        
    • Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. 
    • Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks.  
    • Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the Organization.

Business Management        

  • Communication:        
    • Communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
  • Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:        
    • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. 
    • Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. 
    • Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
    • Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Administration & Operations           

  • Documents and records management:         
    • Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving.
  • Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings):        
    • Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Secondary Education is required. 
  • University degree (Bachelor´s degree) in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Social Sciences or other related fields will be given due consideration but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

  • Minimum seven (7) years (with secondary education) or 4 years (with bachelors degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.

Required Skills:

  • Demonstrated experience in the procurement and finance.
  • Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database package, including the ability to apply existing and develop new financial management systems.

Desired Skills:

  • Experience with donor funded projects.
  • Working experience within UNDP or another UN agency. 
  • Experience in international organizations/projects.
  • Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages, ERP.
  • Knowledge of IPSAS.
  • Experience in working for the complex local development programmes.

Required Languages:

  • Fluency in English, Russian and/or Tajik is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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