Project Specialist [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

Background

Under the UNDP Pacific Multi-Country Office in Fiji, the Effective and Inclusive Governance team focuses on strengthening democratic institutions, fostering public engagement, and promoting inclusivity across the Pacific. 

Nauru Accountable and Inclusive Governance Project 

Through technical assistance, knowledge exchanges, and resources tailored to the Pacific context, UNDP works to create resilient democratic institutions and a more inclusive, informed citizenry across the region. A critical component is the modernization of the Births, Deaths, and Marriages (BDM) registry, which currently operates on a paper-based system. The goal is to transition to a digitized CRVS platform that ensures every citizen’s right to legal identity and access to services.

The NAIG Project Phase II has Five outputs:

1. Output 1: Strengthen Parliament capacities to ensure inclusive, accountable governance
2. Output 2: Strengthen Electoral Commission processes and capacities
3. Output 3: Strengthen capacities of justice sector practitioners and institutions to deliver people-centred, rights-based justice services to all people
4. Output 4: Technical support to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Office
5. Output 3: Support to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for inclusive development

Support to the Electoral Projects

The Pacific Elections Assistance Program (PEAP) and the Voter Outreach for Transparent Elections (VOTE) Fiji project aim to strengthen electoral processes across the Pacific region. The PEAP is designed to enhance electoral institutional capacity, decision-making, and professional development across Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Through technical assistance, information exchanges, and sensitive approaches and aims to foster a more inclusive and representative democracy. Key outputs include advancing civic and voter education, improving election curricula for youth, enhancing operational efficiency, and strengthening election security. The VOTE Fiji project focuses on improving the electoral environment in Fiji by reinforcing the Fijian Elections Office’s transparency and civic awareness efforts. The project prioritises gender-sensitive approaches and aims to foster a more inclusive and representative democracy. Key outputs include advancing civic and voter education, improving election curricula for youth, enhancing operational efficiency, and strengthening election security.

These Projects align with the UNDP Multi-Country Program Document (2023-2027) Strategic Plan outcome, "No-one left behind," which centers on equitable access to opportunities and a rights-based approach to ongoing human agency and human development. The project's outputs directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), Country Program Document (CPD), and Regional Programme Document (RPD).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the NAIG Project Manager, and the PEAP and VOTE Fiji Project Manager, the - Project Specialist  is responsible for supporting the Project Managers to deliver high‑quality administrative, procurement, and financial services in support of project implementation. The incumbent ensures the effective, transparent, and accountable use of project resources and upholds the integrity of all financial and operational processes.

The Project Specialist provides leadership in managing administrative, financial and procurement functions, ensuring compliance with UNDP rules, regulations, and standards. - The incumbent fosters a strong client‑oriented approach, supports efficient project delivery, and contributes to strengthening operational systems that enhance the effectiveness and credibility of the project.

Summary of Functions:

Ensure  efficient and effective operational strategies, planning, coordination and monitoring of project results and activities

• Ensure that admin and procurement activities are fully aligned with UNDP rules, regulations, policies, and strategies throughout project implementation
• Provide oversight and guidance on contract management within the project, ensuring compliance with the organization’s legal framework and proactively identifying and mitigating procurement-related risks
• Develop and maintain procurement plans for the project, upload them into UNDP’s Corporate ERP system (Quantum), and monitor progress regularly
• Guide and support  in preparing procurement documentation, including RFQs, ITBs, and RFPs; manage the receipt and evaluation of quotations, bids, or proposals; and support negotiations on contract terms when required
• Manage reporting obligations to Project Management regarding the delivery of procurement services and goods
• Prepare Purchase Orders and contracts within UNDP’s Corporate ERP system (Quantum)
• Review and assess offers, provide recommendations for purchase finalization and contract awards, and analyze tender outcomes for commodities
• In coordination with the Fiji MCO Procurement Team, prepare submissions and responses for the Contract, Asset and Procurement (CAP) or Advisory Committee on Procurement (ACP) for project-related procurement matters.

Management of Project Finance, Budgets, and Cost-Recovery System

• Provide guidance to the Project Managers on day-to-day financial management and oversight of project-related activities.
• Contribute to the preparation of documentation for work plan formulation, progress reports, and periodic reviews with government counterparts and project partners.
• Update work plans and budgets in UNDP’s Corporate ERP system (Quantum).
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of payment requests from project partners and consultants to the Finance team.
• Support monitoring of project budget implementation and expenditure tracking.
• Advise and assist in establishing and maintaining contacts with national and provincial government institutions, NGOs, civil society organizations, and resource persons on project matters, and keep the contact database updated.
• Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Project Manager and project pesonnel  
• Deliver administrative and logistical assistance for organizing events, workshops, and missions.
• Facilitate preparation of agendas, draft and circulate meeting minutes to stakeholders, and coordinate arrangements for project-related meetings.
• Prepare reports, memos, letters, presentations, and other documents using tools such as word processing, spreadsheets, MS Project, MS PowerPoint, and databases.
• Support the organization of project-related meetings and sessions with various stakeholders.

Contribute to the implementation of project visibility and knowledge management activities: 

• Contribute to the systematic capacity building of implementing Partners and staff and counterparts through introduction of innovation and best practices, access to knowledge and expertise and promotion of their application to project implementation
• Support the PMs in capturing and disseminations of lessons learnt during project implementation
• Actively engage and promote teamwork, information sharing and collaboration within the project team and between project partners
• Provide substantive inputs to presentations, visibility activities, advocacy, and other project-related materials, etc.

Maintenance and archiving of project documentation and management of project assets

• Ensure all project related documentation are properly maintained in hard and electronic copies to include project document, correspondence, reports and other materials ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials by following the established filing and archiving standards and procedures for the office
• Ensure proper assets management, monitoring, recording and disposal.

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

Competencies

Core competencies

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have a lasting impact 
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, and develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate tasks/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigating the complex landscape, championing inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 3: Appreciate the benefits of a diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-functional & Technical competencies

Administration & Operations               

• Documents and records -management       Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving

Procurement  

• Contract management- Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations

Finance              

• Financial reporting and analysis- Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance

Finance

• Financial planning and budgeting-  Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysing and reporting

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 
• Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization

Business Direction & Strategy             

• System Thinking - Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Management

• Resource Management - Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A professional accounting qualification from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy, and/or Advanced (Masters) University Degree in Finance and/or Accounting is required. 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree 
• Candidates with professional accounting qualifications from an internationally accredited institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.
• Candidates with no professional accountancy qualifications, but with degrees that major in accountancy and/or finance must complete the Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), if recruited.
• Candidates satisfying the two above criteria are exempted from undertaking the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT).
• Candidates with MBA or master's in finance with no accountancy qualification but with relevant experience must successfully undertake the UNDP Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (AAFT) to be eligible for shortlisting.

Experience:

Minimum of five (5) years (with a Master’s degree) or seven (7) years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressive relevant experience in the area of resource management of programme projects and/or financial reporting in UNDP/UN Agency or an international development agency. 

Required  skills:

• Demonstrated ability to support planning, coordination and delivery of complex project activities
• Strong experience preparing financial reports, budget revisions, and monitoring expenditure against project workplans.
• Experience and in depth knowledge of the ERP Financials, Peoplesoft and any other corporate tools such as Hyperion and PowerBi
• Solid experience in procurement processes, including preparation of RFQs, RFPs, evaluations and contract management
• Experience contributing to progress updates, donor reports, and internal reporting.

Desired skills:

• Experience managing administrative workflows, logistics, asset management, and activity coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate digital documentation and filing systems 
• Demonstrated experience in financial management and oversight, including managing multi-donor budgets and meeting donor reporting requirements. 
• Experience from previous UN assignments and/or multilateral and bi-lateral aid organizations 
• Experience in development of learning and training materials for finance, project management and implementing partners
• Demonstrated ability to track indicators, maintain data quality, and support results-based reporting
• Experience and strong understanding of UNDP or UN procurement and financial management rules.

Required Language

• Fluency in English 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.

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