Senior Project Analyst (NPSA9)

UNDP is supporting the government’s effort to implement the decommissioning and normalization aspects of the Bangsamoro peace process. It has designed the Project “Assistance for Security, Peace, Integration and Recovery for Advancing Human Security in BARMM” (ASPIRE for BARMM) to help address the challenge of collecting unregistered personal firearms of both former MILF combatants as well as members of the private armed groups. Due to the significantly adverse ratio between decommissioned combatants and firearms “put beyond use,” this challenge has become a point of contention between the parties to the peace process. The programme outcome aims at integrating comprehensive human security policy initiatives, raising from the ones that capture the former combatants’ socio-economic needs to those that promote climate action and disaster risk reduction, which contributes to advancing the local implementation of SDGs among all the people in Mindanao.

As such, UNDP is seeking a Senior Project Officer who will support the Project Manager in managing the day-to-day operations of the ASPIRE project. The Senior Project Officer is tasked to assist in the design and implementation of project activities while ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of work. The Senior Project Officer is expected to report daily to the Project Manager. The position holder also demonstrates a client-oriented approach, tact, and ability to work with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. Moreover, the Senior Project Officer works in close collaboration with the UNDP Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, as well as with other UN Agencies, government officials, technical advisors and experts, donors, civil society and locals to successfully implement the project. The Senior Project Officer is expected to travel in various areas in Mindanao and BARMM.

The Senior Project Officer will be directly responsible for successfully completing the below set of tasks within allotted, agreed-upon time frames:

• Ensure administration and implementation of the project activities: Assigned under the Project Manager, lead the project members in the identification, preparation, implementation, review and adjustments in the overall project implementation strategies, Annual Work and Financial Plans, Activity Design, reports, letters, minutes, Monitoring and Evaluation Plans, and Communications Plans; Coordinate international/ national partners and stakeholders to implement the project; Prepare and implement project activities to ensure effective and efficient impacts, including budget allocation; Participate in the analysis and summarization of proposals on the assigned thematic areas; Present information/ reports for identification of areas for support and interventions; Support the implementation of the CO partnerships and resource mobilization strategies; and Prepare various reports, including quarterly and annual progress reports.
• Provide effective support and contributes to the efficient management of the project: Presentation of thoroughly researched information for formulation of country programme; Preparation of project document drafts, work plans, budgets, low-value agreements, proposals on implementing arrangements; Initiation of a project, contribute to presentation of the project to the PAC, entering project into ATLAS, UN ALL, or Quantum, finalization of contribution agreements, preparation of required budget revisions, and closure of projects through review; Participation in Local Project Appraisal Committee (LCAP) and Contracts, Assets and Procurement Committee (CAP); Analyze and submit procurement processes to CAP; Provision of guidance to executing agencies on routine implementation of projects, tracking use of financial resources; Follow-up on performance indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, preparation of reports; Contribution to operational and substantive analysis of project financial resources, identification of operational and financial problems and development of solutions.
• Manage the provision of administrative support to the project: Guidance in the elaboration of proper control of the supporting documents for payments, review of financial reports; Guidance in the maintenance of the internal expenditures control system, which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed; Transactions are correctly recorded and posted in ATLAS, UNALL or Quantum; Timely monitoring and execution of corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions and unapproved vouchers.
• Contribute to the creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of resource mobilization: Assist the Project Manager in Managing Partnerships toward the effective, efficient and timely implementation of project activities; Analysis of information on donors,  national counterparts and stakeholders, preparation of their profile and database, establishment of contacts with them; Tracking and reporting on mobilized resources; Liaison with donors, partner counterparts and stakeholders on the implementation of common initiatives and projects.
• Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results: Organization and facilitation of trainings for the programme/ project personnel; Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices from the project implementation; Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Perform additional related tasks as per the request of the Project Manager.

Core Competencies

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Partnership Management

• Donor Partnerships: Knowledge and understanding of donor strategies, approached, processes and systems.
• Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Business Management

• 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.
• Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

Business Development

• Collective Intelligence Design: Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.

Administration & Operations

• Events management (including retreats, trainings, and meetings): Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.

Finance

• Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, including International Relations, Community Development, Project Management, Peace and Conflict Studies or other related fields. Or Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields with four (4) years of experience in lieu of Master’s degree.

• If Master’s minimum of two (2) years, If Bachelor’s degree, a minimum of four (4) years of work experience in project management and coordination, preferably in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
• Proven experience of effective partnership development with national counterparts, development partners and civil society is required.
• Relevant work experience in sustainable area development, community transition and peacebuilding at the level of communities is an advantage.
• Work experience in Normalization, Women, Peace and Security, and Preventing/ Countering Violent Extremism in BARMM will be preferred.
• Previous experience in International Organizations, such as the UN, is an advantage, especially knowledge about Business Processes.
• Proven experience of working with the key stakeholders of the peace processes in BARMM is an advantage.
• Resident of BARMM or Mindanao or willingness to relocate is highly preferred.

Language Requirement: