Project Assistant

Details

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the United Nations agency for cities and human settlements. UN-Habitat’s humanitarian work is guided by its Strategic Policy on Human Settlements in Crisis and the agency is a member of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). At the core of UN- Habitat’s work is UN-Habitat People’s Process and New Urban Agenda, which places participatory urban analysis, and planning as a central pillar of humanitarian response, recovery and the rehabilitation of fragile cities. UN-Habitat has been active in Iraq since 1996. After 2003, UN-Habitat was largely engaged in early recovery efforts, particularly supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs) through the provision of shelter and reconstruction solutions. Since then, UN-Habitat Iraq’s portfolio has expanded beyond emergency response to include both humanitarian programmes, such as providing IDPs and returnees with shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, and promoting urban recovery of areas affected by conflict, and developmental programmes that delivers technical support to address durable solutions for IDPs and informal settlers as well as essential capacity building for relevant government institutions. UN-Habitat Iraq follows a multi-dimensional and coherent approach in tackling diverse urban issues. These range from emergency response such as providing safe and basic shelter for IDPs and returnees, to projects that aim to build and develop the capacities of local and national governments in planning and managing urbanization, to more theoretical endeavours including research and analysis on the dynamics of urbanization and the impacts of armed conflict. The objective of this assignment is to provide technical supervision and inputs in project development and management, coordinate and support ongoing projects in monitoring and reporting, and oversight of field staff in project locations.

Context

UN-Habitat has been active in Iraq since 1996. After 2003, UN-Habitat was largely engaged in early recovery efforts, particularly supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs) through the provision of shelter and reconstruction solutions. Since then, UN-Habitat Iraq’s portfolio has expanded beyond emergency response to include both humanitarian programmes, such as providing IDPs and returnees with shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, and promoting urban recovery of areas affected by conflict, and developmental programmes that delivers technical support to address durable solutions for IDPs and informal settlers as well as essential capacity building for relevant government institutions. UN-Habitat Iraq follows a multi-dimensional and coherent approach in tackling diverse urban issues. These range from emergency response such as providing safe and basic shelter for IDPs and returnees, to projects that aim to build and develop the capacities of local and national governments in planning and managing urbanization, to more theoretical endeavours including research and analysis on the dynamics of urbanization and the impacts of armed conflict. UN-Habitat is currently expanding its support into western Ninewa of Iraq through a number of different initiatives. The objective of this assignment is to provide technical supervision and inputs in project development and management, coordinate and support ongoing projects in monitoring and reporting, and oversight of field staff in project locations.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Head of UN-Habitat Iraq or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Project Assistant will: - General; 1- Assist planning, implementation and monitoring of the project. Assist coordination with project counterparts and stakeholders. 2- Assist project monitoring and information gathering/analysis for reporting. - Finance; 1- Prepare, submit, and track petty cash requests related to project personnel and monitor payment to ensure all personnel receive cash in a timely manner. 2- Collect and verify the received invoices, confirm accuracy of computation and completeness, collect necessary signatures and transfer to the authorized petty cash holder for payment. 3- Track and monitor money transfers to field officers in Tel Afar, Sinjar and Baaj to confirm it has been received by the authorized person. 4- Receive, check and prepare monthly payroll and entitlement packages for all third-party personnel for signature and approval by Project Manager. 5- Assist the Project Manager with solicitation and monitoring of Implementing Partners (IPs) including the preparation of Call for Proposal packages, preparation of Agreement of Cooperation packages, monitor the preparation of the payment paperwork as per Agreement of Cooperation, and review IP reports for compliance to agreement requirements. 6- Maintain financial records, filing, classifying, and archiving all the above related documents. - Project Administration; 1- Support facilitation of basic administrative processes. 2- Assist in administrative arrangement for meetings, workshops, training, conferences, and field visits. Assist in translating the official documents as requested by the Project Manager and support with translation when necessary. 3- Support the overall management of the project field offices in Tel Afar, Sinjar and Baaj in relation to office rent payments, contract monitoring, maintenance requirements, petty cash requests, ensure regular maintenance of printers, IT equipment, generators, etc. 4- Assist in preparing inventory sheet for purchased project equipment and record and track delivery of items to the field locations in Tel Afar, Sinjar and Baaj. 5- Serve as project focal point to the UN-Habitat Erbil operations team on behalf of the project. Coordinate extensively with UN-Habitat operations team and liaise frequently with internal team members in Baghdad and Erbil offices and the field. 6- Maintain up-to-date work files (both paper and electronic). 7- Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor. -Results/Expected Outputs:- • As an active UN-Habitat team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UN-Habitat Iraq and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Specific support to the implementation of the project titled “Support for Urban Recovery and Peacebuilding in Western Ninewa, Iraq” funded by the European Union. • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment •A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter-parts, including Implementing Partners (IPs); • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development dur-ing the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.