ISGAP Project Associate

Details

Mission and objectives

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Context

UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas. The programme is part of the Adaptation Fund's innovation facility, providing small grants to developing countries to support innovation for effective, long-term adaptation to climate change. Two of the Adaptation Fund's accredited multilateral implementing entities (MIEs), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), receive US$5 million each to administer and aggregate a small grants project (up to US$250,000 each). In December 2020, European Commission and UNDP signed an additional €10 million funding contribution to this programme. UNDP acts as small grant aggregator for innovation in adaptation, making small grants available to a broad scope of stakeholders on a competitive basis. The programme will focus on producing the Expected Results of the 'Strategic Focus 2 (Innovation)' in the Adaptation Fund Medium-Term Strategy 2018-2022, which are: • (Expected Results 3) New innovations encouraged and accelerated - Development of innovative adaptation practices, tools, and technologies encouraged and accelerated; and • (Expected Result 4) Evidence base generated - Evidence of effective, efficient adaptation practices, products, and technologies generated as a basis for implementing entities and other funds to assess scaling up. Therefore, the AF-EU-UNDP Innovation Small Grant Aggregator Platform (ISGAP) Project was designed to support the developing, diffusion, and evidence-building of innovative adaptation practices, tools, and technologies in developing countries. The ISGAP Project Management Unit (PMU) has been set up to implement the project, and its staff is hosted between UNDP´s Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) and UNDP´s Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH). The direct supervisor for this UNV (the ISGAP Project Manager) is hosted at BHR, hence, this position will be hosted in the same regional hub. To adequately articulate potential collaboration opportunities and synergies, as well as knowledge building and sharing between the ISGAP Project and other regional bilateral projects on climate action implemented by the BRH, this UNV is also expected to provide technical and administrative support to the Korean-funded projects implemented by the NCE Team in this hub.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the ISGAP Project Manager and direct coordination and guidance of the NCE Regional Team Leader (RTL) from the Regional Bureau for Asia Pacific (RBAP) or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Project Associate will: Technical support to the ISGAP PMU: • Support the ISGAP PMU to follow-up with grantees, ensuring that they meet the performance targets and indicators from their Low Value Grant Agreements (LVGA), as well as the risk management measures, safeguards and gender commitments. In coordination with the Project Manager, the consultant will engage regularly with ISGAP´s grantees through emails or calls with the objective of accompanying the CSOs/NGOs to meet their workplans´ goals, and to support UNDP identify potential challenges and solutions to problems. • Assist the ISGAP PMU to review the quarterly and annual substantive reports, and provide feedback to grantees as necessary. • Contribute to the development of knowledge management and communications ISGAP products. • In coordination with the ISGAP Project Manager, the UNV will support processes that enable UNDP to provide project management or technical assistance to grantees (e.g. contribute to the organization of trainings/consultations, provide inputs to draft works/service specifications, follow up with different UNDP units or external partners to provide technical assistance, as needed). • Support the organization and deployment of project site M&E and learning missions, if deemed necessary. This entails coordinating, under the lead of the Project Manager, with certain UNDP´s Country Offices or with the UNV network. Administration and implementation of operational and financial services for the ISGAP Project: • Maintain the office operations and budget for the ISGAP PMU; • Responsible for updating the UNDP project information repository system (PIMS+) and finance application (Quantum), tracking required information and following up on correspondence with project proponents, Country Offices, and Headquarters, and processing documentation for submission, including final quality check regarding accuracy and compliance with formats and guidelines; • Assist the ISGAP Project Manager with work planning; • Assist the ISGAP Project Manager with tracking project delivery through monitoring of project grantee report & performance; • Assist the ISGAP Project Manager with the preparation of project budgets and revisions; • Assist the ISGAP Project Manager and Finance Associate with monitoring the project expenditures, the deviation from the approved budget, and the need for budget revision; • Provide the information/reports on the financial/accounting situation of the ISGAP Project and propose solutions to improve the situation; • Assist the ISGAP Project Manager with compiling necessary financial data for donor reporting. Procurement support to ISGAP´s PMU: • Provide full support on procurement planning and procurement of goods and services for the ISGAP Project; • Provide support on grant selection processes for the ISGAP Project; • Monitor and flag any potential bottlenecks, identify issues, and propose solutions to the ISGAP Project Manager promptly. Administrative support to the ISGAP PMU: • Responsible for making logistical arrangements for project personnel, experts, government, and UNDP officers for ISGAP Project-related workshops and events; • Provide the necessary logistical and administrative support for the annual ISGAP Project Board Meetings; • Support the ISGAP Project Manager in monitoring the work and deliverables of project consultants and report to the Procurement Analyst for high-quality and timely contractual management; • Serve as a custodian for the ISGAP PMU stationery, supplies, and distribution among PMU members and project personnel keeping a log of distribution; • Maintain financial documents filling system in the ISGAP PMU; • Perform other related duties and backstopping other project assistants as necessary. Technical and administrative support to other regional bilateral funded projects for climate action: • Provide technical and administrative support to the regional bilateral projects on climate action, specially the Korean-funded ones implemented by the NCE Team in the Bangkok Regional Hub (BHR). • Articulate potential collaboration opportunities and synergies between the ISGAP Project and other regional bilateral projects on climate action implemented by the BHR. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing: • Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices for the ISGAP Programme (technical, operational, financial); • Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice; • Assist project staff with relevant input on UNDP Rules and Regulations, in particular on project management issues; • Building sound relationship between the UNV office and UNDP´s climate action team. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance, in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end-of-assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible. Results/expected outputs • As an active UNDP team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high- quality support rendered to UNDP/ISGAP and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Technical support to the ISGAP PMU • Administration and implementation of operational and financial services for the ISGAP Project • Procurement support to the ISGAP PMU • Administrative support to the ISGAP PMU • Provide technical and administration support to the regional bilateral projects on climate action, especially the Korean-funded projects implemented by the Bangkok Regional Hub (BHR). • Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing for the ISGAP Project and for other regional bilateral funded projects for climate action, specially the Korean-funded projects. • 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. • Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment