Project Officer NPSA 9 Bissau,Guinea-Bissau

Background

UNDP is committed to recruiting staff who are diverse in terms of gender, nationality and culture. We also encourage applications from people from ethnic minorities, indigenous communities and people with disabilities. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. 

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and/or abuse, or any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, and/or any form of discrimination. All selected candidates will therefore be required to undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
 

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015 by all Member States of the United Nations as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity, leaving no one back (LNOB). The 17 SDGs are integrated – that is, they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Guinea-Bissau requires innovative solutions and structural transformation. The 2019 UNDP Human Development Report ranked Guinea-Bissau near the bottom of the global human development index, 177th out of 189 countries, and 174th out of 195 countries in the latest SDG index.

 

Guinea-Bissau has a history of political and institutional fragility dating back to its independence in 1974; since then, the country has suffered frequent changes in government, including military coups. Military involvement in the political and economic spheres is strong, making the state illegitimate for many citizens. Reforms, strategies and policy implementation slowed down, and consequently were delayed for many years. Fragile and fragmented governance, rent-seeking and corruption as well as weak state institutions, especially at the local level, have hampered the good delivery of public services to the population, particularly with regard to education, health, clean water and sanitation. Approximately 70% of the population lives below the national income poverty line. Since 1990, the population has almost doubled to around 1.8 million, with over 60% of people under the age of 25. More than half of the population is illiterate, with large disparities, especially when disaggregated by gender (the literacy rate is 62.4% for men against 30.7% for women). Guinea-Bissau is one of the countries with fragile health systems in the world, with high prevalence of HIV infections, tuberculosis and malaria in West Africa and one of the highest maternal mortality rates and low life expectancy in the world. Moreover, the lack of reliable statistical data makes it difficult to track progress on other country indicators. SDG and constitutes a major constraint to the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and development strategies.

 

There is a strong correlation between political instability and low levels of economic development, which, together with uncertain regulatory and policy frameworks, has limited foreign direct investment to less than USD 21 million per year. Although chronic political instability partly explains the setbacks in the development process, the absence of reliable evidence-based data and a National Planning System (NPS) has hampered all opportunities to lead the country on the path of sustainable development. Planning has always been practiced, but without a normative framework and a coherent articulated SNP, integrating various links in the Planning-Programming-Budgeting-Monitoring/Follow-up) - Evaluation (PPOMA) chain. The country suffers from the absence of a functional and transparent SNP that anchors public policies and facilitates the implementation of coordinated and effective developmental interventions.

 

The weak capacity to mobilize internal resources, combined with inefficiency in the coordination of development aid and assistance, reinforced some of the dysfunctions in Guinea-Bissau's macroeconomic management. Analysis of the public investment portfolio (PIP) shows that only 5% of financing is based on domestic revenues (with an implementation rate of less than 20%, making the contribution of domestic resources almost zero, ie 1%). Between 2010 and 2016, the PIP was on average 95% financed by external aid, of which 74% in the form of grants/subsidies and the remainder in the form of loans on preferential terms. In 2011, Guinea-Bissau was considered the twentieth country most dependent on foreign aid for development. Faced with this situation, the country lacks a mechanism for mobilizing and managing internal resources that would be channeled to finance the productive sector.

 

The ‘Building Better From Here On in Guinea-Bissau – Guinea Bissau 2030 Strategic Vision’ project seeks to generate and use cutting-edge research and knowledge resources to develop better development strategies, coordinate allocation of development finance and, through an operational Partnership for Development Framework (DPF), strengthen institutional capacities to attract public and private as well as internal and external resources. This will be achieved through the implementation of an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF), including a Development Financing Assessment (DFA) process and pursuant Financing Strategy, that would have a transformative effect on the planning and implementation of development programs, allowing a strategic and efficient use of available financial resources, better targeting of interventions, and effective monitoring/evaluation of development programs and their resource allications by the Government, international partners and the private sector.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Economics Advisor and National Economist, the Project Officer will contribute to the overall management and implementation of the Guinea-Bissau 2030 project initiatives 

via: supporting timely and high-quality delivery of outputs according to the project work plans and programme procedures of the Strategic and Economics Cluster; 

 

The Project Officer applies established systems and procedures and assists in the creation of substantive knowledge by compiling, synthesizing, and analyzing information relevant to the successful implementation of the Guinea-Bissau 2030 project. 

 

Supports Economics Advisor and National Economist in implementation of INFF and coordination of DFA exercise and Finance Strategy.

 

Works closely with Data and M&E Analyst in implementing the SDG Data Action Plan, Crisis Response Dashboard, INFF Dashboard, and other data systems for SDG implementation in coordination with VPM office and INE.

 

1. Types of activities supported by the project Officer include:
   • Oversee delivery of all operational and logistical aspects of the Guinea-Bissau 2030 project, ensuring day-to-day operations run efficiently and comply with the policies and procedures of the Strategic and Economics Cluster;
   • Assist the Economics Advisor and National Economist with the drafting of project concept notes;
   • Participate and oversee contractors and suppliers’ agreements and review invoices prior to processing by the Project assistant;
   • Propose and facilitate the processing of contracts for consultants/service providers and external partners that provide services to the Guinea-Bissau 2030 project. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR, and making necessary logistical arrangements;
   • Responsioble for the drafting of TORs for experts/companies being contracted to provide services to the Guinea-Bissau 2030 projects;
   • Draft proposals and narrative descriptions of outcomes on Programme activities for M&E and Strategic and Policy Unit;
   • Maintain regular communications with team members –– including the Economics Advisor, National Economist, Data / M&E Analsyt, Programme and Project Officer(s);
   • Regularly liaise with other programme stakeholders – including current and potential stakeholders, and host organizations;
   • Assist the Economics Advisor and National Economist in regular communication with Stakeholders and Guinea-Bissau 2030 service providers;
   • Support the development of results-based communications products with the communication officer of Strategic and Economics Cluster and Monitoring events and news developments relating to the Guinea-Bissau 2030 project;
   • Assist with other related tasks, as requested by the Economics Advisor and National Economist;
   • Participate in the mobilization of resources and partnerships aimed at strengthening the capacity of UNDP for better project implementation and;
   • Contribute to gender empowerment and equity in the Leave No One Behind programme. 

 

       Undertaking these activities will lead to the achievement of the following key results:

 

• The Guinea-Bissau 2030 is successfully implemented within the defined timeline by the Cluster;
• Activities defined in project are each implemented and achieved the intended outcomes;
• The transition of the Guinea-Bissau 2030 project to the Government is achieved

Key Functions

 

 Manage the Project to achieve agreed results, timelines, and budgets

 

• Manage and coordinate Project activities based on the Project Document, including the supervision and guidance of project staff, consultants and experts, to achieve the intended Project results successfully;

 

• Plan and develop Project Annual Work Plans according to the Project Document in close consultation with Chief of Strategic and Economic Cluster;

 

• Develop/review all project operational plans (procurement, HR, M&E etc), budget revisions and cash allocation and disbursements of donor funds in line with donor requirements and UNDP rules and regulations;

 

• Drafting of TORs and associated contracting requirements for the procurement of goods, services and personnel needed to implement project activities;

 

• Prepare for and facilitate Project Board Meetings and implement actions from the Project Board Meetings and circulation of meeting minutes to all stakeholders;

 

• Regularly meet with Government and other project partners to ensure identified projects risks are managed with mitigation measures implemented and updated;       

 

• Manage and where necessary report issues with significant impact on UNDPs reputation and effectiveness to the Technical Advisor for assessment and escalation to Senior Management for discussion and decisions;

 

• Ensure UNDP’s corporate policies and procedures are complied with in all programme and operational activities with appropriate actions taken to address challenges;

 

• Identify opportunities to deepen cooperation with partners and stakeholders and at the same time provide recommendations on approaches to deal with stakeholders based on the information gathered during project design;

 

• Appropriate management of project assets, records and filing system etc;

 

 

Delivers effective programmatic implementation and conducts quality assurance activities:

 

• Assess project impacts and oversee the appropriateness and accuracy of methods used to verify progress against results and prepare reports according to UNDP, Donor and Government requirements;

 

• Ensure clear governance processes and procedures are correctly followed with required actions addressed or implemented in a timely manner;

 

•  Closely monitor the progress of the project and ensure it is in line with the project implementation 

timeframe as agreed and approved in the project document;

 

• Provide regular project updates/reports on the progress of the project including issues, risks and challenges with recommended remedial actions to the project board and UNDP for informed decisions and corrective actions;

 

• Have in place information management system for data collection, analysis and tracking against targets, outputs and outcome results;

 

• Ensure gender is mainstreamed access all project activities;

 

• Monitor and provide project quality assurance across projects financial, procurement and administrative processes in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations;

 

• Coordinate timely and effective submission of quality reports monthly, quarterly and annual implementation progress reports and briefs as required by UNDP, Government and Donors;

 

• Implement audit recommendations for the project and provide inputs to audits and evaluation management responses, tracking and implementation of actions.

 

Facilitates and coordinates provision of high-quality technical advice and builds partnerships:

 

• Coordinate advisory activities of the Project’s technical staff and consultants;

• Ensure that technical outputs are provided according to plans and up to highest technical standards;

 

• Establish, maintain and facilitate strategic dialogue between Project staff and Government officials at national and   local levels, NGOs, partners, donors and other stakeholders in Project sites and sectors of work;

 

• Advocate positively for UNDP with partners and other stakeholders;

 

• Identify resource mobilization opportunities in close collaboration with UNDP’s Environment Portfolio;

 

• Develop Project Concept Notes and proposals as and when requested or required.

 

 Knowledge management and experience sharing

 

• Ensure that the Project systematically builds the capacities of implementing and project partners through the introduction of innovation and best practices;

 

• Facilitates access to knowledge and expertise and promotes the application of these through the Project implementation;

 

• Promote teamwork, information sharing and collaboration within the Project and among the Project Team and the larger Environment Portfolio within the UNDP Country Office;

 

• Promote skills’ development of Project staff through provision of opportunities for training, coaching and mentoring;

 

• Ensure lessons learnt during the Project’s implementation is fully captured and disseminated

for knowledge building, learning and scaling up;

 

• Create an electronic platform for the exchange of information, best practices and experiences;

 

• Facilitate the Project’s representation and/or participation in  international knowledge

networks to draw on, and share best practice, and lessons learned for application in PNG.

 

General

 

• The Project Officer may be called on to provide other duties and services when required to support the Project, 

the Accelerator Hub Portfolio, or the broader UNDP Country Office.

 

Impact of Results

Enhanced collaboration between the different stakeholders for private sector development. 

Improved business and innovation skills among entrepreneurs and startups, with special care for including female and young entrepreneurs

Improved institutional capacity, knowledge management and evidence-based learning to support informed policy and regulation for private sector growth

 

4.      Institutional Arrangement

 

The immediate supervisor of this contract is the Economics Adviser, in matrix with the National Economist.

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
People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)   UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.    Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business  Direction & 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
Business Management	Resource Management	Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity
Business Management	Project Management	Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Administrations & Operations	Assets Management	Knowledge of policy & procedures on PP&E; ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E; maintain Asset Management Module in ATLAS, Asset Dashboard; develop supporting tools for assets certification and further enhancements for AM module; design and run training programs, etc. on assets management and assets recording; run AP- AM interface; perform AP-AM-GL reconciliation; perform analytical review of AM reports and asset information to ensure completeness and accuracy of asset information
Finance	Accounting (General)	Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations

 

 

 

Required Skills and Experience

 

Education:

Advanced University degree Master's degree or equivalent in economic development and management, Business Administration, Project Management and development, Economics, Public Administration, or related degree 

 

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree in ingeneering program development and management, Business Administration, Project Management and development, Engineering, Economics, Accounting, Public Administration  or related degree with an additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years with a Master’s degree or 4 years with a Bachelor’s degree OR of relevant progressive experience in Business Administration, Economics, Accounting Management, Development and Management with a focus on planning, monitoring, reporting, and stakeholder and team coordination.
• Technical competency in 2 or more of the following areas including but not limited to Manage electronics platforms, Manage communities ecosystem in African context;
• Demonstrated experience performing management and administrative actions for a project of similar complexity;
• Technical knowledge and experience with building institutions and capacity building among a broad range of stakeholders is required;
• Additional professional certificates related to project management would be considered an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of Guinea-Bissau’s political and socio- economic context; 
• Previous working experiences with Government, national institutions and communities is an advantage
• Strong knowledge of UNDP POPP rules and regulations with ATLAS experience is an advantage;
• Ability to administer budgets, train and work effectively with counterpart staff at all levels and with all groups involved in the Project;
• Strong written and oral communication skills including, presentation and reporting skills;

Required Language(s) (at working level)

 

Fluency in spoken and written Portuguese and English. Ability to communicate effectively with individuals of varying backgrounds. (especially when engaging with locals stakeholders)

 

Disclaimer

Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Important information for applicants

All positions in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.

Information for applicants regarding the UNDP Roster

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying for this position for other similar positions within UNDP at the same level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce Diversity

UNDP is committed to diversity in its workforce and encourages all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, culture, religion and ethnicity, to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. We strongly encourage applications from women.

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