Program Associate

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

The West and Central Africa (WACA) UNDP Sub-regional Hub provides the strategic insight and contribution for the implementation of the UNDP Renewed Strategic Offer for Africa and the corporate strategic plan 2022-2025. Among the various programming tools, the UNDP WACA Hub implement a regional program on governance and another one on youth empowerment. Thus, the Hub is responsible for operationalizing the two Programmes (Youth Empowerment Sahel Governance Offer/Promise) through the design and implementation of a wide range of initiatives aligned to the overarching vision of UNDP Africa Bureau. The overall initiatives will be implemented using the programme delivery and management structures of UNDP’s Country Offices, its UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa, and Sub Regional Hub Dakar under the overall direction of the Regional Hub Manager.

The Youth regional project offers opportunities for co-creation with youth for enhanced employability and innovative entrepreneurship, digital technology, greening, youth voices, connectivity, and creation of an enabling environment. The project ambitions to bring youth and development actors together to co-create innovative solutions and new ways of working on youth empowerment. The planned initiatives will be implemented using the youth empowerment focal points/teams and management structures of UNDP’s Country Offices, the Sub Regional Hub for West & Central Africa, the Regional Service Centre based in Addis Ababa and the Regional Bureau for Africa. The project ambitions to bring youth and development actors together to co-create innovative solutions and new ways of working on youth empowerment in the Sahel region. The project will also engage youth organizations as agents of change to play an active role in the project implementation.

The Programme Assistant position is part of the Governance and Peacebuilding team. The incumbent functions under direct supervision of the Governance and Peacebuilding advisor and working closely with the manager of the youth empowerment and governance regional programs. The program assistant will support on planning, monitoring, evaluation, project quality assurance and reporting. S/he also contributes to project implementation, partnerships building, resource mobilization, communications, knowledge management, delivery of results and capacity building.

Under the direct supervision of Governance and Peacebuilding advisor and working closely with the managers of the two regional programmes (governance and youth empowerment), the national UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Provide administrative support to the Governance and Peacebuilding advisor:

• Provide administrative support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plan, budget, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements.
• Coordinate the collection of information for the project audit and support implementation of audit recommendations.
• Support development or updating of standard operating procedures, guidelines, checklists, templates, and business processes in project management to support implementing partners.
• Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for documents, guidelines, speeches, and position papers.
• Provide secretariat services, including organizing and taking notes for Project Management Unit meetings, partners meetings, project review and/or evaluation meetings, as needed in relevant meetings
• Contribute to the organization of trainings, workshops, meetings, and other events

2. Provide support to the financial management of the Project Management Units in close

collaboration with the program managers: - Create projects in UNDP digital financial management system (quantum), prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project. - Monitor budget preparation and the finances of the project, prepare periodic reports. - Review financial reports from partners, prepare vouchers. - Maintain compliance to internal expenditures control system, post transactions in UNDP digital financial management system (quantum) - Create requisitions in UNDP digital financial management system (quantum), register good receipts. - Follow up of cost-recovery processes.

3. Provide support in project procurement planning and implementation for the Governance and peacebuilding team:

• Oversee all logistical, administrative, and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions.
• Support follow up on the implementation of key tasks.
• Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations.
• Lead the preparation of procurement plans and monitor their implementation.
• Generate procurement related reports, research, and draft responses to enquiries
• Review procurement requests and initiate procurement procedures for project equipment, supplies and services
• Organize procurement activities and processes, including preparation.

4. Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization and partnership:

• Contribute to resource mobilization efforts through the funding proposal and mapping of partners
• Contribute to the development of agreements with partners.
• Monitor the milestone of funding agreement and advise thereof.
• Organize, compile, and process information from programme donors and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: - Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take 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 reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities using UNV’s Volunteer Reporting Application- - 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.

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Building Trust
• Client Orientation
• Commitment and Motivation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Creativity
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Knowledge Sharing
• Leadership
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity
• Self-Management
• Technological Awareness
• Working in Teams

Project management support, Financial Management, Logistics Management, Procurement, and related fields in international and/or national NGOs, public and private organizations in development and humanitarian contexts. Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an asset.

• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Sound security awareness.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Dakar, SENEGAL. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers: The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health, and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents - except for UN Community Volunteers), as well as final repatriation (if applicable). You can check full entitlements at https://app.unv.org/calculator . Furthermore, in non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, a Well-Being Differential (WBD) will be provided monthly.