Programme Management Assistant (Project Post)

Contract

This is a G-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-5 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP's Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

This post is located in UNEP/DEPI/Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) at the Athens duty station. Under the general supervision of MAP Quality Status Report (QSR) Programme Management Officer and the day-to-day supervision of the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) MED III and Marine Litter MED II Project Managers, the Programme Management Assistant (Project Post) will mainly assist the implementation of two EU funded projects; “Support to Efficient Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach, in coherence with the EU MSFD” project (EcAp MED III) and the Marine Litter MED II project (ML MED II)" the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Responsibilities 1. General Administration: Drafting routine correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant administrative, financial audit, personnel matters. Performs other related administrative duties, as required such as operational travel programme, assistance with projects related meeting preparation both in relation to finances and travel, including the preparation and formatting of meeting documents in different UNEP/MAP working languages; administers contracts and monitors accounts and; payment to vendors and individual contractors for services; physical space planning; identifitying office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems; organizing and coordinating seminars, conferences and translations. Maintaining liaison with the officials in other units and Regional Activity Centres (RACs) regarding on-going programmes and other administrative matters; monitoring processes and schedules related to the unit’s outputs, products and tasks. Researching, compiling and summarizing background materials for use in preparation of reports, briefs and speeches. Providing assistance in the coordination of service-wide activities such as meetings, special projects and events. Providing general assistance to other office support staff, as required. Attending meetings, preparing minutes, and monitoring follow-up activities. Responding or drafting responses to a wide range of correspondence and other communications; uses standard word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports in English. Carries out quality control function for outgoing documents; proofreading and editing texts. Assisting in the preparation of presentation materials using appropriate technology/software. Contributing to the preparation of legal instruments and technical correspondence. Maintaining calendar/schedules; monitoring changes and communicating relevant information to appropriate staff inside and outside the immediate work unit. Maintaining both paper and electronic filing and databases for work unit.

2. Consultancy Contracts: Drafting Terms of Reference (TOR) for consultancy assignments and following up. Assisting in the evaluation of applications and screens for correctness and completeness. Initiating and following up payment process and maintaining budgetary control records.

3. Small Scale Fund Agreements (SSFA): Preparing and processing legal instruments between MAP and other partners, checking reports for compliance with TOR, initiating and following up payment process and maintaining budgetary control records. Screening requests for support, soliciting more information as needed, researching the appropriateness and feasibility for providing financial assistance, drafting the legal instruments and follows up under the guidance of the Programme Officers, monitoring legal Instruments; execution and follows-up on payments keeping all relevant records.

4. Budget and Finance: In close cooperation with the Budget Assistant, assisting in the preparation and review of financial proposals/requirements. Consolidating budget/financial part of project's plan, grants, other financial agreements and procurement. Assisting in monitoring of financial delivery under the Work Plan on a monthly basis and giving recommendations accordingly. Assisting in monitoring of expenditures; preparing adjustments as necessary, in consultation with the Project Manager. Assisting project officers and managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. Assisting in preparation of project reports, accounting spreadsheets ensuring consistency of budget expenditures, reports and UMOJA accounts, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. Assisting in the preparation and customizing of financial reports from UMOJA generated reports.

(5) Performs other related duties as assigned.

Competencies PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of internal policies, processes and procedures generally and in particular those related to programme/project administration, implementation and evaluation, technical cooperation, programming and budgeting. Understanding of the functions and organization of the work unit and of the organizational structure and respective roles of related units. Ability to work well with figures, undertake basic research and gather information from standard sources. Experience and knowledge of the UN Financial Rules and Regulations is desirable. Demonstrated ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required. Formal training in the field of administration, budget and finance and/or any related fields is desirable.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Successful passing of the Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT) in English at the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

The GGST is administered to applicants when required before the administration of a written assessment and/or interview

Work Experience A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in programme or project administration, technical cooperation or related area is required.

Experience in Computer literacy (Office Software) is required.

Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems e.g. UMOJA is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations secretariat. For this position fluency in oral and written English is required. Working knowledge of French is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language of the Mediterranean region is desirable.

NOTE: ''Fluency'' equals a rating of ''fluent'' in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ''knowledge of'' equals a rating of ''confident'' in two of the four areas.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice This project post is open for recruitment for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension. Please note that extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. External candidates will be considered only when no suitable internal candidate from the duty station is identified. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. The candidate is responsible for any travel and relocation expenses incurred to take-up the appointment and if they do not already have the right to work in the duty station, appointment is contingent on issuance of a visa from the local authorities.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Internal Applicants – when completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.