Programme Support Associate: Youth & Operations
Gain practical experience in UN coordination and support UNFPA's youth development initiatives.
Overview
Gain practical experience in UN coordination and support UNFPA's youth development initiatives.
You have:
- Demonstrated interest or experience in administrative coordination, office management or project support.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in meeting coordination, records management, knowledge management or inter-agency collaboration.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in supporting organizational planning, reporting and stakeholder engagement.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in working in multicultural environments or supporting development programmes.
- Skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Microsoft Teams).
- Skills in minute taking, report writing and professional business communication.
- Skills in document and records management.
- Skills in planning, organization and coordination of meetings and events.
- Skills in information management and attention to detail.
Contract
This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.
This assignment provides an opportunity for a young professional to gain practical experience within the United Nations system by supporting UNFPA's programme priorities and the coordination functions of the Youth Theme Group (YTG) and the Operations Management Team (OMT). The Youth Theme Group promotes coordinated UN action on youth development, participation and empowerment, while the Operations Management Team strengthens collaboration and harmonization of common operational services across UN agencies through initiatives such as the Business Operations Strategy (BOS), Common Back Office (CBO) and other UN Reform priorities. Working under the guidance of the UNFPA and in collaboration with the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), the UN Volunteer will contribute to the planning, coordination, documentation and follow-up of inter-agency meetings and initiatives, while also providing administrative and operational support to UNFPA. The assignment offers valuable exposure to UN coordination mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, knowledge management, youth programming and organizational administration. Through structured mentoring, coaching and workplace learning, the UN Volunteer will strengthen competencies in coordination, administration, communication, project support and inter-agency collaboration while contributing to more effective implementation of UNFPA programmes and UNCT priorities,
Under the direct supervision of Mr Yu Yu (UNFPA Country Representative), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Support programme coordination and implementation ● Support the coordination and implementation of activities under the Youth Theme Group (YTG) and the Operations Management Team (OMT) by assisting with annual work planning, implementation schedules and coordination of agreed priorities. ● Assist with organizing meetings, workshops, consultations and joint activities undertaken through the YTG and OMT, ensuring effective logistical and administrative support. ● Contribute to the implementation of approved work plans and support the timely delivery of coordination outputs.
Support UNCT internal coordination mechanisms ● Provide secretariat support to the Youth Theme Group (YTG) by coordinating meetings, preparing agendas and background documentation, drafting minutes, maintaining action trackers and following up on agreed actions with participating agencies. ● Provide secretariat support to the Operations Management Team (OMT) by coordinating meetings, maintaining records of decisions, monitoring implementation of agreed actions and supporting collaboration among OMT members. ● Facilitate information sharing and communication among UN agencies participating in the YTG and OMT to strengthen collaboration, coordination and implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). ● Support the coordination of joint initiatives undertaken through the YTG and OMT, including monitoring progress against annual work plans and agreed priorities.
Conduct research, data collection and basic analysis ● Conduct desk research and compile information relating to youth development, UN coordination, operational efficiency and UN Reform priorities to support planning and decision-making. ● Collect, organize and analyse information from participating agencies to support coordination, reporting and implementation of YTG and OMT work plans. ● Support the preparation of briefing notes, presentations, concept notes and background documentation for coordination meetings and strategic discussions.
Support monitoring, reporting and results tracking ● Maintain activity trackers and monitor implementation of actions arising from YTG and OMT meetings. ● Assist in compiling progress updates, quarterly reports, presentations and coordination summaries for YTG and OMT activities. ● Support results tracking by maintaining records of achievements, milestones and implementation progress against approved annual work plans.
Support knowledge management and documentation ● Maintain an organized repository of meeting records, work plans, reports, correspondence, presentations and other coordination documentation. ● Document lessons learned, good practices and successful inter-agency collaboration initiatives to strengthen institutional memory. ● Support the organization and dissemination of knowledge products and coordination resources across participating UN agencies.
Support stakeholder engagement and operational coordination ● Assist in coordinating engagement among UN agencies, government institutions, youth stakeholders and development partners participating in YTG and OMT activities. ● Support the organization of consultations, workshops and coordination meetings, including logistical and operational arrangements. ● Maintain stakeholder contact databases and support follow-up on agreed collaborative actions and coordination requests.
Support communication and visibility ● Assist in compiling meeting summaries, coordination updates and activity highlights for internal information sharing across participating UN agencies. ● Support the preparation of presentations, briefing materials and coordination updates that promote awareness of YTG and OMT activities within the UN Country Team. ● Assist in documenting coordination activities and maintaining records that support organizational learning and visibility of UNCT collaboration.
Provide general administrative support ● Provide administrative and secretariat support for YTG and OMT operations, including meeting logistics, travel arrangements, records management, filing systems, correspondence and document preparation. ● Maintain coordination calendars, contact lists and scheduling of meetings and follow-up engagements. ● Perform other administrative and coordination support duties assigned by the supervisor to strengthen UNFPA's operations.
Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Building Trust, Client Orientation, Commitment and Motivation, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication Ethics and Values, Integrity, Knowledge Sharing Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Self-Management, Working in Teams.
Demonstrated interest or experience in: ● Administrative coordination, office management or project support. ● Meeting coordination, records management, knowledge management or inter-agency collaboration. ● Supporting organizational planning, reporting and stakeholder engagement. ● Working in multicultural environments or supporting development programmes.
Skills in: ● Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Microsoft Teams). ● Minute taking, report writing and professional business communication. ● Document and records management. ● Planning, organization and coordination of meetings and events. ● Information management and attention to detail.
*Mastercard Foundation Alumni and Youth with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. *Candidates must be between 18 and 34 years of age at the time of application.
Bigger cities in South Africa can be highly cosmopolitan. In Johannesburg and Pretoria, you will find an abundance of world class gyms, restaurants, bars, recreational classes, galleries, parks etc. The bigger shopping malls host a large selection of international brands. There is a plethora of international cuisine to be sampled, and quirky independent cinemas to be discovered. OR Tambo International Airport is a world class airport, offering highly sophisticated facilities. It is located just outside of Johannesburg, in Kempton Park. It has many international airlines that fly into this airport. Crime rates in South Africa are ranked on the high end, petty theft and opportunistic crimes are common, and armed robberies, smash & grabs and hijackings are also fairly frequent in certain areas. One needs to remain vigilant especially at night and at road intersections. There are usually sign posts that indicate such hot spots. Periodic security information updates are sent via email providing information at national level, with regards to circumstances such as incidents of civil unrest, transport security, computer and networking safety and trends in criminality. UNDSS sends weekly security updates via email. Updates from wardens are on an ad hoc basis, following security related events in your residential area. Updates from UNDSS are provided weekly.
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe a time when you successfully coordinated a project or meeting? | The interviewer wants to understand your coordination skills and experience in a practical context. | Provide details about your coordination role, the challenges faced, and the results achieved. |
| How do you ensure effective communication among diverse stakeholders? | This question assesses your communication skills and ability to engage with various groups. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What approach do you take when managing multiple tasks and deadlines? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Give an example of how you documented and tracked project progress. What tools did you use? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe a situation where you helped improve a process within a team. What was your role? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you approach learning in a new and challenging environment? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies do you use for effective stakeholder engagement? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you provide an example of a successful collaboration with external partners? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |