Programme Support Unit Assistant

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 Regional Bureau for Arab States of the United Nations Development Programme has an office located in Beirut (Lebanon) which serves as a platform for operation for the Regional Programme.

The Management Support Unit (MSU) provides various administrative, operational and procurement support services to all UNDP-RBAS’ Regional Programme projects and/or activities that are implemented across the Arab countries; from basic information management and administrative duties to complex business activities.

Under the general guidance of the Project Management Analyst and the direct supervision of the Management Support Analyst, the UN Volunteer Specialist will:

A. Assist in the implementation of operational, administrational, and financial management strategies focusing on achievement of the following results: • Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations and policies; • Assist in preparing contracts for services required to carry out conferences and meetings on both national and regional levels. This includes: • Prepare request for quotations, price analysis and comparison, preparation of cost breakdowns and complete documentation needed to request contracts from UNDP; • Follow up on contract implementation before, during and after the conference and/or meeting; • Participate in the preparation of annual budgets, and monitoring general expenditures throughout each year of implementation through shadow budgets updated daily, with a view to ensure that budget is being expended as originally projected; Implementation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements; • Participate in the monitoring of the implementation and performance of signed contracts; • Responsible for the maintenance, updating and improvement of contractual records.

B. Provide support to RBAS’ Regional Programme focusing on the achievement of the following results: • Support in developing and implementing business processes for regional projects; • Responsible for administrative matters relating to official travel of the staff, consultants, and experts and prepare the travel authorizations; • Liaise and coordinate with Country Office and the RBAS Regional Hub’s HR Unit, to include but not limited to, recruitment, extension, separation, employment certificates, etc.; • Receipt of applications for internship and long listing of candidates according to UNDP rules.

C. Support procurement processes for RBAS’ Regional Programme: • Draft official correspondence on procurement related activities when requested; • Support the organization of procurement processes including the preparation of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs documents, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their preliminary evaluation; • Assist in contract management; • Liaise and coordinate in procurement-related matters with UNDP Country Office and the Regional Hub in Amman when requested; • Assist in preparing and organizing national and regional meetings and workshops; • Send all required documentation to the procurement unit in order to issue Purchase Orders (POs).

D. Assist in other processes for RBAS’ Regional Programme: • Calculate entitlements of participants and process the required payments (per diem and terminals when applicable); • Verify certification of payments and invoices from travel agents, event organizers, hotels and their suppliers against terms of contracts and actual services rendered; then process payment through UNDP Country Office and the Regional Hub in Amman; • Process and follow up on the payments of experts and consultants; • Prepare Travel Claim Forms for reimbursement of expenditures, for submission to the UNDP country office and the Regional Hub in Amman Payments Officer; • Support in monitoring the proper functioning of equipment; • Assist in managing office assets, as requested, through keeping up to date inventory list, receipts and other relevant documents and/or lists; perfuming physical check when and if requested; • Perform stocktaking of expendable office equipment and supplies and replenish stock as needed; • Assist in managing the Regional Programme office lease contracts, office expansion work, relocation, and process and follow up on relevant payments (if any); • Conduct work necessary to complete administrative paper work (licenses, government forms, UNLPs …. etc).

E. Ensures proper data clean-up and filing focusing on achievement of the following result: • Ensure regular data clean up, filing and maintenance of data bases; • Prepares data reporting upon request; • Any other task assigned by the Project Management Analyst and Management Support Analyst.

• Accountability; • Adaptability and flexibility; • Creativity; • Judgement and decision-making; • Planning and organising; • Professionalism; • Self-management.

Client Orientation • Reports to projects in a timely and appropriate fashion; • Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients; • Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives; • Establishes, builds and maintains effective working relationships with staff and clients to facilitate the provision of support.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing • Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things; • Documents innovative strategies and new approaches; • Develops awareness of the various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: • Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position; • Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks; • Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments; • Excellent drafting and oral skills in English.

Planning, Organizing, and Multi-tasking; • Organizes and accurately completes multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions, deadlines, available resources and multiple reporting relationships; • Plans, coordinates and organizes workload while remaining aware of changing priorities and competing deadlines; • Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet project needs and deadlines.

Core Competencies; • Demonstrates/safeguards ethics and integrity; • Demonstrates corporate knowledge and sound judgment; • Self-development, initiative-taking; • Acts as a team player and facilitating team work; • Facilitates and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively; • Creates synergies through self-control; • Manages conflict; • Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values; • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

administrative tasks, event organization, etc.; • Previous UN experience is a plus; • Previous working experience in the Arab States region is desirable; • Excellent analytical skills; • Motivated to contribute towards peace and development and to serve others; • Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills; • Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team; • Flexible and open to learning and new experiences; • Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions; • Computer skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and others).

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 Beirut, Lebanon. 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.