Project Management Support- Senior Assistant ( Retainer)

Contract

This is a LICA-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Local Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally only for nationals. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about LICA-5 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS Maldives has signed an MOU with the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, Government of Maldives to provide Technical Assistance to the Maldives Agribusiness Program funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD). The agriculture sector is the third sector of the Maldives economy after tourism and fisheries. However, it is lagging behind due to a set of constraints. The country faces complex challenges posed by a fragile ecology and climate change vulnerability. Cultivable land is limited, as is the availability of technology to enhance production and productivity. Logistics and market access are also significant challenges. Farming is mostly practiced in an unorganized manner and on a limited scale. Small farmers in the outer atolls suffer the most in terms of periodic food insecurity and poverty. There is limited public and private investment in the sector; as a result, the country relies heavily on imported agricultural products. In light of the challenges, and in the absence of systematic investment in agriculture, implementation of the national Agricultural Development Master Plan has been limited.

UNOPS is also supporting the Ministry of Health in the Maldives by procuring emergency COVID Response medical equipment, devices and supplies under funding from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.These projects form a substantial component of the country’s efforts in COVID Response and Recovery.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the supervision and guidance of the Project Manager, the Project Management Support Senior Assistant will assist and provide support on the administration of the project as far as all systems and functional interfaces are concerned and provide services to the Project Team in support of project delivery.

The Assistant will undertake the following activities/responsibilities

• Assist in arranging, managing and following up project related meetings, events and seminars/workshops.
• Assist in generating reports to the internal project team as appropriate
• Assemble documents (reproduction and collation) and maintain an electronic filing system.
• Document and maintain project templates/materials.
• Assist that deliveries are completed effectively and accounted for.
• Assist in preparation of briefing materials, reports and other relevant materials required for the project management.
• Follow up on all organizational events as foreseen in the approved work plan.
• Coordinate and follow up on work meetings with the counterparts (Civil Society Organizations and other UN agencies) and/or project team in order to know the scope of the project and areas of opportunity;
• Provide support for the development of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion strategies within the projects activities by all partners;
• Assist in delivery for project supplies to office/sites/training/events and workshops.
• Assist in procurement analysis of all supplies/services for monitoring purposes, provide support in Bid Opening Panels.
• Assists in collecting inputs for preparation of the Requests for Quotations, Invitations to Bid, Requests for Proposals.
• Assist in collecting inputs for preparation of financial reports and developing of budgets Contribute to the Project’s communication and visibility activities;
• Assist in coordinate the deliveries to Ministry of Health

Monitoring of project activities and delivery of project outputs:

• Assist in implementation of project monitoring milestones by timely providing inputs for compilation of reports on reaching each milestone;
• Assists in monitoring and evaluating the work of communications and outreach components of the project.
• Contribute to finalize the detailed work plan and strategy on communications and outreach components.
• Assist with the Monitoring and Evaluation of grants to Civil Society Organisations and others which will be conducting project activities and other partners which will be conducting outreach activities for the project.
• As appropriate, assist in the field visits to the project implementation partners to support overseeing of the implementation of project activities and conducting of spot checks, especially with regard to any pass through funding to the project implementation partners.
• Assists the supervisor to synthesize and analyze data and help write summary reports;
• Establish a system for the sharing of project data (in form of recommendations) with management.
• Assist with preparing and updating monthly, quarterly and annual monitoring and evaluation plans and reports.
• Regularly provide updates on delivery of monitoring plans.
• Assist with Monitoring on an as needed basis all other contracts procured by the UNOPS Office in support of the Sri Lanka office that may require spot checks to ensure that stated outputs are being met. An example might be for random checks on training and hire of venues and hire of vehicles.
• Any other duties assigned by the Supervisor.

General Duties

• Maintain close communication with the UNOPS Sri lanka Support Units (HR, Procurement, Finance and IT) to ensure constant exchange of best practices and standardization of approaches
• Provide inputs and suggestions as appropriate to streamline workflows/business processes and document templates/formats.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education - Secondary school diploma is required; - A Bachelor degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Social Science. or related fields is desirable.

Work Experience - Five years of relevant experience in project and/or administrative support services in combination with a secondary school diploma is required. Bachelor’s degree may substitute for years of experience. - Experience in work with the aid development sector, including the UN system, international and Local NGOs and International Donors is desirable. - Previous UNOPS experience is an asset.

Language - Fluency in English and Diwehi is required.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement ( retainer) Contract level: Local ICA Support Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance (1 year)

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

• This position is open to Nationals ONLY.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.