UNV Programme 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 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.

Established in 1972, the UNEP has among its main objectives to maintain the state of the global environment under continuous monitoring; to warn people and nations about problems and threats to the environment and to recommend measures to improve the quality of life of the population without compromising the environmental resources and services of future generations.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP has a network of regional offices to support environmental governance institutions and processes and, through this network, engages a broad range of partners from the governmental, non-governmental, academic and private partnerships around multilateral environmental agreements and sustainability programs and projects.

The West Africa Sub Regional Office was established in March 2015 in the context of strengthening UNEP’s strategic regional presence and relevance with the purpose to contribute to enhancing the advocacy, coordinate the development of a strategy for the effective implementation of UNEP’s programmes and projects in West Africa, in cooperation with governments and operational partners in the sub-region.

UNEP implements a portfolio of climate change mitigation projects in Africa funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The projects are in thematic areas related to climate transparency, sustainable cities, electric mobility and energy efficiency.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UNEP Climate Change Mitigation Unit (CCMU) Task Manager (TM) for Africa the UNV Programme Assistant will be responsible for the following:

Project Design (concept phase):
•Verify PIFs: grammar, spelling, presentation, etc. •Upload PIFs and responses to GEF Sec reviews on the GEF Portal.

Project Development:
•Assist the TM and Administrative Officer (AO) in preparing SSFAs / ToRs for Project Preparation Grants (PPGs). •Ensure project developers have latest templates to prepare CEO Endorsement Requests (CEO ER). •Verify CEO ER and annexes: grammar, spelling, presentation, etc. •Upload CEO ER and responses to GEF Sec reviews on the GEF Portal.
•Review PPG expenditure reports.

Project Implementation: •Assist the TM and AO in preparing PCAs / ICAs and appendices for recently CEO endorsed projects. •Track circulation of project internalizations and projects revisions through UNEP approval process. •Assist the TM in reviewing agendas, ToRs, presentations, etc., prepared by the Executing Agencies (EAs) for project workshops and meetings.
•Assist the TM in coordinating EAs on submission of reports as per requirements of the PCA / ICA. •Ensure the EAs use right templates to meet reporting requirements and all sections are completed. •Support the TM in reviewing the required GEF/UNEP reports submitted by the EAs.
•Support the TM in uploading the annual PIRs on the GEF Portal. •Support the TM in reviewing budget and workplan revisions.
•Support the TM in coordinating with other UNEP units / teams. •File and archive project deliverables issued by the EAs into the CCMU database. •Track project risks and keep Risk Log updated.

General: •Provide general administrative and coordination support to the TM and AO.
•Maintain and keep up-to-date projects on IPMR and PIMS+. •File and archive documentation and reports in the CCMU database. •Perform other related duties as assigned by the TM.

•Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNEP; technical knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNEP procedures and rules; discretion, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior position, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; •Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNEP in daily activities and behaviors while acting without consideration of personal gains;
•Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance to colleagues; •Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; •Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; •Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNEP’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

relevant professional work at the national level; experience in assisting with project administration / coordination is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization; •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; •Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; •Computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; •Self-motivated, ability to work with tight deadlines; •Sound security awareness.

•Availability, quantity and rental arrangements of accommodations at the work-site, for the UNV and family: - Housing available on demand. •Health conditions in area of work-site, access to basic commodities, safe drinking water, sanitation and medical facilities: - Conducive conditions and readily available access to commodities, safe drinking water, sanitation and medical facilities. •Availability to basic goods and services, and to markets at the place of assignment: - Readily available access •Availability to public transport, telecommunication and banking services: - Readily available access •Quality and cost of the existing educational facilities (primary and secondary) for dependants available in the specific place of assignment, or those closest to this area: - Reasonable and modest, Language of instruction – French •Socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in (main economic activities, religious groups, special customs and events etc.): - National and International community of diverse backgrounds. •Prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment: - Tight security. •Topographic and climatic features of the assignment location: - cool and warm tropical climate.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.