Job: Senior Project Assistant (Loan Management)

Location: Baghdad
Deadline: Monday, 04 November 2013

United Nations Development Programme

IRAQ

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Organizational Unit: UND P Iraq Country Office

Duty Station: Baghdad / Iraq

Post Title: Senior Project Assistant (Loan Management)

Post Level: SC -7

Type of contract: Service Contract

Duration of Contract: Six months (renewable)

Deadline for application: 04 November 2013

Min Monthly Remuneration: US$ 3,065.60 (Including Danger Pay and Pension)

Organizational / Project Context:

Under the overall authority of UNDP Iraq Country Director, and under the direct supervision of the Head of Economic Recovery and Poverty Alleviation pillar, the Loan Management Unit (LMU) has been established to provide capacity building and technical support to the Government of Iraq (GOI) for the loan projects funded by the Government of Japan. The LMU headed by the Team Leader is responsible for the follow ing two projects.

1. Fiduciary Monitoring Agent on behalf of GOI and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) based on the Project Agreement with JICA where the Loan Management team provides procurement and financial management support to implementing ministries/agencies of JICA loan funded projects; and

2. Technical Assistance to the Regional Ministry of Electricity in Kurdistan (RMEK) based on the Cost Sharing Agreement with RMEK to implement the Electricity Sector Reconstruction Project

The Senior Project Assistant, reporting to the Project Officer LMU, is required to assist the Program Officer in all administrative issues related to the project implementation, financial management, procurement, reporting and project data management and recruitment in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations as well as project agreements with JICA and RMEK.

The Senior Project Assistant will be required to work in close coordination with the Operation Units and UNDP Baghdad/Erbil office in addition to projects ' staff for administrative issues related to the project implementation.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Supports Administrative Issues for smooth Project Implementation focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Provide necessary support to the up-to-date work schedule of the project developed and maintained by the Project Officer;
• Manage followings to assist team members under the supervision of the Project Officer for the smooth implementation of the project

Organize meetings, workshops, seminars and trainings including securing the venue, arranging tickets;

Facilitate accommodations, DSA and any other necessary support for the participants and team members;

Support the project staff (team members / consultants) in preparing mission planning, following up approval process for both UNDP and the authorities concerned;

Support team members in preparation of necessary documents after the return from mission of team members;

Manage administrative issues such as office administration, travel, communication, entitlement and any other matters as and when required

• Assist the Project Officer in project discussions with GOI, Donors and other counterparts and prepare minutes of meetings
• Backstops the Project Officer in administrative issues during th e Project Officer's absence from duty station

2. Supports Financial Management of the Project focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist the Project Officer to prepare the financial analysis on project resources on monthly basis;
• Assist the Project Officer to prepare analysis of project delivery and its appropriateness against project work plan, identify the bottlenecks and propose solutions with analytical supporting documentations;
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas.
• Collect (and verify) and/or prepare project related documents for quality and consistency, including but not limited to;

monthly work logs of project staffs and consultants both in Jordan and Iraq;

invoices of relevant expenditures by coordinating with other relevant units;

invoices to be submitted to RMEK on a quarterly basis in accordance with the Cost Sharing Agreement;

• Provide input to Finance Unit for timely corrective actions on non-posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers.
• Act as a focal point to UNDP Erbil sub-office and consultants based in Kurdistan Region for all financial issues.

3. Supports Procurement under the Project focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Contribute in drafting specification of equipments to be procured within the approved budget;
• Create e-requisition in Atlas;
• Assist the Project Officer to follow up on procurement process with relevant units for procurement of equipment in a timely manner;
• Assist the Project Officer to liaise with relevant units as focal point of project assets and provide necessary support to ensure timely preparation and submission of periodic inventory reports in line with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Register purchased equipments as an asset and maintenance of an up-to-date inventory of equipments purchased under the Project in accordance with UNDP regulation;
• Prepare technical project specification of goods and services for the project in coordination with the counterparts within the approved criteria and timeline.
• Receive consignments purchased for the projects, analyze the quality and quantity and verify the invoices.

4. Supports Reporting and Project Data Management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist the Project Officer to prepare draft monthly/quarterly progress reports to be submitted to RMEK and JICA as well as those required by UNDP;
• Prepare and provide supporting documentations for the Project Manager to make adequate decisions.
• Making arrangements for the design and publishing of project reports, promotional materials, etc
• Maintain project data management system with:

Reference numbering and filing system to keep all records and documentations in order and to ensure safekeeping of confidential materials/information. This includes uploading information to the unit's share drive for efficient information sharing and secured data back-up;

in-coming / out-going official correspondences such as official letters, monthly reports, midterm reports, final report and record properly to avoid any miscommunication with GOI, Donors and other counterparts.

5. Supports Recruitment under the Project focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist the Project Officer to coordinate with relevant units on behalf of the Team Leader and follow up recruitment (staff member and service contract holder) and/or procurement (consultants) procedures to employ required personnel in a timely manner;
• Assist the Project Officer in preparing draft TORs in order to obtain consulting services from companies through long term agreement or other modalities and finalize it with the guidance from the team leader and in close consultation with the Procurement Unit;

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP's mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks related to administrative supports, including project data management support, reporting, and logistics for project implementation.
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system, including new IT based systems
• Good knowledge of Results Management Guide and Toolkit

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• University Degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences and Social Sciences or related

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of administrative support experiences in programme / project at the national or international level.
• Working Experience in UNDP or other UN Agencies is an advantage.
• Knowledge of Atlas is also an advantage.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
• Ability of providing basic IT services would be considered as a great asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Arabic. Kurdish would be an asset.

• Deadline for submission of applications: 0 4 November 2 0 1 3
• Instruction for submission of applications: Please fill out a P-11 form posted on http://www.iq.undp.org/content/iraq/en/home/operations/jobs.html and apply online job.

Please note that no other type of application form, including CVs, will be considered for such positions, other than the one found at the link specified above.

• Only candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.
• We strongly encourage qualified female applicants for this position.
• UNDP seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities, and that staff members are able to keep an appropriate balance between work and private life.
• UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
• UNDP, as a matter of practice, does not charge any application, processing or training fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

More Info and Application