Job: Programme Assistant

Location: Yangon
Deadline: Sunday, 10 November 2013

Background Information -

UNOPS 'UNOPS plays a critical role in providing management services for our life-saving, peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations.' -Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need.

Working in some of the world's most challenging environments, our vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness. UNOPS provides services in sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement and sustainable project management, with projects ranging from building schools, roads, bridges and hospitals to procuring goods and services and training local personnel. By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground. We employ more than 6,000 personnel annually and on behalf of our partners create thousands more work opportunities in local communities. Through our headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark and a network of regional and country offices, we oversee activities in more than 80 countries. UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.

Background Information -

Myanmar Myanmar UNOPS Myanmar develops, supports and oversees a portfolio of programmes and projects in Myanmar which focus on post-disaster recovery, health programmes and food security. UNOPS Myanmar ensures that synergies between programmes and projects are effectively developed. UNOPS is also expanding its infrastructure and procurement services in Myanmar. The UNOPS Myanmar portfolio currently includes fund management of the multi-donor Three Millennium Development Goals Fund (3MDG) and the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT). In addition, UNOPS is the Principal Recipient of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria grants to Myanmar (PR-GFATM). UNOPS Myanmar plays a critical role in ensuring quality services to UNOPS' partners that meet stringent requirements of speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness. It is also responsible for liaison with Government counterparts, Donors and UN Agencies.

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS is the Fund Manager for the multi-donor Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) established in Myanmar in 2009. The donors to LIFT are Australia, Denmark, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. LIFT's vision is to be an effective mechanism for channeling aid through partners, to achieve its goal of improving the food and livelihood security of the poor and vulnerable in Myanmar. LIFT also aims to be a collective and influential voice promoting programme coherence, innovation and learning and providing a platform for enhanced policy engagement on agriculture, food security and rural development in Myanmar. LIFT is expected to continue operations until at least to the end of 2018. LIFT is implemented through a variety of local implementing partners (IPs) who were successful in submitting proposals that supported the LIFT purpose in the areas targeted.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Program Officer, the Program Assistant shall perform the following specific duties and responsibilities:

Program Support:

• Assist in verifying accuracy of requests, completeness of documentation and availability of funding
• Inform supervisor of budget status, process for action, inform client and actively follow up to completion;
• Monitoring due dates for projects progress, status reports and submission by UNOPS of substantive financing, budget utilization and budget utilization to clients;
• Interact with colleagues, clients and partners to exchange vital information on programme issues and seek cooperation to resolve routine programme issues and process problems and refer complex issues to supervisor with recommendation for course of action;
• Assist in the administration and monitoring of all aspects of the LIFT programme section;

Communication:

• Assist the communications unit in preparing briefing materials as required;
• Assist in drafting of projects reports and memos;
• Prepare project communication, documentation, reports and contracts, checking accuracy and compliance with UNOPS formats and style;
• Assist in briefing project personnel on UNOPS and LIFT procedures;

Logistics Support:

• Arrange field visits and coordinate all related logistics and administrative matters as necessary.
• Assist and provide finance and logistic relative matters for workshop and training including handling of petty cash requests and operational cash advances.
• Undertake procurement of low value items as required.

Data Management and Filing

• Responsible for document management, including file closures and archiving
• Maintain and update all information of Implementing Partners (IPs)in data based system
• Keep and record field visit report, field visit plan and record for program team.
• Issue statistical reports for monitoring and evaluation purposes;
• Assist in day to day coordination of the project activities, i.e. assist in collecting and assembling data and reporting activities of the project;
• Maintain hard and computerized (soft) records for the projects operational and financial transactions for ease of reference and retrieval;
• Perform other relevant duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Competencies

• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge of project administration.
• Strong communication & facilitation skills.
• Excellent writing and analytical skills, with high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to evaluate options and to think, plan and organize appropriately to set priorities and develop goals that are consistent with the program key priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, networking and collaborative skills.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Keen sense of ethics and integrity in dealing with clients and service providers and demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and clients.
• Ability to work systematically, accurately and independently with minimum supervision in a complex environment.
• Ability to draft clear and concise communications and to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• Secondary education with at least 5 years of experience in similar field of work or exposure to project management preferably with an international organization.
• Good computer skills including MS Word, MS Excel, spreadsheets and database software.
• Previous successful involvement with and a good knowledge of NGOs & civil society
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Myanmar language is required.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) Contract level: LICA-3 Contract duration: 1 year with the possibility of extension subject to fund availability and satisfactory performance

THIS IS A LOCAL POSITION. ONLY MYANMAR NATIONALS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. ALL OTHER APPLICANTS WILL BE REJECTED. For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/IndividualContractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET) Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• 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. Apply Now

More Info and Application