Programme Associate at UN Women

Type of Contract: Service Contract
Post Level: SB-3
Duration of Initial Contract: 1 year

Background
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in support of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. It was launched in September 2017 by the UN Secretary-General and the EU High Representative and Vice President (HRVP). The 500 million Euro Initiative provides a model for partnerships with donors, civil society, and the UN to deliver on the SDGs in a comprehensive manner leveraging comparative expertise. SDG 5 and the achievement of gender equality are placed at the centre of efforts (alongside Goal 16) with the aim to provide an enabling environment for the implementation of all goals. Within the UN, the Initiative will operationalize the UN development system reforms and model a new way of delivering on the SDGs in an integrated way, leveraging collaborative advantages. Three Core Agencies: UNDP (the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population (UNFPA) and UN Women) will work together with other UN agencies to make large-scale investments in priority countries.

Reporting to the Programme Specialist- Technical Coherence, Spotlight Initiative, the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the Spotlight Programme Team in the development and implementation of effective interventions consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.  S/he contributes to research, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, procurement, administrative and programmatic support. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations and programme staff in the Spotlight Initiative and UN Women CO and ensures that there is effective information flow and efficient coordination of work processes between programmes and operations.

Duties and Responsibilities
Provide procurement and financial management support to the implementation of the Spotlight Programme:

• Ensure integrity of financial and administrative procedures as well as a consistent application of rules and regulations relating to procurement of goods and services, and travel;
• Prepare requisitions, purchase orders and payment requests, as appropriate;
• Support the programme team to closely monitor the delivery status of budgets and prepare quarterly/monthly updates for the for the senior management of the Country Office;
• Compile regular procurement plans based on inputs from the programme staff and following up with operations unit to ensure that the requests are processed on time and within expected standards;
• Ensuring that procurement documentations are solicited and packaged for procurement and ease of payments;
• Create projects in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
• Review financial statements/reports; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
• Process and follow-up payments for consultants;
• Maintain internal expenditures control system;
• Create requisitions in Atlas for development projects; register good receipts in Atlas;
• Assist in the preparation and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Atlas.

Provide coordination and logistical support to the implementation of the Spotlight Pprogramme:

• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
• Provide effective coordination between program and operation and ensure effective logistical and facilitation support to the programme implementation
• Draft and share minutes of programme related meetings with operation and same for programme
• Review data from programmes/ projects for the Spotlight Initiative website;
• Identify sources and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers;
• Provide adequate support including logistical and administrative arrangements for the organization of meetings, workshops, conferences, missions and other events linked to the Spotlight programme
• Make travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims;
• Prepare public information materials and briefing packets;

Provide administrative and Human resources management support to the Spotlight Programme:

• Prepare and issue contracts in line with procurement plan and agreements
• Maintain records of all programme personnel and consultants and their respective status
• Prepare cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within the Spotlight Initiative resource mobilization efforts;
• Organize, compile and process information from donors, Spotlight Initiative, and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Provide administrative support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance;
• Provide administrative support towards the organization of training for staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Timely and accurate support to events, workshops, and missions;
• Full compliance of administrative activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Timely recording of overall programme unit finances;
• Timely and accurate tracking of data for CO management and donor purposes;
• Quality maintenance of internal systems.

Required Skills and Experience
Education and certification:

• Completion of secondary education required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration is an asset.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support;
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages;
• Experience in the use of ATLAS is an asset;
• Experience in managing liaison and coherence among team.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

Competencies
Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies:

• Good knowledge of programme management;
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
• Strong financial and budgeting skills;
• Strong IT skills.