Programme Support Consultant

Job Description

Under the overall supervision of the UNDP-GEF (Global Environment Fund) Regional Technical Advisor (RTAs) and direct coordination and guidance of the corresponding Regional Team Leader (RTL), the Programme Support Consultant will facilitate the effective delivery of GEF’s portfolio in Africa, by providing support and oversight throughout the development, implementation, monitoring/evaluation and closure of UNDP-GEF projects. This includes an effective portfolio data management and monitoring, to maximize COs’ timely compliance with UNDP and GEF requirements.

The Programme Support Consultant will work in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and Project teams in the CO and UNDP-GEF HQs global team/staff to resolve complex programme-related issues and to ensure a consistent quality service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions

• Management and support to projects under development;


• Monitoring and support to projects (after GEF approval);


• Portfolio Monitoring and Support (includes projects under development and under implementation);


• Country Office Capacity Support.

Provides support to the RTAs in the Management and Support to Projects under development

• Coordinate document processing related to project development in the region (regional and country level projects) as relevant to all stages of the project cycle;


• Checking for accuracy and consistency of information against established formats;


• Updating the UNDP-GEF project data base (PIMS):


• Tracking required information for project completion and/or processing requirements:


• Following-up on correspondence with project proponents, Country Offices (COs) and UNDP-GEF Headquarters; and


• Processing documentation for submission, including final quality check regarding accuracy and compliance with formats and guidelines.

Monitoring and support to projects

• Effective communication to COs on the processes relating to Delegation of Authority (DOA) and ensure CO receives a Letter of DOA and the approved final UNDP Project Document and any other associated/necessary documents and requested clearance (including financial and technical clearance) in a timely manner once UNDP-GEF receives an approval/endorsement from a source of fund;


• Ensures Annual Work Plans are submitted for Regional Technical Advisor’s (RTA) approval and Authorized Spending Limit (ASL) issuance;


• Assist the Regional Technical Advisors in reviewing projects’ annual and multi-year work plans in a timely manner, ensure compliance with Donor requirements in terms of budgeting and identify irregularities;


• Assist Management Programme Support Analyst in regional portfolio analysis, in particular, ensuring all data necessary for the analysis is collected from COs and consistent for any specific projects under his/her portfolio;


• Assist COs in completing budget revision processes in time for on-going projects under his/her portfolio.

Portfolio Monitoring and Support (includes projects under development and under implementation)

• Ensure all project information in UNDP-GEF database (PIMS) is correct and up to date at all time from the creation of a project in PIMS until the project’s operational and financial closure for projects under his/her portfolio;


• Monitor project delivery and submission of progress reports and budget revisions for the region, identify reasons for shortfall in delivery and alert RTAs of any projects with concerns;


• Undertake financial monitoring of the portfolio in the region and analyze individual projects’ budgets and budget revisions in close coordination with the COs and RTAs;


• Assist in all aspects of regional portfolio management, including tracking of standard project related management actions, monitoring and evaluation requirements and progress reports (TPR/APR, PIR) including processing of required documentation. Maintains the electronic project data base fully updated and, where necessary, organizes and maintains hard-copy files of all projects & associated information and official documentation;


• Assist in the preparation, updating and dissemination of PowerPoint and other presentations and in managing dissemination of information that describe the work and achievements of UNDP-GEF via the media;


• Carry out a financial follow-up, advise Country Offices (or executing agencies in case of regional or global projects without Project Principle Resident Representatives) with regard to the deployment of the funds and the project closure, as well as the preparation of the quarterly reports flagging to the RTA any discrepancies, need for action, or progress in disbursement;


• Maintain close contact with COs on projects in varying stages of the project cycle, tracking project development and/or implementation progress against established time-frames for project maturation and/or the attainment of implementation milestones as indicated in project annual work plans, recommending courses of action as appropriate and bringing to the RTAs’ attention all technical issues that require attention/resolution;


• Draft correspondence and assist with other administrative tasks, as required;


• Backstop other members of the Africa Team and performs ad-hoc tasks, as required, to ensure the Team will deliver at the highest standard;


• Support in the organization of meetings, seminars, and workshops by making timely conference room bookings, assisting in preparing and sending invitations, following up on invitations with phone calls, assisting in preparing agenda and/or background documentation, assisting in setting up telephone conference call for video-conference meetings, and coordinating logistics with maintenance unit for publications display whenever necessary;

Country Office Capacity Support

• Managing information flow between COs and HQ on the regional portfolio to meet all reporting requirements;


• In coordination with RTAs, advise environmental focal points on procedural issues, approval processes and associated time-frames related to UNDP-GEF project cycle management, according to the UNDP POPP, UNDP-GEF Programming Manual, and any other appropriate Advisory Notes and guidelines;


• Assist COs, Africa Team, or HQs on staff recruitment processes and consultant procurement processes, including the development of TORs, finalizing advertisements, screening, long and short listing, organizing interviews, ensuring necessary records and documentation throughout the recruitment process, etc., as requested by RTAs;


• Work in close collaboration with the UNDP-GEF Management and Programme Support Unit and the operations, programme and projects’ staff in COs as required for resolving complex issues related to project administration or portfolio management;


• Organize UNDP-GEF training programmes and workshops in the region as appropriate, including logistics, communications with COs, documentation requirements and any other logistical and administrative support.

Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO

• Organize and participate in UNDP-GEF training programmes and workshops as required, oversee logistics, documentation, and preparation/review of budget and authorization of expenses;


• Coordinate focal area knowledge management activities. Manage dissemination of information through Power Point or similar means, resulting in public awareness of the work and achievements of UNDP-GEF;

Supporting mission travel

• Facilitate the travel of RTAs to their respective mission by preparing Request for Service Form (RSF), E-requisition and inserting their approved mission in to the BPPS travel platform;

Institutional arrangements

• The consultant will be office based;


• The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;


• The consultant will be supervised by Biodiversity Technical Advisors (RTAs) and by the Team Leader


• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed timesheet and a certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor on days worked and outputs delivered.

Travel

• Travel to the duty station might be required;


• Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the Supervisor.


• The Advanced and Basic Security in the Field II courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;


• Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;


• Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;


• The Consultant is required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/


• The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies;


• All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations for consultants. If applicable costs for airfares, terminal expenses, and living allowances should be included in the financial proposal.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;


• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;


• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;


• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies

Client Orientation

• Maintains relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;


• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;


• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;


• Proven networking, team-building, communication, conflict resolution and organizational skills;

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office;


• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more areas, acts on learning plan, and applies newly acquired skills;


• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Team Work, Communication, Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to work in teams;


• Ability to work under pressure, to prioritize and to show a spirit of initiative;


• Excellent time management, monitoring and evaluation skills;


• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;


• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;


• Demonstrates initiative and self-motivation to work independently, as well as, cooperative and collaborative spirit to work in a team


• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;


• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;


• Ability to manage conflict;


• Demonstrated informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• University degree in Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Natural Resources Management or other closely related fields (max. 10 points);


• Certification in Business or Public Administration, Finance or related area and in project management would be an advantage (max. 5 points).

Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in financial resources management, programme management or Administrative support functions; (max.15 points);


• Solid experience in project oversight and/or management highly desirable (max.5 points);


• Knowledge of tools and methodologies to follow-up on projects or project cycle management (max.5points);


• Experience at the national or international level with organizations that manage grants is an advantage (max.5points);


• Mastery in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, as a minimum, database management as a plus) and demonstrated experience in web research (max.5points);


• Good knowledge of an ERP System (such as Atlas) and UNDP Procurement, Finance and Accounting structure will be considered an advantage (max.5points);


• Knowledge and working experience of UNDP-GEF is an advantage (max.5points);

Language requirement

• Fluent in English (max.5 points);


• Proficiency in other UN languages is an asset (max. 5 points).

Evaluation Criteria

• Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;


• Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the technical criteria will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;


• The technical criteria (education, experience, language) will be based on a maximum 70 points. Only the top 3 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 49 points from the review of the education, experience, language will be deemed technically qualified and considered for financial evaluation;


• The financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;


• The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive daily fee. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of this daily fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment)

Documentation required

• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) to be downloaded from the link below;


• Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application.

Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach).

Closing date: Nov 16,2015

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How to Apply

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants.

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

General Conditions of Contract for ICs is available here: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf.

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.

Job Categories: Consultancy and Training Jobs. Job Types: Full-Time. Job expires in 30 days.

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