Vacancy Announcement: Project Associate

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

GENERIC JOB DESCRIPTION

 

Position Title: Project Associate
Project Title: Support to Civil Service Reform (SCSR) Project
Type of Contract: Service Contract (SC)
Initial Appointment: 1 year
Duty Station: Dili
Desirable Start date: 1 January 2012

A. Background:
The United Nations is actively engaged in the development of organisational, societal and individual
capacities in the new nation of Timor-Leste. It is helping to establish the nascent institutions of self governance in the country. In December 2007, UNDP concluded the revision of the Support to the Civil Service in Timor-Leste project and commenced the Support to the Civil Service Reform, (Strengthened Management of Administrative Reform Capacities) project. The latter project bears in mind the need to address both immediate capacity needs and longer-term, sustainable capacity development for civil service management. The main goal of the UNDP project is to “support the development of strategic capacities required to enhance management of the civil service and to increase national ownership of the capacity development process and the management of advisory support in line with well-defined needs”.

To achieve this goal, the project will have four main outputs:

1. A Management Information System in place that enhances transparency and supports personnel
processing and strategic planning of human resources in the civil service.

2. Strategic management of the civil service enhanced (strategic plans developed, Ministerial
functional reviews conducted, roles and responsibilities of organizational structures clarified,
staffing plans developed, capacity development action plans finalized and strengthened capacity
of civil service management issues and roles).

3. Mechanism in place for the provision, management and monitoring of technical assistance in
response to well-identified capacity development needs.

4. Efficiency and sustainability of capacity development efforts enhanced through targeted training
and development of civil servants to increase the core capacities of the government.
 

The Support to the Civil Service Reform programme meets a critical demand of the Government of Timor- Leste and is implemented in close collaboration and under the overall leadership of Government counterparts. It is scheduled to run over a further period of 3 years (2008 – 2010) and it has been extended for 2011-2012. UNDP is the key international development partner of the Government in this programme and will work closely with other development partners, civil society organisations, academic and training institutions and overseas partners.
Under the overall supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Associate will be responsible for
supporting the operations (Finance and Administrations|) of the SCSR project.
 

Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Operations and support to Project Manager (PM)

• Assist the Project Manager with the day-to-day operational management relating to the SCSR
• To assist PM to liaise between the PM and advisers of the project. This includes: follow up with the advisers on their work-plan and reporting requirements to the project, ensuring effective communication of project news to advisers, and facilitate checking-in and checking-out of project advisers and staffs.
• To assist the PM to liaise with UNDP Human Resources Unit, Finance Unit, and Procurement
  Unit for following up and management of advisers and project staffs contracts (extensions and
  repatriations) payments work-flow, including timely payment of the salaries of project advisers
  and staffs.
• Assist the PM with budget management, budget revisions, budget reversals, procurement and
  any operations as required.
•  Prepare requisitions for any other project expenses as required.
• To assist liaise with the Information Officer to provide project staff with financial information as required.
• Prepare monthly project expenditures to the PM and maintain the records. Organise and provide secretariat support to meetings and workshops, etc, including ensuring
  availability of effective and timely interpretation and translation 

 2. Administration 

•  Maintain the project filing system for advisers, donors, correspondence and other documents.

• Develop an archiving system of project files.
• Monitor and manage, in coordination with the Procurement Unit, project inventory in a timely
  fashion.
• Liaise with HR unit of UNDP / UNV office to monitor leave and attendance of advisors in the
  project.
• Maintain a record book and filing system of all incoming and outgoing correspondence.
• Assist with the documentary requirements of adviser recruitment.
• Assist advisers with administrative issues, including leave requests, DSA, field visits, check-in and check-out.

 3. Recruitment and Human Resources Management:

• Support the NPOM in recruitment activities by managing all scheduling and logistics for
  interviews.
• Liaise with UNDP Human Resources unit and Procurement Unit / UNV office to coordinate the
  timely issuance of new contracts, in compliance with UNDP regulations and within the allocated budget for each position.
• In coordination with other Project and UNDP staff, use ATLAS to ensure that the appropriate
  procedures are carried out in order to allow effective recruitment of candidates in a timely fashion.
• Manage coordination with the Procurement, Travel and Security units to arrange the flight
  itineraries, arrival visas, and payments thereof for newly contracted advisors, and ensure they
  have appropriate security clearance.
• Ensure accurate documentation is maintained for each recruitment.

 B. Qualification and Professional Experience:

• Minimum secondary education, with formal training in a related area, and at least a minimum of 5 years of relevant working experience or Bachelor Degree in related field desirable but not as requirement.
• Relevant experience in project operations management and human resources management.
• Strong computer skills, especially proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Good oral and written communication skills in English are essential.
• Previous UN experience would be an asset.
• Previous experience with ATLAS or other financial information management system would be an asset.
• Knowledge of Portuguese, Tetum and/or Bahasa Indonesia will be an asset.
   

How to apply

• Candidate who wish to apply for the position through email: recruitment.tp@undp.org please
  send the letter of application together with CV and P11 with indication of vacancy number on
  subject line
• Candidate who wish to apply with hard copy documentation should send their letter of application together with CV and P11 to the following address:
  Human Resources Unit
  United Nations Development Programme
  Obrigado Barracks Compound, Building 11
  Caicoli Street, Dili, Timor-Leste 

Please note that application letter, CV and P11 form are mandatory documents to be submitted
and fail to submit either one of three mention documents will be automatic disqualify.
 

The deadline for submitting applications is 23 November 2011.

 

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.