Project Associate (NPSA-7) - The Swiss-UNDP project “Resilient, Inclusive Markets in Moldova” (PRIM)

Background

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UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Project Description

The Swiss-UNDP project “Resilient, Inclusive Markets in Moldova” (PRIM) is set to contribute to the promotion of integrated approaches to inclusive and sustainable local economic development and employment creation, in partnership with ILO and SDC, targeting both local populations, as well as returning migrants and refugees.

Previous and ongoing SDC – UNDP efforts to address the positive impact of migration and engage migrants in local socio-economic development, along with design and piloting of local economic developments models and partnerships shaped an enabling environment to expand the current work and take it to another level. In this context, Moldova has several comparative advantages that can be harnessed to steam up the growth, broaden its geography, and make it more socially inclusive. 

To do so, UNDP Moldova will further advance the successful LED interventions by scaling up the focus from local to (micro)-regional, while at the same time leveraging revenue generation, strengthening business support services and value chains to increase the competitiveness of local economy, retention of human capital and facilitate local socio-economic development. The role of the SMEs, including owned and led by migrants, is crucial, being potentially the most efficient connection between the economic growth and welfare of the employed persons, particularly in the remote rural communities and small towns. Also new political and socio-economic development required new approaches, taking into consideration the need to build more resilient, inclusive, and innovative local communities and local markets. 

Hence, the strategic goal of the PRIM project is to enhance the SMEs-based sustainable economic development and promote equal access to decent work at the local and (micro)-regional levels, targeting both local populations, as well as returning migrants and refugees. It leverages the enhanced multi-stakeholder cooperation, improved business support services and complementary regulatory frameworks at the level of individual communities and micro-regions.

The Project will enhance sustainability of the results from the previous efforts supported by the Swiss Government, shape them to the new political and socio-economic developments, by embracing and promoting relevant policy and community-action innovations and by ensuring engagement of all relevant stakeholders in the design and implementation of local development solutions for building responsive institutions, inclusive economy, and resilient communities. In light of the regional security environment that is expected to remain turbulent even in the most optimistic scenarios, the Project is intended to bring a valuable contribution to the triple humanitarian-development-peace nexus at the local/regional level.

The strategic goal of the PRIM project is to enhance the inclusive, competitive, and sustainable economic development, and promote equal access to decent work at the local and (micro)-regional levels, by leveraging the enhanced multi-stakeholder cooperation, improved business support services and complementary regulatory frameworks. The Project targets three interrelated Outcomes.

As part of Outcome 1, policy and institutional frameworks create an empowering environment for inclusive and sustainable economic development in the targeted economic sectors. 

Outcome 2 assumes that local/regional communities including private sector representatives, meaningfully cooperate in cluster formats to enhance value chains and improve their competitiveness. 

As part of Outcome 3, the people of Moldova, especially women, youth, returning migrants and refugees, will benefit from improved economic opportunities in the pilot micro-regions.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Associate will ensure, in line with the Project scope, the provision of the following development services and products pertaining to an effective administrative and financial management, as well as procurement as follows:

• Assume overall responsibility for the coordination of project administrative matters.
• Contribute to project implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and work plans.
• Monitor compliance with both UNDP and Donor standards and ensure the corresponding quality control.
• Provide advice to the project team on administrative issues and financial issues.
• Maintain records on all project personnel and consultants, including their respective status (e.g. contracts, ToRs and reports, etc.) in accordance with accepted policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies under UNDP HR procedures.
• Undertake other administrative tasks on an ad hoc basis.
• Ensure compliance with all corporate rules of UNDP in the field of financial planning, reporting, and auditing.
• Monitor budget expenditures and maintain a proper record of approved project budgets and their revisions.
• Produce relevant operational and financial reports according to UNDP rules and procedures.
• Respond to queries from the UNDP and SDC with respect to financial aspects of the programme, liaise with UNDP-appointed and external auditors wherever required.
• Prepare requests for advance of funds and/or direct payments, as well as proposals for budget revisions.
• Prepare recurring reports as scheduled and other reports as required for budget preparations and audit.
• Perform necessary checks of the financial reports submitted by sub-contracted project implementers.
• Advise and assist international and national consultants on all aspects of allowances, travel claims and other financial matters and calculate payments due for claims and services.
• Provide advice to the team on project financial issues.
• Undertake other financial tasks on an ad hoc basis.
• Organize procurement processes in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Elaborate the Project’s procurement plan and monitor its implementation.
• Process transactions in Quantum, in line with the Internal Control Framework.
• Prepare and issue project contracts.
• Prepare and oversee the Project’s asset inventory.
• Undertake other procurement tasks on an ad hoc basis.

 Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the PRIM Project Manager and in close cooperation with the Policy Component Manager, the Project Associate shall contribute to an effective and efficient implementation of the project activities via administrative and financial management. 

The Project Associate will apply and promote the principles of results-based management (RBM), as well as a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Project Associate will work in close collaboration with the Project team as well as the team in the Country Office (CO) for effective achievement of results, anticipating and contributing to resolving complex project-related issues and information delivery. 

The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies, and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

People Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site

Cross Functional and Technical competencies:

• Business management-Resource management 
  • Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity.
• Business management-Digital awareness and literacy    
  • Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.
• Business management-Working with evidence and data               
  • Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.
• Business management-Monitoring         
  • Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.
• Digital & Innovation-Data analysis           
  • Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.
• Administration & Operations-Assets management
  • Ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E, maintain Asset Management Module in Quantum, Asset Dashboard.
• Procurement-Data management              
  • Knowledge of processing, storing, and validating procurement data.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education
• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting, or another relevant field will be given due consideration
• Part-qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage
• Long-listed candidates may be required to undergo the UNDP Accountancy & Finance Test (AFT)

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years (with Secondary education) or 4 years (with Bachelor's degree) of experience in administrative work, accounting/finance, economics, or other substantive area is required

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Romanian is required.
• Knowledge of one or more minority languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Romani, Gagauzian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and sign language, will be an asset.

Desired skills:

• Proven experience in a similar position in UN Agencies will be an asset.
• Experience in development assistance or related work for a development organization, consulting company, or NGO will be an asset.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems will be an asset.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
• Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as  reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

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To apply please follow the link/Pentru a aplica, vă rugăm să adresați link-ul: Apply

Advertisement end date was extended/Data de încheiere a postului vacant ai fost extins: 06 June 2023