Programme Management Assistant at UN-Habitat

Responsibilities

• Assists in the coordination of programme/project planning and preparation.
• Monitors status of programme/project proposals.
• Takes necessary action to ensure project documents are completed and submitted to relevant parties for approval.
• Assists in the monitoring and evaluation of programmes/projects; categorizes, updates, tracks and analyses data related to programmes/projects, e.g. accounting records, outputs, resources utilized, deviations/revisions, etc.; carries out periodic status reviews, identifies issues and initiates requisite follow-up actions.
• Prepares revised budget estimates; reports on budget revisions, expenditures and obligations, verifies availability of funds; ensures necessary approval and entry in computerized budget system; initiates financial authorizations for expenditures.
• Collaborates with programme/project managers on performance reporting; consults with relevant parties on the interpretation of the activities/services scheduled in the PB and various planning instruments such as the medium-term plan and internal work plans.
• Provides assistance on reporting requirements, guidelines, rules, and procedures and ensures completeness and accuracy of data submitted.
• Supports organization of workshops and meetings, including travel of participants, procurement of services, DSA payments, liaison with UNON, etc.
• Supports follow-up on key administrative tasks (recruitments, procurements, contribution agreements, implementing partners contracts etc) including liaison with the Management, Advisory and Compliance Services.
• Serves as focal point for coordination, monitoring and expedition of programme/project   implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with a diverse organizational units to initiate requests, prepare standard terms of reference against programme/project objectives, obtain necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions and resolve issues related to project implementation, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, organization of and participation in training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, etc.
• Prepares, maintains, and updates files (electronic and paper) and internal databases.
• Drafts correspondence and communications related to all aspects of Branch administration, including work plan and budgets, revisions, and other related issues, as well as prepares Branch contributions for a variety of periodic reports.
• Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.
• Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM :  Knowledge of United Nations or other international organization policies, processes, and procedures generally and those related to programme /project administration, implementation and evaluation, technical cooperation, programming, and budgeting. Understanding of the functions and organization of the work unit and of the organizational structure and respective roles of related units.  Ability to identify and resolve a range of issues/problems and to work well with figures, undertake basic research and gather information from standard sources. Demonstrated ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. The ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• ACCOUNTABILITY : Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost, and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight, and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• CLIENT ORIENTATION : Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years' experience in programme or project administration/coordination, technical cooperation, international development, or related area is required.
• Experience in servicing meetings is required.
• Experience working with UN system entities or related international organization is desirable.
• Experience in front office management and handling sensitive and confidential information is desirable.
• Experience in using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Umoja/SAP and ERP applications used for programme support such as Integrated Planning, Management and Reporting (IPMR) is desirable.
• At least two (2) years of experience in supporting a senior officer or similar setting is desirable.
• Experience in supporting project implementation process is desirable.
• Experience providing guidance or training to more junior staff is desirable.
• One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
• NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and " Knowledge of" equals a rating of " confident" in two of the four areas.