Project Associate

Project Associate

Dawli Jakarta, Indonesia

Job Description

Office/Unit/Project Description

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.

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.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

With the funding support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Government of Indonesia, led by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and with technical support from UNDP and FAO is implementing a full-size project entitled "Strengthening sustainability in commodity and food systems, land restoration and land use governance through integrated landscape management for multiple benefits in Indonesia (FOLUR)". The project aims to ensure sustainable value chains of oil palm, coffee, rice and cocoa through an application of a comprehensive land use approach linking biodiversity conservation, restoration, and production at scale.
The project will support the country to address the above-mentioned development challenges through four areas of interventions: 1) Enabling environment for sustainable value chains and integrated landscape management; 2) Promotion of sustainable crop production practices and responsible value chains; 3) Conservation and restoration-rehabilitation of natural habitats; and 4) Knowledge management, coordination, collaboration and monitoring and evaluation.
The project aims for a transformational change in sustainable commodity and crop supply chains and land governance, leading to a reduction in loss of high conservation value and high carbon stock forests in five jurisdictions in the country: Aceh Province (target district: Central Aceh), North Sumatera Province (target district: Mandailing Natal), West Kalimantan Province (target district: Sanggau), South Sulawesi Province (target district: Luwu), and West Papua Province (target district: Sorong). The targeted commodities are: oil palm, cocoa, rice, and coffee.

In line with the GEF-7 FOLUR Impact Program, the project strategy is predicated on integrated landscape management approaches facilitated through multi-stakeholder collaboration in achieving genuine systems change that results in durable global environmental benefits and sustainable livelihoods for local communities both men and women.

Scope of Work
a. Support the project team to ensure effective project planning, budgeting and implementation focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Compile and summarize information and data for project planning and preparation work for, typically, a large size and highly complex component of the project initiatives;
• Analysis, researches, summary and presentation of basic information/data on specific project and related topics;
• Preparation for project documents and submission to relevant parties for approval.
• Implementation of standard operating procedures in line with the government and UNDP's regulations;

b. Support to the effective reporting on progress of project implementation:

• Preparation and analysis of project workplan and budget proposals; provides assistance in the interpretation of budget guidelines; reviews and coordinates submissions of work proposal and budget estimation, ensuring requisite information is included and justified in terms of proposed activities; propose adjustments as necessary; prepares reports and ensures that outputs/services are properly categorized.
• Preparation of results oriented progress reports, in line with the monitoring and reporting guidelines and presents it to the project assurance team on a timely manner;
• Preparation of data for monitoring of projects; categorization, updating, tracking and analysing data related to projects, e.g. accounting records, outputs, resources utilized, deviations/revisions, etc.; carries out periodic status reviews.
• Identification of issues and initiates requisite follow-up actions.
• Preparation of reports on budget revisions, expenditures and obligations, verification availability of funds;
• Preparation for financial authorizations for expenditures to be approved and documentation in prevailing budget system;
• Preparation of annual and quarterly work plans as well as project board meetings, audit, operational and financial closure of a medium size project.

c. Provides administrative support to the Project Management Unit focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Provision of guidance to implementing partner and serves as focal point for coordination, monitoring and expedition of project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with a diverse organisational units to initiate requests;
• Preparation of standard terms of reference against project objectives, obtained necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions and provision of solutions to the issues related to project implementation, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, security compliance, etc.
• As focal point for responding to the complex information requests and inquiries; review and establishment of filling management system; organization of meetings, workshops; monitoring of implementation of various routine administrative tasks.
• Preparation of draft correspondence on complex budget-related issues, periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, etc.
• Supervision of project support assistant, clerical level (as applicable).

d. Support strategic partnerships, communication and support to the implementation of resource mobilization:

• Updated database of the relevant public and development partners private sector, civil society and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project;
• Establishment of filing management for internal databases; updated statistical tables, graphic content, and other background materials/notes to facilitate audit and other reviews.
• Finalization and publication of multiple languages report as a tool to communicate results, deepen stakeholder knowledge and buy-in to the project, and resource mobilization for the project;
• In coordination with UNDP's Communication unit and other relevant counterpart, drafts project summaries, coordinates with editor, translation services, etc.
• Preparation of draft correspondence and communications related to all aspects of programme/project administration, including work plan and budgets, revisions and other related issues, as well as prepares project's contributions for a variety of periodic reports.

e. Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff.
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in project management support function.
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

f. The incumbent of the position should avoid any kind of discriminatory behavior including gender discrimination and ensure that:

• Human rights and gender equality is prioritized as an ethical principle within all actions;
• Activities are designed and implemented in accordance with "Social and Environmental Standards of UNDP";
• Any kind of diversities based on ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, class, gender are respected within all implementations including data production;
• Differentiated needs of women and men are considered;
• Inclusive approach is reflected within all actions and implementations, in that sense an enabling and accessible setup in various senses such as disability gender language barrier is created;
• Necessary arrangements to provide gender parity within all committees, meetings, trainings etc. introduced.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement
Under the overall guidance of the National Project Manager for FOLUR Project, the Project Associate will coordinate with various units to support the project on finance, procurement, HR, security, communication and project administration. S/He will support staff of the Project Management Unit. The organigram in Annex shows the position of this function within the office and unit structure.

Competencies
Core 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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Thematic Area Name Definition
Business management
Digital Awareness and Literacy
Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skilfully 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
Communication
Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
2030 agenda- people
Gender Gender mainstreaming Finance
Budget management
Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets Administration and operation
Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings)
Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc. Business Management Customer Satisfaction/Client Management Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA
Min. Academic Education
Secondary Education is required.

University degree (Bachelor's Degree) in Accounting, Finance, Business, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences Management or other relevant fields will be given due consideration, but is not a requirement.
Min. years of relevant Work experience

• Minimum 6 years (with Secondary Education) or 3 years (with Bachelor Degree) of relevant experience in project admin and finance preferably in the field of environment, or natural resources management.
• Relevant experience in administrative/ financial/ procurement/ asset management and project activities would be an asset.

Required skills

• Good inter-personal and communications skills.
• Ability to work in a team.
• Up-to-date computer skills required, knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in competencies section

• Familiarity with Government and UN/UNDP procedures would be highly desirable.
• Experience in project implementation using Government and International Organization rules and regulation is an asset.
• Experience in collecting, analyzing, and summarizing administration report would be highly desirable.
• Ability to draft correspondence on budget-related issues, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, and accounting spreadsheets would be desirable.
• Experience in producing financial report and conducting financial tracking would be desirable.

Required Language(s) (at working level)
Fluency in English and Bahasa Indonesia is required.
Professional Certificates
N/A