Programme Associate (GS-6), Pretoria, South Africa #83710

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

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For every child, survival and development.

Health | UNICEF South Africa

South Africa, an upper-middle-income country, is making progress in healthcare, education access, and social inclusion. However, challenges persist in child rights, poverty, health, malnutrition, HIV, quality education, and access to clean water and sanitation which are compounded by humanitarian risks from climate change.

The goal for the current Health and Nutrition Programme of UNICEF South Africa Country Office is that by 2025, girls and boys, including the most deprived, receive an integrated package of quality and equitable maternal newborn and child health, HIV/AIDS, and nutrition care and services.

As a Programme Associate, you will be carrying out a range of programme support functions to help develop, implement, and monitor the Health and Nutrition Programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief of section, the programme associate works in close collaboration with a range of staff in the Country Office, external partners, and other UN agencies in support of programme design and delivery. S/he provides regular feedback on the status of projects through monitoring milestones and advises on improvements to keep activities on track.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Facilitating the development of programme cooperation agreements (PCAs) by providing information and drafting selected sections of it.
• Ensuring the timely and accurate recording and administrative processing of government & NGO’s proposals and requests for direct cash transfers (DCTs).
• Conducting programme monitoring in UNICEF focus districts for cash and supplies and informing team members on the status.
• Helping conduct regular spot checks of partner’s projects to assess their financial record-keeping, expenditure controls, and reporting systems.
• Monitoring and tracking the efficient distribution of supplies that are required for effective programme delivery.
• Supporting the programme section in researching, compiling, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and information from a variety of sources on subject matters relevant to the work of the section to facilitate programme delivery as well as preparation of reports, working papers, and presentations.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities, and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs), and making amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants and programme-related items for his/her section including but not limited to registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Preparing monitoring and reporting information for supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Regularly monitoring budgets and financial expenditures of section by employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up.
• Helping prepare periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to country office and donors to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education: Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization.

Experience: A minimum of six years of administrative or programme associate work experience is required.

Desirables:

• Prior experience in programme support functions is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency is considered an asset.

Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of the administration which underpins UNICEF country office programme/project operations, including monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Strong organizational, planning, and prioritizing skills and abilities.
• High sense of confidentiality, initiative, and good judgment.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong office management skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively manage the section’s material resources and monitor its budget.
• Good analytical skills.
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint.

Language:

• Fluency in English, both strong verbal and written skills, are essential. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

1. Builds and maintains partnerships
2. Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
3. Drive to achieve results for impact
4. Innovates and embraces change
5. Manages ambiguity and complexity
6. Thinks and acts strategically
7. Works collaboratively with others

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.