Vacancy code: VA/2013/B5506/1717
Position title: Project Support Officer
Level: ICS-10
Department/office: APO, Myanmar
Duty station: Yangon, Myanmar
Contract type: Fixed Term
Contract level: P3
Duration initial: 1 year (Possible extension)
Application period: 14-Jan-2013 to 03-Feb-2013
Background Information - UNOPS
“UNOPS plays a critical role in providing management services for our life-saving, peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. I have seen many examples of how these activities help suffering people in troubled parts of the world.”
-Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General
UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need.
Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.
By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground.
UNOPS employs more than 6000 personnel and on behalf of its partners creates thousands more work opportunities in local communities. With its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, a network of five regional offices and a further 20 operations and project centres, UNOPS oversees activities in more than 80 countries.
UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.
Background Information - Myanmar
Myanmar
The UNOPS Myanmar office develops, supports and oversees UNOPS portfolio of projects in Myanmar which focus on post-disaster recovery, health programmes and food security.
Background Information - Job-specific
UNOPS is the Fund Manager for the multi-donor Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) established in Myanmar in 2009. The donors to LIFT are Australia, Denmark, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
LIFT’s vision is to be an effective mechanism for channelling aid through partners, to achieve its goal of improving the food and livelihood security of the poor and vulnerable in Myanmar. LIFT also aims to be a collective and influential voice promoting programme coherence, innovation and learning and providing a platform for enhanced policy engagement on agriculture, food security and rural development in Myanmar. LIFT is expected to continue operations until at least to the end of 2016.
The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.
Functional Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the LIFT Fund Director, and with a secondary reporting line to the UNOPS Myanmar Head of Support Services, the Project Support Officer shall:
- Support in developing strategies and annual work plans for the project support team of the LIFT Fund Management Office and supervise the LIFT project support team.
- Plan and implement inductions for all new LIFT staff and consultants.
- Prepare grant contracts and grant amendments with the advice of UNOPS legal advisors.
- Assist the Fund Director in timely and accurate budgeting, cash-flow forecasting and financial reporting for the LIFT FMO.
- Maintain a database of contribution agreements and ensure that accurate payment requests are submitted to donors
- Ensure that capacity assessments of potential IPs are done and that follow up on management plans submitted by IPs is conducted.
- Coordinate all audit activities vis-Ã -vis the LIFT FMO and LIFT IPs, including audit preparation, audit engagements, responses to audit queries and observations, follow-up on and implementation of audit recommendations, and reporting to UNOPS management and the Fund Board of LIFT.
- Analyze and report on IPs’ financial reports.
- Maintain oversight over assets procured by LIFT and maintain asset inventory.
- Ensure effective implementation of administrative tasks such as travel and vehicle management and provide guidance on administrative procedures and processes to the Fund Director and personnel within the LIFT FMO.
- Provide capacity building to project support personnel with the objective of increasing overall efficiency and effectiveness of the project support team within the LIFT FMO.
- In collaboration with programme personnel, support the LIFT FMO in project closure.
- Analyze work processes within the LIFT FMO and develop streamlined procedures where possible.
- Support the application and implementation of HR processes in the areas of recruitment, performance evaluation, training and development in accordance with UNOPS policies, rules and regulations.
- Act as the LIFT Fund representative at the UNOPS Myanmar Operations Group, and as focal point between the LIFT FMO and UNOPS Myanmar centralized support services.
- Any other tasks as directed by the LIFT Fund Director and Head of Support Services.
Competencies
Knowledge Management and Learning
- Knowledge of development issues
- Ability to provide policy advice
- Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
- Promotes a knowledge-sharing and learning culture in the office
- Ability to lead implementation of new systems (business side), and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change
- Excellent conceptual and analytical abilities and an analytic approach to information management.
- Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
- Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
- Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors
- Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
- Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, creation of new approaches.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education
- A Master’s degree in financial management, accounting, auditing, business administration or related field.
- A Bachelor degree in financial management, accounting, auditing, business administration or related field in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience
- At least 5 years progressively responsible experience within the areas of operational, administrative, budgetary and financial management is required.
- Experience and knowledge at both policy and operational levels with a variety of relevant UN funding and/or operational agencies, bilateral donors and international financing institutions is an asset.
- Preferably with demonstrated ability within the areas of capacity building, compliance and audit.
- Previous management and supervisory experience is an advantage.
- Strong communication and team building skills.
- Excellent writing and analytical skills is a requirement.
- Fluency in both written and spoken English is required.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Contract level: P3
Contract duration: initial one year (Possibility of extension subject to budget and performance)
For more details about United Nations staff contracts, please follow this link:
http://www.unops.org/english/whoweneed/contract-types/Pages/United-Nations-staff-contracts.aspx
Additional Considerations
- Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
- The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
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