Programme Associates at UNDP Ethiopia 

UNDP Ethiopia Job Vacancy 

Position: Programme Associates

Application Deadline: September, 01/2023

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing the representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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.

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers ‘last mile’ finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. 

UNCDF leverages digital finance in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve the vision of promoting inclusive digital economies. On that basis, the Inclusive Digital Economies Practice Area (IDE) of UNCDF adopted the strategy of ‘Leave No One Behind in the Digital Era’, which is based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The goal of UNCDF is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use digital services, which improve their quality of life and accelerate our progress towards sustainable development goals (SDGs) and offer partnerships in innovative financing. 

Recently, UNCDF has formulated its strategy ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind. The vision of UNCDF is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use services daily that leverage innovation and technology and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. For further details on UNCDF strategy, refer to; https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era. 

Duties and Responsibilities

UNCDF has been operating in Ethiopia since 1982 through its different programs focused on expanding access to financial inclusion. As part of UNCDF’s Inclusive Digital Economy Program (IDE), UNCDF is implementing the Digital Financial Services for Resilience program in Ethiopia with two broader objectives: 1) To improve digital finance policies and regulations to provide early response to emergencies and create an enabling environment to economic recovery; 2) To create and strengthen digital finance ecosystems that support low-income individuals in particular women and youth; and MSMEs to mitigate immediate shocks of emergencies and seize economic opportunities. In Ethiopia, UNCDF has partnered with government and private sector players in the country to implement the program. 

The PSA Holder will support the achievement of these goals as a Programme Associate based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The PSA Holder’s responsibilities will cover the following broad functional areas: 

• Provide administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of programmes;

• Provide administrative support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;

• Provide technical guidance on programme delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;

• Maintain and keep (original) donor and partner-related documentation of the project (e.g. correspondence, donor reports);

• Maintaining portfolio and project information calendar: upcoming evaluations, supervision missions, etc.;

• Prepare documents for Contracts, Assets and Procurement for programme and Operations team;

• Coordinate the collection of information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support the implementation of audit recommendations;

• Review programme data from programmes/ projects for the UNCDF website;

• Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for documents, guidelines, speeches, reports, and position papers;

• Provide administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Unit:

• Create projects in the applicable system (Quantum), prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;

• Monitor budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; prepare periodic reports;

• Review financial reports; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects with the guidance of Admin and Operations analyst;

• Assists in the procurement process for the projects as requested;

• Maintain internal expenditures control system, post transactions in the applicable system;

• Create requisitions in the applicable system for development projects; register good receipts;

• Prepare and follow up on cost-recovery bills;

• Other tasks that might be asked by the admin and ops analyst or immediate supervisor;

Provide administrative support to the DFS4 Resilience and CICO Programme Unit:

• Oversee and Prepare all logistical, administrative, and financial arrangements for the organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;

• Oversee and Prepare travel arrangements for the Programme Team or guests, including travel requisitions and claims;

• Prepare public information materials and briefing packets;

• Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials;

• Coordinate with the programme team in procurement processes to meet the needs of the programme;

Provide monitoring and coordination support through the following field support:

• Follow up with local partners on implementing activities, including the monitoring of work plans and activities;

• Closely work with the programme teams to facilitate the preparations and implementation of field activities, events, and assessments;

• Liaise with the field officers to ensure the timely progress of field activities;

• Support the production of any material needed for information purposes, such as reports, articles for the web, brochures, films, etc.

• Follow up on operations in the field, day-to-day management and delivery of the activities, and facilitation of knowledge sharing;

• Provide timely data collection for reporting purposes;

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Support synthesis of lessons learned, and best practices related to programme management and finance.      

Institutional Arrangement

• The Programme Associate will join the UNCDF IDE Ethiopia Country team to deliver administrative and operational support to the programme working closely with the country team and country partners as needed, and report to the UNCDF Ethiopia Digital Finance Country Specialist.   

• The contract is initially for 12 months with the possibility of renewal based on programmatic needs, funds availability and satisfactory performance

Competencies

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside your comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in the change process

• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, brings people together, builds/maintains coalitions/partnerships

• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, consider in decision making 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

External Relations &Advocacy – Media Relations: Ability to develop media relations across all aspects of media work including relationships with media and preparing media materials such as messages

External Relations & Advocacy – Social Media Management: Ability to represent and promote the UNCDF branding, virtual communities, and networks

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

Business Direction and Strategy – Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritize plans in line with UNCDFs objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions, Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and ways forward look like for UNCDF

Business Development – Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally 

Business Management – Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNCDF strategy and policies

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 fulfill 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• High School diploma. Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Business or Public Administration, development studies or other relevant degrees is preferred.

Experience:

• 7 years of experience with a secondary or high school diploma and 4 years of experience with a Bachelor's or equivalent.

Language 

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of the local language is desirable.

How to apply:

• Register using the following link CLICK HERE