Programme Management Assistant

The Programme Management Assistant supports planning and implementation activities for complex project initiatives within UNEP's Climate Change Division. The role involves project coordination, budget monitoring, reporting, and administrative support to ensure effective project delivery and compliance with donor and UNEP guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Provides assistance in support of planning and implementation activities/processes for, typically, a large and highly complex component of project initiatives.
• Researches, compiles, analyses, summarizes, and presents basic information/data on the project and related topics.
• Assists in the coordination of project planning and preparation; monitors status of project proposals; takes necessary action to ensure project documents are completed and submitted to relevant parties for approval.
• Assists in the preparation and analysis of project budget proposals; provides assistance in the interpretation of budget guidelines; reviews and coordinates submissions of project proposals and budget estimates, ensuring that 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.
• Assists in the monitoring and evaluation of programmes/projects; categorizes, updates, tracks and analyses data related to the project, 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 project managers on performance reporting; liaises with relevant parties on the interpretation of the activities/services scheduled in the Programme Budget and various planning instruments such as the medium-term plan and internal work plans; provides assistance on reporting requirements, UNEP and donor guidelines, rules and procedures and ensures completeness and accuracy of data submitted.
• Drafts project summaries, coordinates review and clearance process, and coordinates with editors, translation services, on finalization and publication of the reports in multiple languages.
• Serves as the focal point for coordination, monitoring and expedition of programme/project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with different 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, organisation of and participation in training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services.
• Prepares, maintains and updates files (electronic and paper) and internal databases; designs and generates a variety of periodic and ad hoc reports, statistical tables, graphic content, and other background materials/notes to facilitate inspection and other reviews.
• Drafts 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 unit contributions for a variety of periodic reports; consolidates information on project-related activities; prepares inputs for a wide range of documents/reports, briefings/debriefings, correspondence.
• Provides guidance and training to new/junior staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• 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.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible work experience in Project Fund Management, budgeting and administrative work or related area is required.
• The minimum number of years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.
• Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) such as Oracle or SAP and UMOJA is required.
• Experience working with multiple donor-funded projects is required.
• Experience in reconciliations and reporting is desirable.
• Experience using computer applications, particularly Microsoft Excel, is desirable.
• Experience working within the United Nations system or similar international organizations is desirable.
• One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
• English language proficiency at UN Level II for reading, writing, listening, and speaking is required.

Skills

• Project Fund Management
• Budgeting
• Administrative Support
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Oracle
• SAP
• Umoja
• Donor-funded Project Management
• Financial Reconciliation
• Financial Reporting
• MS Excel
• Data Analytics
• Project Coordination
• Budget Monitoring
• UN System Experience

Languages

English