Job Identification : 14023

Locations : Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Posting Date : 10/06/2023, 02:06 PM

Apply Before : 10/28/2023, 03:59 AM

Degree Level : Secondary School Leaving Certificate

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : NPSA-7

Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Nature, Climate and Energy

Bureau : Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS

Contract Duration : 9 months

Education & Work Experience : Bachelor’s Degree – 4 year(s) experience OR High School certificate- 7 year(s) experience

Required Languages : English and Russian

Desired Languages : Kirghiz

Vacancy Timeline

2 Weeks

Mobility required/no mobility

no mobility required

Job Category : Administration/Operations/Support

Job Description

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 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.

The proposed project supports the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (GoKR) in establishing its National Adaptation Plan process and is consistent with the government’s strategic vision for climate change adaptation.

The project objective is to strengthen institutions and enhance vertical and horizontal coordination for climate change adaptation planning, facilitate mainstreaming of climate risks at sectoral and subnational levels, and identify a program of priority climate change adaptation investments. The GoKR has prioritized adaptation planning through its national long-term strategic planning process and associated medium-term implementation plans, through which the long-term plan is implemented. This broader national planning framework calls for the development of a National Adaptation Plan as well as four adaptation plans for priority sectors to guide mainstreaming and future investments (disaster and emergency management, health, biodiversity conservation, and agriculture and irrigation water). These plans will catalyse investments to enhance adaptive capacity in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The proposed project consists of three primary outcomes, each of which is associated with operationalizing the government’s strategic priorities by addressing identified gaps and barriers. These three outcomes are:

•  Strengthened coordination and institutional arrangements for adaptation planning. The outputs associated with this outcome respond to weaknesses with respect to cross-sectoral coordination, technical and scientific support for planning, and knowledge management. This outcome will result in improved cross-sectoral planning, the integration of climate change adaptation into national strategies, and the production of a National Adaptation Plan.
•  Priority sector-focused adaptation plans developed. The outputs associated with this outcome will address institutional weaknesses and capacity gaps within priority sectors’ agencies. Addressing these gaps will enable the agencies to begin to mainstream climate change adaptation considerations into planning and governance. The activities and outputs will also build the technical capacities of the agencies with respect to climate change adaptation and will empower them to iteratively identify and evaluate sector vulnerabilities and develop and implement adaptation measures. This outcome will also result in the production of climate change adaptation plans for the four priority sectors.
•  Sub-national climate change adaptation capacities strengthened. This outcome focuses on addressing institutional and capacity gaps at subnational levels and developing tools to enable subnational governments to begin to consider climate change adaptation in planning and budgeting processes. This outcome intends to advance the GoKR towards its goal of enlisting subnational governments in comprehensive national adaptation planning processes, while simultaneously equipping subnational governments with the tools and capacities needed to increase adaptive capacity at the local level.

UNDP is to hire the Associate on Sectoral Adaptation Planning who will be in charge of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) national and inter-agency coordination, collaboration and stakeholders’ consultations activities and initiatives under Outcome 2 of the project, but not limited to it.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the project team to ensure effective implementation and achievement of results:

•  Independently provides a full range of project management and implementation assistance at all phases of the project cycle for, typically, a large and highly complex component of the project initiatives, seeking guidance only in exceptional circumstances;
•  Coordination of administrative aspect of project preparation work for, typically, a large and highly complex component of the project initiatives;
•  Provide high-quality analysis and draft presentation of information/data on the specific project and related topics; highlight noteworthy issues/trends for consideration by appropriate parties;
•  Provide effective supervisory and advisory role in the development and implementation of project standard operating procedures, effective monitoring of project performance, and timely production of results-oriented draft progress report in line with the government and UNDP’s regulations.

Provide effective support to the planning, budgeting, and implementation of the project:

•  Assist in the preparation of an annual working plan, monitoring checklists, provides the interpretation of budget guidelines; review and coordinate submissions of the work plan 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.
•  Provision of guidance to the executing agencies on the routine implementation of projects, tracking the use of financial resources.
•  Effective monitoring of budgetary commitments, including verification of charges and obligation documents for all financial transactions; lead periodic budget revisions and ensures appropriate resource allocations; finalizes reconciliation of accounts with amended budget; evaluates trends of financial implementation and makes necessary recommendations to line manager.
•  Timely preparation of project reports, in line with the standard template and presenting it to the project assurance team in a timely manner.
•  Analysis of the situation of a large size – complex activities, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions.

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

•  Provision of guidance to implementing partner and serves as the focal point for coordination, monitoring and expedition of project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with a diverse organisational units to initiate requests, prepare standard terms of reference against 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, training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, security compliance, etc.
•  Monitor implementation at all stages to ensure work is proceeding according to established plans, including analysing implementation difficulties and initiating remedial action; liaises with diverse organizational units to initiate requests; prepare standard terms of reference against project objectives, obtain necessary clearances, processes and follows-up on administrative actions and resolves issues related to project implementation, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, organization of and participation in training, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, security, etc.
•  Provision of secretariat services to working groups, ad hoc task forces, etc.; drafts and circulates agenda notes to members/participants; compiles background documentation; drafts minutes of the meeting; monitors follow-up actions, etc..
•  Effective collaboration with Team Leader and Project Manager on various planning instruments such as the medium-term plan and internal work plans; assists with reporting requirements, guidelines, rules and procedures and ensures completeness and accuracy of data submitted.
•  Supervised of office support staff, including distribution and review of work assignments, training, and inputs to performance evaluation.

Support strategic partnerships and support the implementation of resource mobilization:

•  Establishment and monitoring of updated internal databases relevant to the scope of project activities.
•  Preparation of design of periodic and ad hoc reports, statistical tables, graphic content, and other background materials/notes to facilitate audit and other reviews.
•  Finalization and publication of reports in multiple languages 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 communications departments drafts project summaries, coordinates with editor, translation services, etc.
•  Preparation of correspondence and communications related to all aspects of project administration, including work plan and budgets, revisions and other related issues, as well as preparing unit contributions for a variety of periodic reports.

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

•  Organization of training for the operations/ projects staff.
•  Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in project support management.
•  Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
•  Effective contribution to learning and knowledge sharing in gender analysis and gender mainstreaming.

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 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 is 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.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Climate Change Adviser / NAP Project Manager (PM) and in close collaboration with project team members, the Associate on Sectoral Adaptation Planning will be responsible for the implementation of the relevant CCA policy and national and inter-agency coordination, collaboration and stakeholders’ consultations activities and initiatives under the Outcome 2 of the Project.

Competencies

Core Competencies

•  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

•  Project Management
  •  Ability to plan, organise, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
•  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
•  Knowledge Generation
  •  Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
•  Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings)
  •  Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
•  Documents and records management
  •  Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
•  Relationship management
  •  Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
•  Gender
  •  Gender mainstreaming

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

•  Secondary education is required.
•  Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, natural studies, economics, public administration, law, health, agriculture, emergency situation, international development or other related fields is desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

•  Minimum 7 years (with Secondary education) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant practical work experience in the field of environment protection, sustainable development, climate change, natural resources management, health sector, agriculture, emergency situation and/or biodiversity working in a relevant position to this post.

Required Skills:

•  Good interpersonal and team-building skills.
•  Good interpersonal and communications skills.
•  Ability to work in a team.
•  Up-to-date computer skills.

Desired Skills:

•  Master’s degree or equivalent in the above-mentioned areas would be an asset.
•  Experience of working with the international organizations, government, private sector, academia or CSO.
•  Experience of work in Climate Change and/or Natural Resources Management and/ or Health Sector and /or Agriculture and /or Emergency Situation area is desirable.
•  Gender certification is an asset.

Languages:

•  Fluency in English and Russian (written and spoken) is required.
•  Knowledge of Kyrgyz language is an asset.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of Climate Change Adviser / NAP Project Manager (PM) and in close collaboration with project team members, the Associate on Sectoral Adaptation Planning will be responsible for the implementation of the relevant CCA policy and national and inter-agency coordination, collaboration and stakeholders’ consultations activities and initiatives under the Outcome 2 of the Project and not limited to it.

Required Documents

•  Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
•  A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
•  Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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