Vacancy title:
Project Assistant

Jobs at:
UNDP

Deadline of this Job:
13th December 2018

Duty Station:
Kigali, Rwanda

Summary
Date Posted: 3rd December 2018 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed , Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Company

JOB DETAILS:

Background

Under the overall guidance and supervision of UNCDF Programme Specialist, Better than Cash Alliance BTCA P3 stationed in Kigali, Rwanda alongside Programme Specialist (FIPA), P4 Tanzania – focal point of Project, the Project Assistant provides ongoing project and administrative assistance and support to the two projects, performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work.

The Project Assistant will help in programme operations, programme and project staff of both Better Cash than Alliance and FIPA Project Rwanda Office to ensure consistent services delivery and consistent operational support

UNCDF makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. 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’s financing models work through two channels: financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and by showing how localized investments — through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance — can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development.

By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation.

By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs.

The Better Than Cash Alliance is a partnership of governments, companies, and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty and drive inclusive growth. Based at the UN, the Alliance has 60 members, collaborates closely with other global organizations, and is an implementing partner for the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion.

In Rwanda, UNCDF is also leveraging experience gained through the MicroLead program (2008 – 2018) to form and strengthen refugee and host community savings groups, develop and adapt safe, convenient and affordable formal financial services, and build both financial and digital literacy so that people can make good choices and plan for their families’ futures.

We build partnerships with and among community-based organizations, local and international NGOs; UN agencies, financial service providers, and government to ensure that un-served and underserved populations like refugees, asylum-seekers, rural women, youth, and smallholder farmers receive the services they need to become more self-reliant, increase their resilience and improve their economic lives

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Provides administrative support focusing on achievement of the following results;
  
• Provide support in the area of administrative functions including, HR, Procurement, Travel, Security and office coordination of project implementation activities to process and follow-up on administrative/logistics actions, 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.
  
• Provide basic financial support using Atlas application, as required.
  
• Provision of general office assistance such as response to simple information requests and inquiries; reviews, logs and routes incoming correspondence; establishment of filling system and maintenance files/records; organization of meetings, workshops; routine administrative tasks, including maintaining attendance records, assessing telephone billing, etc.
  
• Coordination with MSU and UNCDF HQ (BTCA & FIPA management support colleagues) for payments and logistics administration will be integral part of daily work – extended to coordination with Addis regional center to do broader Atlas payment/voucher processing as required;
  
• Support to ensure effective project planning and implementation focusing on;
  
• Compiles, summarizes, and presents basic information/data on specific project and related topics
  
• Reviews project documents for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures prior to submission for final approval and signature; identifies inconsistencies; distributes project documents to relevant parties upon approval.
  
• Implement project standard operating procedures in line with the government and UNDP’s regulations;
  
• Support to the effective reporting on progress of project implementation;
  
• Support to the preparation of annual and quarterly work plans as well as project board meetings, audit, operational and financial closure of a project.
  
• To provide administrative support for preparation of results-oriented progress reports.
  
• Support UNCDF reporting to UNDAP’s results and reporting framework and UN Info system.
  
• Support strategic partnerships, communication and support to the implementation of resource mobilization;
  
• Support updating database of the relevant public and development partners private sector, civil society and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project;
  
• In coordination with UNDP’s Communication unit and other relevant counterpart communications department, support documentation of the project activities as a tool to communicate results, deepen stakeholder knowledge and buy-in to the project, and resource mobilization for the project;
  
• Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on;
  
• Participation in the trainings for the operations staff;
  
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
  
• Ensures provision of support to management of ongoing project activities, focusing on achievement of the following results:
  
• Provide inputs in the elaboration of work plan;
  
• Assist in arranging logistics, preparing agenda and coordinating with related stakeholders for organizing workshops as and when required;
  
• Assist in minutes taking for program/project meetings and in drafting research reports as required;
  
• Assist in coordinating of the planned events of the project;
  
• Assist in drafting inputs for the project’s reports
  
• Ensures effective administrative and logistical services, focusing on achievement of the following results:
  
• Contacts with visitors and project personnel, arrangement of appointments and meetings, acting as an interpreter when required and/or taking minutes;
  
• Compilation and preparation of briefing and presentation materials, speeches, background information and documentation for meetings and missions;
  
• Translation of simple correspondences local language Kinyarwanda and/or French to English and vice versa, when needed;
  
• Maintenance of records/ documents/ files relating to the project in a user friendly manner;
  
• Be responsible for assigned correspondence and other admin tasks including creating E-requisitions;
  
• Arrangements of travel and hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations, processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents;
  
• Administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats;
  
• Arrangement of vehicle transportation, regular vehicle maintenance and insurance;
  
• Assistance in proper control of supporting documents for payments and financial reports;
  
• Check related forms delivered by Implementing partners for completion before submitting to the Finance Assistant for verification;
  
• Proper receipting of goods and services;
  
• Preparation of routine correspondence, faxes , memorandum and reports to partners;
  
• Extracting, inputting, copying and filing data from various sources as required;
  
• Maintain a proper filing system for financial records ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials;
  
• Assisting in organizing , executing and coordinating logistical requirements by drawing up an event time-line, programme schedule and checklist for successful holding of events;
  
• Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution;
  
• Extraction of data from various sources;
  
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to head of unit;
  
• Assistance in the preparation of budget, provision of information for audit
  
• Provides support to office maintenance and assets management, focusing on achievement of the following results:
  
• Act as a backup to the Asset Focal point in the maintenance of records on assets management;
  
• Maintenance of files and records relevant to office maintenance;
  
• Provision of support to maintenance of common premises and common services
  
• Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO, focusing on achievement of the following results:
  
• Participation in the training for the operations/programme staff;
  
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
  

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
  
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
  
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
  
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
  
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
  
• Creating synergies through self-control;
  
• Managing conflict;
  
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
  
• Informed and transparent decision making
  

Functional Competencies:

• Building Strategic Partnerships
  
• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives
  
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
  Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
  

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
  
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
  
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
  
• Promoting Organizational Change and Development
  
• Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions
  
• Design and Implementation of Management Systems
  
• Uses information/databases/other management systems
  Client Orientation
  
• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
  
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadline
  
• Responds to client needs promptly
  
• Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management
  
• Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems
  

Required Skills and Experience

Educations

Secondary education. BA /BSc degree in Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce, Human Resources, Finance, Social Sciences, International Relations and any other related fields would be desirable but it is not a requirement.

Experience

• Min five (5) years (with Secondary education), or, min three (3) years (with Bachelor Degree) of relevant experience in administration or programme support service.
  
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
  
• Experience in handling of web-based management systems.
  
• Previous work experience with UN System, esp in areas of programme support, administration and logistics is considered highly advantageous.
  
• Demonstrated familiarity/Previous work experience with UNDP /UNCDF development projects in Rwanda is considered a distinct advantage
  
• Knowledge of and experience in supporting project administration, logistics and procurement activities will be highly desirable.
  

Language Requirement

• Fluency in the UN and national language (French Kinyarwanda) of the duty station;
  
• Ability to written and spoken English is required;