Job Description
Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a leading organization for sustainable development within the UN System. It acts as a key player in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), integrating collective action to address global challenges. UNDP’s policy work spans local and global levels, offering deep local knowledge alongside global perspectives and advocacy. To support its strategic goals, UNDP has established the Global Policy Network (GPN), which brings together technical expertise across various knowledge domains.
UNDP’s Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 emphasizes its dedication to eradicating poverty, supporting countries in their journey towards the SDGs, and advancing the Paris Agreement. Within the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, the Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs focus on integrated governance approaches and nature-based solutions. These efforts aim to reduce poverty and inequality, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflicts, forced migration, and displacement, and promote resilient governance systems that enhance peace and security agendas.
Biodiversity finance tools and solutions have proven crucial in achieving biodiversity goals and sustainable development. Effective finance solutions can significantly boost countries’ efforts to meet national and global biodiversity targets. Biodiversity Finance Plans help identify and bridge the biodiversity finance gap, supported by initiatives like the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN). The 2022 Montreal-Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework underscores the importance of national biodiversity finance plans for resource mobilization.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched a program to support countries in creating Biodiversity Finance Plans. These plans involve a comprehensive analysis of a country’s economy, including existing financing mechanisms, subsidies, drivers of biodiversity loss and gain, public and private expenditures, and national financial needs for biodiversity. The plans outline actions to scale up funding, green harmful finance flows, and improve expenditure effectiveness. This program also promotes experience sharing and offers continuous technical support through a knowledge-sharing platform.
In Namibia, the UNDP Country Office has organized its activities into three portfolios: Sustainable, Inclusive, and Green Growth (SIGG); Governance, Inclusive Institutions, and Civic Engagement (GRICE); and Sustainable Environmental Management and Enhanced Resilience to Shocks and Crises (SEMER). The SEMER portfolio covers Climate Change, International Waters, and Natural Resource Management. The implementation of the Biodiversity Finance Plan project in Namibia is part of the GEF-8 Umbrella program and falls under SEMER, led by the Project Lead with a technical team and in coordination with a government project director and the National Steering Committee.
To implement the GEF8-BFP Umbrella program at the national level, UNDP is recruiting a national team comprising a Sustainable Finance Specialist (Project Lead), a Project Assistant, and a Biodiversity Finance Specialist. The Project Assistant will provide administrative support to the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead) and the entire project team.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Sustainable Finance Specialist (Project Lead), the Project Assistant will:
- Facilitate procurement processes.
- Track financial and administrative activities and expenses.
- Support communication, outreach activities, press releases, briefing notes, translations, etc.
- Liaise with the UNDP country office and Global Project Management and Technical Support Unit (GPMTSU) for financial reporting and procurement compliance.
Support to Project Management:
- Assist with financial and administrative requirements related to project funding and accounting.
- Ensure timely and appropriate project execution.
- Guide the national team and manage payment schedules.
- Organize meetings, consultations, trips, and other project activities.
- Ensure smooth organization of national and international travel.
- Document and share records of meetings, decisions, and actions.
- Support Monitoring and Evaluation at the national level.
Support to Financial Oversight:
- Manage the project budget and oversee procurement and accounting procedures.
- Ensure timely disbursement of financial resources to partners.
- Maintain expenditure records and assist in financial reporting.
- Provide effective administrative and logistical support for successful project delivery.
Administrative Support:
- Develop annual workplan/budget calculations.
- Handle procurement processes, requisitions, and purchase orders in compliance with UNDP rules.
- Maintain an inventory of assets/equipment and support equipment handover upon project closure.
- Set up the Quantum approval system at the Country Office for the project.
- Organize workshops, consultations, and meetings.
- Update procurement plans and contacts list.
- Manage travel arrangements for workshops and meetings.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Achieve Results: Plans and monitors work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadlines.
- Think Innovatively: Open to creative ideas, pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
- Learn Continuously: Open-minded, curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
- Adapt with Agility: Adapts to change, handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
- Act with Determination: Shows drive and motivation, delivers calmly in adversity, confident.
- Engage and Partner: Demonstrates understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciates/respects differences, aware of unconscious bias, confronts discrimination.
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
- Business Management: Clear communication, manages internal and external communications.
- Administration & Operations: Event management, travel policy interpretation, partnership development.
- General: Project management, financial planning and budgeting, procurement management.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Secondary education required.
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Management, Natural Resources Management, Public Administration, or related fields is preferred but not required.
Experience:
- Minimum 4 years (with Secondary Education) or 1 year (with Bachelor’s Degree) in project management, finance, administration, accounting, budgeting, or related fields.
Required Skills:
- Experience with national experts and international institutions is an asset.
- Proficiency in MS Office.
- Ability to manage complex work situations, support coordinators, and maintain timelines.
- Data gathering and processing skills.
- Strong interpersonal and networking skills.
- Clear professional writing skills.
- High organization, priority setting, quality output, deadline management, and time efficiency.
- Knowledge sharing and willingness to support others.
- Creative problem-solving.
- Maintains professional relationships.
Desired Skills:
- Experience with UNDP/UN policies, procedures, and practices.
- Specialized training in administration, accounting, finance, or related fields.
Disclaimer
Important Information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders):
Acceptance of a UNDP staff position may affect US Permanent Residents’ status. Applicants should seek advice from competent immigration lawyers regarding applications.
Applicant Information about UNDP Rosters:
UNDP may select one or more candidates from this announcement and retain applications for other similar positions.
Non-Discrimination:
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation, misconduct, harassment, and abuse of authority. All candidates will undergo rigorous background checks and must adhere to these standards.
UNDP is an equal opportunity 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.
Scam Warning:
The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the application process. Beware of solicitations for fees and apply caution when submitting personal information online.