Background
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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 project “Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) in the Marshall Islands)” implemented by the Government of the Republic of Marshall Islands (GoRMI) in collaboration with UNDP became operational in January 2020 with the objective to address expected impacts of climate change on water security on Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI).
RMI is a small island developing state in the Pacific. The nation is a large-ocean state, with a total land area of only 182 km², spread across over 2 million km² of ocean. There are 24 inhabited atolls and islands, which are mostly remote and lie merely 2 m above sea level on average. There are no rivers, streams or lakes in RMI and the number of small surface ponds is very limited.
GoRMI, with the assistance of UNDP, has developed a project on adaptation to climate change impacts to water supply in RMI. The project is co-financed by GoRMI and Green Climate Fund (GCF). The project will build resilience to the impacts of climate change on water supply, particularly in 24 atolls and islands that are highly vulnerable to drought. The project will invest in improving water security, water resilience and water governance through:
• Water Security – Improving household and community rainwater harvesting and storage structures to increase resilience of water supply in 77 rural communities in the outer islands and atolls accounting for approximately 28% of RMI’s population, including 7,630 (49%) women, currently at risk.
• Water Resilience – Securing groundwater resources from contamination due to inundation caused by wave overtopping of seawater.
• Water Governance – Strengthening the technical capacities of national and subnational institutions and key stakeholders to integrated climate change risks into water governance processes so that management of climate change risks are coordinated, effective, participatory, equitable, and sustained over the long-term when risks are expected to worsen.
The project aligns with GoRMI’s key climate change policies and strategies and has been developed through extensive consultation with government, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and beneficiary communities. The proposed project is aligned with RMI’s NDC and country work programme to the GCF. The NDA has issued a letter of no-objection and the proposed project is aligned with the work programme of the AE (UNDP) selected by the NDA.
- This GCF project will be executed by UNDP, in close partnership with the GoRMI, given UNDP’s extensive experience in implementing climate change adaptation projects globally. The project implementation is being led by a team based in Majuro, RMI and Suva, Fiji.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM), the Operation Assistant is responsible for assisting operation of ACWA project implementation, especially procurement, logistic and warehouse management, jointly with the Operation team including Operation Associate, Procurement Associate, Finance and Administrative Officer, Project Associate and other PMU and counterpart.
Summary of Key Functions:
- Provide assistance to strategic operational supports for ACWA project implementation.
- Support coordination for logistics or operational day-to-day activities following standard processes and contributing, directly or indirectly, to the effective delivery of ACWA project material to 24 neighbour Atolls and Islands in the Marshall Islands.
- Suppport implementation of operational warehouse procedures and normative guidance to manage UNDP ACWA s warehouses, handle inventory effectively through corporate systems, and ensure loss mitigation.
- Support conducting market assessments and engage with entities to assess and identify potential logistics service providers.
- Assist consolidation of preliminary data analysis, prepare accurate and timely reports to support supply chain planning to enable informed decision-making and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
Key Function #1 – Provide assistance to strategic operational supports for ACWA project implementation.
- Assist the PM with planning, formulating, tracking of the project procurement and logistics;
- Support Operation Associate and Procurement Associate for effective operational works on procurement, logistic and warehouse management
- Ensure full compliance of the project with UNDP and GCF rules and regulations on procurement processes, financial records, reports and audit as well as effective and the internal controls frameworks;
- Support coordinate ACWA Project Management Unit (PMU) and relevant stakeholders to support project implementation of project activities as outlined in the Funding Proposal.
- Contribute towards the development of logistics plans and processes ensuring compliance with wider logistics policies and UNDP standards.
Key Function #2 – Support coordination for logistics or operational day-to-day activities following standard processes and contributing, directly or indirectly, to the effective delivery of ACWA project material to 24 neighbour Atolls and Islands in the Marshall Islands.
- Support and prepare the dispatch plan as per the endorsed Water Investment Plan (WIP), and ensure it is shared with Fleet and Commercial for loading plan and timely delivery.
- Monitor and ensure all the dispatches are recorded inventory per Atolls and Islands.
- Gather and consolidate updated information, regarding the routes for each delivery, before the dispatches and inform the transporters accordingly.
- Coordinate and follow up with ACWA Project Management Unit (PMU) including Site Coordinators located in 24 neighbour Atolls and Islands on the arrival of the ACWA material and last mile solution implementation.
- Preparation of inventory reports;
- Support implementation of Inventory and physical verification control in the project.
- Maintain PMU documentation in electronic and/or hard copy format (including financial records such as supporting documents for vouchers and POs), according to UNDP policies and guidelines;
- Maintains and regularly updates project counterpart contacts database;
- Review and compile necessary documentations during procurement process, in support of the Procurement Associate
- Review and verifies invoices and common services expenses charged to the PMU budget (rent, utilities, phone, miscellaneous);
- Organize project-related meetings outside of RMI;
- Provide communication support (electronic and hard copy correspondence, etc.) to all PMU staff.
Key Function #3 – Support implementation of operational warehouse procedures and normative guidance to manage UNDP ACWA warehouses, handle inventory effectively through corporate systems, and ensure loss mitigation.
- Support ensuring availability of sufficient storage capacity in the warehouse to receive the ACWA material and advice ACWA PMU for strategic procurement of material.
- Compile
- Support Planing and assist implementation of innovative logistics operations, initiatives, and programs to ensure timely, efficient, and cost-effective supply of ACWA material.
- Any other necessary operation works requested by PM
Key Function #4 – Support conducting market assessments and engage with entities to assess and identify potential logistics service providers
- Conduct market assessments and engage with entities to assess and identify potential logistics service providers.
- Advice to Project staff on UNDP administrative and reporting, in particular, on budgetary issues;
- Organize trainings for the Government of RMI on financial management;
- Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in programme and project finance;
- Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Assist oversee commodity accounting and ensure UNDP corporate tools and regulation are followed and used as required.
- Ensure that accurate and complete accounting, reporting and internal control systems are functioning and that all relevant records are maintained.
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Key Function #5 – Assist logistical arrangement for transportation of material to target Atolls and Islsnds
- Assist Operation and Technical team in the ACWA project to plan and organize delivery mission to transporta project material to the 24 Atolls and Islands.
- Liaise with transport agencies for booking, coordination and securing the space to load the project material on the vessel
- Ensure monitoring stocktake and inventory properly conducted pre and post movement of material from warehouse
- Coordinate Operation and technical team for delivery mission and ride on the vessel with the material for monitoring and oversight of delivery mission until the material to be safely stored at storage facility/warehouse at neighbouring 24 Atolls and Islands
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 |
| | Thematic Area | Name | Definition | |
| Business Direction & Strategy | Strategic Thinking | - Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s 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 foresignt in order to model what future developments
and possible ways forward look like for UNDP |
| Business Direction & Strategy | System Thinking | Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system |
| Business Direction & Strategy | Effective Decision Making | Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources |
| Business Direction & Strategy | Negotiation and Influence | Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations |
| Business Development | Collective Intelligence Design | Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions |
| Business Development | UNDP Representation | Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies |
| | 2030 Agenda: Planet | Nature, Climate and Energy | | Water Governance: Integrated Water Resources Management | |
| 2030 Agenda: Planet | Nature, Climate and Energy | | Climate Change Adaptation: Water Management |
| | | | |
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Completed Secondary Education is required OR
- A recognized university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in Social Science, Education, Environmental Management or any other related field will be given due consideration, but not a requirement
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional work experience related to supporting project implementation and management, logistic, procurement, and any operation related works with a Secondary school education, OR
- 2 years with Bachelor’s degree of relevant professional work experience related to supporting project implementation and management, logistic, procurement, and any operation related works with a Secondary school education.
- Computer knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point.
- Previous experience with a multilateral or international organization
- Procurement and logistical works for remote areas
Language:
- Fluency in English (oral and written) is a requirement whilst proficiency in the Marshallese language is strongly desirable.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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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