Programme Associate

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

• As nations globally strive to tackle intricate and interconnected challenges like crisis shocks, economic stagnation, inequality, poverty, access to clean and affordable energy, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, UNDP is committed to formulating integrated solutions to these issues.
• UNDP stands as the leading knowledge organization for sustainable development within the UN Development System and acts as the coordinator for collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Beyond multi-lateral and bi-lateral partnerships, UNDP offers countries specialized integrated technical services in eligibility assessment, programme/project formulation and implementation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training, technology transfer, co-financing mobilization, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments, and knowledge management services.
• The UNDP Country Office (CO) in Brazil serves as a crucial development partner to the Brazilian government, aiding national and sub-national public and private sector institutions, as well as civil society, to foster a more sustainable and inclusive society. This is achieved through the strengthening of democratic institutions, enhancing governance effectiveness, reducing poverty and inequalities, and addressing climate change and biodiversity issues.

To address specific national needs and demands, the CO in Brazil has structured a programme portfolio comprising three mutually reinforcing work streams, organized around three teams:

• Inclusive Socio-economic Development: focusing on poverty reduction, social policies, livelihoods, public-private partnerships, inclusive markets, and growth.
• Environmentally Sustainable Development: emphasizing nature-based solutions for development, climate change, energy efficiency, and chemical substance management, among others.
• Governance and Justice for Development: targeting violence prevention, justice, transparency, anti-corruption, human rights, and local capacity development.
• The Governance and Justice for Development team collaborates integrally with the Environmentally Sustainable Development and Inclusive Socio-Economic Development teams to anchor UNDP’s programme portfolio in areas such as Justice, Public Security, Human Rights, Democratic Governance, and Disasters Risk Management. This is accomplished by providing thought leadership and facilitating innovative and cross-cutting development solutions, enhanced by UNDP’s knowledge, research, and exemplary policy advice.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the overall guidance of the ARR(P) and under the direct supervison of the Programme Specialist, the Programme Associate ensures effective delivery of the CO programme by entering and managing data and supporting programme implementation consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.
• The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects’ staff in the CO and UNDP HQ, and UN Agencies to exchange information and resolve complex finance-related issues.
• UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Support formulation of programme strategies and implementation of the Country Programme Documents (CPDs).

• Collection, analysis, and presentation of information for identification of areas for support and programme formulation/implementation.
• Provide information/evidence to guide future programming and identify implementation arrangements.

Provide effective support to management of the Country Office programme. 

• Create project in ERP, prepare required budget revisions, revise project status, determine unutilized funds, and ensure operational and financial closure of a project.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to implementing partners on implementation of projects, and track use of financial resources. Contribute to managing digital technology solutions in programme implementation towards scalability and sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.
• Contribute to the effective management of data in programme implementation, across the data lifecycle. Follow up on programme and project performance indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, preparation of reports, and implementation of corporate results-based management mechanisms and tools.
• Identify programme related bottlenecks and propose solutions.
• Make preparations for external and internal programme/project audits, and support implementation of audit recommendations.
• Provide administrative support to the Programme unit by maintaining the consistency of operational flows foreseen on UNDP rules and regulations (POPP), that includes following up with other units and taking timely corrective actions.

Support implementation of the CO partnership and resource mobilization strategies. 

• Analyze information on donors and prepare donor profiles.
• Track and report on mobilized resources.
• Review contributions agreements and manage contributions in ERP.

 Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Country Office. 

In assigned programme areas:

• Organize and deliver programme related training for relevant programme and operations personnel.
• Compile lessons learned and best practices.
• Provide contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice and digital knowledge platforms.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education is required.
• A university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
• A post-graduate degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is desirable.

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible administrative/management or programme experience is required at the national and/or international level.
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
• Ability to review and edit documents, ability to produce meeting reports identifying key actions is required.
• Previous experience working with government counterparts is desirable.
• Previous experience in the areas of Justice, Human Rights, Public Security, or related subjects will be considered an asset.
• Previous experience in the United Nations System is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in Portuguese is required.
• Fluency in English required.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/21564