Project Administrative Associate

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Job Description

UNDP Tajikistan is announcing the position of the Project Administrative Associate for three Country Office clusters: Resilience, Governance and Sustainable Economic Development to support the implementation of project activities as assigned by and under direct supervision of the UNDP Project Manager and matrix management of the Finance and Budget Analyst. The Project Administrative Associate collaborates with UNDP relevant staff in the UNDP Country office in Dushanbe, relevant project personnel.

It is a call for a Roster of qualified candidates to express their interest in future upcoming opportunities. The candidates will be included into the UNDP Tajikistan Roster for the position of Project Administrative Associate and remain in the pool for the duration of 36 months in line with the UNDP policy and procedures. The rostered candidates will be invited to participate in the validation interview for the position(s) once it becomes vacant and/or available depending on office needs. The offer will be made based on the interview outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Project Administrative Associate will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

Provide general operational and administrative support to projects;
Perform a variety of administrative tasks related to project implementation, including screening, and collecting all programme/project documentation, archiving of project documents;
Collect, compile, and provide information when required as well as provide assistance and support to programme and project staff in preparation of different presentations, reports, etc.;
Liaise with the Country Office Operations team, counterparts, and other parties in the preparation of contracts, budget, and payments, as tasked by the project manager;
Maintain an appropriate filing financial system documenting the implementation of activities.

Ensure effective administrative assistance for the project implementation:

Perform a variety of standard tasks related to programme development, including screening, and collecting all programme/ project documentation, archiving of project financial documents;
Collect, compile, and provide information when required as well as provide assistance and support to programme and project staff in preparation of different presentations, reports, programme profiles;
Ensure timely submission of the documents for the project personnel contracts’ issuance and extensions;
Assist with the induction process of the newly hired personnel at the project level;
Establish and maintain both electronic and manual filing systems for easy retrieval of correspondence and other documentation and ensures safekeeping of supporting documentation for payments and invoices for audit reference;
Provides administrative and logistical support for donor meetings, other specific meetings, workshops, trainings, conferences, and any other special events organized by project;
Ensure inventory and asset management according to IPSAS requirements;
Track and monitor the incoming shipments;
Ensure availability of space in warehouse/distribution plans; maintains appropriate filing of logistics and shipping documents;
Participate in regular warehouse physical inventory verification and submits subsequent inventory reports, produce the required release and receiving documents;
Make the required travel arrangements, accommodation, venue, and other logistics for workshops, trainings, seminars, etc.;
Ensuring the project’s travel needs are satisfied. Be directly responsible for the coordination and liaison with UNDP CO’s Travel and Logistics Assistant for travel reservations and issuance of travel tickets;
Preparation and timely submission of Travel Authorizations (TAs) and travel claims. Ensure all travel related files contain up to date information;
Check and review the travel dashboard and take actions, if any, on a regular basis.
Provide effective financial assistance (in close consultations and coordination with the CO Finance unit and PMSU):
Support day-to-day management of the projects financial operations in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations and relevant SOPs;
Review and analyze project budget implementation on an ongoing basis; initiating, preparing and processing budget revisions, as necessary;
Monitor project financial performance and undertaking necessary actions to address inconsistencies and discrepancies;
Prepare requests for financial authorization to UNDP CO in accordance with the approved project budget;
Support preparation of accurate financial reports, including monthly and quarterly disbursement reports and financial reports for donor;
Monitor financial expenditure of the project and ensure that financial delivery of the project is in accordance with the project document and annual work plans;
In close coordination with the CO Finance Unit and PMSU support verification of all supporting documentation for payment requests, disbursement invoices, implementing partners’ financial reports and other financial documents when required; ensure timely follow-up actions on pre-payments, including project cash advances;
Support the preparation of financial reports to donors, consistent with specific agreement requirements;
Assist project management in preparation/revision of Annual Work Plan;
Assist preparation of mid-year and annual budget expenditure reports as per UNDP and donor requirements;
In coordination with PMSU, support preparation for and support of the annual project audits, and financial spot checks, regular follow-up to audit recommendations.

Support project procurement processes (in close coordination with the CO Procurement Unit:

Assist to the Project Manager in designing the Procurement Plan for the project in Quantum;
Contribute to the design of the Requests for Quotations, Requests for Proposals, Invitation to Bids, including Terms of References for recruiting short- and long-term consultancies and for the project-related activities and ensure full compliance with standard requirements;
Registration of tender cases (acquiring tender reference number internally in PTT (Procurement Tracking Tool, creation of requisition in Quantum, registration of procurement request in UNall), and further facilitation of the evaluation and contract management procedures;
Assist the Project in Contract Management procedures (contract implementation monitoring, follow up on contract due dates, assist in preparation of Performance Evaluations of Contractors upon preparation of final payment, ensure timely processing of the payment upon receipt of invoice;
Contribute to preparation of evaluation reports in UNall;
Provision of support in timely extension and/or termination processes of the contracts (Note to files, Memos, Amendments);
Ensure timely follow-up actions on and prepare a set of supporting documentation required for Purchase Orders, Receipts and PO-based regular invoices;
Ensure timely corrective actions on Purchase Orders and invoices with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved/pending POs and invoices;
Ensure timely closure of purchase orders in ERP system;
Support the creation of supplier profiles in ERP system.

Provide support for other project activities:

Support the preparation of analysis, infographics, and presentations on project budget planning, forecast and delivery;
Maintain project information calendar in MS Teams;
Assist in meetings, drafts minutes and correspondence as requested.

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

Secondary Education is required.
Bachelor´s degree in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Social Sciences or other related fields will be given due consideration but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

Minimum seven (7) years (with Secondary Education) or 4 years (with Bachelor`s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.

Desired Skills:

Demonstrated experience in the field of administration, procurement, finance, programme/project support or other relevant fields is required.
Experience with donor funded projects will be an added advantage.
Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database package.
Working experience within UNDP or another UN agency is an asset.
Experience in international organizations/projects will be considered as an advantage.
Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages, ERP an advantage.
Outstanding computer skills, including the ability to apply existing and develop new financial management systems.
Knowledge of IPSAS is an asset.
Experience in working for the complex local development programmes is an asset.
High sense of responsibility, willingness to take initiative, excellent communication skills and team spirit are important assets.
Affinity with the mandate and role of the United Nations.