Project Assistant

PROJECT CONTEXT

The project assistant will provide support to assigned projects, including the following:    

Emergency assistance for 3D-printed prosthetics and job creation in Ukraine (SAP: 220169)

• The armed conflict in Ukraine has drastically increased the number of persons with disabilities, which severely affects their quality of life and future employment opportunities. According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 12,272 civilian casualties, 5,237 killed and 7,035 injured, have been recorded a s of 24 July 2022 as a result of the use of explosive weapons, including shelling from heavy artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, missiles and air strikes, since 24 February 2022. As the armed conflict further expanded and the number of injured increased, the demand for prosthetics in the country surged and is expected to continue to increase for coming months and even years.
• The foreign producers manufacture most of the prosthetics in Ukraine. Because of this, prosthetics and rehabilitation require significant amount of time and money. Moreover, warranty for prosthetics does not cover the maintenance in Ukraine. Its known 3D printed prosthetics to have higher customisation, lighter weight, shorter delivery period and less cost. With the use of AI, 3D CAD software and 3D printers, a large volume of prosthetics can be manufactured speedily and even remotely thanks to the digital transmission of the scanned data of each patient in remote places, which enables to deliver prosthetics to the users in remote places.
• With the large numbers of IDPs and returnees, national social and economic services are overwhelmed. With an estimate, 4.8 million jobs been lost since the start of the conflict.  People are increasing dependent on social programs and humanitarian assistance. Internal displacement and refugee flows are increasing the pressure on host communities who lack the capacity to support them due to the significant declines in employment and income. The armed conflict has destroyed thousands of businesses or forced them to close, displacing workers internally and abroad.
• The project aims to provide amputees with 3D printed prosthetics in Ukraine and to promote job creation for the amputees. The project also aims to provide reskilling and upskilling opportunities for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the western Ukraine. As of 23 July, IOM estimates 6,645,000 IDPs within Ukraine, of which 20% are people with disabilities. 60% of IDPs lost their jobs due to the conflict and among those who were employed before the conflict, 47% do not currently earn any money. Currently, the western region has 1,333,000 IDPs being the second biggest region of IDP population after the eastern.

Emergency assistance for 3D-printed assistive products and job creation in Ukraine (SAP: ID 230188)

• The project will consolidate and expand on the achievements of the above project “Emergency assistance for 3D-printed prosthetics and job creation in Ukraine (220169)”. The project will promote the employability of the most vulnerable including people with disabilities, IDPs, women, particularly those in challenging circumstances due to the conflict, and families of individuals with disabilities, by enhancing the capacity of rehabilitation and re-integration institutions to improve their services and better coordinate with private sector and other social organizations. Additionally, the project will conduct activities to promote awareness in both private and public sectors about the job potential of individuals with disabilities and the creation of reasonable accommodation for job posts including leveraging 3D-printing technology.
• Furthermore, the project will provide crucial capacity building in business training and vocational training, with a focus on 3D-printing and its applications, to support the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities. Aligned with national and international initiatives for fostering inclusivity, as well as the United Nations Transitional Framework (TF) for Ukraine, the project will undertake a collaborative approach with MSMEs, disability organizations, veteran associations, and other stakeholders. The project will focus on enhancing the local capacity for job reintegration for vulnerable people including people with disabilities in Western Ukraine. Furthermore, the project will provide vocational and entrepreneurship training, linked with networking opportunities and linkages to financing mechanisms in order to enable them to secure meaningful employment or create their own entrepreneurial initiatives.

Emergency livelihood support to mitigate the food insecurity crisis among vulnerable peoples in Iraq (SAP: ID 220167)

• The project helps address the lack of livelihoods, employment and food insecurity in Iraq by revitalizing traditional food processing industries in Nineveh Governorate including a Syrian Refugee Camp and its host community in Duhok. There is a rich indigenous knowledge on food processing and preservation utilizing available resources within these areas. Some of these are dairy products (different local cheese, yoghurt-based drinks), fermented products like pickles, olives, sausages, confectionery products and others.  The Syrian refugees share some of the traditional methods of food processing.
• The knowledge of indigenous food processing methods is a valuable resource of local solutions to the food insecurity. Women are extensively involved in agricultural activities, foods processing and preservation, which are dominant livelihood features of rural areas. They are a source of income generating activities of women selling the products based on market demand of these goods. These livelihood activities provide pillars related to food security, i.e. availability, accessibility, utilization and stability.
• The project strengthens the capacities of household, micro, small and medium enterprises producing traditionally processed food products. It does this by providing training and extension services on food safety and hygiene and improved business management; refurbishment of production and storage facilities including provision of equipment to meet minimum health standards and improve productivity; and assistance in improved product packaging.  Household and micro enterprises are encouraged to work together to address common problems and take advantage of collective efficiencies to improve their enterprises.
• To contribute to food security in the Refugee Camps, the project establishes a Dairy Processing Cluster in one camp. The project constructs a goat house and provides dairy goats to refugees and host beneficiaries who train in animal care and proper milking procedures. Women beneficiaries with traditional knowledge on making dairy products are trained on process improvement, hygiene and food safety and provided equipment and tools to produce and sell. The women are encouraged to form their self-help group for collective efficiency.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the consultant provides support in the development and administration of technical cooperation programmes and projects as well as secretarial and administrative support and is responsible for the following key functions:
• Screen incoming mail and draft replies for supervisor’s signature on non-technical aspects; provide relevant background/project information whenever necessary to supervisor(s); keep track of pending matters, follow up with other offices on deadlines;
• Respond to moderately complex information requests and inquiries as necessary, as well as to refer queries to appropriate personnel for handling;
• Draft routine correspondence (both on TC-related and administrative matters); and put them into adequate style, language and format; proofread documents and edit texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style in accordance with standard practices and in compliance with the UNIDO Correspondence Manual;
• Assist in or monitor exercises related to TC projects (e.g.: budget revisions, obligation reviews, re-phasing, extension or completion of projects, issuance of new project allotment documents/due sub-allotments, TC allocations and monitoring related exercises). Consult to clarify the application of new financial procedures, TC guidelines and other instructions. Keep track of project budget expenditures. Retrieve information on TC projects from the SAP module that has been designed to support results-based management. Provide information on the project, draw the supervisor’s attention to problems encountered;
• Using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to recruitment of experts, training and study tours, purchasing equipment, travel authorizations requests/claims and deal with all related inquiries;
• Perform general administrative tasks like arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, research for information and reference material. Prepare requests/documents, e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests/authorizations, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, etc.;
• Maintain files (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work;
• Perform any other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Education: Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma or equivalent), is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is desirable.
• Credit towards total working experience may be considered on a year by-year- basis, up to maximum of four years, for a higher degree education (including first university degree or equivalent diploma and/or master’s degree), in a relevant field to the post.

Experience, Technical and Functional Expertise:

• A minimum of six (6) years of working experience in the related fields of the post, is required.
• Experience in office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, is required.
• Experience in project administration, accounting and finance, providing support to managerial/professional staff and using secretarial/administrative skills to assist in the execution of project development and implementation of work, is desirable.
• Experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, is required.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.
• Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

Source: https://careers.unido.org/job/Vienna-Project-Assistant/980409155/