Project Associate

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide inputs to Regional Programme Management and Support Unit (RPMSU) for the effective management and implementation of the Regional Programme

• Provide thoroughly researched information from responsible regional projects for the preparation of RPD and establishment of Baselines, Milestones and Targets (BMT) at the design stage. 
• Compile data as initial analysis for the narrative of Results-oriented Annual Reporting (ROAR).
• Compile information / evidence to guide future programming and implementation arrangement for the responsible projects.

Provide guidance to the Regional Project Managers to ensure effective management and implementation of Regional Projects

• Support formulation of regional projects (as required during the design stage for Project Development).
• Compile information in support of Project Appraisal for new project documents (as required).   
• Consolidate information from relevant Country Offices as a preparation for multi-year and annual work plans.
  Create projects and entering project details in Quantum and prepare budget revisions as required.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to implementing partners including Country Office project focal points on implementation of regional projects, and track use of financial resources. 
• Contribute to managing digital technology solutions i.e. POCOMAS in project implementation towards scalability and sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.
• Contribute to the effective management and data analysis in project implementation, across the data lifecycle. 
• Follow up on programme and project performance indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, and preparation of reports. Implement corporate results-based management mechanisms and tools. 
• Identify bottlenecks and act on the proposed solutions to ensure effective regional project management and implementation.
• Make preparations for external and internal programme / project audits, and support implementation of audit recommendations.
• Provide support to the responsible project / GPN thematic areas (as assigned) by maintaining internal expenditure system and performing quality assurance review of financial reports and payments that includes following up with other units and taking timely corrective actions.

 Support implementation of RBAP partnerships and resource mobilization strategies.   

• Compile and analyze information on resource mobilization pipeline, prepare donor profiles and maintain donor database. 
• Track and report on mobilized resources.
• Review contributions agreements and manage contributions in Quantum.

Review, track and maintain up to date data on POCOMAS on contributions agreements including amendments.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Country Office.

In assigned project areas:

• Organize and deliver knowledge sharing sessions for relevant project and operations personnel.
• Compile lessons learned and best practices.
• Provide sound contributions and support to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.

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.

People Management competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Management           

• Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.; Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.; Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests.; Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns. 
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Development           

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Procurement  

• Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

Finance              

• Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

• 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.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years (with secondary education) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible administrative/management and /or project management experience is required at the national and/or international level. 
• Experience in thematic area is desirable. 
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP.
• Experience working on development issues at national and international level is preferable.
• Ability to produce meeting reports identifying key actions, edit documents and consolidate narratives for a drafted project report is an asset.
• Experience working with international organizations is preferable.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Thai.