UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub for Europe and Eurasia (IRH) is an advisory hub for the region that provides policy and programmatic support to UNDP’s development activities, and works towards assisting Country Offices in the development of country-level initiatives, as well as implements regional-level projects with a wide range of partners. Since 2021, the IRH has led the regional implementation of the EU-funded “Mayors for Economic Growth Facility”, implemented in five Eastern Partnership Countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine).

The M4EG offers resources, network and learning opportunities to explore new trajectories of growth and to make towns and cities more attractive for people and investment. The M4EG takes a ‘hyperlocal’ and whole-of-place approach and offers training and capability development through the Urban Learning Center, as well as grants programmes for municipalities to test new approaches and tools. See M4EG website and UNDP Eurasia regional innovation page for more information. As of end of 2023, the network of mayors/municipalities totals 425, with close to 50 of those implementing grants or seed-funds at the local level. The current phase of the M4EG ends in 2024, however, a new phase is under discussion and expected to begin in 2025.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Project Manager, the PA provides support to administrative and finance services ensuring high quality of work, including accurate, timely, and properly recorded/documented service delivery. The PA ensures effective delivery of project by entering and managing data and supporting programme implementation consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The PA works in close collaboration with colleagues at the five implementing Country Offices, as well as operations and other colleagues at the Istanbul Regional Office. The position requires a high level of initiative and learning motivation and provides an excellent opportunity to work on an international dynamic and virtual team working across a high number of countries. The PA will have opportunities to travel and engage directly with municipality staff, both online and through in-country events.

Please note that this position is open for citizens and residents of Turkiye only. The position is based in Istanbul, with the current office-wide policy of in-person presence a minimum of three days per week.

• Setting-up the project and the annual work plans (AWP) in Quantum (ERP system);
• Enhanced project management and pipeline module;
• Track and monitor the use of allocations, track approval of budget revisions and their uploading;
• Create e-requisitions, check budget for accuracy, and do receipts for payments;
• Generate financial reports and prepare monthly delivery monitoring tables for the assigned project, check for correctness, identify issues, contribute to development of solutions.

Support in project implementation and financial management of the project, including:

• Support project management in performing budget cycle: planning, preparation, revisions, and budget execution;
• Comply and verify budget and accounting data by researching files, calculating costs, and estimating anticipated expenditures;
• Process all types of payment requests for settlement purposes including quarterly advances to the partners upon joint review;
• Monitor budget expenditures, ensuring that no expenditure is incurred before it has been authorized and maintain a proper record of commitments and planned expenditures;
• Prepare and submit expenditure and project budget status reports;
• Prepare periodic accounting records by recording receipts, disbursements (ledgers, cashbooks, vouchers, etc.) and reconciling data for recurring or financial reports and assist in preparation of annual procurement plans;
• Support procurement and contracting processes (Individual Consultants, services and goods);
• Support documentation for Contract Assets Procurement (CAP) meetings and Regional Asset Contract Procurement submission;
• Undertake project financial closure formalities including submission of terminal reports, transfer and disposal of equipment, processing of semi-final revisions, and support professional staff in preparing the terminal assessment reports;
• Ensure that contractual processes follow the stipulated UNDP and donor (i.e. European Commission) procedures;
• Compile technical and financial reports as required;
• Ensure proper filing of all project related documents;
• Oversight of the M4EG ‘grants tool’ of ongoing agreements with local authorities;

Provide event and meeting organisation support for assigned events, including:

• Support the organisation and preparation of key project meetings, including necessary documentation, logistics, travel, administrative support and any follow up required (including producing meeting minutes and reports);
• Support with organising tele-conferences and other means of engagement with stakeholders and partners;
• Support the production of promotional materials;

Take care of internal communication and updates of project-related information on project platforms and social media including:

• Communicate with IRH teams and Country Offices on financial and reporting matters, be a go-to-person for the implementing Country Offices for support and advise;
• Support annual targets setting and reporting;
• Publishing articles on the platform developed by the project, and updating the information stream such as from campaigns;
• Publishing materials produced by communication experts on social media;
• Engage in the IRH wide regional programme/project meetings and respond to related requests as needed;
• Update events calendar and other platforms as requested.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

Project Associate of Mayors for Economic Growth Facility (M4EG) Project reports to Project Manager & Innovation Team Leader.

• 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:

• Communication:
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
• Effective Decision Making:
  • Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources
• Monitoring:
  • Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
• Event planning and execution:
  • Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP’s overall brand and mandate.
• Budget management:
  • Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets
• Financial reporting and analysis:
  • Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring
• Governance:
  • Public Administration and Local Governance