PSU Programme Assistant

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority and supervision of the Director of UNESCO Almaty Office, and under direct supervision of the assigned Programme Specialist, the incumbent shall provide assistance to UNESCO Almaty Programme staff in supporting Member States in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) in the Education, Natural, and Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Information/Communication fields within the framework of implementation of UNESCO’s Regular Programme and extra-budgetary activities according to the UNESCO rules, regulations and procedures.

The incumbent  will work in close collaboration with the Programme Specialists and the Project Support Unit (PSU) of UNESCO Almaty Office. In particular, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

Support the effective programme implementation in the UNESCO Almaty Office. The tasks include supporting the Programme units with:

• Making all the necessary logistical arrangements for seminars, workshops, meetings and other events, including communication with partners/participants, travel arrangements, visa support, local transportation, conducting competitive bidding for contractors providing lodging/venue/translation services/etc., organizing any other necessary activities for the successful and smooth conduct of events;
• Providing administrative and financial support in programme procurement activities, in liaison with the Administrative Unit: preparing procurement work plan, making cost estimates, assist in drafting contracts’ assignments/terms of reference, identifying proper contract modalities, organizing and following up on tenders/biddings, searching and selecting vendors, coordinating with contracted organizations,  process contracts in UNESCO’s computerized system DUO, prepare/submit/follow up with payment requests, assist in coordinating contract timelines and follow-up with contractors, as necessary, or with programme staff to ensure effective and timely implementation of Programme activities, all other procurement-related actions;
• Assist in monitoring budget status of implemented activities with funding from the Regular Budget and extra-budgetary contributions, such as budgets for events, contracts, travels.

Support the effective programme management, budgeting and administration of Programmes in the UNESCO Almaty Office. The tasks include supporting the Programme units with:

• Preparation and analysis of budget proposals, audit, and operational and financial closure of the contracts with implementation partners;
• Preparation of memos and correspondence related to administrative and budgetary matters, obtaining necessary clearances, processing and follow-up on administrative actions related to programme implementation, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, training/study tours, authorization of payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services, security compliance.

Support to knowledge management and public information activities of Programmes in the UNESCO Almaty Office. The tasks include supporting the Programme units with:

• Maintenance of a database of governmental and development partners, civil society, experts and other stakeholders, as well as Office calendars to reflect Office and programmes events, including in the gMeet and system for UN system and UNESCO Website;
• Drafting of routine responses to programme information requests and inquiries of generic nature;
• Maintenance of filing management systems (Office SharePoint and Intranet).

Facilitate travel arrangements:

• Prepare travel requests and files for official travels, organize them, and ensure follow-up in close cooperation with the Administration Unit.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Completed higher education degree in management, finances, administration or another related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in programme support, financial, and/or administrative service acquired at the national or international level.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Ability to work as part of a multi-cultural team, to take initiative and to provide quality and timely support and services.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to draft correspondence and correct documents.
• Good organizational, coordination and filing skills.
• Ability to take ownership of given tasks and demonstrate proactivity
• Ability to interpret rules and manage priorities in order to meet tight deadlines.
• Discretion and capacity to deal efficiently and tactfully with people of different cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work under stress and cope with multiple tasks
• Good ICT skills with proficiency in the use of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.).

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge of English and Russian.

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Almaty-PSU-Programme-Assistant-(SB%E2%80%902-SC5-Min)/801235102/