Strengthening the Role of Local Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)- Phase 2, is a joint project of the Government of Switzerland and Sweden, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in BiH in a partnership with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH, the Ministry of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Government of Republika Srpska (RS), the Government of Brčko District and both Entity Associations of Municipalities and Cities.

The overall goal of the second Project phase is to improve the quality of life of the citizens of BiH through empowered, gender responsive local communities (mjesne zajednice-MZs) that facilitate active citizen engagement in public life, stand for people-centred performance of local governments and catalyse democratic transformation at the local level. The Project focuses on encouraging community-led local development and revitalizing community governance through MZs in order to achieve this goal. The three specific Project outcomes are:

• Outcome 1: Local governments create a conducive environment that enables pro-active engagement of MZs in decision-making and community-led local development.
• Outcome 2: MZs as legitimate and sustainable community spaces translate citizens’ voice into quality, gender-responsive and inclusive services and use MZ networks for replication of successful MZ models countrywide.
• Outcome 3: Higher government authorities take responsibility and act in response to increased citizens demand for an improved MZ regulatory framework, moving forward broader local governance reforms at country level.

The Project’s methodological approach in Phase 2 is designed in the way to consolidate achievements from the Phase 1 and to prepare the ground for phasing-out the overall intervention following completion of the Phase 2. The Project will undertake all possible actions for this to happen, keeping in mind that sustainability, scaling up and handing-over the knowledge products represent the frame for the overall approach. Within this frame, strengthening of domestic ownership, for both systemic and behavioural transformations, and results-based management are the Project’s underlying approaches, and these are the essential pre-conditions for the launch of bottom-up democratic reforms and for the overall sustainability of the intervention. Empowerment of women, social inclusion and socially constructive use of technologies will continue to be used as accelerators for societal transformation.

The expected Project achievements will be ensured by working on-system, i.e. by using as much as possible the existing country systems and tapping into the efforts of committed partners. It is assumed that this will result in systemic local governance and community governance changes and durably improved quality of citizen participation and public service delivery at local level. The second Project phase will work directly with 41 local governments and 199 MZs, distributed throughout the country.

This position relates to creating and enabling environment for a smooth Project’s implementation in logistical and operational terms. Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Associate will provide support services ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of work.

The incumbent will be based in UNDP BiH office in Sarajevo.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Associate will have the following key functions:

a) Overall technical, administrative, and logistical support to Project activities with following expected results

• Participate in the planning, organizing and execution of Project activities;
• Assist the Project Manager and Project Officers in the implementation of technical and operational activities for the preparation of the outputs
• Supports planning, implementation and monitoring of activities related to community development and participation;
• Collects and collates information and documentation related to monitoring of project activities, indicators and deliverables;
• Organize and coordinate seminars, training activities, workshops, site visits and other exchange and facilitation events for stakeholders;
• Supports Project Manager in preparation and implementation of procurement plans from the financial aspect ;
• Maintain the Project’s files and supporting documentation for payments;
• Draft routine official correspondence and assists in the preparation of various reports.

b) Support to the Project teams in implementation of Project business processes with following expected results

• Creates requisitions in online management system. prepares invoicess; follows up on timely submission of reimbursement claims;
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that processed invoices are matched and completed, and transactions are correctly recorded and posted in online management system;
• Timely corrective actions on un-posted invoicess, including the invoices with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved invoices.
• Assists in recruitment,  human resource and overall programme and operational administrative management;
• Supports periodic and ad-hoc financial reporting to UNDP and other parties;
• Perform regulary monitoring of expenditures and commitments against project budget and relevant plans, and provides finance-related data to support project implementation and planning;
• Assists team members, experts, and consultants, in liaison with UNDP Operations, on financial and other operational matters;
• Prepare the payment requests as authorized by the Project Manager;
• Organize translation and interpretation services in accordance with business processes.

c) Support to Business Process Quality Assurance with following expected results:

• Facilitate that business processes followed by the projects are in line with the UNDP rules and regulations, policies, and internal control framework;
• Assist in timely reporting and participate in the drafting of the administrative, technical and financial reports;
• Assist the Project Manager in monitoring of disbursements in accordance with the Project Budget and Disbursement Plan;

d) Support to the Projects teams in effective mainstreaming of gender equality with following expected results:

• Provide effective support in mainstreaming gender equality in the projects implementation and makes sure that knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in the project’s knowledge management activities and products;
• Provide effective support to the Project Manager in incorporating gender equality in all the areas of implementation of projects components, in the organization of the project evaluations and audits;
• Ensure that all collected data related to the project are gender and age disaggregated and evaluated from the gender point of view.

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

Cross-functional and Technical Competences

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements