Project Management Support - Senior Assistant

WEC Background information

UNOPS Water and Energy Cluster (WEC) supports the design and management of multi-stakeholder initiatives by providing services in financial and grant management, procurement, human resources, and project management.The cluster has supported projects in the areas of water resource management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and transparency, energy access and distribution and environmental conservation under the Paris Agreement. 

The WEC has also supported operations and financial management services, in Vienna, the rest of the ECR region and beyond.The main partners include UN agencies, bilateral agreements (with the Nordics, Germany, and Italy ), the Green Climate Fund and several NGOs (such as CIFF and CWF).

Background Information – Job specific (UNDP/GEF YSLME Phase II)

UNDP/GEF is providing assistance through UNOPS to countries bordering Yellow Sea in support of their efforts to address among others the increasing trends of depleting fishery stocks, loss of coastal wetland, land and sea-based pollution and implementation of the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem Strategic Action Programme (YSLME SAP) adopted by China and RO Korea with support of DPR Korea. The project was launched in July 2017.

The objective of this regional project is to achieve adaptive ecosystem-based management of the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem bordered by China, RO Korea and DPR Korea by fostering long-term sustainable institutional, policy and financial arrangements for effective ecosystem-based management of the Yellow Sea in accordance with the YSLME SAP.

The key outcomes sought are:

• Establishment of a self-sustaining cooperative mechanism for ecosystem-based management.
• Recovery of depleted fish stocks and improved mariculture production and quality.
• Improved ecosystem health;
• improved inter-sectoral coordination and mainstreaming of ecosystem-based management principles at the national level, maintenance of habitat areas, strengthened stakeholder participation in management and improved policy making.
• Skills and capacity significantly developed for region-wide ecosystem-based management. 

Overall responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), the Senior Assistant will manage the day-to-day operations of the Project Management Office, particularly with respect to finances, procurement (including importation, permits, etc.) and personnel matters (in close cooperation with the counterpart of UNOPS and the UNDP Country Office in Beijing). The post holder will be the principal line of liaison between the Secretariat and the UNOPS in all financial and administrative matters in particular in relation to closure of the project.

The post holder will also be responsible for the management of the project’s management information systems (MIS) including computer data base management, maintenance of computer-based statistics regarding the management of the project (particularly contracting), project activities and use of the outputs, as well as liaison with UNOPS Headquarter ICT team to ensure UNOPS ICT standards and policies are followed.

Duties:

Administrative Functions: (20%)

The incumbent will provide routine administrative support on the proper day-to-day functioning of the Secretariat by supervising the provision of all necessary supplies and services including maintenance contracts, office supplies, communications and project files electronically and in hard copies for audit and terminal evaluation. He/she shall be responsible for the proper running and upkeep of the Project Management Office (PMO) hardware including the computers, copiers, etc.

Finances: (30%)

Under delegated authority, the Senior Assistant will administer the petty cash on behalf of the Chief Technical Adviser (CTA) and prepare relevant documents including monthly cash statements, requests for replenishment and budget reviews and revisions. 

The incumbent will provide routine support to CTA in preparing and maintaining the local records of project accounts. He/she shall prepare bank reconciliations and records of total project expenditure (including, where possible, full records of counterpart contributions to the project).

The incumbent will provide routine support in monitoring Project expenditures with reference to the approved budget. He/she will provide routine support to the CTA in preparing  budget proposals and also attend to all financial and budgetary aspects of the implementation of the Project including the following specific duties: to monitor expenditures - this will entail monitoring the relevant contract information (i.e. liaising with the agencies and the Secretariat), monitoring special Components of the YSLME and, Provide support  in reviewing the executing agency finance records of expenditures against MODs and budget lines;  to assist in preparing draft budget revisions and working budgets in consultation with the Portfolio Manager at UNOPS and the CTA; to  assist the project staff to prepare budgets for meetings and activities and to review incoming authorizations to ensure adequate recording against budget lines (and take appropriate action to correct and/or revise requests and alert UNOPS); and to  assist CTA to prepare special budget and financial statements and to regularly brief the CTA on the financial status of the project.

Procurement: (30%)

The incumbent will provide basic routine support regarding all duties relevant to local procurement.  He/she will maintain records of suppliers, obtain competitive bids for the consideration of the CTA and complete the relevant documentation including that pertinent to the tax status of the PMO.  He/she will maintain precise records of all goods purchased on behalf of the Project.The incumbent will also be responsible for maintaining proper equipment inventories as well as for ensuring the proper labelling and recording of equipment delivered to the field. Records will also be maintained of all materials purchased by the other donors and used within the regional network.

Personnel Matters: (10%)

The incumbent shall assist all the Secretariat staff with personnel matters relevant to the performance of official duties. This work will include the obtaining of visas (a service to be limited to duty travel).  Such assistance will be provided in consultation with the CTA and in close liaison with the UNOPS and the relevant sections of UNDP. Senior Assistance will include, supply of forms for personnel services (including medical reimbursements) and advice on their completion.

Management Information System: (10%)

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma with 5 years of experience in administration and budget management of donor-funded project required;
• Bachelor degree in business administration or relevant area is preferred; In case of university degree, some or entire years of experience may be discounted.
• Proven experience in implementing and maintaining computer-based systems for effective management of project financial reporting, budgeting, performance statistics, monitoring & evaluation, resource allocation is highly desirable.

• Proficiency in MS Excel and Word is required.

• Fluency in English and Korean language is required. 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits.
Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.