Project Management Support - Senior Assistant (Capacity Building Sector) - maternity leave cover

The European Union for Local Development Programme - EU PRO Plus will contribute to more balanced socio-economic development in Serbia by enhancing territorial development management, supporting economic growth, and improving social infrastructure and social cohesion of 99 local self-governments in two regions: Šumadija and Western Serbia and South and Eastern Serbia. The European Union (EU) has allocated 40 million Euros through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2020 to fund the Programme which will be led by the Ministry of European Integration and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) over a period of 42 months.

There are three results that the Programme will achieve in targeted municipalities:

• Result 1: Improved development planning and introduction of the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) concept
• Result 2: Enhanced economic growth 
• Result 3: Improved social infrastructure and social cohesion

While building on the momentum created by its three predecessors (1), the Programme also focuses on four cross cutting aspects: good governance, digitalisation and innovations, environmental and climate change aspects and gender equality. In addition, EU PRO Plus will, through its activities, where relevant and feasible, strive to remedy some of the negative COVID-19 effects. 

The direct beneficiaries of the EU PRO Plus are the Ministry of European Integration, 99 local self-governments, local administration structures, regional development agencies, other business support organisations, local SMEs, and civil society organisations (CSOs). The final beneficiaries are the inhabitants of 99 municipalities. 

All programme activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, while respecting the national policies and priorities, in order to ensure national ownership and help develop national capacities. The EU PRO Plus is based on the National Priorities for International Assistance in the Republic of Serbia until 2025 (NAD), crucial for economic and social development and the EU integration process, while particularly contributing to preparation for the fulfilment of the requirements under Chapter 22 of the EU acquis - Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Management Support – Senior Officer for the Capacity Building Sector, the Project Management Support - Senior Assistant will provide assistance in implementation of activities within the Sector for Capacity Building. S/he will work closely with other Sector team members in order to contribute to efficient and effective monitoring of implementation of projects within this Sector, to assist in implementation of the activities related to integrated territorial development and technical assistance to local self-governments (LSGs), regional development agencies (RDAs) and the Ministry of European Integration (MEI). 

The Senior Assistant will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• Maintain relationship with the Sector beneficiaries 
• Provide assistance  in development of reports on Sector activities 
• Provide assistance in organisation of functions and events to present the Programme’s support provided under the Sector for Capacity Building
• With guidelines from the Senior Officer for Capacity Building, and in coordination with the Sector Associates, closely monitor implementation of Sector projects and activities  
• Conduct field visits to Sector beneficiaries
• Liaise with the support services team to support successful implementation of contracts and grant agreements by maintaining regular communication between the programme and support services units in order to ensure timely exchange of information on the status of provision of services, procurements and grant agreements
• With guidelines from the Senior Officer for Capacity Building, and in coordination with the Sector Associates, provide basic assistance to the Sector beneficiaries in development of plans and strategies and implementation of projects 
• Provide assistance in collection, preparation, and archiving of documentation related to processing of Sector related financial transactions 
• Establish activity progress tracking sheets and regularly update with inputs provided by beneficiaries and services providers 
• Maintain archive related to capacity building activities, as per agreement with the Senior Officer for Capacity Building and in line with the UNOPS/EU PRO Plus requirements 
• Report on the key local developments that are relevant for the Sector 
• With the guidance of the Senior Officer for Capacity Building, liaise with retainers and service providers to support implementation of the Sector activities including gathering data on their engagement, collecting and storing their reports, communicating directly with retainers in relation to administrative and procedural issues 
• Contribute to identification and assessment of risks and assist in implementation of mitigation measures in accordance with the Risk Management Strategy 
• Assist in drafting reports as envisaged by the Programme Document
• Assist in development of the Programme’s plans 
• Assist in monitoring and reporting on the progress of activities against the Logical Framework Matrix indicators 
• Contribute to identification and sharing of Programme’s lessons learned and best practices 
• Contribute to efficient and effective use of EU PRO Plus and UNOPS tools for monitoring of Programme’s performance, outputs and benefits 
• Contribute to the successful administrative and financial closure of activities within the Sector for Capacity Building
• Provide support to Programme’s communication and visibility activities 
• Support organization of trainings, information sessions, and other events related to promotion of the activities and CFPs of the Sector and assist in capacity building of potential beneficiaries to adequately respond to the Calls
• Review documentation related to implementation of Capacity Building activities and grants, propose revisions and obtain approvals of the next phases of implementation.
• Provide feedback and support to Sector beneficiaries, as per guidance of the Senior Officer for Capacity Building and the Sector Associates
• Provide assistance to other Programme Sectors including but not limited to monitoring, and field visits to beneficiaries, within efforts to optimise use of resources
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

• Secondary education is required. 
• Bachelor’s degree preferably in economics, social sciences, engineering or development studies is an asset

• Five years of experience in project support functions on projects with strategic planning or capacity building components is required. Bachelor’s degree may substitute for some years of experience. 
• Direct experience with projects related to the EU Cohesion Policy and sustainable urban development is an asset

• Fluency in Serbian and English is required

Driving License 

• Driving license and ability to travel independently is required 

This is a local position, it is therefore open to nationals of Serbia and to individuals who have a valid residence/work permit.

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: Local ICA Support - ICS 5
Contract duration: expected duration six and a half months (maternity leave cover)

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

The UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi Country Office (RSMCO) is implementing 12 projects in Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden and North Macedonia.

All projects have gender equality as a transversal theme, and have been contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives.