Programme Assistant for Social Cohesion

The European Union Support to Municipal Development – EU PRO Programme(1) will contribute to a more balanced socio-economic development of Serbia, by enhancing competitiveness and social cohesion of 99 municipalities, in two regions: Šumadija and Western Serbia and Southern and Eastern Serbia(2). The European Union (EU) allocated 25 million Euros for the Programme that will be implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) during 36 months.

There are three results that the Programme will achieve:

• Result 1: Improved technological structure of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and their ability to export
• Result 2: Improved conditions for business operations through more efficient administrative service provision, better land management and specific infrastructure investments
• Result 3: Better social cohesion and attractive living environment through improvement of small scale public infrastructure and social relations.

The direct beneficiaries of the EU PRO are local self-governments, local SMEs, civil society organisations (CSOs) and business support organisations (BSOs). The final beneficiaries are the inhabitants of 99 municipalities.

The EU PRO Programme is based on the National Priorities for International Assistance in the Republic of Serbia 2014-2017, with projections until 2020 (NAD)(3), significant for Serbia’s EU accession process and socio-economic development. Its activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, while respecting the national strategies, laws and relevant development documents, in order to ensure national ownership and help develop national capacities.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Associate for Social Cohesion, the Programme Assistant for Social Cohesion will provide assistance in implementation of activities supporting enhancement of inter-ethnic dialogue and cooperation, improving social inclusion and cohesion in multi-ethnic communities. S/he will contribute to efficient and effective monitoring of implementation of social inclusion and cohesion projects, and support provision of assistance to the beneficiaries of these activities.  

The Programme Assistant for Social Cohesion will undertake the following specific activities/responsibilities:

• Maintain relationship with beneficiaries of social inclusion and cohesion projects
• Provide assistance in development of reports on social inclusion and cohesion activities
• Provide assistance in organisation of functions to present the Programme’s support in the area of social inclusion and cohesion
• With guidelines from the Programme Associate for Social Cohesion, closely monitor implementation of projects related to social inclusion and cohesion
• Conduct field visits to beneficiaries of social inclusion and cohesion projects
• Liaise with the Programme support services team to support successful implementation of 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 line manager, provide basic technical assistance to the Sector beneficiaries in implementation of projects
• Provide assistance in collection, preparation, and archiving of documentation related to processing of financial transactions related to social inclusion and social cohesion activities
• Establish activity progress tracking sheets and regularly update with inputs provided by beneficiaries and services providers
• Maintain archive related to social inclusion and social cohesion activities, as per agreement with the line manager and in line with the UNOPS/EU PRO requirements
• Report on the key local developments that are relevant for social inclusion and social cohesion activities
• With the guidance of the line manager, liaise with retainers and service providers to support implementation of the 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 development of the Programme’s plans
• Assist in monitoring and reporting on the progress of activities against the Logical Framework Matrix indicators and in drafting reports as envisaged by the Programme Document
• Contribute to identification and sharing of the Programme’s lessons learned and best practices
• Contribute to efficient and effective use of EU PRO and UNOPS tools for monitoring of Programme’s performance, outputs and benefits
• Contribute to the successful administrative and financial closure of social inclusion and social cohesion activities
• Provide support to the Programme’s communication and visibility activities.

Education

• Secondary education is required. Bachelor’s degree in economics, social sciences, engineering or development studies is an asset
• Projects in Controlled Environments 2 (PRINCE2) Foundation Certification – preferred

Work Experience

• Five years of  progressive experience in support position related to project management is required
• Two years of experience in supporting activities related to social inclusion and cohesion is requirement
• Familiarity with Serbian laws related to social cohesion and social inclusion is required
• Direct experience in assisting implementation of grant schemes is essential
• Direct experience in working with CSOs is an asset

Language Requirements

• Serbian as native language, fluency in English

Driving license

• Driving license and ability to travel independently will be  required

• Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks and duties related to communication – work with media, manage public relations, speak publicly clearly and focussed, with ability to effectively communicate complex ideas to a non-specialist audience
• Ability to produce written information clearly and persuasively conforming to the required standards
• Ability to handle a large volume of work possibly under time constraints
• Strong IT skills

• 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.
• 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
• 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/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.