Programme Assistant

In August 2013, UNOPS Myanmar Operating Center (MMOC) has been selected by the Regional Steering Committee for the Artemisinin Resistence Containment Initiative for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to become the Regional Principal Recipient (PR) for GFATM’s regional grant for Artemisinin Resistance Containment Initiative (RAI) in Greater Mekong Subregion (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). The implementation of the grant was commenced in January 2014. As the designated Regional PR, UNOPS is responsible for the quality financial management, timely procurement of supplies and service delivery as well as efficient monitoring and evaluation of grant implementation activities. UNOPS will continue to be the Regional PR for the next RAI 2 grant from 2018-2020 and will continue to support grant implementation in 5 Greater Mekong Sub-region countries. 

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Program and M&E Specialist, the Program Assistant will be assigned to the Malaria Unit to provide a range of administrative and M&E services.  

• Perform day to day support of RAI program activities, (i.e. Assist in collecting and consolidating quarterly travel plan, reports, progress updates and preparation of requisition for procurements, etc.)
• Support in the preparation of RAI workplan and budgets
• Assist in checking the accuracy of progress update reports from Sub-Recipients (SRs) and liaise with them for any necessary corrections /additions as well as required supporting documentation
• Assist in the preparation of the consolidated RAI Progress Updates and Disbursement requests (PUDR)
• Assist in monitoring expenditures, verify accuracy of requests, completeness of documentation and availability of funding – inform supervisor of budget status, process for action, inform client and actively follow up to completion
• Prepare project communication, documentation, reports and contracts, checking accuracy and compliance with UNOPS formats and style
• Maintain hard and computerized records for the project’s operational and financial transactions for ease of reference and retrieval
• Responsible for document management, including file closures, archiving and monitoring due dates for project progress, status reports and submission by UNOPS of substantive financing, budget utilization and budget utilization to clients
• Assist in drafting of project reports and memos
• Prepare briefing materials as required for travels and/or discussions on project activities and status
• Interact with colleagues, clients and partners to exchange vital information on operational issues, seek cooperation to resolve routine operational issues and process problems, and refer complex issues to supervisor with recommendation for course of action
• Assist in briefing project personnel on UNOPS procedure
• Arrange field visits for UNOPS and related missions and coordinate all related logistic and administrative matters as necessary
• Assist in organizing the regular coordination meetings, capacity building trainings, and review meetings between National Programme and PR UNOPS and between Sub Recipients and PR UNOPS, including related logistics and administrative matters
• Translate documents/ be an interpreter from Laos to English and English to Laos
• Initiate purchase orders (POs) in OneUNOPS for making payments to implementing partners
• Perform administrative tasks related to office running such as petty cash management, request and management of operational advance, preparation of monthly admin related payment like electricity bills, phone bills, internet bill etc. on time, handling office asset inventory control and proper filing of administrative documents
• Attend relevant technical meetings and maintain excellent contact with all stakeholders.
• Provide regular updates and reports to the Supervisor as requested
• Perform other relevant duties as may be assigned by the supervisor

Key Results

• Accurate records of project activities will be accessible, updated and well maintained, both in hard copy and in the computerized system.
• Delivery of quality reports & accurate statistics
• Supervisor & clients receive regular briefings on project activities.
• Positive feedback from colleagues on support provided by the contractor, particularly in timely submission of data required for M&E Purposes, professional response to queries and demonstration of strong coordination

Education

• Secondary education or high school diploma is required. University Degree in Medical/ Health Sciences, Public Health, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics or Development Studies or other related disciplines will be considered a strong asset and may substitute for some of the required years of experience.

Work Experience

• Secondary education or high school diploma with minimum 5 years of experiences as Program Assistant or similar function is required, preferably with an International Organization.
• Good computer skills including MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint). Knowledge of database software would be an asset.
• Previous successful involvement with and a good knowledge of NGOs & civil society is preferred.

Language

• Intermediate level in written & spoken English Language is required.
• Fluency in written & spoken Laos Language is required. 

• Demonstrated organizational skills through working systematically, accurately and independently with minimal supervision in a complex environment.
• Willingness to undertake field visits in difficult conditions.
• Excellent analytical 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.
• 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 supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.