Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

As a key partner in the Resilience debate in Zimbabwe, UNDP has in partnership with several donors taken the lead in designing the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) Phase II. The overall objective of the fund is to contribute to increased capacities of communities to protect development gains and achieve improved well-being outcomes in the face of shocks and stresses enabling them to contribute to economic growth of Zimbabwe. This will be achieved through a combination of 4 sets of results which will focus on a) Evidence generation and capacity building for key institutions, systems, and communities for programming that promotes community stewardship on sustainable natural resources management and livelihood options, b) Improved natural resource management, utilization, and environmental protection to promote sustainable food systems within functioning ecosystems for sustainable resilience to multiple shocks, c) Enhanced sustainable and diversified livelihood options for rural inclusive economic growth of at-risk communities and d) Strengthened climate and disaster risk governance for resilience (early warning and early action -Crisis Modifier) to cushion and protect developmental gains for at-risk communities.

The programme is envisaged to address economic, social, and climate change challenges in the proposed landscapes as well as offer context-specific interventions based on a comprehensive assessment of landscapes and the needs of people and natural processes. The ZRBF second phase is expected to build on the strengths from the phase I.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the project team to ensure effective project planning and implementation

• Assist in compiling and summarizing information and data for the formulation of project work plans. In consultation with project team, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project related topics or issues.
• Support project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners. Review project documents for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures and identify inconsistencies for referral to supervisor. Compile, summarize and present basic information/data on a specific project and related topics or issues;
• Contribute to and support data collection for gender analysis and gender mainstreaming at the project level.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure successful project delivery that includes organization/coordination of project events, procurement and finance-related activities, contract management, recruitment, and coordination of field visits and project-related missions.

Support partnerships and resource mobilization.

• Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, and other partners and relevant stakeholders. Provide support in updating database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
• Support regular communication with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
• Support dissemination of high-quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders.
• Assist project team in identifying and gathering information on opportunities for resource mobilization.

Provide support to the effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on progress of project implementation.

• Support implementation of the project monitoring system in alignment with its Monitoring and Evaluation framework to facilitate effective information sharing on project status and achievement of targets.
• Collect, analyze and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Assist team in the design and conduct of internal evaluations and surveys. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
• Support the organization of progress meetings, field, and study visits to monitor project implementation and support organization of workshops, roundtables, and conferences within the project.
• Assist in implementation of effective risk management for the project with a well-documented risk mitigation plan in place. Support monitoring of previously identified and emerging risks. Update the status of risks in relevant project risk logs and/or databases.
• Monitor project budget, financial resources, and accounting for effective and transparent use of available resources and to ensure accuracy and reliability of data/information used in financial reports.
• Support the preparation of weekly, quarterly, annual, and other requested project reports in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing relevant to the assigned project.

• Participate in training on internal procedures for the project staff and provide support to the organization of training and other capacity building activities as needed.
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Maintain organized records of project data, field activities, case studies, human-interest stories, photographs, and other relevant documents that can be drawn upon in support of knowledge sharing and advocacy.

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

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Business Management

• Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.
• Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.
• Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
• Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Finance

• Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

Administration & Operations

• Event Management: Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Secondary education is required.
• University Degree (bachelor´s degree) in Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with secondary education) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.

Required Skills:

• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Experience in preparation of financial reports and overviews
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools
• Knowledge of project management processes
• Knowledge of procurement procedures of national / international organizations

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English and Shona and/or Ndebele is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.