Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0 UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1 Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2 UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

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 in 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.

PNG’s Constitution specifically recognises the importance of equality and participation, with specific mentions of the importance of addressing barriers to women’s full participation in their own development. Despite this however, women and girls continue to face a range of social, cultural, economic and political restrictions, which have particularly restrictive impacts on their abilities to effectively engage in political and public life. Historically, women have been nominated less to run for election and have also been elected in much smaller numbers. While there are currently 3 women in the National Parliament, this means only 2.5% of Members are women. This restricts how many women are available to be appointed Ministers. In Bougainville, temporary special measures have resulted in much better results, with 3 women always elected to the Bougainville House of Representatives and two more being elected into open seats this term.

At the same time, National elections have been held in Papua New Guinea at regular intervals since independence in 1975. The quality of those elections, however, has declined over recent years. Alarming levels of electoral violence, particularly in the Highlands region, are a growing concern for both the national government and its international development partners. The persistent malapportionment of electoral constituencies has created glaring infringements of the right to equal representation. Gaps in adequate and timely financing for the elections have been filled, sometimes at the last minute, by Papua New Guinea’s international development partners, while the remaining gaps and delays have simply compromised the quality and credibility of the elections, thereby compromising the legitimacy of the elected governments

In this context, and in line with the ambitions of the UNDP Global Strategic Plan and the PNG UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024-2028, UNDP has launched the following projects:

• Women Make the Change Phase 2 (2025-2028) will work with Government and non-government stakeholders across PNG to progress a four-pronged strategy which aims to (1) Support the updating of national legal and policy frameworks to promote gender equality, women’s leadership and women’s inclusion in decision-making; (2) Develop a cadre of interested, diverse and capable women political leaders at national and sub-national level (3) implement social norm change activities that aim to ensure that women are perceived as equally legitimate and effective leaders as men; and (4) Support the promotion of women as leaders in gender sensitive political institutions. Key government partners include the Office for the Development of Women within the Department for Community Development and Religion, the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission, Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission and the National and Bougainville legislatures.
• Supporting Peaceful Elections (2026-2028) seeks to address critical gaps at provincial level and to other key institutions for mitigating violence and resolving disputes in the electoral sphere such as the Integrity of Political Parties & Candidates Commission (IPPCC), the security forces, the Courts, and the Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG). In line with the NAM recommendations, the Project will be centered around three main strategic areas: Peace (reduced tensions and disputes regarding the electoral process through the establishment or strengthening of mechanisms contributing to conflict prevention and mitigation; Inclusion (Improved participation, representation and empowerment of women, youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities, isolated populations, and other historically marginalized groups); and Capacity (strengthening the capacity and preparedness of the PNGEC – particularly at the provincial level - the security forces, the IPPCC, and other key stakeholders to effectively administer the electoral processes in a credible manner).

To support both projects UNDP in PNG is seeking a Project Associate that will report to the Chief Technical Specialist for Electoral Reform with day-to-day oversight provided by the Programme Specialist for Gender Transformative Governance. The Associate will provide administrative, logistics, and financial support to the project to ensure effective and timely implementation of planned project activities through:

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Associate, under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Specialist, Elections, will provide administrative, logistics, and financial support to the project to ensure effective and timely implementation of planned project activities.

Project financial support focusing on achievement of the following results with the project team:

• Manage all financial transactions, in line with UNDP rules and regulations
• Prepare inputs to formulation of Annual Work Plan (AWPs)
• Provide inputs to detailed implementation plans
• Assist in formulation and revision of budgets
• Assist in formulation of procurement and Human Resource (HR) Plans
• Assist in revision of AWPs, periodic revisions of procurement/HR plans ensuring that plans are updated in a timely manner and in close coordination of UNDP Country Office Programme, HR and Procurement Teams)
• Assist in arranging logistics, preparing agenda and coordinating with related stakeholders for organizing workshops as and when required.

Project implemented timely and effectively according to plans and in consistency with CO SOP focusing on achievement of the following results with the project team:

• Compile supporting documents for procurement and recruitments processes and ensure that supporting documents are complete and in line with the SOPs.
• Create e-requisitions in Quantum to initiate procurement processes, ensure the accuracy of the COA of the e-requisitions, follow up with senior management for approval. Revise e-requisitions as necessary.
• Promptly follow up with CO units on pending actions (procurement, payments, recruitment, travel, transportation etc.).
• Create e-requisitions for travel and prepare Travel Authorization (TAs), submit and follow up with UNDP CO Travel Unit in accordance with the SOPs.
• Prepare payment requests and submit to CO. Ensure accuracy of Charter of Account (COA) of all payment requests and ensure completion of the payments in a timely manner.
• Prepare receipts in Quantum.
• Provide administrative and logistics support to the Project activities, such as development and printing out of registration forms, printing out of the agendas and training material, assist with development and printing out the training certificates and other, as required.
• Provide administrative and logistics support during the Project activities such as signing of the registration forms, delivery and collection of pre and post test and evaluation forms and others.
• Liaise with service provides such as workshop venue, catering and event organizers on the selection and payment process and delivery of service or goods as required.

Project administered timely and efficiently in accordance to UNDP procedures focusing on achievement of the following results with the project team:

• Assist all necessary financial disbursement and procurement of goods and services in a timely manner
• Arrange for official travel logistics of team members as and when required.
• Prepare and regularly update the payments trackers and follow up on the outstanding payments.
• Assist with risk management in Quantum.
• Monthly update of current assets sheet. Implement transfer of assets in close coordination with the CO Administrative Services Unit.
• Maintain project supplies and initiate procurement of supplies as necessary.
• Facilitate the periodic asset, inventory and supplies physical count by the Counting Teams.
• Maintain filing system for the project.

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

• Participate in training and organize briefings on internal procedures for the project staff. Provide support to other capacity building activities, including to the design and delivery of tools, materials for workshops, or platforms that tap into the collective intelligence of communities and mobilize action.
• Provide support in the dissemination and sharing of relevant data and lessons learned within the CO and regionally. Keep pulse on emerging best practices nationally, regionally, and internationally that relate to the work of the assigned project.
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Support compiling and systematizing project knowledge, products and tools as well as their wide distribution to partners.

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

Competencies

Core

• 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

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need; Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

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

Administration and Operations

• Travel policy and procedures: Knowledge of travel policy and procedures; ability to interpret travel policy, the Staff Rules, administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel- related matters

Finance

• Accounting (General): Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, frameworks, standards, regulations, policies and trends, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations
  
  Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets
• Financial Reporting and Analysis: Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector. Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.
• Management and cost accounting: Ability to produce periodic qualitative and quantitative performance reports to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring. Ability to use a range of costing techniques and analyse cost related data to provide quantitative information to the users of reports.
  

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:

• A minimum of 7 years (with secondary education) or 4 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 skills:

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

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Tok Pisin 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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

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