UNDP Careers
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
Information on the project
The spread of violent extremism over recent years poses a significant threat to the international community’s efforts to promote peace and security. It also undermines progress made towards fostering sustainable development and upholding human rights. The use of violence to further extreme ideological platforms is not new. The rise of violent extremist groups and their widespread messages of intolerance have, however, fostered a renewed concern amongst policy makers and practitioners on the importance of P/CVE. Mitigating the appeal and recognizing the impact of violent extremism in communities and vulnerable groups, particularly women and young people, is becoming a high priority for many countries around the world including Kazakhstan.
The UN Security Council in resolution S/2396 adopted in December 2017 expressed grave concern over the acute and growing threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters returning or relocating, particularly from conflict zones, to their countries of origin or nationality, or to third countries. The resolution recognized that the threat of returning or relocating foreign terrorist fighters includes, among others, such individuals further supporting acts or activities of ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and their cells, affiliates, splinter groups, and derivative entities, including by recruiting for or otherwise providing continued support for such entities, and stress[ed] the urgent need to address this particular threat.
The Project is designed to address the urgent need for increased investment in prevention and resilience, solidarity, and a renewed social contract, as highlighted in the UNDP 2022 Special Report on Human Security. It adopts a peoplecentered, context-specific, and prevention-oriented approach to build community resilience, empower youth, and prevent violent extremism while strengthening social cohesion in Central Asia. Building on the successful outcomes of the 2018-2021 project at the community level, the project aims to expand national capacities in the prevention of violent extremism. It recognizes the importance of triggering positive change at multiple levels to effectively address the complex challenge of violent extremism.
The project’s second phase includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, to ensure that all five Central Asian countries benefit from the interventions and that regional synergies and lesson learning are maximized. The project will be implemented in support of the Joint Plan of Action of the Central Asian countries and by building on the “Central Asia plus Japan” dialogue. It is also in line with the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action for the prevention of violent extremism (PVE) and UNDP’s global and regional PVE programming and UNSCR 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.
Throughout its activities, the project employs a gender-sensitive and gender-responsive approach, promoting the realization of UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 2250. It aims to ensure women’s equal and meaningful participation and representation, considering them as agents of change in building community resilience. The project addresses the obstacles faced by women, such as social norms, cultural patterns, and disproportionate burdens of unpaid care work, by providing business and digital skills training, increasing financial literacy, and supporting the development of soft skills.
The project aims to complement other ongoing and planned PVE initiatives in Central Asia, fostering collaboration among UNDP, the UN family, national and international partners, and civil society. It prioritizes flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing PVE trends while promoting local ownership and leadership. The project will develop clear exit strategies to ensure the sustainability and scalability of the activities beyond the project lifecycle
The project is an integral part of the UNDP Governance portfolio and contributes directly to the work on addressing the needs of most vulnerable and at-risk population groups in the spirit of the ‘leaving no one behind’ principle.
Scope of Work
The Project Associate will be responsible for carrying out the day-to-day country-level project activities in pilot areas of Mangystau region and managing financial resources effectively and efficiently in compliance with appropriate UNDP policies and procedures so as to achieve the Project Objective and Outcomes within the set time scale and available budget.
Support the project team to ensure effective project planning and implementation.
- Compile and summarize information and data for the formulation of project work plans, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project related topics or issues.
- Provide comprehensive support in all aspects of project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners.
- Ensure quality of delivery by consultants, beneficiaries, and contracted companies; and communicate findings to the supervisor. Ensure compliance of project business processes with UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures (POPP) and UNDP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). When necessary, provide guidance to project staff on business processes, administrative and other requirements and procedures.
- Support mainstreaming gender equality in the project implementation, including in data collection and compilation. Prepare gender equality background materials for use in discussions, briefings, and correspondence.
- Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure successful project delivery that includes organizing/coordinating project events and selecting appropriate venues, coordinating project procurement procedures, maintaining project records and files, recruiting project team members, and supporting contracting activities.
- Support the Project Manager to prepare and to update work plans and budgets;
- Support the Project Manager to manage international and local consultants and conduct performance reviews in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures;
- Provide support in managing financial allocations, ensuring timely payments in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures;
- Provide regular updates on the project progress to Project Manager and Programme Specialist/Head of Governance Unit;
Support partnerships and resource mobilization.
- Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, NGOs, tertiary institutions, partners, and other relevant stakeholders. Provide support in updating the database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
- Contribute to the preparation of status and progress reports by collecting information, preparing tables and drafting selected sections related to events carried out in Mangystau region;
- Ensure regular communication and coordination with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries; and develop and maintain effective mechanisms for integrating and responding to their feedback and insight.
- Support creation of high quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders; and ensure careful selection of communication tools and tailoring the messages to take into account the overall socio-political and development context in host countries.
- Work closely with other UNDP Governance initiatives to ensure that the project is contributing effectively to overall performance of the UNDP programme in the country.
- Undertake horizon scanning and explore opportunities for resource mobilization in consultation with direct supervisor.
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 ensure effective information sharing, provision of feedback, and elaboration of high-quality progress reports.
- Collect, analyze and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
- Assist in the organization of field and study visits, missions, 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.
- Regularly monitor expenditures and commitments against the project budget and relevant plans, and provide finance-related information to support project implementation. When necessary, recommend corrective actions and draft various correspondence concerning finance, operations, and budgetary issues.
- Prepare and consolidate required project reports on a timely basis and in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.
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.
In Terms Of Driving UN Vehicle
- ensure provision of reliable and safe driving services by driving project vehicle for the transport of authorized personnel and delivery and collection of mail, documents and other items;
- ensure cost-savings through proper use of vehicle through accurate maintenance of daily vehicle logs, provision of inputs to preparation of the vehicle maintenance plans and reports;
- ensures proper day-to-day maintenance of the vehicle through timely minor repairs, arrangements for major repairs, timely changes of oil, check of tires, brakes, car washing, etc.;
- ensure availability of all the required documents/supplies including vehicle insurance, vehicle logs, office directory, map of the city/country, first aid kit, and necessary spare parts in the assigned vehicle;
- ensure that all immediate actions required by rules and regulations are taken in case of involvement in accidents.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
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
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
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
Business Management
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
Business Management
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.
Business Management
Communication
- Ability to 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.
Business Management
Monitoring
- Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.
Technical – Finance
Budget management
- Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets
Technical – Procurement
Procurement management
- The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source
Minimum Education Requirements
Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA
- Secondary education is required, or
- University Degree in social sciences, economics, international development, community development, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Minimum Years Of Relevant Work Experience
A minimum of 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of substantive experience working in or directly related to project/programme management on national or international level is required. Relevant experience in PVE, conflict and peacebuilding related areas is desirable;
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 in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
- 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 Kazakh and Russian.
- Knowledge of English is an asset.
Driving license
Driving license (Category B) is an asset
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