Senior Project Assistant

Parent Sector : Culture Sector (CLT)

Duty Station: Amman

Job Family: Culture

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : 1 year

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 17-MAR-2022

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Only candidates who are entitled (have the right) to live and work in Jordan can apply

Under the overall authority of the Head of the UNESCO Amman Office, the direct supervision of the Senior Project Officer and in liaison with the National Associate Project Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for assisting the implementation of the Jordanian component of the project “Support to livelihoods through cultural heritage development” (hereafter referred to as “the project”).

The primary goal of the project is to improve self-reliance through access to immediate short-term decent job opportunities for Syrians, Jordanians in the cultural heritage sector through employment intensive schemes in the northern governorates in Jordan. The project will also set the basis for an enabling environment for entrepreneurship development in the cultural heritage sector. The core competences of UNESCO and International Labour Organization come together in this project to ensure dignified, sustainable livelihoods and to create economic opportunities for Jordanians in host communities and for Syrian refugees through culture as a source of resilience. In line with governmental and international priorities and actions in response to the Syria crisis the proposed project targets:

1) on a short term, immediate measures that promote human dignity and social cohesion in preparation for longer term economic opportunities;

2) on the longer term, sustainable decent work opportunities and entrepreneurial activities within an enabling policy environment.

This will be achieved by engaging Syrians and Jordanians in the preservation and development of cultural heritage sites for tourism purposes in the northern districts of Jordan, through the use of employment intensive schemes for the safeguarding and the rehabilitation of cultural heritage (clearance, maintenance, consolidation, site development and presentation).

Long Description

Under the overall authority of the Head of the UNESCO Amman Office and the direct supervision of the Senior Project Officer responsible for the activities of the project “Support to livelihoods through cultural heritage development” and in liaison with the National Associate Project Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for assisting the implementation of the project Jordanian component by providing overall financial and administrative assistance for the implementation of the project activities geared towards employment generation of Syrians and Jordanians, and more specifically by:

1. Procurement and Contracts Management

• Assist in the development of Terms of Reference for contracts, follow all steps in contract creation and management from organizing and collating all supporting documentation to following up on deliverables and deadlines;
• Assist with procurement procedures, including preparing request forms, obtaining quotations and preparing purchase orders in line with UNESCO administrative rules and regulations.

Long Description

2. Records and Correspondence Management

• Draft minutes of meeting, official correspondence and any other official document in good English language on the basis of oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources in accordance with standard office procedures;
• Maintain a record of all project related documents by filing them regularly on the project dedicated folder in the office shared drive;
• Review administrative documents written in Arabic and provided by third parties, and prepare unofficial translation from English into Arabic and vice versa;
• Assist in the preparation of documents and reports related to the project;
• Schedule meetings with the project partners and Government counterparts as instructed by the Supervisor;
• Provide support in the visibility activities of the project by keeping the project photographic records in order, in close coordination with the project team.

Long Description

***3.* Budget and Financial Management**

• Process payments of cash workers (up to 850) hired as part of the project by:

• verifying all supporting documents (attendance sheets, invoices related to water and transportation allowances, social security subscription, etc.) submitted by the contractor in charge of the hiring and management of the cash workers and checking that they are complete, correct and compliant with the requirements mentioned in the contractor’s contract;

• verifying accuracy of the salary and allowance payment calculations prior to submitting all documents, to the finance and administrative unit for payment processing;

• preparing the files to be uploaded on the Cairo Amman Bank portal to proceed with the posting of the payments.

• Assist in tracking project expenditures, budget monitoring and preparations of budget revisions

• Process payments of consultants, service providers and suppliers contracted as part of the project and regularly liaise with the finance and administrative unit to follow up on payments processing;

• Be in charge of the establishment of fund reservations and petty cash requests linked to the project;

• Be in charge of the vendors’ creation process in coordination with the finance and administrative unit;

• Act as focal point for the Cairo Amman Bank for any matter related to cash workers payments (creation of personal workers’ cards, PIN delivery, follow-up in case of lost PINs or malfunctioning of cards, etc.);

• Regularly attend the Common Cash Facility coordination group meetings and the Cash for Work coordination group meetings to keep abreast of the latest procedures on cash for work in Jordan.

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4. Logistics

• Prepare travel arrangements for the project team, external consultants and UNESCO experts including flight and hotel bookings, transportation, visa, travel authorization and any other requirements as needed;
• Carry out field missions to the project sites when needed to meet with contractors, carry out spot checks, verify lists of tools and materials, etc.;
• Assist in organizing and coordinating the logistics of workshops, seminars, field visits, missions and meetings related to the project and attend as needed;
• Maintain an inventory of all tools and materials purchased as part of the project in coordination with the relevant contractors, the Field Architect and the National Associate Project Officer;
• Liaise with companies, suppliers and contractors involved in the project.

5. Any other tasks as requested by the Head of the Office or that may be required to ensure the success of the project.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Innovation (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Planning and organizing (C)

Results focus (C)

Teamwork (C)

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For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Academic qualifications
• University Degree (Bachelor or equivalent) in administration, accounting, finance, economics or in a relevant field.

2. Years of relevant work experience
• Five years of relevant professional experience in administration, finance, accounting or auditing in the public or private sector.

3. Competencies and skills
‐ Drive for results;
‐ Computer Skills: Advanced knowledge in using Microsoft Office especially MS Excel and MS Word
‐ Ability to work under pressure;
‐ Adhere to rules and regulations;
‐ Strong planning and organizational skills;

• Meticulous and detail-oriented;
  ‐ Ability to work accurately;
  ‐ Learning and researching.

4. Language requirement
Arabic mother tongue is a must
Very good knowledge of written and spoken English is required.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

1. Years of relevant work experience
• Prior experience in providing administrative and financial support in Cash for Work related projects will be considered an asset.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.