The main objective of the Joint EU-UNDP Rural Development Programme – Phase II (henceforth ENPARD III Abkhazia) is to enhance the resilience of rural communities in Abkhazia through a bottom-up, integrated, gender-sensitive and environmentally sustainable approach to agriculture and rural development. It is part of the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The overall objective of the project is to promote inclusive and sustainable growth, creating employment and livelihoods for the poor and excluded in Abkhazia. The project aims to bring changes through 3 specific objectives:

  • To strengthen Abkhazia-wide coordination platform on agriculture and rural development;
  • To enhance competitiveness of agriculture and improve rural economic diversification;
  • To improve environment and sustainable management of natural resources.

This project is implemented within the framework of the ENPARD. It’s is a European Union Programme, which aims to promote inclusive growth and stability in the neighborhood (including e.g. Moldova, Armenia). It recognizes the potential importance of agriculture in terms of food security, sustainable production and rural employment. Within the ENPARD framework, this project will take stock of best practices and lessons learned across Europe over the past decade, in particular the LEADER concept adopted by EU countries. For the Abkhazia component, ENPARD III is aiming to support small-scale agricultural development and the diversification of the rural economy, with a view to improving living conditions and access to basic services in rural areas.

The “Horizons Strengthening community resilience in Abkhazia” (Horizons) project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 

The goal of the Horizons Project is to promote the social and economic resilience of local communities, especially youth, through improved access to high quality health and education services, as well as to address gaps in business and professional employment skills for youth, by enhancing young people’s access to knowledge and practical skills in entrepreneurship and vocational education. In doing so, the project aims to increase the space for reconciliation, confidence-building and social cohesion, thus expanding the ‘horizons’ of local communities affected by conflict. The project intends to achieve this goal through reaching targets within and across four primary objectives of the program:

  • Improved access to quality health services for vulnerable populations in Abkhazia;
  • Improved access to quality education, skills development and social participation opportunities for children and youth;
  • Enhanced dialogue across respective youth and professional groups;
  • Enhanced Business Development Skills and Access to Vocational Trainings for Young People

 

Under overall guidance of UNDP CPR Team Leader and direct supervision of the ENPARD and Horizons Project Managers, the Project Assistant will be responsible to support the implementation of the two projects, performing a variety of standard operational services within the project framework and ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The incumbent will work closely with all project’s personnel to ensure relevant requirements are fulfilled in a timely manner with required quality, following the highest standards in line with UNDP guidelines and procedures.

 

The Project Assistant will also work in close collaboration with the overall UNDP team for effective achievement of results, contributing to resolving project-related issues and information delivery. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.

Summary of Key Functions:

  • Contributes to implementation of operational and programmatic project strategies;
  • Supports coordination, knowledge building and knowledge sharing;
  • Performs other relevant duties as required.

Contributes to implementation of operational and programmatic project strategies

  • Perform support functions to facilitate the implementation of the project activities – including but not limited to procurement support;
  • Contribute to the project annual and detailed implementation work plans and reports preparation in quality and timely manner based on the requirements of the UNDP and project donor;
  • Maintain contacts with relevant partners and vendors;
  • Supports international and local consultants in performing relevant activities in Abkhazia.

Supports monitoring and evaluation efforts, knowledge building and knowledge sharing

  • Supports ENPARD Project manager in collecting M&E data for the project’s M&E tools (including regular visits project sites/events/activities/beneficiaries);
  • In coordination with project staff, leads the compilation and sharing of lessons learned for both ENPARD and Horizons projects, chiefly but not limited to the projects’ granting mechanisms and the integration of project components
  • Supports the continuous flow of information and lesson learning between the Horizons and ENPARD projects and the entities set up within the respective projects (i.e. the BEC business incubator and the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development).

Perform other relevant duties as required.

 

Core Competences:

Leadership:

  • Identifies opportunities and challenges and recommends options;
  • Assumes responsibility for decisions and outcomes;
  • Shares information proactively, also when not required to do so;
  • Communication and Relationship Management:
  • Demonstrates regular and consistent communication frequency with supervisor and colleagues;
  • Proactively shares information within and across teams

Innovation:

  • Interprets policies and guidance within context and applies with judgment;
  • Anticipates obstacles and applies practical solutions;
  • Continually seeks improvement and agility in service delivery; 
  • Collaborates to improve methods and delivery

People Management:

  • Recognizes potential road blocks to completing tasks and seeks guidance from supervisors to address issues;
  • Based on formal and informal feedback received, takes action to address areas for growth and improvement

Delivery:

  • Embraces expanded responsibilities and challenges self to excel;
  • Accepts responsibility for the outcomes of own work;
  • Seeks to deepen awareness of organizational policies and procedures and how to interpret directives and requests, in consultation with supervisors and colleagues

Technical and Functional Competencies:

  • Support in Building the Strategic Partnerships;
  • Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing;
  • Client Orientation;
  • Communicating clearly and effectively;
  • Seeking to understand the ideas of others;
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  • Demonstrates strong analytical skills;
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Ability to manage conflicts at workplace and with partners/stakeholders;
  • Informed and transparent decision making.
  • Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
  • Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
  • Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

 

Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Economics, Business Administration, Public Administration, International Relations, or a related discipline. Advanced degree would be an asset.

Experience:

  • Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in the field of administration, finance, programme/project support or other relevant fields;
  • An understanding of rural development would be an asset;
  • At least one year of experience working with international and/or donor organizations, public institutions or NGOs;
  • Experienced and advanced user of computers and office software packages.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English and Russian languages, knowledge of Abkhaz language is an asset.

 

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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Contract Duration: 6 months with possible extension upon successful performance

This vacancy is archived.

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