The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. In line with this, the organization has begun incubating a number of strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces.
One such key strategic initiative is the Accelerator Lab Network (AccLab). The initiative is a recognition that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond business as usual and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development. Instead, they call for interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd in the collective efforts of a wide variety of partners and tap into local insights and contextual, sticky knowledge of citizens. The initiative is also a recognition and an investment in the emerging momentum among a growing number of UNDP Country Offices for marrying disruptive, cutting edge methodologies with contextual, country-based insights and expertise to accelerate learning, progress and impact toward the SDGs.
UNDP intends to build the largest and fastest learning global network of Accelerator Labs (initially setting up 60 labs in 82 countries) embedded within UNDP’s global architecture and country platforms that embody the new organizational offering to transform the collective approach to development.
The network will surface and reinforce locally sourced solutions at scale while mobilizing a wide and dynamic partnership of actors contributing knowledge, resources and experience. The initiative is meant to transform our collective approach by introducing new protocols, backed by evidence and practice, which accelerate the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. This will enable the global community to collectively learn from local knowledge and ingenuity at a speed and at a scale that our societies and planet require. This will be achieved by:
- Building on locally-sourced solutions, finding things that work and expanding on them;
- Rapid testing and iteration to implement what works and go beyond the obvious solutions;
- Combining the best understanding, ideas and expertise to generate collective knowledge;
- Accelerating progress by bringing expertise, creativity and collective intelligence to bear.
To meet the goals of above undertaking, Accelerator Lab Sudan has initiated several activities, to explore, experiment and mapping-out strategic solutions/projects that are under implementation and/or are under development whose timely execution and completion are essential. A solid Project operations consultant and function that facilitates the management, administration, steers finance and procurement process is paramount in successful execution of the activities. Accelerator Lab Sudan is thus in need of a national consultant to assist in the smooth implementation of its activities as per its Action plan.
Under the overall guidance of UNDP Resident Representative, and direct supervision of the Head of Accelerator Lab, the Project Associate provides ongoing administrative assistance and support to the Accelerator Lab project, performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work and collaboration with the operations, programme and projects in the CO to exchange information and ensure consistent services delivery.
Summary of Key Functions:
- Provides effective support to the Accelerator Lab management.
- Ensures effective administrative and logistical services.
- Support Accelerator Lab programming in Experimentation, Solutions Mapping and Exploration.
- Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.
1- Provides effective support to the Accelerator Lab management focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Liaise with the Accelerator Lab team and Resident Representative in identifying output targets, baseline and indicators for the projects and ensure its alignment with ongoing project documents.
- Undertake elaborations of project activity cost using parametric estimation and engage with Resident Representative and Accelerator lab members in determining financial resource needs and allocation of cost sharing contribution for the projects.
- Liase with Accelerator lab in identification of key performance quality measures, updates of issues log as well as update of risk log in ATLAS
- Liaise with the Accelerator Lab in preparation of annual work plan (AWP) for the projects; identification of projects activities and associated actions; work in determination of anticipated activity results and timeliness and ensure the endorsement of AWP by all approving authorities.
- Undertake operationalization of project budget in ATLAS; determine of relevant accounts codes and applicable Chart of Accounts.
- Follow up on the implementation of project budgets, AWP and monitor project delivery against ousted performance indicators and quality measures.
- In consultation with Accelerator Lab team and Resident Representative, identify and rectify any misalignment from programmatic perspective any financial discrepancies.
2- Ensures effective administrative and logistical services focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Contacts with visitors and project personnel, arrangement of appointments, meetings and taking minutes.
- Compilation and preparation of briefing and presentation materials, speeches, background information and documentation for meetings and missions.
- Maintenance of records/ documents/ files relating to the project in a user-friendly manner.
- Be responsible for assigned correspondence and other admin tasks including creating E-requisitions.
- Arrangements of travel and hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations, processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents.
- Administrative support to conferences, workshops and retreats.
- Arrangement of vehicle transportation, regular vehicle maintenance and insurance.
- Assistance in proper control of supporting documents for payments and financial reports.
- Check related forms delivered by Implementing partners for completion before submitting to the Finance unit for verification.
- Proper receipting of goods and services.
- Preparation of routine correspondence, faxes, memorandum and reports to partners.
- Extracting, inputting, copying and filing data from various sources as required
- Maintain a proper filing system for financial records ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials.
- Assisting in organizing, executing and coordinating logistical requirements by drawing up an event timeline, programme schedule and checklist for successful holding of events.
- Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution.
- Extraction of data from various sources.
- Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to head of unit.
- Assistance in the preparation of budget and provision of information for audit.
3- Support Accelerator Lab progamming in Experimentation, Solutions Mapping and Exploration
- Support the coordination of the public perception survey.
- Facilitate the dissemination of communication materials.
- Support the roll out of the public perception survey.
- Ensure data collection for public perception survey.
- Support the coordination of the Sudan Horizon scanner.
- Support coordination in identification of private sector venues for solutions uptakes.
4- Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Accelerator Lab Operations function focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Organization of trainings for the Accelerator Lab staff on programme.
- Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Accelerator Lab Programme.
- Facilitate the coordination with the Youth groups and youth unemployment experiment.
- Codesign the behavioural insights experiments for participation in governance.
- Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
- Self-development, initiative-taking
- Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
- Creating synergies through self-control
- Managing conflict
- Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others.
- Informed and transparent decision making
Functional Competencies:
Building Strategic Partnerships
- Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
- Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
- Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
- Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
Promoting Organizational Change and Development
- Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions
Design and Implementation of Management Systems
- Uses information/databases/other management systems
Client Orientation
- Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion
- Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
- Responds to client needs promptly
Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management
- Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems
Education:
- Secondary education with specialized certification in Administration.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, economic and development related degree.
Experience:
- Minimum 6 years (with Secondary education), or 3 years (with Bachelor Degree) of relevant experience in administration or programme support service.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
- Experience in handling of web-based management systems.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in both oral and written English and Arabic.
- 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.
- Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.
- 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.
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension