The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs.

Leaving no one behind in the digital era

The ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ strategy, to move from DF to digital economies builds upon and constitutes a logical integration of UNCDF interventions in financial inclusion and digital, developed over many years. The legacy of UNCDF intervention programmes was built through a range of country/regional programmes and global thematic initiatives, which has established a very strong reputation for UNCDF vis-à-vis donors and peers.

SHIFT ASEAN Programme

The ASEAN region is home to more than 600 million people spread across 10 countries. Despite the dynamism of the region, there are significant contrasts between and within the countries, with three LDCs coexisting with some of the world’s largest and most vibrant economies, resulting in 20 per cent of the world’s poorest people living alongside some of the world’s richest.

UNCDF has developed a regional programme called SHIFT (Shaping Inclusive Finance Transformations), with initial funding from the Australian Government, FMO and UNCDF’s own resources.

Programme Outcome: At least 6 million low-income individuals, micro-entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses, including women and young people transition from using informal financial mechanisms to more formalized financial services by the year 2020.

Programme Outputs:

1.Fund Facility: Support financial service providers to develop new prototypes and bring to scale viable business models that serve low-income individuals, micro-entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses, especially women within these markets, in the ASEAN frontier economies;

2.Learning and Skills Development Portal: Support business development service providers by leveraging ICT solutions to develop and bring to scale viable e-learning models for professionals in financial institutions to improve productivity and professionalism;

3.Data and Analysis Hub: Produce, consolidate and communicate data and information on supply, demand and regulation in financial markets to strengthen the evidence base and investment decisions of providers, regulators and policy makers, specifically targeted towards low-income individuals, micro-entrepreneurs, and small and medium business, especially women within these markets;

4.Policy and Advocacy: Influence policy makers, financial service providers and governments to enable financial markets to be more responsive to the wider development priorities of governments and its people.

SHIFT seeks to change the behavior of financial institutions and the broader ecosystem of financial services providers, in order to respond to excluded groups, especially women and SMEs led by or primarily employing or serving women. However, behavior change can be challenging, due to socioeconomic and cultural norms. Each programme output strategically contributes to understanding the constraints that prevent the delivery and use of financial services, and contribute to the broader transformation of the financial market to allow larger numbers of people and businesses to benefit from and contribute to the delivery and use of financial services.

The SHIFT ASEAN Programme is currently scheduled to transition into the next phase of five-year ASEAN Regional Programme and hence afterwards, the Programme Assistant will continue working on the successor regional programme, aligned to the “Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era” strategy.

The Programme Assistant will provide overall secretarial functions to support smooth functioning of project activities, and will also assist and support the administrative, logistical, monitoring and communications functions of the project if and when required. She or he will report directly to SHIFT Programme Manager and to the successor regional programme manager afterwards.

1.  Provides effective support to the Programme Unit on day to day operational issues and administrative management of the project focusing on achievement of the following results.

• Preparation of non-PO vouchers for development projects.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system including timely corrective actions on unposted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers.
• Creation of requisitions in Atlas for development projects, register of goods receipt in Atlas.
• Making budget check for requisitions, POs and vouchers.
• Support the project team in planning and providing logistic support to learning events / workshops and taking minutes and report writing
• Maintain an appropriate filing system documenting the implementation of approved work-plan activities.
• Assist in managing project assets and inventory.
• Assist in resource mobilization, partnership and networking issues.

2.  Liaises with the project team in preparation of the Annual and Quarterly Work Plan and financial monitoring.

• Monitor project expenditure and track donor budgets
• Creation of projects in Atlas, preparation of budget revisions, revision of project award and project status, determination of unutilized funds, operational and financial closure of a project.
• Presentation of information for audit.
• Review of contributions agreement, managing contributions in Atlas

3. Performs monitoring and evaluation related tasks, ensuring timely and efficient delivery of the project.

• Assist with quality control functions of project activities, including assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensuring timely and efficient delivery of the project.

4. Supports all project-related external and internal communications.

• Communicate with and support local and international missions/consultants to ensure all necessary logistic arrangements.
• Support the Communications and Advocacy Specialist in drafting, printing and disseminating publications
• Draft official correspondence and notes
• Participation in the trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme.
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

5. Performs any other duties assigned by Project Manager and team members.

IV. Competencies and Selection Criteria

Description of Competency at Level Required

Core

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 2: Analyzes complex technical materials (including data) and makes concise, relevant recommendations

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 2: Proactively identifies new opportunities and challenges

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 2: Takes ownership of responsibilities

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 2: Understands, explains and shares information on assigned tasks with accuracy and clarity

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Level 2: Meets goals and timelines for delivery of products or services;    

Technical/Functional

Accounting (General)

Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, regulations, and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

Level 2: Execute & Learn: Execute & Learn: Perform defined tasks

Budget Management

Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.

Level 2: Execute & Learn: Performs defined tasks efficiently and deepens knowledge of area of work

Office Administration

Ability to manage day-to-day office activities (including but not limited to travel management, facilities and asset management, policy and procedures maintenance) to meet operational needs

Level 2:Execute & Learn:Performs defined tasks efficiently and deepens knowledge of area of work

Sourcing

The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source

Level 2: Technical Assistance: Performs defined tasks efficiently and deepens knowledge of area of work

Logistic

Knowledge of logistics operations, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

Level 2: Execute & Learn: Performs defined tasks efficiently and deepens knowledge of area of work

Contract management

Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

Level 2: Execute & Learn:Performs defined tasks efficiently and deepens knowledge of area of work

Education:

• Secondary education.  Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university in business administration, finance, political science or a related field would be desirable but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• Minimum 4 years (with secondary education) or 1 year (with Bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in project and/or administrative areas;
• Previous Experience with ATLAS is an advantage;
• Demonstrable computer literacy, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.;
• Experience with UNCDF accounting system and UN internal mandates is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent communication skills in Thai, with a strong working knowledge of English.

Other Skillset:

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Strong analytical skills
• Strong customer-service skills with demonstrated ability to effectively interact with technical and non-technical end users in a pleasant, cooperative, and helpful manner.
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems and work independently.
• Ability to read, analyze, interpret and apply general technical instructions and procedures
• Strong ability in both spoken and written English and Thai

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UNCDF
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

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 possibility of extension