Job Title:  Programme Associate (UN Volunteers)

Organisation: United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Placement Organization: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About Organisation:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. We work with partners to integrate qualified, highly motivated and well-supported UN Volunteers into development programming and promote the value and global recognition of volunteerism. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and reports to the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board.

About UNICEF:

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Context

The Social and Behavior Change (SBC) team at the UNICEF Uganda Country Office (UCO) in Kampala is seeking to engage a qualified candidate to contribute to UNICEF’s efforts in advancing SBC response and programming in Uganda.

The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with a range of staff in the CO, external partners and agency counterparts in support of programme design and delivery. The Programme Associate provides technical and operational support to the supervisor and internal colleagues by administering, executing and implementing a variety of tasks to ensure timely completion of activities and accountabilities. The Programme Associate provides regular feedback on the status of projects through monitoring milestones and advises on improvements to keep activities on track.

Job Summary:   Under the supervision and guidance of the Social and Behaviour Change Specialist, the Programme Associate will support the SBC section by carrying out a range of programme support functions to help develop, implement and monitor their country programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitating the development of Programme Cooperation Agreements (PCAs) by providing information and drafting selected sections of it.
• Ensuring the timely and accurate processing of Government & NGO proposals and requests for direct cash transfers (DCTs).
• Regularly monitoring budgets and financial expenditures of the section by employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules, regulations, and standards of ethics and transparency and keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION, ensuring SBC results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs) and making amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants and programme-related items for his/her section including but not limited to registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Monitoring and tracking the efficient procurement and distribution of SBC supplies that are required for effective programme delivery.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to provide operational and technical support to the design of SBC strategies, and research
• Supporting the SBC section in researching, compiling and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of sources on subject matters relevant to the work of the section to facilitate Programme delivery as well as preparation of reports, and presentations.
• Provide technical, administrative and logistical support and background materials to carry out SBC activities
• Preparing monitoring and reporting information for supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Collect, assess and organize information for budget planning and management of Programme funds and prepare documentations and related materials for financial planning for SBC initiatives.
• Helping prepare periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to country office and donors to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds.
• Supporting the organization, administration and implementation of capacity building initiatives to enhance the SBC competencies of stakeholders/partners across Programme sectors, including preparing training materials and participating in capacity building initiatives.
• Key Deliverables during the assignment period:
• Monitoring grants utilisation and sharing weekly reports with the team. Ensure all funds are committed before grant expiry and within donor conditions.
• Processing funds transfers to implementing partners and Ministry of Health, monitor and process timely liquidations.
• Reviewing open commitments advising the team on contracts that are due payment, work with the Supply section to extend contracts as and when the need arises. Ensure commitments are fully paid and closed before financial closure of grants.
• Supporting the contracting of companies and individual consultants, ensuring the contracts are executed timely and paid as per the Terms of Reference.
• Supporting the section Chief in monitoring implementation of section activities, generating reports, keeping track of deadlines, and general operations of the section.
• Guiding the team on the various operational procedures, interpreting the latest SOPs and advising the team, accordingly, operationalising the section RWP ensuring the appropriate activity lines are used during implementation.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Age

• 18 – 80

Required experience

• 3 years

Nationality

• Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.
• Assignment requirements

Relevant experience

• 6 years
• Languages
• English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

• Secondary education

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: Demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNICEF’s technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNICEF’s procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Integrity: Demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues.
• Commitment to continuous learning: Initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: Effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Skills and experience

• A minimum of six years of administrative or operational support work experience is required.
• Prior experience in Programme support functions e.g., in finance, accounting or any other operational and administrative relevant function is an asset.

Area(s) of expertise

• Administration, Development programmes, Economics and finance
• Driving license
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