Associate Programme Management Officer, Nairobi 121 views0 applications

Organizational Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. Under the overall guidance of the Coordinator, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch, UN-Habitat and direct supervision of Leader of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP), the incumbent will provide support to the coordination and management of country level operations of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) programmes and projects in Kenya by ensuring the operational instruments are well-managed and monitored for result-oriented country programme/project operations. The Incumbent will work in coordination with the Technical Advisors in the field, implementing partners and local authorities, facilitating programme implementation and delivery of planned outputs in line with the donor agreements and work plans. Within delegated authority, the National Project Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Responsibilities

• Support the Development of a project monitoring system to manage and track project activities in the slum upgrading programmes in Kenya with specific attention to the Mombasa, Nairobi and Central Government initiative ensuring delivery of outputs by local partners in compliance with signed agreements.
• Assist with oversight of the performance of logistical and administrative tasks related to planning and delivery of project activities.
• Assist the field Technical Advisors in ensuring the cooperating partners submit technical and financial statements in appropriate formats and undertake initial review of submitted audit statements for any observations/qualified opinion requiring follow up action.
• Support the programme managers in verification of in-coming requests from the field offices in Mombasa (Mtwapa) the Ministry of Local Government and the officers from Kibera, Soweto West and any additional slum area as per work plan. This includes, budgets for field activities, inventory, financial records and reconciliation of UNDP fax authorization transactions and/or direct payments to partners.
• Support the field Technical Advisors with carrying out checks on selected operational aspects of the work of the programme in Kenya such as verifying supporting documents submitted by implementing partners in relations to payments made for activities completed as well as undertaking site visits, collecting, analyzing and presenting data to the programme managers.
• Provide administrative and substantive support in the achievement of programme and project results by facilitating operational aspects of project inputs under national execution in terms of drafting terms of reference for field personnel, specifications for good and services as may be required.
• Assist with the review, appraisal and revision, as necessary, of submissions for substantive programmes/projects, ensuring compliance with mandates, guidelines and programme/project objectives and Result Based Management principles.
• Ensure the strategic and efficient management of office and programme financial resources through planning and tracking of available resources exercising appropriate financial controls in the field operations.
• Act as liaison officer by supporting the organization of meetings, training of stakeholders’ workshops and events related to the programme.
• Support the implementation of the Kenya country level operations by ensuring adherence to policies and established procedures by reviewing and making recommendations on the internal control systems and procedures.
• Assist with the effective monitoring and application of lessons learnt to strengthen the administrative support to field and designated town operations.
• Development of context-relevant tools enabling field staff to effectively and professionally monitor and report on projects and programmes.
• Facilitate and support the regular maintenance of the asset register, inventory for offices in the towns of operations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of project management and operations. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Systems Applications and Products in data processing (SAP). Demonstrates professional competence and mastery in project budget, project finance, project administration and project delivery; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others.
• Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Project Management or related field is required. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the specified fields with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in project/programme management, technical cooperation and administration of projects at the local level is required. Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) is desirable. Working experience with an international organization would be an added advantage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English and Kiswahili (both oral and written) is required.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 28 February 2019. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to ‘internal candidates,’ who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as ‘retirement.’ Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term ‘sexual exploitation’ means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term ‘sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on ‘Manuals’ hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.