Damascus, Syria
UNDP Damascus
Job ID: 27439
Practice Area – Job Family: Crisis Prevention and RecoveryManagement
Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA) 15/12/2019
Duty Station: Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Education & Work Experience: C-HS Graduate or Equivalent – 6 year(s) experience, G-Bachelor’s Level Degree – 3 year(s) experience
Languages: Arabic, English
Grade: SB3
Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)
Posting Type: External
Bureau: Crisis Prevention & Recovery
Contract Duration: 1 year with possibility for extension
Open for Syrian Nationality only
Background
The objective of this assignment is to support youth programming and the implementation of the Youth Leadership programme at the country level as well as the regional and global level. The Project Associate will work under the supervision and guidance of the UNDP Youth Focal Points both at the country and regional levels. S/he will be an integral part of the UNDP Country office and Regional Programme team and will play an important role supporting UNDP’s Country Offices and partners, with a strong focus on coordination, advocacy, planning, and evaluation. This assignment is part of the Arab Youth Delegates Programme in partnership with the Arab Youth Center.
Organizational Context:
Under the direct supervision of the Youth Focal Point(s), and the overall supervision and guidance by Syria CO Management, and in close coordination with the Regional Coordinator, Regional Programme, the Project Associate ensures effective delivery of the CO programme by entering and managing data and supporting programme implementation consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The Project Associate can supervise clerical and support staff of the Programme Unit. The Project Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the CO and in the field as required for resolving complex issues and exchange of information.
Syria CO Context:
Syrian people have been through very difficult times in the last eight years. UNDP’s interventions cover several geographic and thematic areas. Early recovery and resilience-supporting interventions of affected people by improving their access to basic services and providing them with emergency jobs and started stabilizing the livelihoods of people. UNDP-Syria also targets women and youth in all its resilience-building and social cohesion interventions and advocates for the importance of SDGs even in a crisis context. Therefore, SDG community-based activities and youth-led initiatives have been tested in several locations at the national and sub-national level. UNDP- Syria believes that working together is the only way forward to help people to adapt and recover while building a better future, where there is a place for everyone. In this context, Youth presents the key for a better future as key human asset in Syria.
Youth Project Associate Key Functions/Entry points:
- Support to formulation of programme strategies and implementation of the Country Programme Action Plan and direction for Youth engagement, YLP, and the SDGs;
- Support the formulation of Regional Project strategies, work plans and the effective implementation of the YLP, Youth-led and Youth-focused initiatives at national and sub-national level in Syria;
- Support to management of the CO programme;
- Administrative support to the Programme Unit;
- Support to resource mobilization;
- Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Youth Focal Point in the CO, and in close coordination with the Regional Coordinator, Regional Programme, the Project Assistant will particularly be responsible for the following tasks:
- Directly supports the UNDP YLP and UNDP Syria Country Office (CO)’ relevant youth-led initiatives and programming by following on planning process, implementation, and coordination with partners, accessing regional networks, creating linkages and providing technical support;
- Contributes to strategic planning including developing draft Youth Action Plan for Syria, and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities for youth in Syria and the Arab region around SDGs. Also, support the timely preparation and quality control of all substantive technical reports, briefs and required documents, including progress reports, concept notes, background documents and briefing notes;
- Provide support and facilitation to the Regional Project team, in close cooperation with relevant programmatic units in Syria CO, in knowledge building and management and advocacy for Youth’ active role in development including at policy level and implementation and monitoring of the SDGs;
- Support Syria CO in designing of systematic approach to developing UNDP Syria Youth Database categorised by Youth engagement in various programmatic thematic areas and analysing trends of Youth in Syria by making use of existing data systems and indicators, and innovative approaches such as data science;
- Support the CO in building the capacity to support professional youth such as providing training to local engineers and technicians working in infrastructure, local governance, and livelihood sectors to ensure decent work opportunities and active youth participation in the processes leading to recovery and peace building phases;
- Support the CO’ effort on private sector engagement with local communities in greening activities, especially in solid waste management (recycling, biogas, compost, ….) and renewable energy;
- Works closely with the regional team members and the CO management and relevant programme units in the development of Project activities to promote youth’s social, political, and economic empowerment in Syria and the Arab region, and promoting UNDP Gender and environmental standards and Youth Leadership Initiatives at national and sub-national level;
- Facilitates the delivery of YLP activities and other ongoing Youth-led Initiatives under the CO programmatic interventions/portfolios by monitoring results achieved during implementation. S/he ensures and guides the appropriate application of monitoring, reporting and evaluation systems and procedures and develops enhancements if necessary;
- Captures stories which reflect on know how (procedures, processes, tactics, business models) and know why (lessons learned, reasons for failures/success) through tracking and documentation of programme implementation and outputs;
- Coordinates the youth’s leadership programme’s mentorship and capacity building support, where relevant and creates project records, files and documents for ready reference. Also, conducts an overview and analysis of the relevant partners, donors and stakeholders to the project, and develops a plan for efficient flow of information between them and the project, and vice versa;
- Develops general tools/guidelines for operative communication measures at regional/national/local levels, for instance press releases, social media and campaigns and submit quarterly progress reports and end of the year report to supervisor(s) and the Regional Coordinator;
- Provide technical assistance to field units and stakeholders, and making proposals and offering solutions to project bottlenecks, and carrying out other tasks as assigned by Regional Coordinator in close coordination with respective supervisor, and any other required administrative work;
- Expected to submit report at the end of the year to supervisor and the Regional Coordinator.
Competencies
-
Tags
- Highly motivated, pleasant character with good team work spirit;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
- Available for flexible working hours if necessary;
- Proficiency of English and Arabic languages is a must;
- Good computer skills in both English and Arabic;
- Strong writing and communication skills;
- Demonstrated experience in administration, financial recording, and logistics;
- Ability to accommodate and adapt to changing working environment;
- Systematic and organized, with an ability to be flexible, creative and adaptive;
- Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks related to screening and collecting of project documentation, projects data entering, preparation of revisions, filing, provision of information, and reporting.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Secondary school
- A first-level university degree in business administration, development studies, social development, or any other related development field, in combination with 3 years of qualifying experience may be accepted.
Experience:
- 6 years of progressively operational relevant experience (for High School holder);
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), experience in handling of web-based management systems;
- Previous experience with the UN is an asset.
- Advanced computer skills, including word processing (Word), spreadsheet (Excel) and data management programmes, and ability to quickly learn new applications.
Language Requirements:
- Excellent command of Arabic and English in both oral and written;
- Additional requirements;
- Knowledge of Syria Context;
- Experience in Youth leadership initiatives at national and/or sub-national level;
- Knowledge of SDGs and Agenda 2030 and SDGs Localisation;
- Knowledge of UNDP work, design thinking and innovation is an asset.
Disclaimer
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.
Scam warning
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
More Information
-
USD
Month