Job Title: National Project Officer – IRFF
Organisation: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About US:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nation’s global development network. UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. The UNDP provides expert advice, training, grant support to developing countries including Uganda with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.
Job Summary: Overall, the Project Officer will be responsible for the implementation of the Inclusive Insurance, Risk Finance, DRR and Resilience portfolio in the Country office, by providing strategic guidance, orientation and coordination, technical support to government and non-state actors during implementation. The Project Officer will support and manage day-to-day implementation of IRFF activities according to the CPD programme areas, and engage in resource mobilization, development of knowledge products, and undertaking external engagement functions.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Project Planning and Management
- Support the identification, selection and supervision of national consultants and experts, in close collaboration with the IRFF Regional Technical Specialist and write/revise terms of reference for review by relevant the NCER Team Leader and IRFF team members;
- Under the close supervision of the NECER Team Leader and in consultation with the Global IRFF Team and supported by the Regional Specialists, elaborate/revise the work plan and budget and submit draft workplans/budgets timely for the bi-annual budget revision process (30 June and 31 December of each year);
- Organize all relevant project workshops in a consultative manner, involving a wide variety of Inclusive Risk finance stakeholders, including the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and academia;
- Under the guidance of the NCER Team Leader and UNDP Country Office Senior Leadership, discuss with government partners and other key stakeholders the establishment of a national Steering Committee (or other relevant steering structures) and follow up on the formal establishment and regular convening of the Committee, undertake the same for any other proposed coordination mechanism, and write meeting reports to be shared with the IRFF global;
- Ensure a timely identification of risks in implementation at the national level and communication to the global IRFF team;
- Lead the implementation of all the activities related to smallholder farmer resilience through insurance in collaboration with the IRFF Technical team and local players;
- Organize monthly meetings with IRFF Regional Specialist and Technical team;
- Supervise the work of national experts and institutions to ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget, and to high quality standards; facilitate, guide and monitor the work of the national IRFF team;
- Lead the technical implementation and management of ongoing projects, and other activities including research, organizing, and facilitating meetings, preparing technical documents, project briefs and managing the projects on a day-to-day basis;
- Responsible for the planning and implementation of relevant trainings and workshops in close cooperation with other partners;
- Provide leadership and oversight in project development and implementation, including financial accounting;
- Follow-up on project activities implemented under partner agreements, consultancies, or similar arrangements, and ensure their timely and quality delivery;
- Prepare and submit quality and timely Progress Reports (quarterly, and annual), annual work plans and budgets, procurement, and delivery enhancement plan for consideration and approval by the Project Steering Committees, and as required by donors and other partners as applicable;
- Lead the development of knowledge products, knowledge sharing platforms, communication, and visibility actions;
- Facilitate IRFF project audits and evaluations, production of documentation required by UNDP and Project Partners.
Project Administration Timely and efficient projects administration according to plans and UNDP procedures:
- Prepares all payment requests, financial record-keeping and preparation of financial reports required in line with both the National Implementation and Direct Implementation financial rules and procedures;
- Maintains the budget and expenditure of projects within a portfolio, including formulation, revisions, and record keeping in Quantum, monthly status reports, and reporting and liaising with the UNDP on budget matters;
- Supports updated project information in Quantum;
- Supports project audit and facilitate access by auditors to project documentation, personnel, and institutions involved in the project;
- Supports organization of HACT assurance activities, including spot checks and programme visits;
- Regularly advises Implementing Partners or Responsible Partners on HACT related issues;
- Initiates procurement actions for ICs, goods, works and services according to procurement plans;
- Compiles supporting documents for procurement processes and ensures that supporting documents are complete;
- Creates e-requisitions in Quantum to initiate procurement processes, ensures the accuracy of the COA of the e-requisitions;
- Facilitates the periodic asset, inventory and supplies verification.
Reporting/Communication/M&E
- Signal any delays in national deliverables compared to the workplan to the NCER Team Leader and Senior Management Team, and the Global IRFF Team;
- Lead project monitoring, reporting and evaluation at national and field implementation level;
- Draft monthly and quarterly reports for review by the NCER Team Leader and lead expert for submission to the global IRFF team;
- Update Country Risk Log and monitor UNDP SES Requirements;
- Prepare quarterly and Annual Progress Report;
- Develop workshop reports for the inception workshop and all technical workshops;
- Develop briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles and other media products as required;
- Assist with research and write and edit sections of technical reports as required;
- Review all national level deliverables to ensure quality and consistency with the IRFF methodology.
Institutional Arrangement: The Project Officer will be supervised by the Team Leader Nature Climate Energy and Resilience at the UNDP Country Office Uganda under the guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative and overall leadership of the Resident Representative. The project Officer will have a secondary reporting line to IRFF’s Regional Specialist. Throughout the project, collaboration, and coordination with the rest of the UNDP IRFF’ Central team and other teams will be required.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) National Project Officer – IRFF job must hold an advanced University degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Climate Change, Development Finance, Economics, business administration, Development Management, Public Policy or related field is required
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Minimum 2 years (with a master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of working experience in the implementation of projects relevant to insurance and risk finance, agricultural insurance, sustainable finance, climate change or financial inclusion is required;
- Experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions;
- Experience in working with a range of stakeholders including government, private sector, Civil Society organizations on sustainable energy and climate change related issues;
- Working with building community led microfinancing and access to credit platforms;
- Knowledge of insurance related to climate risks and vulnerabilities;
- Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office);
- Demonstrated substantive experience in working with developing countries and undertaking policy and programmatic work in Climate change, Disaster risk management and inclusive financing;
- Experience and strong understanding of the links between risks, climate change and resilience strengthening;
- Experience in the area of insurance and risk financing, sustainable financing or financial inclusion;
- Experience in project cycle management (in particular project administration) in the public or private sector or international organizations;
- Prior experience with UNDP projects would be an asset;
- Work experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning software is desirable;
- Experience in UN organization is an asset;
- Ability and experience to work within a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
- Language Requirement: Fluency in English (spoken and written) and local language is required.
Competencies
CORE
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross Functional & Technical Competencies
Digital and Innovation: Portfolio Design and Management
- Ability to identify leverage points in systems and design interventions that address them. The value of the interventions are determined not in isolation, but as part of the overall portfolio and their coherence:
- Ability to design processes that extract learning on an ongoing basis from existing portfolios, so that learning accrues over time and new options for action are continuously generated:
- Build a learning ecosystem around a complex development challenge: being able to mobilize a variety of stakeholders and help them learn and work together;
- Understand key principles of systems and complexity theory.
Finance: Development Finance Expertise
- Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance.
Business Direction and Strategy System Thinking
- Ability to conduct problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Business Direction and Strategy: Business Acumen
- Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome.
- Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join the United Nations should apply online at the link below
Deadline: 7th February 2024