Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Office/Unit/Project Description
UNDP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. The strategy includes development financing as one of the key enablers achieve the objectives of these agendas and emphasize the importance of creating partnerships with governments and the private sector to align public and private capital flows with the SDGs to mobilize finance at scale.
The Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean support 24 countries in LAC and frames its work under the Regional Program for LAC (2022-2025) through its country offices with governments to develop tailor-made solutions to development challenges and contribute to strengthening local capacities. UNDP's LAC Environment and Energy Team (LAC E&E) supports these country offices to help Latin American and Caribbean countries advance their nature, environment, climate, waste and chemicals agendas, and to develop sound national and sectoral planning and inclusive growth policies.
Within this portfolio, the LAC E&E is implementing the project "District Cooling in LAC" funded by the European Commission which main objective is to promote the market transformation for the large Commercial Air Conditioning Sector in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Grenada through the introduction of District Cooling in the four countries. The aim is to create the capacities at the national level to support to effective uptake of District Cooling, and to strengthen the public and private institutions and companies that form part of the value chain.
To guarantee the implementation of the project, under the overall supervision of the Regional Project Manager, the LAC E&E Team is recruiting a Project Analyst to support the programmatic management and technical coordination of the project to guarantee a smooth delivery of the project outputs.
Scope of Work
a) Provide Management Support
- Provide programme management support including to annual work planning and follow up of project activities.
- Support the management of contribution agreements and the monitoring of the income and expenditures against funding towards preparing financial reports for donors.
- Provide support in the preparation of inputs and background information for the supported initiatives; draft work plans, budgets, and proposals on implementation arrangements; and contribute to progress, annual, and final reports for the supported initiatives.
- Support the formulation processes of new Project Documents, Initiation Plans, Engagements Facilities, and others.
- Ensure compliance of the project with UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules and the Internal Control Framework by coordinating with the Bureau Compliance Unit regarding operational and financial aspects of project approval and implementation.
- Support with project operational closing.
- Perform other tasks in Quantum related to Grants and Project Management.
- Attend and summarize meetings and conferences.
b) Support technical implementation
- Assist in the implementation of project activities in accordance with the approved work plan, technical specifications, and project objectives.
- Deliver technical input and guidance related to the assigned area of expertise to ensure effective and efficient project execution.
- Prepare, review and maintain technical documentation, progress reports, and other relevant materials related to project implementation.
- Participate in the review and evaluation of project activities and contribute to recommendations for improving project performance.
- Assist in the preparation fo terms of references, concept notes and other technical documents for implementation of different activities.
- Assist in the review of outputs of consultants in acoordance with the project document requirements and relevant TORs.
- Contribute to the preparation of technical work plans, methodologies, and operational procedures required for the implementation of project components.
- Liaise and collaborate with project team members, partners, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the successful implementation of project activities.
- Contribute in the oversight of country level coordinators to guarantee the delivery at local level.
- Participate and lead team meetings and meetings with partners and main stakeholders, and prepare notes and main takeaways to follow up by the project team.
c) Contribute to Procurement and administration
- In coordination with the units and project team, support the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of procurement plans, following corporate guidelines and properly reflecting it in Quantum.
- Oversee and support effective and timely procurement processes for acquiring goods and services, in close coordination with the Procurement Team in Panama Regional Hub. The Project Analyst will support the drafting of TORs, notes to files, evaluation reports, and others, and will guide the units involved through the entire procurement process until completion.
- Elaboration and provision of information for audits.
- In coordination with the project team, execute tasks related to project creation in Quantum, preparation of budget revisions, revision of project award and project status, determination of unutilized funds, and financial closure of a project.
- Generate and analyze financial reports from Quantum.
- Support in the organization and coordination of events, meetings, workshops and missions (e.g. logistics, catering, venue preparation and document preparation for events).
- Create travel profiles, travel plans, travel requests and travel claims in alignment with travel entitlements for staff, consultants, UN personnel, and visitors, ensuring adherence to UN regulations regarding the most direct and cost-effective travel options, and in coordination with the correspondent unit in RBLAC.
- Support the preparation of job descriptions to engage with Personnel Services Agreements to provide a time-limited service to UNDP under a services-based contract modality.
- Coordinate and liaise with the Human Resources Unit at the Regional Hub in Panama in the process of recruitment and selection framework of IPSA candidates.
d) Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the project.
- Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
- Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
- Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
- Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.
- The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Project and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Project Analyst will have a part-time position at 70% as part of the of the LAC Environment & Energy team and report directly to the Regional Project Manager in coordination with other sub-teams as necessary. S/he will be expected to work during LAC (Panama) Office hours.
The Project Analyst will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection.
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
Business Management
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
- Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan, organise and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organisation’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms
- Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
Business Direction & Strategy
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective 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.
Administration & Operations
- Documents and records management: Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
Finance
- Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.
Procurement
- Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations
Required Skills and Experience
Min. Academic Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Finance, International Relations, Public Administration, Law, or related fields is required, or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of advanced university degree.
Min. years of relevant Work experience
- Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in project management and technical support.
Desired additional skills and competencies
- Experience working with global vertical fund programs and other international/multilateral projects with UNDP at all levels (HQ, regional, national)
- Experience working in LAC
- Experience working with the UN system or international organizations.
- Experience in working with governments, donor, non-governmental organizations and development organizations
- Experience in using the Quantum and PIMS+ platforms for finance, procurement, and projects’ management
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software
- Experience with hamornized approach to cash transfers.
Required Language(s)
- Fluency in Spanish and English is required.
- Knowledge of other UN languages is desired.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
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