Project Associate for EW4All Project

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP Cambodia Country Office (CO) works in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC), non-government organizations, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, multilateral aid agencies, bilateral donors, and the private sector to accelerate the achievement of Cambodia Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs) and other national development priorities as set out in the Pentagonal Strategy for realizing the national vision 2050.
In Cambodia, the UNDP Country Programme Document 2024-2028 (CPD) identified three transformational shifts as priorities for support during the next 5 years. The first shift is toward an economic growth model that accelerates inclusive growth, economic diversification, and human development. The second shift involves championing just energy transition, climate action, and nature-based solutions as the foundation for national wealth, well-being, and resilience to shocks. The third shift is towards strengthening institutions, civic space, and participation as enablers for inclusive growth, access to rights, and equal opportunities for all, whilst ensuring that society at large is using the full potential of digital transformation. The CPD is aligned to national priorities and policies, particularly Cambodia’s Vision 2050 and the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase 1 2024-2028.

The Cambodia Early Warning for All (EW4All) project, under Shift 2, is designed to advance UNDP’s climate resilience agenda and contribute to the broader UN commitment to ensure that every person on Earth is protected by life-saving early warning systems by 2027. This initiative aligns with the UN Secretary-General’s global call to strengthen early warning capacities as a critical measure to safeguard communities from escalating climate risks.
Cambodia remains highly vulnerable to climate-related hazards, including floods, droughts, and extreme weather events that continue to threaten lives, livelihoods, and hard-won development gains. The EW4All project responds directly to these challenges by supporting national efforts to build a more resilient, inclusive, and anticipatory disaster risk management system. The EW4All seeks to establish an effective Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) that ensures timely, accessible, and actionable warnings for the most vulnerable populations across four target provinces: Ratanakiri, Kratie, Stung Treng, and Banteay Meanchey.

Approved in February 2025, the project takes a comprehensive, system-wide approach to strengthening Cambodia’s early warning capabilities. It focuses on enhancing governance and coordination, improving disaster risk knowledge, upgrading observational and monitoring systems, and strengthening dissemination mechanisms and early action protocols. The initiative will address critical gaps throughout the early warning value chain and build on existing national platforms, including the Platform for Real-time Impact and Situation Monitoring (PRISM) and the Cambodia Disaster Loss and Damage Information System (CamDi).

The project aligns with Cambodia's National Action Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction (NAP-DRR) for 2024-2028. It is implemented under UNDP's Direct Implementation Modality (DIM) in close coordination with key national institutions, including the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MoWRAM), and the Ministry of Environment (MoE), UN agencies including United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), World Food Programme (WFP), and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), intergovernmental agencies (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent-IFRC and Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System-RIMES), and NGOs including People in Need (PIN) and Action Aid Cambodia.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Associate plays a critical role within the Project Management Unit (PMU), to ensure effective operational and financial management of the EW4All project. The position supports the delivery of project outputs by providing high-quality operational, administrative, and financial services that enable the smooth implementation of projects in compliance with UNDP and Green Climate Fund (GCF) requirements. The Project Associate will work closely with national partners, UNDP programme, project, and operations teams through the following roles and responsibilities:

A. Provide financial management support for effective programme/project implementation:

• Liaise closely with the UNDP Programme and Operations Associate and Programme Analyst to ensure the effectiveness of financial management of projects in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Provide support to the projects to ensure that all projects 1) administrative and financial management, 2) recruitment and procurement processes, and 3) disbursement and payment requests meet UNDP standards and are in compliance with UNDP’s procedure/guidelines, rules, and regulations (including processes under UNDP web-based management system and Quantum);
• Prepare, maintain, and revise as necessary financial records for projects;
• Ensure timely processing of payments of project-related commitments, including commitments related to personnel, and ensure that payment supporting document contains accurate and sufficient information, i.e. invoice/receipt date, payee and vendor signature, and clear description on purpose of payment, etc.;
• In close coordination with UNDP Programme and Operations Associate and finance unit, manage the administration of all project personnel travel and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) payments, as well as other entitlements and claims;
• Provide guidance to personnel, experts, and consultants on all aspects of allowance, salary, advances, travel claims, and other financial matters;
• Assist in concluding financing agreements with donors and work closely with relevant UNDP teams to ensure appropriate recording of contributions;
• Monitor donor contributions and project resources and work closely with relevant personnel to ensure appropriate planning and reporting on expenditure;
• Monitor all sub-grantees on their financial progress reports and provide advice to them to effectively delivery the fund upon the legal documents or agreement;
• Foresee and identify potential risks both financial and operational risks, and inform relevant colleagues to ensure that they are addressed in a timely manner;
• Contribute to the preparation of budget work-plan (multi-year, annual, and quarterly work-plan, budget revision, and costing of specific activity such as workshops) and to the drafting of report, especially the financial report section;
• Support the project to develop and execute procurement plan;
• Prepare and update proper project relevant documentation and records and ensure that the documents are prepared and ready for audit and spot check;
• Provide support to UNDP in the implementation of audit and spot check recommendations if required;
• Establish and maintain the electronic (including UNDP web-based management system and Quantum) and physical filing system for project documentation and communication;
• Provide support in preparing quarterly and annual financial reports.

B. Provide administrative and logistic support to projects planning and implementation:

• Provide administrative support for project planning, implementation, and monitoring;
• Support HR-related processes, including recruitment, contract management, and maintenance of personnel records;
• Arrange appointment schedules and travels, organize meetings/workshops, and draft correspondence, minutes, etc.;
• Ensure maintenance and upkeep of project assets;
• Control and safeguard all project assets/liabilities; maintain project inventory and reporting including periodic physical counts, inventory tags, and updates; maintain loan agreement of all equipment/vehicles on an annual basis;
• Prepare/maintain loan agreement of all equipment/vehicles on an annual basis;
• Prepare and ensure updated procurement plan and assist in procurement process of related inputs for project activities;
• Support preparation of project board meetings;
• Support project formulation, extension, and closure process;
• Coordinate travel and accommodation as necessary to support project fieldwork;
• Provide interpretation and translation support where needed.

C. Support knowledge management and knowledge sharing:

• Support project teams in the implementation of various aspects of the projects including publication, events, workshops, and conferences;
• Participate in training initiatives and contribute to strengthening operational and programme capacities;
• Share knowledge and best practices with project teams and counterparts, particularly in financial management and compliance;
• Provide guidance to project counterparts on budget preparation, financial reporting, and supporting documentation;
• Provide guidance to project counterparts on UNDP procedures related to finance, procurement, HR, and asset management.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and in close collaboration with relevant project partners, the Project Associate will be responsible for the implementation of the project activities aimed at building national capacities by pursuing integrated planning and implementation of innovative solutions.

The Project Associate will provide operational services, ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of work. S/he works in close collaboration with the Government counterparts, project, operations, and Programme’s staff in the UNDP Country Office (CO) to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery, and undertake day-to-day responsibility for operational and thematic support services for the satisfactory achievement of the project component outputs.

The incumbent may also be required to take on other programmes/projects/initiatives within the scope of the TOR, depending on the workload at the time.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies:

Core Competencies

• 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: Operations Management Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms
• Business Management: Customer Satisfaction/Client Management Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Business Management: Project Management Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goal
• Business Development: Human-centered Design Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process
• Finance: Budget Management Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets
• Finance: Financial Planning and Budgeting Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysing and reporting
• Administration and Operations: Documents and records management Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Secondary Education is required; or
• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, finance, accounting, or related fields.
• Professional certification in accounting and/or finance, procurement, or project management is an advantage.

Experience

• A minimum of 6 years (with secondary education) or 3 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in programme, project operations, administration, and financial management.

Desired skills

• Experience in supporting programme and/or project implementation including providing financial, administrative, procurement, and logistical assistance;
• Previous experience with GCF or climate finance projects is an advantage;
• Experience in providing capacity building support related to financial management to national counterparts is an asset;
• Experience in handling web-based management systems (ERP) is an asset;
• Experience working with UN, UNDP, donor agencies, and other international development organisations is desirable.

Language

• Fluency in Khmer and English is required.

*NOTE: This position opens for Cambodian nationals only.

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.