Project Associate

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.

Background

The objective of the “Development of the First Biennial Transparency Report and the combined Fifth National Communication and Second Biennial Transparency Report of Armenia to the UNFCCC” UNDP-GEF Project is to assist Armenia in the preparation and submission of its First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) and a combined Fifth National Communication and Second Biennial Transparency Report (NC5/BTR2) for the fulfilment of the obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.

The project will assist the country in mainstreaming and integrating climate change considerations into national and sectoral development policies by giving continuity to the institutional and technical capacity strengthening process. Project activities will improve and update the national greenhouse gas inventory, assess and document the progress towards Armenia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), compile information on vulnerability and adaptation and strengthen capacity to report on those areas, report on support needed and received, and update and gather information on research and systemic observation, and education, training, and public awareness with an emphasis on gender issues. The preparation and submission of the BTR1 and NC5/BTR2 will serve to further strengthen institutional and technical capacities of Armenia for implementing the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement

“Strengthening the National Framework for Climate Transparency in Armenia – CBIT 2” UNDP-GEF Project is in line with GEF-8 Program Objective CCM-3-8, “Foster enabling conditions for mainstreaming mitigation concerns into sustainable development strategies through capacity building initiative for transparency”. It follows from the commitments of the Government of Armenia under Paragraphs 7 to 10 of Article 13 of the Paris Agreement, which requires each Party to regularly provide a national inventory report, information necessary to track progress made in implementing and achieving its NDCs, information related to climate change impacts and adaptation, and information on support received.

The project will provide support for building institutional and technical capacities to meet these enhanced transparency requirements as defined in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. It will use a capacity strengthening approach to shift from ad hoc reporting to a continuous process of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) that will capture transparency activities and allow the country to track its progress against its commitments under its NDCs. The first project component will establish national institutional arrangements for an enhanced transparency framework, the second project component will introduce MRV systems that will support the enhanced transparency framework, and the third project component will provide capacity building for stakeholders that will be necessary to support transparency-related activities over time.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

1.Support the project team to ensure effective project planning and implementation.

• Compile and summarize information and data for the formulation of project work plans, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project related topics or issues.
• Provide comprehensive support in all aspects of project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners. Ensure quality of delivery by consultants, beneficiaries, and contracted companies; and communicate findings to the supervisor.
• Ensure compliance of project business processes with UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures (POPP) and UNDP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). When necessary, provide guidance to project staff on business processes, administrative and other requirements and procedures.
• Support mainstreaming gender equality in the project implementation, including in data collection and compilation. Prepare gender equality background materials for use in discussions, briefings, and correspondence.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure successful project delivery that includes organizing/coordinating project events and selecting appropriate venues, coordinating project procurement procedures, maintaining project records and files, recruiting project team members, and supporting contracting activities.

2. Support partnerships and resource mobilization.

• Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, NGOs, tertiary institutions, partners, and other relevant stakeholders. Provide support in updating the database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
• Ensure regular communication and coordination with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries; and develop and maintain effective mechanisms for integrating and responding to their feedback and insight.
• Support creation of high quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders; and ensure careful selection of communication tools and tailoring the messages to take into account the overall socio-political and development context in host countries.
• Undertake horizon scanning and explore opportunities for resource mobilization in consultation with direct supervisor.

3. Provide support to the effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on progress of project implementation.

• Support implementation of the project monitoring system in alignment with its Monitoring and Evaluation framework to ensure effective information sharing, provision of feedback, and elaboration of high-quality progress reports.
• Collect, analyze and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
• Assist in the organization of field and study visits, missions, workshops, roundtables, and conferences within the project.
• Assist in implementation of effective risk management for the project with a well-documented risk mitigation plan in place. Support monitoring of previously identified and emerging risks.
• Regularly monitor expenditures and commitments against the project budget and relevant plans, and provide finance-related information to support project implementation. When necessary, recommend corrective actions and draft various correspondence concerning finance, operations, and budgetary issues.
• Prepare and consolidate required project reports on a timely basis and in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.

4. Support knowledge building, knowledge sharing and capacity building relevant to the assigned project.

• Participate in training and organize briefings on internal procedures for the project staff. Provide support to other capacity building activities, including to the design and delivery of tools, materials for workshops, or platforms that tap into the collective intelligence of communities and mobilize action.
• Provide support in the dissemination and sharing of relevant data and lessons learned within the CO and regionally. Keep pulse on emerging best practices nationally, regionally, and internationally that relate to the work of the assigned project.
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Support compiling and systematizing project knowledge, products and tools as well as their wide distribution to partners.

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

4. Institutional Arrangement:

The Project Associate works under the general supervision of Climate Change Programme Coordinator and closely collaborates with UNDP CO Programme and Operations team, as appropriate.

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 and technical competencies

Business Management / Working with Evidence and Data / Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making

Business Management / Digital Awareness and Literacy / Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.

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 / 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 Management / Monitoring and evaluation /

• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Technical - Finance / Budget management / Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets

Technical – Procurement / Procurement management / The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education is required.
• University Degree (bachelor´s degree) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Social Sciences, Economics, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

A minimum of 6 years (with secondary education) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.

Required skills:

Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired skills:

• Experience in preparation of financial reports and overviews
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, using tools related.
• Experience and knowledge of project management processes
• Experience with procurement procedures of national / international organizations

Required languages: Fluency in English and Armenian languages is required.

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

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