Project Management Support – Senior Assistant for the Capacity Building Sector

General background:

The UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi Country Office (RSMCO) is implementing 15 projects in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ukraine.

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden and North Macedonia.

In Ukraine, UNOPS support to the partners in their reform agenda since 2016 spans the rule of law, social protection, demining, emergency response and security. The projects are funded by the EU, UNHCR, the Governments of Japan and Canada.

All projects have gender equality as a transversal theme, and have been contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives.

The European Union for Local Development Programme – EU PRO Plus will contribute to more balanced socio-economic development in Serbia by enhancing territorial development management, supporting economic growth, and improving social infrastructure and social cohesion of 99 local self-governments in two regions: Šumadija and Western Serbia and South and Eastern Serbia. The European Union (EU) has allocated 30 million Euros through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 2020 to fund the Programme which will be led by the Ministry of European Integration and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) over a period of 36 months.

There are three results that the Programme will achieve in targeted municipalities:
Result 1: Improved development planning and introduction of the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) concept
Result 2: Enhanced economic growth
Result 3: Improved social infrastructure and social cohesion

While building on the momentum created by its three predecessors, the Programme also focuses on four cross cutting aspects: good governance, digitalisation and innovations, environmental and climate change aspects and gender equality. In addition, EU PRO Plus will, through its activities, where relevant and feasible, strive to remedy some of the negative COVID-19 effects.

The direct beneficiaries of the EU PRO Plus are the Ministry of European Integration, 99 local self-governments, local administration structures, regional development agencies, other business support organisations, local SMEs, and civil society organisations (CSOs). The final beneficiaries are the inhabitants of 99 municipalities.

All programme activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Serbia, while respecting the national policies and priorities, in order to ensure national ownership and help develop national capacities. The EU PRO Plus is based on the National Priorities for International Assistance in the Republic of Serbia until 2025 (NAD), crucial for economic and social development and the EU integration process, while particularly contributing to preparation for the fulfilment of the requirements under Chapter 22 of the EU acquis – Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Management Support – Senior Officer for the Capacity Building Sector, the Project Management Support – Senior Assistant for the Capacity Building Sector will provide assistance in implementation of activities within the Sector for Capacity Building. S/he will work closely with other Sector team members in order to contribute to efficient and effective monitoring of implementation of projects within this Sector, to assist in implementation of the activities related to integrated territorial development and technical assistance to local self-governments (LSGs), regional development agencies (RDAs) and the Ministry of European Integration (MEI).
The Senior Assistant will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

Maintain relationship with the Sector beneficiaries
Provide assistance in development of reports on Sector activities
Provide assistance in organisation of functions and events to present the Programme’s support provided under the Sector for Capacity Building
With guidelines from the Senior Officer for Capacity Building, and in coordination with the Sector Associates, closely monitor implementation of Sector projects and activities
Conduct field visits to Sector beneficiaries
Liaise with the support services team to support successful implementation of contracts and grant agreements by maintaining regular communication between the programme and support services units in order to ensure timely exchange of information on the status of provision of services, procurements and grant agreements
With guidelines from the Senior Officer for Capacity Building, and in coordination with the Sector Associates, provide basic assistance to the Sector beneficiaries in development of plans and strategies and implementation of projects
Provide assistance in collection, preparation, and archiving of documentation related to processing of Sector related financial transactions
Establish activity progress tracking sheets and regularly update with inputs provided by beneficiaries and services providers
Maintain archive related to capacity building activities, as per agreement with the Senior Officer for Capacity Building and in line with the UNOPS/EU PRO Plus requirements
Report on the key local developments that are relevant for the Sector
With the guidance of the Senior Officer for Capacity Building, liaise with retainers and service providers to support implementation of the Sector activities including gathering data on their engagement, collecting and storing their reports, communicating directly with retainers in relation to administrative and procedural issues
Contribute to identification and assessment of risks and assist in implementation of mitigation measures in accordance with the Risk Management Strategy
Assist in drafting reports as envisaged by the Programme Document
Assist in development of the Programme’s plans
Assist in monitoring and reporting on the progress of activities against the Logical Framework Matrix indicators
Contribute to identification and sharing of Programme’s lessons learned and best practices
Contribute to efficient and effective use of EU PRO Plus and UNOPS tools for monitoring of Programme’s performance, outputs and benefits
Contribute to the successful administrative and financial closure of activities within the Sector for Capacity Building
Provide support to Programme’s communication and visibility activities
Support organization of trainings, information sessions, and other events related to promotion of the activities and CFPs of the Sector and assist in capacity building of potential beneficiaries to adequately respond to the Calls
Review documentation related to implementation of Capacity Building activities and grants, propose revisions and obtain approvals of the next phases of implementation.
Provide feedback and support to Sector beneficiaries, as per guidance of the Senior Officer for Capacity Building and the Sector Associates
Provide assistance to other Programme Sectors including but not limited to monitoring, and field visits to beneficiaries, within efforts to optimise use of resources

Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Required selection criteria:

Education

Secondary education is required.
Bachelor’s degree preferably in economics, social sciences, engineering or development studies is an asset

Experience

Five years of experience in project support functions on projects with strategic planning or capacity building components in Serbia is required. Bachelor’s degree may substitute for some years of experience.
Direct experience with projects related to the EU Cohesion Policy and sustainable urban development is an asset

Language Requirements

Fluency in Serbian and English is required

Driving license

Driving license and ability to travel independently is required

Core Competencies

Strategic Perspective – Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. (for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)
Integrity & Inclusion – Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Leading Self and Others – Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only:** Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnering – Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Results Orientation – Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Agility – Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behaviour. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Solution Focused – Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Effective Communication – Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

This is a local position, it is therefore open to nationals of the Republic of Serbia and to individuals who have a valid residence/work permit.
Contract type: Ongoing ICA
Contract level: Local ICA 5
Contract duration: Open-ended subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and/or to satisfactory performance

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

For more information on UNOPS, please visit the UNOPS website at www.unops.org