Programme Assistant

Background

The UNDP Angola Country Office is implementing its Country Programme Document (CPD) 2024–2028 in support of the Government of Angola’s National Development Plan (PDN 2023–2027) and Agenda 2030. The programme supports national efforts toward inclusive economic diversification, improved governance, and environmental sustainability, with gender, digital transformation, and youth empowerment as cross-cutting enablers.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Support Analyst, the Programme Assistant provides administrative and programmatic support services to the Programme Compliance, Oversight & Monitoring (PCOM) Team, ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The incumbent promotes a client- and results-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

S/he works in close collaboration with both Programme and Operations sections, Regional Bureau Country Oversight Team (RSCOT) in resolving complex programme and operations-related issues.

Position Purpose

The Programme Assistant is a member of the PCOM team and reports to Program Support Analyst – Head of PCOM and supports the program management and oversight to ensure it is fully compliant with Policies and Procedures for Program and Project management and related Financial Rules and Regulations. S/he provides support to activities related to programme management oversight, quality assurance and advisory support, planning and forecasting of resource mobilization and pipeline management, and HACT assurance.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support to Programme Implementation and Oversight for the achievement of the following results:

• Support the quality assurance of all Annual Work Plans and accompanying plans via the application of the quality assurance checklist and convening the quality assurance team;
• Monitor the performance of web-based platforms such as transparency dashboards, Integrated Financial Dashboard and the project compliance dashboard and engage with programme and project personnel to resolve exceptions in a timely manner;
• Support the Project Officers to timely close all projects by adhering to corporate standards and steps;
• Support quality assurance monitoring exercise in the office including the use of the project planning risk log updates etc;
• Support the unit to track progress on the country programme and Integrated Work Plan (IWP) Results. This will include support for organizing the regular Country Programme review meetings;
• Support in the management of programme and country programme evaluations in the ERC;
• Participate in the review of programme and project workplans and associated plans to ensure they prioritize results in the Country Programme, Integrated Workplan and Project Documents, including evaluations planned for the year;
• Support to liaison with communication for programme reports;
• Assist in the routine tracking of the preparation of quarterly and annual reports including LPAC/Steering Committee/Project Board minutes, Review Meetings, and Monitoring Visit Reports;
• Draft routine correspondence and minutes of meetings;
• Assist in tracking programme activities and milestones in the Integrated Work Plan (IWP) and project documents;
• Assist with coordination of inputs for programme reviews, meetings, and reports.

2. Provide effective support to financial management of the country office programme for the achievement of the following results:

• Process payments and ensure timely submission of payment requests and supporting documents;
• Monitor financial data in Quantum, reconcile errors, and follow up on pending transactions;
• Maintain organized and auditable records of all programme-related financial transactions;
• Liaise with the Finance team to ensure proper documentation and coding of expenditures;
• Coordinate procurement and recruitment processes as required under programme activities;
• Collaborate with Finance Business Partners to implement the Harmonized Cash Transfer (HACT), Quality Assurance Plans and keep record of all the quality assurance reports;
• Analyze information on donors and prepare donor profiles;
• Track and report on mobilized resources and utilization;
• Ensure budget alignment with available resources;
• Monitor budgets closely to avoid budget exceptions and prepare budget revisions as deemed necessary;
• Review FACE forms for advances and liquidations before submission for approval;
• Review contributions agreements and manage contributions in Quantum.
• Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Country Office for the achievement of the following results:
• Assist in the collection and dissemination of knowledge products and lessons learned;
• Maintain the programme filing system and ensure up-to-date hardcopy and electronic records In SharePoint, including for agreements and respective amendments, signed project documents, project reports, meetings minutes and monitoring reports;
• Maintain updated lists of project focal points, reports, and calendar of key deliverables;
• Participate in training activities and assist in onboarding of new team members;
• Provide contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice and digital knowledge platforms.

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

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None

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:

• Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

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 Development:

• Knowledge Generation
  • Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need;
  • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches;
  • Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

Business Management:

• Risk Management
  • Identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks.

Business Management:

• Results-based Management
  • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies,programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results;
  • Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

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

Education:

• Secondary education is required. Or
• A university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible administrative/management or programme experience is required, preferably with an international organization;
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP (Quantum) is required;
• Experience in processing financial payments is an asset;
• Experience in managing files (SharePoint, MS Teams, or similar tools) is an asset;
• Experience in supporting programme delivery is an asset;
• Experience in supporting the programme quality assurance is an asset;
• Experience in supporting procurement and recruitment activities is an advantage;
• Experience in reviewing and editing documents, ability to produce meeting reports identifying key actions is desired.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in Portuguese and English 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.

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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.

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