Project Assistant

Background

UNDP Pakistan is scaling up its community recovery work in Balochistan through BSDGs by transforming it into a local, area-baseddevelopment programme with social innovation as a cross-cutting theme. The programme supports the creation of the necessary conditions for stability (citizen-state trust building) through inclusive local development planning processes, addressing basic local infrastructure and livelihoods needs, and make tangible progress towards the achievement of the SDGs. The project works to find innovative and sustainable solutions to address Balochistan's development challenges by showcasing local government delivery on Pakistan's Sustainable Development Goals. It also supports improved delivery of basic public services including water, health and education etc; and also to create employment generation and improved livelihoods. Social Innovation is mainstreamed across all the activities to create a greater impact through employing innovative solutions for realizing SDGs. The project specifically focuses on three outputs: 1) Building capacities of the local governments to effectively plan and deliver services in order to achieve the SDGs.; 2) Accelerating the delivery of the SDGs by investing in basic services to address immediate and urgent needs with a special focus on the needs of women and vulnerable groups, and 3) Developing alternative livelihoods for both men and women and stimulating the local economy through skills training, business development and trade.

Currently, UNDP Pakistan is implementing BSDGs project in Balochistan with the funding support of Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund of China. Major component of these projects is repair and renovation work in schools and hospitals of faraway districts of Balochistan, provision of assistive devices to person with disability (PWD), provision of missing items to school and hospitals, distribution of toolkits among the youth for livelihoods improvement, health and hygiene session in schools and fumigation machines for the prevention of epidemic diseases.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Assistant will support the monitoring, tracking and overall timely implementation of events/milestones/deliverables within BSDGs Annual Work Plan; and will facilitate key operational processes within the programme including ensuring the visibility of the project by creating stories, Vblog, pictorial presentation and project briefs.

1. Support the BSDGs team to ensure effective project planning and implementation, focusing on achievements of the following results:

• Regularly update the Project Manager, flagging any deviations or significant variations from agreed timelines within the Annual Work Plan immediately.
• Provide support in ensuring quality control and assurance of project activities, including assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensuring timely and efficient delivery.

2. Provide support to the effective reporting on progress of project activities implementation, focusing on achievements of the following results:

• Assist the project team in drafting project progress reports with results/implementation data extracted from the deliverables system.
• Strengthen project coordination through effective communication with the UNDP sub-Office Quetta and project engineer based in the field.

3. The incumbent would provide support in the communications of the Project. More specifically, s/he would:

• Support in Implementing communication and outreach strategy focusing on project outcomes, objectives and activities;
• Support in implementation of efficient internal project communication protocols;
• Act as project communications focal person and various activities related to outreach and awareness campaign I coordination with CO communications team;
• Coordinate the development of publications, multimedia and/or web based, and provide quality control in line with the UNDP standards;
• Provide support in preparing case studies, project updates, occasional papers, brochures, newsletters etc. in a timely and consistent manner;
• Review the Project related information on UNDP website(s) on a regular basis, draft contents, and provide support for website updates and ensure consistency of the material;
• Assist the project team in identifying and documenting case studies and lessons learnt for the Project website, advocacy campaigns and progress reports;
• Undertake field visits to project sites for documenting success stories and provide support for their publication;
• Write, design and edit project publications/brochures/factsheets/newsletter/posters on various topics for wider dissemination among stakeholders;
• Assist the project team in organizing conferences, workshops, and seminars;
• Coordinate with the Project team for dissemination of project publications/awareness material;

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

To facilitate the implementation of key activities falling within its Annual Work Plan 2025, and provide management support to its implementation, field-based, communications and subject expert staff.The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Project Management Specialist and the overall guidance of the Assistant Resident Representative/programme officer PRIU. She/he will work closely with the other operating units of UNDP especially with Comms for timely publication of the project's stories to enhance the project's visibility.>

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Business Development

Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary education (12th grade) is required.

OR

A university degree in Business Administration, Mass Communication, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years (with secondary education) (12th grade) or 2 years (with bachelor's degree) of relevant experience with support to development programme/project level with development organizations.

Skills Required:

• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems ir required.
• Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages is required.
• Experience with developing and applying IT tools to collect, monitor and address issues which may arise in the timely conduction of project activities is a considerable asset.
• Experience of working in creating and implementing communication strategy, designing social media contents is desired,
• Knowledge of the economic, sociocultural, and governance landscape of the Balochistan and experience operating within them is a considerable asset
• Experience of working with government counterparts inPakistan is an asset
• Self-motivated, highly organized, collaborative, and able to create in a fast-paced and growing environment is desired
• Knowledge of project management processes is desired.
• Fluency in the English and Urdu language 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.

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