Project Assistant United Nations Development Programme Experience: 5 to 10 Years Chisinau, Moldova Apply By: 10-09-2024

Project Description  

• During August 2024 – July 2028, UNDP will implement the Project “Resilient Communities through Women Empowerment, Phase 2”, funded by Sweden and Norway.
• The Project aims to enhance gender-responsive climate resilience in Moldova by integrating gender considerations into climate policies, empowering women leaders, and promoting climate-smart solutions. It aligns with national priorities and the Moldova 2030 National Strategy, addressing climate change adaptation and environmental protection. The project also supports the Government Programme on Gender Equality (2023-2027) and contributes to energy-related objectives, enhancing domestic energy production and affordability.
• As a continuation of the Resilient Communities Project, phase I, UNDP Moldova intends: i)  to enhance the understanding on climate change and gender empowerment matters, via synergetic engagement of public authorities from both national and local level;   ii) to expand the poll of experts on gender&climate nexus through fellowship progammes, knowledge management portal etc and with participation of the NGOs<and, iii) to foster cooperation among the main local stakeholders – LPAs, community members and women-led businesses which all contribute to addressing the same priority issues identified in the Sustainable Energy and Climate Actions Plans (SECAPS);

Expected Results:

• The project envisions a transformed landscape where climate action and gender equality converge, resulting in stronger communities and enhanced climate resilience. This transformation is driven by a set of expected results:
• Outcome 1: Capacities of national and local authorities to advance gender transformative climate change actions are enhanced. This result is achieved through mainstreaming climate and gender into policy frameworks and enabling multi-stakeholder engagement. It ensures that climate and gender considerations are integrated from national to local levels, fostering a comprehensive response to the challenge.
• Outcome 2: National and local women’s leadership in climate actions is expanded and advanced. The project achieves this by enabling education, capacity-building, and a gender-specific leadership fellowship program. Empowering women as leaders and change-makers in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts is key to fostering inclusive and sustainable development.
• Outcome 3: Women led climate-smart solutions are identified, supported and replicated among women groups and target communities. The project supports the implementation of climate-smart activities in households and women-led agri-businesses, fostering sustainable practices and generating economic opportunities. These solutions are grounded in gender-sensitive approaches, enhancing women’s resilience and community well-being.
• Outcome 4: Women-led climate-smart solutions are disseminated, and societal awareness is raised. The project conducts information campaigns, contributes to development of the gender-sensitive climate change knowledge management portal, and ensures project visibility. By showcasing success stories and engaging multiple stakeholders, the project promotes a culture of climate awareness and gender-sensitive actions.
• These expected results collectively address the challenge by integrating gender considerations into policies, empowering women leaders, promoting sustainable practices, and raising climate awareness. Through these outcomes, the project catalyzes positive change, contributing to Moldova’s journey towards climate resilience, gender equality, and sustainable development.

Scope of Work

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

• Assist in compiling and summarizing information and data for the formulation of project work plans. In consultation with project team, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project related topics or issues.
• Support project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners. Review project documents for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures and identify inconsistencies for referral to supervisor. Compile, summarize and present basic information/data on a specific project and related topics or issues.
• Contribute to and support data collection for gender analysis and gender mainstreaming at the project level.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure successful project delivery that includes organization/coordination of project events, procurement and finance-related activities, contract management, recruitment, and coordination of field visits and project-related missions.

Support partnerships and resource mobilization.

• Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, and other partners and relevant stakeholders. Provide support in updating database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
• Support regular communication with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
• Support dissemination of high-quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders.
• Assist project team in identifying and gathering information on opportunities for resource mobilization.

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 facilitate effective information sharing on project status and achievement of targets.
• Collect, review and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Assist team in the design and conduct of internal evaluations and surveys. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
• Support the organization of progress meetings, field, and study visits to monitor project implementation and support organization of 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. Update the status of risks in relevant project risk logs and/or databases.
• Monitor project budget, financial resources, and accounting for effective and transparent use of available resources and to ensure accuracy and reliability of data/information used in financial reports.
• Support the preparation of weekly, quarterly, annual, and other requested project reports in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.

 Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing relevant to the assigned project. 

• Participate in training on internal procedures for the project staff and provide support to the organization of training and other capacity building activities as needed.
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Maintain organized records of project data, field activities, case studies, human-interest stories, photographs, and other relevant documents that can be drawn upon in support of knowledge sharing and advocacy.

Minimum Education requirements   

• Secondary education is required.
• University Degree in Social Science, Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Minimum years of relevant work experience    

• Minimum of 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 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 in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section 
• Experience in preparation of financial reports and overviews
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation tools is an asset
• Experience in supporting project management processes is an asset
• Knowledge and experience  with procurement procedures of national / international organizations is an asset
• Experience of working on project implementation for international organization, UN Agencies, development organization, consulting company, or NGO, is desirable

 Required Language(s)    

• Fluency in English and Romanian is required.
• Working knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Ukrainian or sign language is an asset.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/20253