Project Assistant

The UNDP office in Skopje currently employs a team of 71 and manages a portfolio of projects in environment and energy, democratic governance and inclusive prosperity worth around USD 17 million. 

Under the overall guidance of the Programme Officer and direct supervision of the the Project Manager the Project Assistant will be responsible for the overall support and implementation project, performing a variety of standard operational services within the project framework ensuring high quality and accuracy of work.

This is a national Roster for UNDP North Macedonia CO. Will include  a list of pre-vetted, highly qualified candidates with progressively responsible administrative or project experience intended to fast-track recruitment processes as positions become available. After a rigorous selection process, successful candidates will be placed in the  Roster. Being selected for the Roster does not guarantee a placement.  Candidates placed on the Roster will be reviewed when a relevant position becomes available and if found suitable will go through simplified selection and/or review process. 

Within the Inclusive Prosperity Unit, the Creating Job Opportunities for All - IV project supports the implementation of the annual National Operation Plan on Active Employment Programmes and Measures, and Labour Market Services. The programme is implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), Employment Service Agency (ESA) and Agency for Promotion of Entrepreneurship (APE).

The Project offers programming solutions to support SMEs creation, help companies to remain active but also help vulnerable groups, including Roma, persons with disabilities, youth and long-term unemployed, to find their place in the open labour market. Through inclusive entrepreneurship approach, it provides support to all target groups including those that are in some way disadvantaged in creation of sustainable start-up businesses in the market. In addition, the Project tackles economic reintegration of long-term unemployed and offers possibilities to the local authorities for co-designing community based social services, needed for broader inclusion of vulnerable people in the society. 

The project works to build a stronger partnership with the private sector and through a flexible VET model to respond to the needs of local businesses to acquire a skilled workforce and create new job placements. Additionally, for the private sector, the project provides facilitation for green transition of the companies and creation of basis for future green jobs.

In more detail, the Project works on implementation of 6 (six) active labour market measures and 2 (two) employment services set in the Operational Plan. 

The chapter for support for the private sector encompasses several interventions aimed at facilitating employment in the small and medium enterprises: measure for self-employment of people with disabilities, measure for creating jobs through green investments and providing mentoring support for entrepreneurship, business skills and mentoring support for companies in areas relevant for growth and expansion in the market in line with new global trends.

The chapter on Care Economy under the project incorporates two measures: Community Works Programme and Training and employment of persons for the provision of community care services. Women economic empowerment has been an important area of work for UNDP. Support to vulnerable groups is part of the biggest social and employment portfolio with a number of interventions designed to address obstacles for active participation at the labour market. Employment measures especially in the area of care economy are aiming at development of a network of skilled and qualified caregivers and professional individuals. Measures enable women currently occupied with provision of care within their families to get formal recognition of their work. 

The employment programme also provides services for the activation of Roma and youth candidates. To carry out these activities, employment mentors are engaged to provide their services across the country. Training for vocational qualifications according to the employers’ demand, including employment activation services for unemployed Roma and other at risk of social exclusion remain part of project as well implemented by UNDP. 

The project enables: to boost entrepreneurship and create sustainable jobs in start-up businesses; to continue local partnerships resulting in half-time engagement of hard to employ people – including recipients of social benefits, to deliver alternative, non-existing community based social services; to engage hard to employ persons in care economy activities through employment in providers of care economy services; to support unemployed people to obtain professional skills needed required by the employers through a flexible VET model that will create long-term and quality jobs; to facilitate creation of new jobs through support of green investments in SMEs; to activate unemployed Roma people to be integrated in the employment programmes and measures; to ensure mapping of NEET youth and motivate them towards their activation in the labour market.

The incumbent’s duties are outlined below and should be fulfilled in line with the prevailing UNDP rules and procedures as well as with due compliance with the UNDP internal control framework.

1. Perform administrative and financial duties related to implementation of the project;
2. Provide administrative and operational support to implementation of the project ensuring full operational compliance and quality of business processes;
3. Facilitate knowledge sharing within the Project;
4. Support project manager in ensuring effective mainstreaming of gender equality.

1. Ensuring effective Performance of administrative and financial duties 

• Prepare   requests   of       payments   upon   conducting   proper       control   of   the       supporting documentation and ensuring that the supporting documentation meets the requirements and standards of UNDP rules and procedures;
• Ensure optimal flow of payments toward contractors to avoid delays (tracking the payments in the system and intervene as required);
• Assist in preparation of budget plans, budget revisions, financial reports, payments and status of funds and expenditures;
• Assist in analysis of financial information, availability of funds, readjustment of funds, monitoring of delivery of funds;
• Maintain the projects’ financial books and assure that necessary financial, procurement, disbursement and personnel matters are effectively addressed;
• Perform tasks in ATLAS in conjunction with the functions/roles given (creating requisitions, assisting in preparation of budget plans, budget status of funds, drafting budget revisions, uploading project - related documents particularly with reference to RMG requirements, generate various reports, etc.)
• Review/ financial reports submitted by counterparts, as needed; 
• Prepare timely and accurate financial reports based on donor and projects requirements and provide timely reports from Atlas (such as monthly reports; quarterly reports, CDRs etc.).
• Establish effective projects financial monitoring system that enable the projects to have a timely and accurate information
• Support monitoring and communication officer in data collection, processing and tracking of progress in relation to project targets.

          2. Providing administrative and operational support to project implementation in the country, ensuring quality of business processes\

• Ensures that business processes are in line with the UNDP regulations and rules and the UNDP internal control framework;
• Provide direct support to the procurement processes including support to the tender evaluation and minutes taking/writing;
• Support management of contracts with companies (consultancies, works and supply of goods) and individuals (consultancy and other services). Organize a system of tracking contract implementation and ensure that project management is timely alerted on the key milestones (e.g., submission and payment deadlines), and possible deviations of the original contract schedules. Prepare and necessary documentation for the possible extension of contract (cost and non-cost)
• Assist in preparation of project work-plans through providing support in data collection, systematization and analysis of information, inter-action with institutions in data collection;
• Supports project manager and monitoring and communications officer in monitoring delivery of project outputs;
• Provides support to organizing and holding the meetings, including the preparation and dissemination of information and follow-up activities;
• Assists in preparation of interview minutes and requests for contract;
• Ensures full completion of monthly leave reports and attendance records of project staff;
• Ensures regular office work is completed in a timely manner, including maintaining of all programme files, correspondence, photocopies, photos, etc.;
• Drafts various correspondence concerning finance, operations and budgetary issues as required;
• Maintains the inventory of project assets/equipment and project correspondence and files;
• Supports organization of workshops, trainings, sessions, conferences, and other events.
• Collects data and all relevant information to effectively contribute to measurable review of results and longer-term programme effects, as per the programme M&E plan and logical framework.
• Any other related duty as assigned by the Project Manager.

     3.Facilitate knowledge sharing within the project

• Participate in the training for the operations/project staff on administration and other relevant topics;
• Keep track of the changes of UNDP procedures and provide timely advice to the Project Manager and other team members as applicable on what are the applicable procedures to fulfilling the project objectives;

     4.Ensure effective mainstreaming of gender equality:

• Ensure that all the data, when collecting and compiling inputs relating to the Project, are gender disaggregated to the extent possible; 
• Support the reporting on gender mainstreaming as part of the corporate documents.
• Support the Project Manager in mainstreaming gender equality;
• Support preparation of gender equality background materials for use in discussion, correspondence and briefing sessions;

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Assistant will report to the Project Manager. The Project Assistant will be located in Skopje but will frequently travel throughout the country if required by the project.