UNDP Ghana Recruiting Project Assistant

As part of Denmark’s support to South-South Cooperation, to enable coherent cooperation between China and countries in Africa, in particular around the promotion of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, UNDP China has been funded to develop two projects, one with Zambia and one with Ghana. Both initiatives aim to ensure a more holistic transfer of renewable energy technologies from China to Africa. The planned support will not transfer hardware per se, but focus on the institutional framework and capacity required to make the local absorption of renewable energy technologies effective.

The “China-Ghana South-South Cooperation on Renewable Energy Technology Transfer” project is a collaboration between the Energy Commission in Ghana, the Ministry of Science and Technology in China together with the UNDP Country Offices in Accra and Beijing. The project will facilitate exchange of expertise and technology between China and Ghana, building on China’s unique development experience.

This project aims to address Ghana’s need to increase universal energy access by effectuating off-grid community-based electrification, increasing the share of renewable energy, and promoting the productive uses of energy. The project thus supports broader national socio-economic and environmental objectives, most notably poverty reduction through employment generation and supporting action on climate change mitigation. The project will do so by creating an enabling environment for technology transfer and promote the production of renewable energy technologies in Ghana with a strong focus on private sector development and inclusion.

The project management team will be based at the Energy Commission. The Project Assistant will directly report to the Project Coordinator. He/she will provide project management support services, including processing requests for payments, budget management and monitoring. He/she will work in close collaboration the Project Coordinator, as well as with the operations, programme and projects staff in the UNDP Ghana office to exchange information and ensure excellent and consistent service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of head of the Sustainable Development Cluster, the incumbent will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following duties:
Prepare all payment requests, financial record-keeping and preparation of financial reports required in line with National Implementation financial rules and procedures;
Support preparation of background information for project implementation, work plans and budget;
Keep records and files of financial and technical documentation and reports;
Support the purchase of goods and services and following up on issuance of contracts and payments;
Liaise on the conduct of project audit and ensure access by auditors to project documentation, personnel, and institutions involved in the project;
Assist in the organization of events (meetings, seminars, workshops, trainings etc), ensuring logistical arrangements;
Prepare internal and external travel arrangements for project personnel;
Take record of projects meetings and draft correspondence as required;
Undertake other duties per the requirements of the project.

Competencies

Communicating information and ideas:
Communicating clearly and effectively;
Seeking to understand the ideas of others.;
Facilitating and encouraging open communication;
Creating an environment for open communication;
Inspiring and persuading others.
Ethics and values:
Taking actions that are congruent with what he/she says;
Reliably delivering on promises and honoring commitments made;
Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN/UNDP in actions and decisions;
Demonstrating an appreciation of differences in values and learning from cultural diversity.;
Moves from demonstrating sensitivity to encouraging full participation, to leveraging diversity.
Knowledge sharing/continuous learning:
Taking responsibility for self-learning and development;
Actively seeking learning and career development opportunities;
Promoting organizational learning and knowledge management;
Building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Organizational awareness:
Understanding, building and using formal/ informal systems and contacts in a complex organizational and global environment to obtain results;
Moves from an ability to use organizational services to assist others, to applying corporate thinking and applying judgment, to building support and finally, demonstrating political acumen.

Self-management and emotional intelligence:
Managing moods, responding effectively to stress, situations of ambiguity or crisis;
Managing relationships with others to achieve mutual benefits;
Building an emotionally intelligent organization.

Working in teams:
Working effectively with colleagues in ways that allow the achievement of shared objectives;
Building teams both within existing organizational structures and outside of them;
Creating team spirit and unity of purpose across the business unit.

Functional competencies:
Strategic partnerships
Maintaining, and utilizing a broad network of contacts;
Maintaining partnerships and strategic alliances;
Leveraging the resources of national governments and other development partners.
Client orientation
Understanding and meeting or exceeding client needs;
Anticipating and addressing client needs and concerns;
Developing innovative approaches to meeting client needs;
Ensuring overall provision of quality services to clients.
Job knowledge and technical expertise
Demonstrating and applying professional and/or technical expertise/knowledge of the post or discipline;
Focusing on the knowledge and skill areas necessary to effectively perform the functions of the post;
Identifying and seeking to expand knowledge and improve work processes.
Creating visibility for UNDP/supporting UNDP’s capacity to advocate
Ensuring that UNDP has the visibility and corporate image it requires as the key development actor.
Innovation and marketing new approaches
Enhance existing processes or products. Developing original and innovative ideas and approaches;
Integration in a multi-disciplinary environment.
Promoting accountability and results-based management:
Monitoring and promoting practices, procedures and systems that Support accountability and results-based management, while also influencing change in the organizational culture;
Results-based programme development and management;
Effectively managing core and non-core resources to achieve UN development results.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
University degree in Social Sceince, Business or Public Administration. Certification in Accounting or Finance is preferable.
Experience:
At least 6 years of proven professional experience in financial resources management, budget management or administrative support functions;
Demonstrated track record of project and financial management;
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, etc).
Language:
Fluency in written and spoken English.

Click here to view Jobs and Apply Online