Programme Assistant

Details

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. It is on the ground in 177 countries, working on solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP China assists China in developing its own solutions to the country’s development challenges and works to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by reducing poverty, strengthening the rule of law and democratic governance, and by promoting environmental sustainability and South-South Cooperation.

Context

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) promotes sustainable human development to help build resilient nations and to empower people to build better lives. As the UN's development network, UNDP has drawn on world-wide experience for over three decades to assist China both in developing solutions to its ongoing development challenges and in its south-south cooperation and engagement in global development. Domestically, our work focuses on all aspects of Sustainable Development including poverty reduction, SDG financing, SDG localisation, livelihood and resilience, biodiversity and ecosystems, climate change, Montreal Protocol, chemicals etc. In terms of global and south-south work, our focuses are trilateral cooperation in third countries, experience sharing on foreign aid systems, global and regional issues, private sector engagement, and sharing development experiences and les-sons through south-south dialogue. In September 2015, the member states of the United Nations adopted a new development agenda for the next 15 years that included 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These new goals are a plan of action for our planet and call for new and innovative methods to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges by 2030. UNDP China has been working in partnership with China Automotive Technology and Re-search Center (CATARC) on implementing GEF projects on Commercialization of Fuel Cell Vechicles in China since 2003. The implementation of the proposed project will significantly contribute to promote the further development of Hydrogen Economy Institute, improve the fuel cell industry talent educational system, and drive the China’s hydrogen vocational training forward to scale-up, systematization and specialization. United Nations Development Programme – People’s Republic of China - Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao Greater Bay Area Hydrogen Economy Vocational College Demonstration Project, (hereinafter referred to as “the Foshan Project”), which will be implemented from 2022 to 2025, aims to meet the needs of cultivating talents in hydrogen energy and fuel cell industry, strengthen the innovation system with deep integration of production, learning and research, and attach great importance to the introduction of high-level talents into the hydro-gen industry. UNDP’s Sustainable Development Cluster works with key stakeholders in China, including the government and the public, to address environmental concerns in the country in line with both the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals and the 13th Five-Year Plan. Un-der the Livelihood and Resilience focus area, several programmes are currently being implemented, including hydrogen and fuel cell, sustainable mining, water governance, poverty reduction and resilience building, elderly care etc.

Task description

Under the supervision of the Programme Manager of CATARC which is UNDP’s national Implementation Partner for this project, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks to support the project’s implementation, delivery, management and advocacy: • Supporting the coordination and preparation of detailed annual work plans for project implementation; cross-checking documents and validating data and advise supervisor on the conformity to the project's expected results and outputs. • Maintaining and monitoring financial records to support the management of project budget under the leadership of the PMO; coordinating with all project implementation stakeholders to ensure the on-time and to-standard submission of the financial re-ports. • Maintain communication on financial matters between UNDP, PMO and the key stakeholders and respond promptly to requests for financial information. • Supporting the recruitment of project consultants, procurement of goods and services as designed in the Project Document, and assisting timely and effective quality control of the delivery of procured goods and services. • Preparing and maintaining documents as required by supervisor and UNDP programme management cycles, including meeting minutes, quarterly and annual progress reports etc. • Developing communications and advocacy products such as news articles, social media posts, planning and working with vendors for the production of promo videos etc. • Drafting knowledge sharing products and lessons learned from project implementation under supervisor’s guidance. • Assisting the information sharing with all stakeholders in an open and transparent approach to ensure their understandings of relevant policies and guidelines. • Supporting the coordination with project partners in the technical direction of the project. • Supporting PMO staff travelling requests, tickets booking and reimbursement. • Supporting organization of all kinds of meetings and workshops, including and not limited to logistics, procurement of suppliers and coordination with all partners. • Supporting project monitoring and evaluation, including internal and external assessments; liaising with the UNDP M&E team and project officer to ensure enforcement of all mitigation measures against all identified possible risks. Furthermore, UNVs are encouraged to: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance, IVD celebration events); • Get acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking; • Contribute news and articles on field experiences and submit them to UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UNV volunteers; • Promote online volunteering and encourage individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering Service whenever technically feasible. Results/Expected Output: • Timely support provided to tasks related to the Foshan Project; • Facilitation to the implementation and management of project activities; • Appropriate data/files developed and maintained; • Ad-hoc duties fulfilled as required.