Programme Associate (Nationals Only)

UNDP multi-country office in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam provide technical assistance, policy, and technical advisory services to the Governments of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam in their efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in partnership with development partners, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society. 

In Malaysia, UNDP’s programme priorities and partnerships are defined and operationalized through the Country Programme between the Government of Malaysia and UNDP to support and contribute to the development priorities and results envisioned in the 5-year Malaysia Plan. Malaysia is currently implementing several projects (with public sector partners) that support the 12th Malaysia Plan, which is anchored around three key themes, namely resetting the economy, strengthening security, wellbeing and inclusivity as well as advancing sustainability. 

The Programme Unit works to support achievement of UNDP strategic objectives to create a world where people and planet thrive together, and to help the Country Office act with both ambition and scale to address urgent problems facing the country as well as global climate deteriorating conditions. Programme staff assist the Country Office in formulating and implementing programme strategies that go beyond solving immediate development challenges to create future smart and integrated systemic changes in resilience and capacity building within the country.

Position Purpose:

Nature, Climate and Energy is the biggest programme portfolios for UNDP Malaysia Country Office (CO). Currently, the programme implementation is funded from various resources including the Global Environment Facility. The portfolio remains one of the important programme areas in the Country Programme Document period from 2022 – 2025 with a shift towards diversification of funding and efforts to operationalize new financial instruments expanding beyond the current focus on the environment. Pooled in one team in support of the three pillars (i.e. Nature, Climate and Energy, Inclusive and Prosperity, and Governance) and under the supervision of the Programme Specialist Nature, Climate and Energy, the Programme  Associate provides support primarily to the leadership in execution of services in the Nature, Climate and Energy Unit, and supports the formulation, planning and management of the UNDP Malaysia programme by managing data and facilitating programme implementation. The Programme Associate promotes a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations and backstops as necessary the Programme Associates for the Inclusive Growth and Prosperity, and Governance pillars.

Under the overall guidance of the Programme Specialist of Nature, Climate and Energy and Program Analysts in the unit, the Programme Associate ensures supports the effective delivery of the CO programme by entering and managing data and supporting programme implementation consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Programme Associate may supervise support staff in the Programme Unit. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects’ staff in the CO and UNDP HQ, and UN Agencies to exchange information and resolve complex finance-related issues.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

• Support in collection, analysis and presentation of background information for preparation and formulation of Country Common Assessment (CCA), United Nations Sustainable Development Corporate Framework (UNSDCF), Country Programme Documents (CPD) Compiling info, development and presentation of background information for formulation of project documents, work plans, budgets, proposals. Support portfolio input to the CO Integrated Work Plan and relevant corporate and donor reporting.
• Analysis of information on donors, collect background information for preparation of donor’s profile including government for cost sharing arrangements.
• Initial contribution to concept notes, project ideas, funding proposals, etc.
• Upload duly signed financial agreement(s) in the system.
• Support development of new pipeline projects and input of the pipeline information in the system, tracking and updating the pipeline maturity in consultation with the programme portfolio team.
• Regular monitoring of contribution agreements milestones and flagging of potential delay in attainment of milestones for timely corrective measures.
• Input to CO finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Programme Finance in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management.

Provides effective support to planning, implementation monitoring and timely reporting focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Support in project planning, monitoring and evaluation, contributing to the development of project work plans, day-to-day project management, including project communication and reporting.
• Assistance to assigned projects in the application of results-based management tools/methodology.
• Supports assurance function by ensuring that project management inputs are recorded in timely and accurate manner in the online ERP systems, maintaining compliance of the portfolio with the PPM policies and procedures.
• Supports the planning and monitoring of various programme/project budgetary resources and ensuring quality control of financial resources management performed by project staff, flagging any deviations and proposing corrective measures in line with UNDP FRR.
• Monitoring and ensure timely preparation of reports according to Project Document (progress report, annual reports, field visit reports, donor financial reports, Project Risk Log, Quality Assurance and Social and Environmental Standards, etc.).
• Support verification of Combined Delivery Reports and follow-up on their signing by UNDP and National Counterparts.
• Analyzes information related to current obligations and future programme/project budgetary implications in relation to formulation of the Resource Planning Framework (RPF).
• Reviews Programme delivery in accordance with Authorized Spending Limit (ASL) for TRAC and Trust fund resources and Cash Limit for cost sharing resources and suggests measures for adequate optional utilization of funds.
• Designs project level dashboards and shared project data and delivery, results monitoring, and expenditure forecasting and KPIs establishment and tracking at the unit level.
• Provision of guidance and capacity building to the Implementing Partners on routine implementation of programmes, projects, and/or initiatives in full compliance with POPP on routine implementation of projects.
• Tracks and reports on mobilized resources and support to the review of contributions agreement, managing contributions in the ERP.
• Supports the integration of women empowerment and gender equality considerations into programme planning, implementation and reporting and support the Gender Team efforts to uphold the CO Gender Equality Seal aspirations:
  
  Assists in ensuring that the standard processes are followed in the progarmme team to ensure that women empowerment and gender mainstreaming is integrated and applied in all programmes/projects from the design to implementation, including planning and budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as reporting in line with and using the corporate gender equality commitments, tools and strategies.  
• Assists in coordination of review and consultative processes to ensure that gender is mainstreamed in programme related documents such as: technical briefs, analytical reports, assessments, communication strategy, terms of references, call for proposals, requests for proposals etc.
• Assists the programme team in the achievement of programmatic indicators targets in line with CO’s Gender Equality Seal requirements.  

Supports implementation of business processes quality assurance and oversight of programme and projects implementation in the area of Nature, Climate and Energy :

• Support in ensuring that business processes are followed by projects/programme within the programme team in line with the UNDP regulations and rules and the UNDP internal control framework.
• Support in ensuring that submissions for Programme Analyst and Senior Management review are prepared in line with the UNDP standards, regulations and rules.
• Monitoring of Risk logs for all Projects, ensuring that they are regularly updated by Projects.
• Assist in quality assurance for the projects AWPs in accordance with UNDP’s policies and procedure, as needed.
• Serves as the Unit focal point for internal and external audits of the CO.
• Presentation of information for audit of NIM projects, supports implementation of audit recommendations.
• Ensures accountability and compliance with organizational policies and procedures. Supports implementation of audit recommendations.
• Supports the implementation and monitoring of Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) assurance plans and assurance activities. (Macro and Micro)
• Ensures compliance with the respective operational policies and procedures of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT).
• Supports the Implementation of HACT oversight measures (incl. oversight of HACT advances, documentation of capacity assessments, etc.)
• Support in maintaining of HACT audit reports and updates on action plan in UNDP corporate systems, as required.

Provides operational and financial management support focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Review of financial/expenditure reports; preparation and submission of payment and other project-related requests for development projects; recommendations of corrective actions and ensure implementation in line with POPP.
• Supports the planning and monitoring of various programme/project budgetary resources and ensuring quality control of financial resources management performed by project staff in the portfolio, flagging any deviations and proposing corrective measures in line with UNDP FRR.
• Timely follow up on corrective actions in the system.
• Review of project budget and budget revision to ensure matching with available resources in the project.
• Monitors and ensures timely operational closure of projects within the portfolio.
• Support in undertaking quality assurance for projects’ annual procurement plan and monitors to ensure implementation of the plan in accordance with UNDP’s policies and procedure, as needed.
• Maintenance of the internal expenditures control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in the ERP.

Facilitates Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assists the programme unit in evaluating, capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development of resource kits and other knowledge materials.
• Peer reviewing, commenting on, and seeking to improve, the technical quality of projects, practices, guidelines, and the like.
• Organization/conduct of training for the operations/programme/projects staff on project financial management in the Atlas / Quantum environment.
• Provision of guidance to implementing partners on project management and implementation, administrative procedures, oversight, and reporting in compliance with POPP PPM.
• Capacity building for national counterparts on project management and implementation, administrative procedures, oversight, and reporting in compliance with POPP PPM
• Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in Programme.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Developing and carrying out a personal learning plan.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: May supervise support staff in Programme unit
 

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2

• Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2

• Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2

• Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2

• Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination: LEVEL 2

• Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2

• Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2

• Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated here.

Cross-Functional & Technical:

Business Management - Project Management:

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Management - 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.
• Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
• Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Development - Knowledge Generation:

• Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations

Business Management - Risk Management:

• Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Business Management - Results-based Management:

• Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools

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.