Programme Assistant

UNV FSM organization mission TBD

Micronesia is one of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific under Fiji Multi-country UNV Field Unit, which covers a total of 14 Small Island Developing States in the Pacific. Fiji Multi-country Field Unit is managed by UNV Asia and the Pacific regional office, based in Bangkok. In 2024 (as of December), 112 UN Volunteers (international and national) served with various UN agencies in the Pacific countries, managed by Fiji Multi-country UNV Field Unit. In Micronesia, 9 volunteers served in 2024. There are notable potentials to increase UN Volunteers mobilization in Micronesia. UNV contributes as a common service provider to the UN with talent solutions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through engaging UNV volunteers and promoting volunteerism at national and sub-national levels.

The assignment is envisaged to support to build partnership with the UN agencies for creating opportunities for UN Volunteers mobilization, volunteer management and ensure volunteers’ wellbeing and satisfaction. It also requires conducting regular outreach and advocacy with UN partners to create entry points for mobilization in the areas of peace, development and humanitarian aspects along with increasing talent pool efforts in the country. The position is expected to deliver smooth processes of UN Volunteer recruitments, repatriations along with onboarding, inductions, extensions, day-to-day volunteer management, coordination with the UN agencies, UN volunteers with maintaining close coordination with the Fiji Multi-country Field Unit team, UNV Regional Office and HQ.

Under the direct supervision of the Country Coordinator of Fiji Multi-country UNV Field Unit, the Programme Assistant will deliver the following tasks:

Partnership building

• Develop a partnership outreach and engagement plan aimed at promoting the UNV offer for mobilizing UN Volunteers with UN agencies active in Micronesia in close coordination with the Country Coordinator (CC) and, as needed supported, by the Regional Office.
• Ensure thorough follow-up on the partnership outreach plan through e.g. regular and periodic in-person or online meetings, addressing inquiries and needs from agencies, and actively develop new ideas for partnerships to diversify and increase the UN Volunteers opportunities in Micronesia.
• Gather ground business intelligence on UN entities’ programme and operations on potential areas of entry points for mobilizing UN Volunteers and accordingly advocate with the entities, to create new opportunities with close guidance of Country Coordinator
• Develop and update directory of the UN agency contacts including Heads of Agencies, deputies, programme/operation leads, mid-level officials, Human Resources for disseminating UNV offers, to create demands from the agencies for UN Volunteers mobilization.
• Provide necessary support to online and onsite volunteer mobilization with regular coordination with the agencies, Govt counterparts, and other key stakeholders following the guidance of the Country Coordinator

Volunteer services and coordination

• Provide necessary support to the serving UN Volunteers, organize volunteers coordination meetings, respond to their queries and maintain excellent coordination with UN Volunteers and host entities for ensuring volunteers’ wellbeing and satisfaction.

Recruitment and volunteer management.

• Complete step-by-step recruitment processes, provide support to the onboarding, extensions, repatriation, and HR actions on United Volunteer Platform (UVP) in close liaison with Fiji Multi-country Field Unit (MCFU), host entities and Volunteer Service Center (VSC)/Volunteer Service Solution (VSS) focal points
• Ensure pre-and post-arrival arrangements of new UN Volunteers with close coordination of Volunteer Service Center (VSC)/Volunteer Service Solution (VSS) focal points
• Conduct induction for the new UN Volunteers with close coordination with Multi-country Field Unit team, providing support to necessary administrative and operational support to the new UN Volunteers i.e., introducing a buddy system, liaising with Volunteer Service Center, and other pertinent issues.
• Support to increasing talent pool in Micronesia together with Multi-country Field Unit, Talent Acquisition team, observance of International Volunteer Day and other volunteering events following the guidance of the Country Coordinator.
• Provide support to the Country Coordinator for coordination with the partners, arranging meetings, UNV missions, business intelligence, promoting volunteerism, and improving documentation.

Administration and operational support

• Maintain volunteer files, partners’ profiles, and volunteers’ database, and build an efficient documentation system.
• Support procurement for Field Units, maintain Field Units files and assets, and keep tracking on UNV furniture and other goods, if any
• Perform quantum, Unified Volunteer Platform, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) functions for day-to-day business as guided by Country Coordinator.
• Perform any other duties as guided by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities.
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

14. Results/Expected Outputs
• Efficient and quality UN Volunteer recruitment, volunteer mobilization, volunteer management mechanism is in place.
• Increased diversified volunteer mobilization in the country.
• Improved and smart documentation, coordination, feedback techniques are practised.
• Competent volunteer management system is ensured
• Quality volunteer support (including entitlements, procurements, Unified Volunteer Platform, support, volunteer queries) is practised.
• Improved coordination with the UN agencies, partners and UN Volunteers
• Increased talent pool in the country to meet the demands of the agencies
• Improved image of UNV on volunteer management/agency partnerships, Human Resources, procurement (if any), and pertinent activities