Project Associate (Office Based for Salvador, Bahía)

Background

UNDP country programme document (CPD) that defined UNDP Brazil priorities for the quadrennium between 2024 and 2027 is aligned with the Brazil Pluriannual Plan 2024-2027 and United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027 and is informed by the UNDP Strategic Plan, 2022-2025, through the application of its signature solutions and grounded in the UNDP regional vision of a three-lane road comprised of effective governance that simultaneously advances towards inclusion, resilience, and productivity. CPD recognizes that despite gains from earlier decades, inequalities and discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and age continue to be development challenges in Brazil. A fundamental shift in financing and action is needed to accelerate the current pace of development and achieve the 2030 Agenda.

In light of the above and inspired by the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’, the UNDP 2024-2027 vision is to leverage sustainable development action by collaborating for structural changes in Brazil to make the society more inclusive, productive and resilient. UNDP will focus on reducing multidimensional vulnerabilities by accelerating human development capacities and capabilities. UNDP also acknowledges that strengthening women’s economic empowerment and leadership is pivotal to shifting social norms for gender equality—and it is an intersectional pursuit that involves addressing racial and gender prejudices that Afro-Brazilian women face. CPD defines 4 main results areas: i) economic transformation for sustainable development; ii) social inclusion for sustainable development, iii) environment and climate change for sustainable development; iv) governance and institutional capacities for sustainable development. These results areas generated through an organizational structure that includes 3 thematic clusters:
• Socially Inclusive Development (People & Prosperity: poverty reduction, social policies, livelihoods, public-private partnerships, etc).
• Environmentally Sustainable Development (Planet: environment, climate change, DRR, Montreal Protocol).
• Governance and Justice for Development (Peace: prevention of violence, justice, transparency, anti-corruption, human rights, local capacity development).

Given the imperative to support the country in the implementation of the SDGs and improve human development in the most excluded and vulnerable populations, UNDP Brazil has adopted a strategy to enhance CO presence at territorial level through establishment of an organizational unit dedicated to strengthening partnerships with Brazilian states and municipalities through 3 state level offices as well as other sub-national partnerships and initiatives.

Decentralized Cooperation and Territorial Development transversal support area aims at contributing to advance on inclusive governance and human development to achieve sustainable development –social, economic and environmental- in Brazilian States and Municipalities. The main objective is to leave no one behind at the sub-national level through the implementation of the SDGs at territorial level in line with national policies and plans and the UNDP Integrated Framework to Support Local Governance and Local Development (LGLD) as well as MAPS framework.

The Decentralized Cooperation and Territorial Development area promotes the coordination of integrated development initiatives within a given territory, taking into consideration the local political, social, cultural, geographic, economic, historic, and environmental complexities as well as opportunities to implement SDGs and accelerate their achievement. This will allow a more coherent cooperation at subnational level to be framed under a broader and integrated strategy aligned to the national level through a territorial approach for development. A UNDP Brazil strategy for decentralized cooperation will further guide this function and its priorities (geographical and thematic).

To enable the implementation of projects under the Decentralized Cooperation and Territorial Development portfolio, the Project Associate will provide – under the supervision of the Project Coordinator of the Local UNDP Office in Salvador/Bahia, and general guidance of the Territorial Development and Decentralized Cooperation Advisor - technical, managerial and administrative support to formulation and implementation of DIM and NIM projects in the state of Bahia and other states, as assigned to him/her.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator of the Bahia State Project Office, and general guidance of the Territorial Development and Decentralized Cooperation Advisor, the Project Associate will be responsible to support activities related to the implementation of the territorial development portfolio, especially the project portfolio of Bahia State office, in the modalities of direct execution and support to national execution, in particular (but not limited to) to the following activities:

• Monitor and record the actions planned within the scope of the projects, based on the definition of the established goals and priority deliveries, as well as the management strategies and monitoring tools defined by UNDP and partners; 
• Identify, document, manage and solve problems that may arise during the execution of the projects; monitor the planning and implementation of the project actions, contributing to compliance with the project schedule and ensuring the quality of the deliveries to be made; 
• Provide technical support for the implementation of the project initiatives, organizing external and internal strategies to solve demands, in coordination with the designated supervisor; 
• Elaborate project work and procurement plans; elaboration of projects related Terms of Reference; Preparation of project revisions and proposals.
• Organize quarterly review meetings and annual project reviews by monitoring the progress of project implementation, assessing results and identifying areas of weaknesses to ensure the project achieves the planned results in accordance with relevant plans.
• Support to projects monitoring in Quantum (inputs provided for risks log, inputs to quality assurance exercise, etc); ensure project’s procedural alignment with UNDP position, rules and regulations and mandate; preparation of project progress reports and participation in tripartite meetings; supports the identification and systematization of project lessons learned and good practices; Preparation of project revisions and proposals;
• Carry out missions, meetings and other activities to execute the action plan and provide technical monitoring and qualitative monitoring of the products and goals.

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

Arranjo Institucional

Direct supervisor: Bahia State Project Office Coordinator, 
Overall supervision: Decentralized Cooperation, SDG and Territorial Development Advisor

Competencies

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

Competências multifuncionais e técnicas

Partnership management - Relationship management:    
• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Data - Data analysis:    
• Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making.

Digital - Digital business analysis:    
• Ability to support digital business processes across a range of digital projects, programmes and activities.

Finance    - Budget management:    
• Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets

2030 Agenda: Partnerships - SDG Finance:    
• Inclusive and Sustainable Business Models.

Business Management - Knowledge Facilitation:    
• Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Business Management - Project Management:    
• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Required Skills and Experience

Requisitos mínimos de educação:
• Secondary education is required. 
• University Degree in Administration, Social Sciences, International Relations, Law, Economics or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Anos mínimos de experiência profissional relevante:
• Minimum of 7 years (with secondary education) or 4 years (with bachelor´s degree) of practical and relevant work experience in administration, support to the management and implementation of technical cooperation projects, with preference in Territorial Development and Decentralized Cooperation and/or local contexts.

Habilidades necessárias:
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent computer skills, especially in Microsoft Excel, Word and Power Point.
• Skills in using management systems.

Habilidades desejadas, além das competências abordadas na seção Competências:
• Experience working with public sector partners, especially in government entities.
• Experience with UNDP and a good understanding of UNDP and its mandates, policies and procedures.
• Previous experience in usage of UNDP corporate web systems – Quantum and Portal dos Parceiros.
• Experience working with international technical cooperation projects.
• Previous experience in building and maintaining partnerships with private sector entities (companies, associations, institutes and similar).
• Previous experience in SDG focused projects at a state and/or municipal level.

Idiomas exigidos:    
• Fluency in Portuguese is required.
• Intermediate English is desirable.

Certificados Profissionais Desejáveis
• N/A

Disclaimer

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.