Background

Duties and ResponsiThe UNDP partners with the Government of Turkmenistan in various development areas and implements its program through three main areas: access to inclusive health services, resilience, climate change and energy, and governance and inclusive economic growth. Within the Resilience, Climate Change and Energy portfolio, there are two global programmes on biodiversity financed by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF): the Umbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plans and the Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports.
Umbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plans 
In December 2022, the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Montreal-Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). This included numerous targets with relevance for financing. Target 19 on resource mobilisation includes reference for countries to design and implement national biodiversity finance plans. The GEF created a global programme to support countries to design a national Biodiversity Finance Plan. A Biodiversity Finance Plan includes a systems analysis of a country's economy including mapping existing financing mechanisms, subsidies with potential harmful impacts on nature, drivers of biodiversity loss and gain, public and private expenditures committed towards biodiversity objectives and a country's national financial needs for biodiversity. The biodiversity finance plan itself consists of a series of actions with the aim to significantly scale up available funding, green or phase out harmful finance flows and improve the effectiveness of available expenditures. The programme allows for active sharing of experiences across countries and includes a knowledge sharing platform and the provision of continuous technical support to country teams.
Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports 
Recent assessments have defined that actual implementation of NBSAPs has been slow and insufficient to address the ongoing loss of biodiversity, and many of the national targets contained in NBSAPs have not been in line with the scope or level of ambition of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the recently agreed Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports aims to assist countries in revising and updating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAPs) to align with the GBF and the effective implementation of the UN CBD and the GBF at the national level. In addition, under this program, the State will be assisted in the preparation and submission of the Seventh National Report on the implementation of the CBD and GBF.
For the implementation of two programmes at the national level, UNDP is recruiting an Administrative Associate who will be accountable for fulfilling administrative support duties for the two above-mentioned programmes (equally shared basis). These responsibilities encompass various clerical tasks, such as a basic financial operation, filing and record-keeping, logistics, and basic procurement. All activities will be carried out within the designated timeframe and budgetary limits. The Administrative Associate will work under the overall guidance of the Programme Analyst and daily supervision of the Project Coordinators. 
The Administrative Associate will be based in the project office in Ashgabat.  In addition, s/he is expected to travel as necessary to various parts of the country where the Project is implementing activities. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Administrative Associate will perform the following duties:

1. Ensure provision of administrative services, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Serve as a custodian for stationary supplies, distribution stationary and keeping a log of distribution;
• Provide support to periodic inventory exercise; create matrix for project inventories, such as publication materials, visibility items and monitor in/out flow;
• Provide support to asset exercise; keep an updated list of project assets;
• Maintain documents filling system;
• Prepare minutes of the meetings and translate various documents;
• Perform other related administrative duties as necessary.

2. Ensure provision of basic financial services and assistance in project budget management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Prepare requests for direct payments, ensuring provision of required supporting documentation, provide timely feedback and follow up on the status of submitted payments; 
• Ensure timely submission of correctly completed travel claims through UnALL/ Quantum platforms if required by corporate business processes;
• Undertake cost estimates for different activities according to the needs of projects;
• Assist in developing detailed project budgets for all activities and outputs;
• Assist in monitoring of project budget in terms of expenditures according to the work plan;
• Assist in preparing quarterly expenditure reports; 
• Keep records of all project-related financial documentation and maintain them available when required by the Project Coordinators;

3.  Provide effective logistical services to project, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist project personnel and national/ international consultants to arrange travel within and outside Turkmenistan; more specifically support in development of itinerary, ticket booking/purchasing, arrangement of hotel reservation/apartment, transportation, translation/interpretation services; 
• In coordination with Project Coordinators and UNDP office arrange preparation of visas for and timely registration of coming visitors making sure that visitors are aware of visas and registration procedures;
• Arrange foreign visas for project personnel for travels outside Turkmenistan as per approved AWPs;
• Assist to project personnel and consultants to create/ prepare Travel Authorizations with proper supporting documents through UnALL/ Quantum platforms if required by corporate business processes;
• In coordination with Project Manager draft and compile necessary documentation such as agenda, compilation of list of participants for seminars, workshops, trainings, and other project related events;
• Make logistical arrangements for seminars, workshops, trainings and other project related events, including venue reservation, arrangements of meals, translation/interpretation services, and required equipment, office supplies, arrangement of printing handouts materials;
• Assist in customs clearance procedures by preparation of a package of necessary documents;
• Make necessary arrangements for registration of projects, publications and other printing materials;
• Arrange translation of documents when required;

4.  Ensure provision of basic procurement services to project, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assist in development of procurement plan for the project through UnALL/ Quantum platforms if required by corporate business processes; 
• Assist in wide dissemination of tender announcements among potential national/ international suppliers;
• Create e-requisitions for any types of procurement in UnALL/ Quantum as required by corporate business processes and ensure correct use of chart of accounts; 
• Assist Project Coordinators in preparation of all supporting documents for contract management (creation/ extension/ termination);
• Arrange purchase process using canvassing method for simple support services and goods including driving, translation/interpretation, maintenance, catering, suppliers, stationary, simple equipment in UnALL/ Quantum as required by corporate business processes;
• Assist in provision of detailed information on procurement issues during project audit exercise;
• Maintain procurement documents filling system.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Completion of Secondary Education is required or
• Bachelor’s degree in management/ business/ public administration/ financial management/ economics and any other related fields will be given due consideration

Experience:

• Minimum 6 years (with Secondary Education) or 3 years (with  Bachelor’s degree) of  administrative, including basic procurement and logistics, and/ or finance support experience in public or private sector.
• Administrative experience including basic procurement, logistics and financial support in implementing development projects, especially within the UN system or other international development agencies is an asset;
• Close familiarity with the operations and rules of UNDP is not a requirement but will be viewed as advantage.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), advance knowledge of automated procurement systems, and experience in handling of web-based management systems

Knowledge of languages: 

• Fluency in Russian and English (writing, speaking and reading).
•  Knowledge of Turkmen language is an asset.

Equal opportunity

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.

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