Programme Coordination Associate

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) was established through a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1978, calling upon UNDP “to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people”. Since its establishment, UNDP/PAPP has delivered over USD 1.7 billion in development assistance to the Palestinian People.

UNDP’s Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2026-2027 sets out a vision of “a world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free society”. The PPF is centered around the concept of ‘Transformative Resilience’ and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership.
Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian national development plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas: i) democratic governance and quality services; ii) inclusive economic opportunities; iii) sustainable natural resources management.

The UNDP/UNICEF/UN Women Sawasya III Joint Programme (Promoting the Rule of Law in Palestine) is the United Nations’ foremost programme aimed comprehensively at promoting and advancing the rule of law, justice, security and human rights in Palestine.

During the period 2018-2023 the programme has endeavored to enhance the capacities of, and public confidence in, rule of law institutions, and strengthen access to justice, security and protection services, especially for women and girls. Interventions are designed with a view to sustainability and linking activities to ‘system-level’ policy development.

As part of the third phase of the programme and backed by a consortium of development partners, with numerous national and international actors, Sawasya III supports government institutions and civil society
Docusign Envelope ID: 6F8DAE8F-A17E-80AA-831C-720300B5D0E62working in justice, security and protection to strengthen access to efficient, equitable and accountable services for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Partnership with UN Women and UNICEF in this joint programme underpins the gender and child rights components throughout the justice chain and within relevant public services.

Civil society partners and academic institutions are vital elements of building an inclusive State of Palestine that respects, protects and fulfils human rights and gender equality, and promotes development, peace and security – the fundamentals of the United Nations’ mission in Palestine. Support rests on a supply and demand equation that combines enhanced service delivery by resilient justice and security institutions with the public’s ability to access such services and hold duty-bearers to account. By increasing public confidence in the sector, support is designed to be catalytic, strengthening state-society relations and creating an enabling environment for development and peacebuilding. Interventions are informed by a coherent theory of change and characterized by flexibility and responsiveness to institutional changes as a result of political developments. The Sawasya III programme is oriented around the following four mutually reinforcing outcomes:

• People, particularly those at risk, have improved access to high-quality services relating to their legal, psychosocial, protection, and security needs.
• People are served by responsive institutions that have strengthened their capacity to operate in an effective, efficient, people-centered, and accountable manner.
• Societal and institutional behaviors and attitudes that uphold human rights, gender equality, and equity principles are embraced.
• Women’s access to gender-responsive and inclusive justice, security, and protection services is strengthened.
• The Sawasya III Joint Programme builds on the achievements and findings of its predecessor programmes, and the comparative advantages of the involved UN agencies. Importantly, the Joint Programme (Sawasya) uses baselines captured during these earlier programmes as a means to monitor results and inform future planning.

Duties and Responsibilities

1)Provides effective support to the project team to ensure the efficient &effective functioning of administrative and logistical aspects of the work, including, but not limited to:

• Maintains the internal filing and archiving system for UNDP component of Sawasya
• Supports data entry and review of the Sawasya internal Monitoring & Evaluation system.
• Ensures prompt compiling, copying and distribution of all project/activity reports.
• Liaise with the counterparts’ administrative managers on all issues related to the project.
• Provides support to the preparation and conducting of regular team meetings, Programme Board meetings, events with internal and external stakeholders, field visits.
• Prepares and submits travel authorizations, claim forms for travel expenses.
• Maintains records of verified time sheets for project team.
• Provides administrative support in preparation of project proposal packages.
• Provides administrative support to Technical Specialist in following up on recruitment, contract extension and other internal human resource related issues.
• Makes logistical arrangements for travel, workshops, conferences, missions, field visits Including transport and accommodation.
• Supports effective knowledge management including maintaining the team calendar, leave plan and document management systems.
• Drafts correspondence, agendas, programmes, itineraries for approval.
• Assists the preparation of certificate of completion/evaluation for consultants/contractors.

2)Support formulation of programme strategies and implementation of the Country Programme Documents (CPDs).
 

• Provide background information for preparation of CPDs and establishment of Baselines, Milestones and Targets (BMT).
• Provide information/evidence to guide future programming and identify implementation arrangements.

3)Provide effective support to management of the Sawasya Programme.
 

• Provide day-to-day guidance to implementing partners on implementation of projects and track use of financial resources. Contribute to managing digital technology solutions in programme implementation towards scalability and sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.
•  Contribute to the effective management of data in programme implementation, across the data lifecycle. Follow up on programme and project performance indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, preparation of reports, and implementation of corporate results-based management mechanisms and tools.
• Identify programme related bottlenecks and propose solutions.
•  Prepare for external and internal programme/project audits, and support implementation of audit recommendations.
•  Provide administrative support to the Programme unit by maintaining internal expenditure system and performing quality assurance review of technical reports and payments that includes following up with other units and taking timely corrective actions.

4)Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Country Office.
 

• Organize and deliver programme related training for relevant programme and operations personnel.
• Compile lessons learned and best practices.
•  Provide contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice and digital knowledge platforms.

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

 Institutional Arrangement
Under the guidance of the Sawasya Programme Manager and direct supervision of the UNDP Technical Specialist, the Programme Coordination Associate will work in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects staff in the UNDP/PAPP for resolving finance related issues, administrative and procurement related issues and supporting overall delivery of the Sawasya III Programme. (S)he ensures effective delivery of the Programme consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The incumbent may supervise support staff within the programme unit

Core Competencies

Achieve Results:
LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively:
LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously:
LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility:
LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination:
LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner:
LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:
LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
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	Identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks
Business Management	Communication	Communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication, to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.  Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels
Business Management	Monitoring	Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmarks, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of the client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools.  Ability to make an independent judgment based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate the client's upcoming needs and concerns.
External Relations &Advocacy	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
Ethics	UN policy knowledge – ethics	Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity.
2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness	Crisis Management  / Country Management Support	Resilience-based programming

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements

• High School Diploma OR 
• A university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is required

Min. years of relevant work experience 

• At least 6 years with High School Diploma or 
• 3 Years with Bachelor’s degree of progressively responsible relevant administrative or Programme experience is required at the national or international level. 

Required skills:

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.
• Ability to review and edit documents, ability to produce meeting reports identifying key actions. 

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Experience working with the UN and/or other international organizations is an asset.
• Experience working with local organizations and understanding of the local context.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation tools. 
• Experience working in education-related projects, or social development relevant fields.

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in both English and Arabic languages (both written and spoken) is required

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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