Vision 2030 was adopted as a methodology and roadmap for economic and developmental action in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To grant the Kingdom a leading position in all fields, the Vision sought to identify the country’s general directions, policies, goals, and objectives. Accordingly, this requires Saudi Arabia to open up to the external world, as well as strengthen its positive global image while enhancing regional relations. This, in turn, accentuates the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the realization of Vision 2030.
While the Vision requires promoting economic and commercial activities, enhancing public services for citizens, the efficiency of public expenditures and upgrading resource allocation, it also highlights the importance of cooperation with the United Nations System. Particularly, it highlights the potential UNDP has as the UN Agency with the largest presence in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is UNDP’s chief coordinating agency through which programming in the national context is undertaken with all other partners in the Kingdom. However, UNDP is uniquely positioned to leverage its international name recognition, presence, and networks to support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fulfil its mandate.
Consequently, the Umbrella Programme for Advisory Services to MoFA was developed as a flexible cooperation framework to encourage MoFA to increase its programmatic engagement with UNDP. The extant Project Document was signed on 01 September 2018, with the following pillars: Strengthening public diplomacy, supporting Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute of Diplomatic Studies, Providing advisory services to the organizational units at MoFA (political-economic, specialized consular, general affairs, planning and development, legal unit and human resources unit) Promoting the international representation of Saudi Arabia, and finally, Supporting recruitment of Saudi nationals in the UN system. The project is nearing its closure date in December 2022, and a new project is under discussion with MoFA, slated to begin in January 2023.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Senior Programme Associate, Programme Advisor/Officer, the incumbent will be primarily responsible for providing high-quality project and administrative, coordination and monitoring support for the implementation of the projects. S Under the overall supervision of the Programme Advisor, the incumbent will undertake work which falls along two integral tracks:
Support to Overall Project Needs:
Ensure the achievement of outputs/results in line with the approved work plans through the day-to-day planning, management coordination and implementation of activities.
Responding to day-to-day counterpart needs by maintaining close coordination with assigned project partners, incl.
Assisting the Programme Advisor in coordinating the exchange of information on coordination for Programme needs, meeting requests and required signature retrievals
Act as a go-between with UNDP-HR on issues relating to UNDP contracted experts currently working closely with the counterpart.
Act as a go-between with Procurement and Finance in response to Project Needs
Provide counterpart with regular progress reports (e.g. weekly) with regard to all ongoing requests and projects.
Provide counterpart with regular financial reports (e.g. bi-weekly) for budgets of all three outputs in a manner both accurate and easily intelligible.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
Coordinate delivery of assets, maintain records of assets management and prepare asset reports
Maintain files and ensure proper records of project working files in line with corporate requirements (project audit, evaluation, and operational and financial closure).
Monitor and follow up on project progress according to project documents and UNDP procedures. Ensure timely submission of financial and activity reports by implementing partners. Ensure regular updating of project risk logs and lessons learned logs.
Undertake any other duties as required by Project Management and Counterpart, incl. drafting letters, meeting minutes, talking points, and preparing translations where needed.
Support for UNDP-CO Initiatives
Support in helping to identify new project activities in close coordination with Project Management, international SMEs and Counterpart
Assisting Project Management in monitoring the balance between reactivity to Counterpart's ongoing needs and strategic future-facing ideas.
Support in identifying the need for international subject matter experts, sourcing them and recruiting them, in accordance with UNDP guidelines and procurement workflows
Providing insight to a team of international experts and required support in organizing/conducting project activities, initiating routine communication with them relating to the implementation of the project and drafting of official documents.
Propose solutions to any administrative issues whenever relevant and possible.
Overseeing UNDP’s support on the Programme’s newly added revisions on all matters pertaining to the assessment, analysis and reform of a given Umbrella Programme.
Develop Concept Notes, project documents and proposals to support CO advocacy efforts across different constituencies.
Required Skills and Experience
Min. Education requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Accounting, or a related field.
Min. years of relevant work experience
Minimum 3 years of professional experience in Administrative or Financial support or office operating within international or national foreign projects or organizations.
An excellent understanding of administrative and fiscal management and commitment to producing timely and accurate reports and budgets.
Demonstrated proficiency in using office equipment with computer literacy in Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations, and experience in financial management systems.
Required skills
Prvoen experience with government counterparts
Proven experience of record-keeping and management of information
Required Language(s)
Fluency in written and spoken English & Arabic is a must
