Project Associate

Description

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP
UNDP has been engaged in Belize for over 40 years. The Country Office is led by a Resident Representative based in Jamaica with the Deputy Resident Representative functioning as the Head of Office. The UNDP CO has two substantive programmatic portfolios (i) Energy and the Environment and (ii) Inclusive, Growth, Digitization, and Governance. This specific project falls under the Inclusive, Growth, Digitization, and Governance portfolio led by Programme Analysts and an Operations team led by an Operations Analyst.`

To effectively deliver on its national sustainable development agenda, the Government of Belize has recognized the need for accurate and timely data/ information as a means of informing its decision making and supporting its monitoring of its development agenda. Belize’s Medium-Term Development Strategy 2022-2026 has defined a road map for development for the country of Belize with objectives consistent with SDG target realization. The strategy is accompanied by an implementation plan that prioritizes monitoring, evaluation, and learning, intended to increase “agility, efficiency, effectiveness and resilience” of national programming for results. This Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Framework also provides for accountability as an obligation of good governance and is dependent on a robust structure for data gathering, analysis, and management, and is critical to ensuring the effective implementation of Plan Belize Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS). The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) and the NSS is mandated to produce high-quality statistical indicators that are required for the monitoring and evaluation of the Plan Belize MTDS.

The Statistical Institute of Belize established in 2007 (SIB Act, 2006) is the autonomous national statistical agency of Belize, authorized to collect data from any individual or agency for purposes of producing official national statistics, and mandated to serve as coordinator for the National Statistics System (NSS) and provide oversight and guidance for all activities with statistical implications carried out by agencies within the NSS. The Belize National Statistics System (BNSS) refers collectively to the network of agencies that generate various national statistics, either as an end product or as a by-product of administrative functions.
The project supports the strengthening of the national structure for data/statistical management as a contribution to the fostering of a national enabling environment that is supportive and responsive to national priorities associated with:
• Improving/modernizing data collection and management systems,
• Implementing effective strategies for data sharing as a response to “siloed” data,
• Fostering collaboration across data systems
• Upgrading and improvements to the BNSS portal
• Capacity building for SIB and BNSS partners in areas where there are significant data gaps
On March 12th, 2024, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an arrangement with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to strengthen Belize’s national infrastructure and institutional capacity for data and statistical management. With a total project budget of USD$3.4 million, the “Enabling of Belize’s Statistical System” project, which is part of a larger Record of Discussion Arrangement with the Government of Belize, will be implemented from 2024 to 2027 and is a joint initiative involving six (6) Government ministries and five (5) United Nations (UN) agencies with coordination support from the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator. To this end, UNDP Belize is seeking a Project Specialist to support the implementation of the “Enabling of Belize’s Statistical System” project and be responsible for ensuring the delivery of project outputs within the timeframe and budget of the project as well as support resource mobilization for the Governance Programme.

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 a 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 the 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

Minimum Education requirements
Secondary education is required, or
University Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Minimum years of relevant work experience
A minimum of 6 years (with a high school diploma) or 3 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.
Required skills
Demonstrated track record in the preparation of technical and financial
reports and accounts management of international projects is an asset
for this position.
Experienced in using computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
 

Required Language(s)
 Fluency in English
 Knowledge of Spanish will be considered an asset.