Mission and objectivesUNOPS โ an operational arm of the United Nations โ supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partnersโ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.
ContextUNOPS has been present in Bangladesh since 2003. In 2014 UNOPS established as formal representation as a response to the UNOPS Executive Board in order to provide more substantial support to the Government of Bangladesh and other clients in the different areas focusing to Resilient Infrastructure Approach, Program & Project Management, Fund Management, Procurement, Human Resources, Financial Management emphasizing on building national capacities, improving resilience of communities with a view of contributing to the implementation of the SDGs. โTransforming the Built Environment through Sustainable Materialsโ project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by UNOPS in partnership with UNEP, aims to promote circularity and low-carbon practices in Bangladeshโs building and construction sector. The initiative works closely with national and local authorities, including RAJUK, the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI), and the Public Works Department (PWD), to demonstrate the use of sustainable materials in public infrastructure, develop a roadmap for a national green building certification system, and build the capacity of SMEs and professionals. Activities include a low-carbon material demonstration project, integration of sustainable materials into public procurement processes, eco-innovation training, and policy support to incorporate building-related targets into Bangladeshโs Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Task DescriptionUnder the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Support Assistant will perform the following duties: 1. Administrative and Project Management Support โ Prepare project reports, presentations, meeting minutes, and concept notes under the guidance of the Project Manager โ Assist in the communication of project outcomes and preparation of communication materials (social media content, press releases, newspaper articles, newsletters, etc.). โ Assist in project activities with the focus on compliance and following UNOPS Project Management Manual. โ Assist the Project Team on the project implementation and provide general administration support, including drafting of letters and other project documentation โ Assist the Project Team in the overall financial administration of the project in line with UNOPS policies and regulations. โ Support the Project Team in preparing all project-related documentation, as directed. โ Ensure record keeping of project-related activities, archiving, distribution, and circulation of working documents, arrange and prepare minutes of project-related meetings, follow up on progress with technical experts . โ Support in the travel arrangements of project personnel, prepare and review travel authorizations, documentation, and process travel payments. 2. Procurement and Logistics Support โ Support procurement processes, including drafting of specifications, selecting and implementing the appropriate solicitation method, and preparing procurement-related documentation to attract required technical expertise for specificationsโ development and evaluation processes. โ Routinely follow up on procurement activities, monitoring delivery schedules, making correction actions, if required, on behalf of the supervisor and inform the supervisor of the status. โ Maintain routine correspondence with vendors/suppliers, beneficiaries/recipients, and appropriate filing of delivery and receipt of consignments according to the delivery schedule, including obtaining delivery reports. Arrange and participate, if necessary, in inspections of delivered goods. โ Arrange and monitor transportation and logistics of goods as required for the project. โ Process invoices for the delivered goods and services, ensuring accuracy and completeness of documentation, and follow up with clients and vendors/suppliers on timely payments. โ Assist in the drafting of financial reports for donors and beneficiary Government counterparts. Draft reports, tables, charts, and related documents by applying technical skills and knowledge in formatting documents and presentations. โ Investigate and resolve post-order problems, if any, and prepare progress reports on procurement matters. โ Collaborate with the UNOPS Procurement unit and other UNOPS Offices/units to solve payments-related problems. โ Establish and maintain working files on procurement activity; prepare letters, memoranda, emails, and other correspondence; monitor progress and liaise with vendors during the entire procurement cycle. โ Collect and record the data on vendorsโ performance and assist the vendor performance assessments. โ Ensure that all supporting documents are available for audit and for review purposes. 3. Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing โ Assist and/or participate in training sessions for the project personnel on administration, procurement, logistics, and project operational matters. โ Participate in and provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing lessons learned and disseminating best practices in administration, procurement and logistics support. โ Collect feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize them productively for efficiency gains In addition to the specified tasks, the incumbent would perform other need-based tasks assigned by the supervisor.
Competencies and valuesโ Accountability โ Adaptability and flexibility โ Creativity โ Judgement and decision-making โ Planning and organising โ Professionalism โ Self-management
Living conditions and remarksDhaka is located in central Bangladesh along the Buriganga River. Not only is it the capital city, but it is also the largest in the country. It is the center of political, cultural, and economic life in Bangladesh. The official language is Bengali, while English is the working language of UN Agencies. In recent decades, Dhaka has seen the modernization of services, communications, and public works. The city is attracting large foreign investments and greater volumes of commerce and trade. It is also experiencing an increasing influx of people from across the nation; this has reportedly made Dhaka one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Good English-speaking medical, dental services, and educational centers are available for internationals. Dhaka is connected to other cities by rail, road, and by air and internationals can move easily from one city to another. Dhaka has venerable green spaces, including many gardens and parks, historical places, and nice restaurants. The weather is tropical - hot and very humid during the summer monsoon season (April-September) and drier and cooler in the winter (October-March). Historically, Bangladesh has been a safe country so far. While Dhaka is not categorized as a hardship station, the volunteer should be prepared for limitations in freedom of movement on foot, by public transport, and to certain locations.