Programme Assistant (G-5) FT, #138308, Office of Strategy & Evidence - Florence, Italy (for EU nationals or candidates with valid Italian work permit)

Organizational context: UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The Office of Strategy and Evidence (OSE) - Innocenti leads in data, research, evidence generation, foresight, and knowledge management to assure development effectiveness and drive global positioning on child-related issues.

Job purpose

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Education Research Unit, the Programme Assistant (G-5) will provide crucial programme implementation, monitoring, and operational support to the Education Unit at UNICEF's Office of Strategy and Evidence (OSE) - Innocenti. This role is particularly focused on ensuring effective resource management and serving as the primary point of contact for programme implementation and operational coordination. The incumbent will be responsible for meticulously monitoring and tracking budgets within UNICEF's systems (SAP/VISION), and for developing and strengthening systems and tools essential for tracking grants, partnerships, and overall programme implementation progress. Additionally, the role involves providing comprehensive programme support for the organization of Unit meetings and events, managing contract development, and assisting the team with HR management and workforce planning activities, all contributing to the efficient and effective delivery of UNICEF's mission for children.

Responsibilities

The Programme Assistant will provide essential support in managing institutional and individual contracts and related agreements to ensure timely programme implementation and delivery. This includes developing and strengthening systems and tools for monitoring contracts, Long-Term Agreements (LTAs), and Special Service Agreements (SSAs), as well as related programme activities. Guidance and support will be provided on key processes within VISION and InSight, ensuring compliance with applicable procedures and requirements, and monitoring contractual arrangements to contribute to effective coordination and follow-up of programme implementation. A key function is monitoring and tracking budgets in SAP/VISION, which involves maintaining and updating the section's SharePoint collaboration site, a customized system for monitoring budgets, grants, and contracts. The assistant will monitor various programme and budget agreements (PBAs), tracking overall commitments and expenditures against budget allotments, and providing weekly reports on available balances to support effective resource utilization and alignment with programme priorities. Generating budget reports from VISION will be required to support programme monitoring, management decision-making, and donor compliance, including assisting in the preparation of financial reports for donors and budget estimates for specific projects. Furthermore, the role involves maintaining and strengthening systems for monitoring grants, partnerships, and programme implementation, including a system to track donor grants, expiry dates, and reporting deadlines. Support will be provided for drafting allocation memos, grant extension requests, donor report submissions, and donor agreements, along with developing and maintaining electronic filing systems for grant-related documentation. The assistant will also support follow-up on funds/materials missing from grants and coordinate related to grant utilization, reporting requirements, and programme implementation timelines. Finally, the role includes providing programme support related to HR management and workforce planning, maintaining a tracking system for HR information and cost distribution, and preparing Funding Certificates for new positions.

Education

Completion of secondary education is required. A first-level university degree in a relevant field is an asset.

Work experience

A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in programme or administrative assistance, operational support, or a related field is required. Experience in budget monitoring and financial reporting is desirable.

Skills

Programme implementation support, Budget monitoring and tracking, Contract management, Grant management, Partnership support, HR support, Workforce planning, SAP/VISION proficiency, Microsoft Office Suite, Organizational skills, Communication skills, Attention to detail

Required languages

Desired languages