Programme Management Assistant

Programme Management Assistant (Project Operations)

Duty Station: Brasília, Brazil

Application Deadline: 23 July

Background

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The overall objective of UNEP's Climate Change Division is to deliver effective strategic guidance and high-impact action in support of the transition towards climate stability. Its work is guided by ambition, innovation, credible science, and alignment with global climate goals and the needs of individual countries.

The Climate Change Division works with Member States and partners to accelerate and support a just transition by addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation through enhanced implementation capacity, provision of data, information and knowledge, access to finance and technology, and resilience-building. It promotes sustainable development and effective policies for climate stability, supports countries in progressing along decarbonization, dematerialization, and resilience pathways, and fosters transparency in reporting.

This position is located in the Climate Change Division, Mitigation Branch, Global Funds Mitigation & Transparency Section, at the Brasília duty station. Under the overall supervision of the Administrative Officer for the Global Funds Mitigation & Transparency Section, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Programme and Project Operations

• Assist in coordinating programme and project planning and preparation activities, including monitoring the status of project proposals and ensuring timely receipt of documentation for review and approval.
• Review programme and project documents, particularly cost estimates and budgets, to ensure completeness and compliance with applicable rules and procedures before final approval and signature.
• Identify inconsistencies and distribute approved project documents to relevant stakeholders.
• Assist in preparing legal agreements and documentation required for UNEP project internalization and revision processes, ensuring complete clearance and approval procedures.
• Support the preparation, finalization, and review of budget revisions, verify the availability of funds, and ensure appropriate approvals and entries in UMOJA.
• Monitor expenditures against approved budgets and prepare adjustments where necessary.
• Coordinate programme and project implementation activities through extensive liaison with diverse organizational units to obtain clearances, process requests, and follow up on operational matters.

Reporting and Project Monitoring

• Review reports submitted by executing partners, including expenditure reports, audit reports, and inventory reports.
• Support fund disbursement processes and travel arrangements.
• Prepare documentation required for the financial closure of projects.
• Assist in collecting and analyzing data and preparing presentations and reports to support information sharing, knowledge management, planning, and decision-making.
• Support the development of visual materials and updates to information products such as web pages and brochures.
• Draft correspondence on budget-related issues and prepare periodic reports, briefing notes, statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets, and other supporting documentation.

Payments and Financial Administration

• Assist in reviewing and finalizing cash advance requests for payments to executing agencies.
• Provide guidance to executing agencies to ensure that payment documentation is completed correctly.
• Review incoming payment instructions, including banking details and funding sources.
• Prepare payments for final disbursement by the Cashier.
• Dispatch payment instructions to UNON Treasury and provide remittance advice to executing agencies.
• Notify payees regarding the status of payments.
• Respond to payment and funding queries from staff members, consultants, executing agencies, the GEF Secretariat, the GEF Coordination Office, and UNEP counterparts.
• File and archive electronic documentation as required.

General Administrative Support

• Organize and schedule meetings and consultations, prepare briefing notes and minutes, and follow up on agreed actions.
• Draft routine correspondence relating to financial and budget matters.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Experience Requirements

Required

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, or budget support for project operations.
• The minimum requirement is reduced to three (3) years for candidates holding a first-level university degree.
• Experience analyzing project financial data and reports.
• Experience in grant management and donor reporting.
• Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as UMOJA.
• Experience applying the financial rules and regulations of the United Nations or a comparable international organization, including International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

Desirable

• One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or a related field.

Language Requirements

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

• English: Required
• Spanish: Desirable
• Portuguese: Desirable