Program Assistant - Natural Resources
The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Location: Washington D.C.
Last Date: July 6, 2008
Job Title: Program Assistant
Network: None
Sector: None
Manager Name: Gustavo Fonseca
Department/Division: GEF
Grade: GC
Appointment Type: 2 Year Coterminous Term (Local Hire)
HR Contact: Doreeen Kapakasa
Location: Washington, D.C.
*** This is a local 2 year coterminous term appointment. If selected, open-ended staff are encouraged to seek a re-entry guarantee into their releasing unit ***
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral financial mechanism created in 1991 to provide grant and concessional funds to recipient countries for projects and programs that address biodiversity loss, climate change, and degradation of international waters, land degradation, ozone depletion and persistent organic pollutants within the framework of sustainable development. Resources for the GEF Trust Fund, which finances GEF’s programs and projects, are mobilized every four years.
GEF is open to universal membership, and currently 178 countries are members. The GEF is governed by a Council comprising 32 Members appointed by constituencies of GEF member countries. An Assembly of all member countries meets every four years at the ministerial level.
GEF is the designated financial mechanism for three international environmental conventions: the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. GEF is a designated financial mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
Since its inception as a pilot facility in 1991, GEF has committed $6.2 billion in grants to over 1,800 projects in more than 160 developing countries and transitional economies. Available funding for GEF activities in the period 2006 to 2010 is $3.13 billion (fourth replenishment period).
Ten agencies (the GEF agencies) are principally accountable for the execution of GEF projects: the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Bank (IBRD/IFC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the U.N. Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
The GEF Secretariat, construed for administrative purposes as a VPU within the World Bank, has a staff complement of professional and ACS staff of approximately 50. The GEF Secretariat has recently been restructured into four teams: Climate and Chemicals, Natural Resources, External Affairs, and Corporate Operations, Policies and Financial Services. Each team is led by a team leader, who is accountable to the CEO and Chairperson.
The Natural Resources team is responsible for GEF’s strategic and technical work in the issue areas of biodiversity, international waters and sustainable land management.
The Program Assistant will work as an integral part of the Natural Resources team and will report on a day to day basis to the Team Leader for Natural Resources.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
1. Process project proposals submitted by the GEF Agencies for regions to be assigned by the Team leader. This will include logging and linking documents in the project database, scanning, filing, and distribution of project documents to program managers;
2. Assist regional program managers and focal area cluster coordinators to generate standard reports from the database and other sources for the preparation of the program status reviews and other documents;
3. Undertake administrative responsibilities associated with international conventions of relevance to the Natural Resources Team., including assisting in the preparation of responses to correspondence from the Front Office;
4. Track progress on tasks assigned to regional team members, including managing deadlines, through the “Team Update”, etc.
5. Provide occasional administrative assistance to Natural Resources team members on formatting of documents, faxes, photocopy of large documents, and other administrative tasks; logistical support such as booking of rooms, arranging teleconferences for team members, organizing meetings, seminars, workshops, etc.;
6. Provide backup support in to other Natural Resources Program Assistants in their respective responsibilities to the NR team, during their absence, as determined by the Team Leader;
7. Provide administrative and logistical support associated with GEF Council meetings;
8. Undertake other tasks assigned by the Team Leader.
Selection Criteria
1. Excellent secretarial and organizational skills and attention to detail;
2. Ability to work in a multicultural environment in an international setting;
3. Strong interpersonal skills, positive attitude and ability to work effectively in a team environment;
4. Demonstrated degree of initiative and reliability, with ability to develop practical approaches to improve office effectiveness;
5. Ability to handle concurrent activities efficiently under pressure, with minimum supervision and to meet tight deadlines;
6. Thorough knowledge of and proficiency in information technology (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, SAP, Lotus Notes);
7. Flexibility and willingness to work overtime, especially during Council meetings;
8. At least five years relevant experience.
Contact:
Christopher F. Briggs
Team Leader Operations, Policies & Finance
Global Environment Facility,
1818 H St. NW.
Washington
DC 20433
Email: CBriggs@theGEF.org
Internet: www.TheGEF.org