Organizational context:

• Our client is an operational arm of the United Nations (UN), supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian & development projects around the world. Mandated as a central resource of the UN, our client provides sustainable project management, procurement & infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors & UN organizations. With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, our client offers its partners the logistical, technical & management knowledge they need, where they need it. By implementing around 1,000 projects for their partners at any given time, our client makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

Project information:

• Our client has signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with an intergovernmental organization called SACEP (South Asia Cooperative Environment Program). SACEP is implementing the World Bank funded PLEASE project in South Asia. In accordance with the agreement, our client should provide implementation support & advice to SACEP in implementing the Plastic Free Rivers & Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) project. Our client is expected to assist the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in implementing the RBGs (Regional Competitive Block Grants) under component 1, component 2 & component 3 of the PLEASE project.

Under the direct supervision of the Country Project Manager in Pakistan & overall supervision of the Senior Program Manager. The selected candidate will provide project management support to the implementation of the project in the country, specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Support to monitoring & reporting:

• In close communication with the Pakistan Country Project Manager, support the M&E Specialist that is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, support activities that monitor & evaluate the grant performance.

• Provide support to grantees to produce timely updates according to predefined M&E formats; contribute to high quality reports with accurate information.

• Support the grantees to identify challenges, risks, issues, best practices, success stories & lessons learnt; support information dissemination to achieve strategic communication.

• Support monitoring missions including suggesting mission schedules, facilitating progress meetings, interviews, observation visits & focus group discussions.

• Facilitate necessary translations & gather information to be included in mission reports along with any recommendations.

• Support the field project team to conduct independent & regular background & context monitoring, engaging with local communities, government agencies, NGOs & relevant stakeholders to gather insights & feedback concerning the implementation of grants.

Support advocacy & communication activities of grantees:

• In close communication with the Communications Officer(s) of the grantees in Pakistan, obtain regular reports & updates from the grantees in the country connected to trade relationship, communication & reporting.

• Provide advice & support to develop communications strategies to the specific project of the grantees.

• Ensure appropriate visibility for PLEASE project with all stakeholders, including correct logo usage, appropriate media coverage both locally & internationally, assess the communications materials of partners to ensure that they are appropriate & relevant to the communities in which they are used.

• Support the Project Manager in vetting grant advocacy activities as well as compilation of their reports.

Support the implementation of the external communication strategy for the PLEASE project:

• Identify new communications opportunities for the PLEASE project grantees, suggest opportunities & facilitate the implementation in an independent, self driven way to enhance the communications impact of the PLEASE project.

• Support the project Communications Specialist & the PIU team to determine key messages & refine those messages over time based on evidence.

• Support the PIU Communications Specialist(s) to ensure internal & external communications channels are well managed, including social media & website, staying attuned to global developments in web based communications to ensure that the PLEASE project is up to date & following latest developments.

• Suggest written & visual content for distribution to the press & website or other relevant channels, including articles, speeches, videos, brochures, newsletters & reports

• Support the management of communications products, including the preparation of factsheets & materials needed for workshops, seminars, briefings & events.

• Working with regional officers / teams to identify & obtain feature / success stories & other materials to facilitate global / regional advocacy.

• Support brand awareness of the PLEASE project, including raising awareness & managing the perception of the fund through localized messaging & brand management.

• Provide missions with high quality briefing kits before each visit

Event management & capacity development:

• Support the organization of events & activities to showcase the outcome of the PLEASE project to partners, stakeholders & public audiences.

• Organize logistics for field trips & events, including media & press management, production of print items & visibility.

• Support to evaluate effectiveness & impact of the PLEASE project publicity campaigns, events, website & social media.

• Support liaison & preparation of field visits & other activities, coordinating administrative requisites for events & travel activities.

Knowledge management:

• Support smooth, well functioning internal communications & knowledge management for the PLEASE project, particularly for dedicated social media & the official website.

• Ensure maintenance of relevant contact lists (media, academics, key stakeholders) & content libraries (photos, data, videos).

• Support the M&E Specialist to maintain relevant databases & information.

• Maintain internal knowledge management by gathering lessons learned.

• Support events & other mechanisms to disseminate information (internal & external) based on lessons learned.

• Liaise with other sections, departments, entities & projects within the system to maintain information on latest updates, actions & developments.

Project reporting:

• Support the vetting & preliminary review of financial reports & submissions.

• Support the Project Manager & the Finance Officer in the compilation & reconciliation of financial documentation, bank statements & compliance documentation.

• Ensure submissions are complete & as per requirements prior to review initiation submission, liaise regularly with grantees for provision of information.

• Support recording of data in the grants management system.

• Ensure settlement of the balance of cash in hand.

• Support Project Manager to follow up some allocated admin activities with other departments.

• Support Project Manager to manage project files on share drive related to finance & other sections.

This roles works under the direct supervision of the Country Project Manager in Pakistan & overall supervision of the Senior Program Manager.

• Graduate or master’s degree in project management, business administration, business psychology, organizational behaviour communication, media studies, journalism, international relations, public / media relations, public relations, event management, English or any other related field is required.

• Bachelor's degree in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.

• Four years of experience in project support, monitoring & evaluation, communications, event management, advocacy / government relations, digital media, journalism / press, environmental issues, public / media relations, marketing, international relations, writing / editing (including grant / proposal writing), research or any other related fields is required.

• Experience working in monitoring or financial reporting, advertising, public relations, social behaviour change communications would be an asset.

• Experience in developing strategy & plans for communications & helping in organizing events (& associated materials) is preferable.

• Previous working experience in a similar position with media organizations, UN, NGO or private organizations would be an asset.

• Previous experience with environmental issues including plastic management would be an asset.

• Fluency in English & any locally spoken language(s) is required.

Team management experience is not required for this role.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.