The Programme Support Specialist enables the effective delivery of the ITG and PID Programme by providing integrated financial and operational support. The role ensures strong budget oversight, expenditure control, and compliant financial reporting, while supporting recruitment, onboarding, procurement, and knowledge management to maintain robust internal controls and organizational accountability.
Additionally, they support the smooth operation and monitoring of programme activities, optimize resource use, and drive continuous process improvement in line with best practices and agreed standards.
The Programme Support Specialist reports to the Team Lead, ITG Project Management and Support, who provides broad supervision and guidance and works in close collaboration with both ITG and the PID team.
The Programme Support Specialist independently manages projects/programs and adapts existing policies to meet emerging needs within ITG and PID. The role provides authoritative advice on financial management, resource utilization, and stakeholder communication, ensuring the successful delivery of programme outcomes.
1. Programme Support and Coordination
Strengthen programme reporting, assurance, and control processes, ensuring timely, accurate, and reliable information across operational, financial, and delivery areas.
Coordinate stakeholder communication and engagement efforts, ensuring project activities, progress, risks, exceptions, and financial implications are clearly communicated and that stakeholders are prepared to accept handover of programme outputs.
Advise ITG and PID senior management on emerging issues and risks, including operational, financial, and delivery-related factors that may impact the achievement of programme outcomes.
Support the development, maintenance, and monitoring of programme and project plans, including stage plans, resource forecasts, and budget-related inputs.
Contribute to the monitoring of programme progress and resource utilization, supporting the identification of variances and advising on corrective actions as required to maintain delivery, cost, and quality objectives.
Monitor & manage risks and escalate any relevant risks to the Programme Manager and senior management as needed.
In collaboration with the ITG Contract Manager, develop, implement, and oversee procurement plans for the Programme, ensuring timely, cost-effective procurement aligned with the workplan.
Coordinate contract management and vendor relationship management, ensuring smooth delivery of the contracts and respect of the terms and conditions.
Monitor and evaluate vendor performance.
Provide strategic programme support through the preparation, consolidation, and quality assurance of programme documentation, management reports, and presentations.
2. Financial and Budget Management
Manage the ITG and PID programme budget and financial expenditure and all administrative procedures in line with the workplan.
Monitor, track and control expenditure to ensure optimum and appropriate use of resources, produce financial reports, and provide regular updates to PID and ITG senior management.
Identify cost-saving opportunities and recommend strategies to optimize budget utilization.
Prepare, review, and process GLJEs to ensure accurate accounting of project transactions, fund transfers, reconciliations, and adjustments, ensuring full compliance with organizational financial rules.
Process direct payments and advance requests and prepare project budget revisions.
Process prepaid card replenishment procedures.
Produce financial reports; including developing financial monitoring and reporting formats as per UNOPS requirements.
Ensure all financial operations and reporting align with UN/UNOPS regulations and IPSAS standards, while proactively managing audit responses for internal and external bodies such as the UNBOA.
Alert the supervisor and senior management of any financial shortfalls and over-expenditures. Propose budget revision and initiate corrective action when necessary.
3. Resource Management
Optimize resource planning and utilization across IT projects, including coordination of recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding processes in collaboration with relevant teams.
Identify control mechanisms to ensure correct resources are utilized on the projects.
Design, coordinate, and strengthen capacity-building initiatives for personnel, including training sessions, workshops, and related logistical arrangements such as travel and procurement.
4. Knowledge Management and Communication
Facilitate cross-project learning and best practice transfer through documentation and dissemination/sharing of lessons learned.
Contribute to the recording and oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.
Manage project files, including internal and external project reports in an organized and accessible manner.
Develop, implement and maintain communications plans.
Manage the coordination of communications to ensure stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover products.
Facilitate effective internal communication and coordination among project team members, stakeholders, and partners.
Serve as a point of contact for inquiries and information exchange related to the programme.
