Project Analyst [Open to Tier 1 & 2 applicants]

Better Than Cash

Better Than Cash

IT

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea · Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Posted on Apr 20, 2026

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

  • Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
  • Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
  • Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
  • Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

Papua New Guinea – home to 50% of the population of the Pacific region – faces a variety of challenges with humanitarian consequences as a result of regular natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, frost, drought, tsunamis), conflicts, civil strife and governance issues. The hazard profile of Papua New Guinea comprises frequent localized disasters affecting specific communities and regions although there have also been less frequent large-scale disasters such as the 2015/16 El Niño-induced drought and frost and the 2018 Highlands Earthquake. National and sub- national capacities for and investment in disaster risk management remain weak. There is broad variation in national, provincial and local capacities to plan for and effectively respond to humanitarian emergencies. The need to strengthen co-ordination and communication between national and provincial institutions responsible for humanitarian planning, preparedness, response and recovery, remains a priority.

Following the departure of UN OCHA from Papua New Guinea in June 2015, UNDP assumed the role of humanitarian response coordination in addition to its overall responsibility to conduct operational activities for disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness. This humanitarian response coordination role includes contingency planning, managing information sharing and coordination of international humanitarian partners’ interventions. It is the focal point for emergencies within the UN System and provides secretariat support to the UN Resident Coordinator, UN Country Team, Disaster Management Team, Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and, as appropriate, the National Disaster Centre.

In this context, UNDP is recruiting a Project Analyst to work under the supervision of the Humanitarian Affairs Specialist to support these activities. The position will support the project team with strategic programme coordination and broader harmonization with other UNDP, United Nations and development partner activities that support disaster preparedness and response in Papua New Guinea. The Project Analyst is responsible for overseeing all project administrative and financial matters including the implementation of project activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Analyst will work directly under the supervision and guidance of the Humanitarian Affairs Specialist under UNDP Project Management Unit and required to support the project team with strategic programme coordination and broader harmonisation with other UNDP, UN and development partner activities that support disaster preparedness and response in Papua New Guinea.

The Project Analyst will work directly under the supervision and guidance of the Humanitarian Affairs Specialist and with Programme, Operations, Communications in the Country Office for effective achievement of results and contribute to resolving programme/project-related and information delivery. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative guidelines, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems. Specific responsibilities include:

1. Ensure effective project planning and implementation with the project team:

  • Compile and summarize information and data for the formulation of project work plans, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project‑related topics or issues.
  • Provide comprehensive support in all aspects of project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners. Ensure quality of delivery by consultants, beneficiaries, and contracted companies; and communicate findings to the supervisor.
  • Ensure compliance of project business processes with UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures (POPP) and UNDP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).Create project in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, and determination of unutilized funds.
  • Support the creation of new project and establish budget in Quantum in accordance with the project document. Regularly review budget and delivery and revise budget as and when required.

2. Provide effective administrative and financial support to the project team:

  • Operating Procedures (SOP). When necessary, provide guidance to project staff on business processes, administrative and other requirements and procedures.
  • Provide administrative and financial support including advice to the project team to ensure successful project delivery that includes organizing/coordinating project events and processing payments in a timely manner in line with the UNDP’s financial rules and regulations.
  • Coordinating project procurement procedures, maintaining project records and files, recruiting project team members, and supporting contracting activities.

3. Support to Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Reporting and Risk Management

  • Actively support implementation of the project monitoring system in alignment with its Monitoring and Evaluation framework to ensure effective information sharing, provision of feedback, and elaboration of high‑quality progress reports.
  • Collect, analyze and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Management Team.
  • Assist in the organization of field and study visits, missions, workshops, roundtables, and conferences within the project.
  • Assist in implementation of effective risk management for the project with a well‑documented risk mitigation plan in place. Support monitoring of previously identified and emerging risks.
  • Regularly monitor expenditures and commitments against the project budget and relevant plans, and provide finance‑related information to support project implementation. When necessary, recommend corrective actions and draft various correspondence concerning finance, operations, and budgetary issues.
  • Prepare and consolidate required project reports on a timely basis and in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.

4. Ensure partnerships and resource mobilization including knowledge building, knowledge sharing and capacity building

  • Participate in training and organize briefings for the project staff. Provide support to other capacity building activities, including to the design and delivery of tools, materials for workshops.
  • Support the project team in compiling and systematizing project knowledge, products and tools as well as their wide distribution to partners.
  • Support the Humanitarian Affairs Specilaist explore opportunities for resource mobilization and development of project proposal for new funding.
  • Support the project team establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, NGOs, tertiary institutions, partners, and other relevant stakeholders .

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management

  • Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making
  • Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends
  • Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
  • Communication: • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
  • Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan, organise and oversee different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organisation’s assets into the best results in the most efficient way. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

Technical-Finance

  • Budget management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets

Business Direction and Strategy

  • System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the system

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is required, OR
  • First level University Degree (bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned aboved in combinaison with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration, in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required.

Required skills:

  • Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages

Desired skills:

  • Experience in preparation of financial reports and overviews
  • Experience in monitoring and evaluation tools
  • Experience in project management processes
  • Experience procurement procedures of national / international organizations

Required Language(s):

  • Fluency in English and Tok Pisin is required

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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Duties and Responsibilities