Project and Research Associate

• Country: Dubai, UAE
• No of vacancies: N/A
  
• Salary: N/A 
• Organization: UNDP
• Gender: Both
• Deadline: 2024-01-19

The Project and Research Associate will work as part of the Knowledge Project team on assuming the following tasks and responsibilities:

1.Substantive research and GKI production:

• Support in developing strategies for planning, organizing, and facilitating research processes, including the revision of the GKI structure from a thematic perspective.
• Coordinate with the Project, Research and Communications Specialist to select new advisory board members and organize group discussions leading to the new GKI structure.
• Support in identifying potential collaborators, including stakeholders and reader groups, for the production and review of knowledge products as needed.
• Facilitate the relevance and significance of the variables used in research projects and the GKI, and conduct a mapping exercise for potential new variables.
• Examine the structure of research proposals including the GKI, assess effectiveness, explore potential changes, and propose enhancements.
• Compile and synthesize documents, literature reviews, and analyses from advisory board members for use in developing the GKI methodology.
• Support in gathering and verify the recency and accuracy of data utilized in research projects, including the GKI.
• Research best practices related to research methodologies and strategies employed by UNDP and other UN agencies.
• Conduct research related to the knowledge economy and policies, both within the region and on a global scale.
• Plan and support implementation of activities related to research and policy development and advocacy activities.
• Gather, organize and analyse existing and emerging policies, plans, strategies, standards related to the knowledge economy from national and international sources.
• Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing and analysing data results.
• Collaborate closely with consultants to interpret findings from the Global Knowledge Index, reviewing and refining methodologies to ensure robustness and accuracy.
• Analyse and integrate feedback received from internal and external reviews to refine the GKI structure as well as other research projects’ methodologies.

2.Content creation and project documents drafting:

• Source, edit, translate, proofread, review, and draft project documents, including research reports, terms of reference, requests for proposals, meeting minutes, project notes, and other texts in English and Arabic.
• Review, comment on, and provide technical inputs to reports, studies, papers, and other documents.
• Support the development of presentations for various audiences, based on data analysis and insights derived from research projects and the GKI.
• Assist in formulating well-structured activity proposals and event concepts aligned with the realm of the knowledge economy.
• Liaise with the communications team to disseminate information regarding various Knowledge Project publications, productions, activities, and more, targeting recipients such as UN agencies, donors, development partners, government bodies, international and non-governmental organizations (iNGOs, NGOs), and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the communications/data team to create visually appealing infographics and charts that represent key findings from the GKI and other research projects.
• Support in developing executive summaries and briefing documents for senior leadership or external stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain a repository of all research and project documents, ensuring easy retrieval and version control.

3.Knowledge-sharing platforms organization and coordination:

• Contribute to the planning of both physical and virtual events by identifying suitable speakers and organizing panel sessions.
• Assist in managing relationships with identified speakers and stakeholders to ensure their preparedness, alignment with event objectives, and coordinate their schedules.
• Contribute the preparation of activity proposals/event proposals relevant to the knowledge economy.
• Curate engaging panel sessions that foster insightful discussions and provide unique insights to attendees, ensuring that the content aligns seamlessly with the event’s purpose.
• Participate in meetings, seminars, workshops, conferences, and other events and prepare minutes and notes as needed.
• Oversee the logistical aspects of event coordination, including venue selection, catering, technology requirements, and attendee registration.
• Coordinate with the communications team to promote the events, gather feedback, and improve future initiatives.
• Post-event, analyse the effectiveness of the event through participant feedback and suggest improvements for future engagements.
• Contribute to the development, expansion and maintenance of knowledge networks and communities of practice, including the project’s knowledge community.

4.Stakeholder collaboration and reporting:

• Contribute in establishing and maintain close collaborations with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate smooth project progression.
• Coordinate with partner organizations and external partners to align research objectives and methodologies.
• Seek feedback from a diverse range of stakeholders to continuously improve research quality and relevance.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

The Project and Research Associate will be working under the general guidance of the Chief Technical Adviser/Project Manager and the direct supervision of the Project, Research and Communications Specialist.

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