Travel Assistant – UNDP jobs in the Philippines

UNDP has been working with national and international partners in the Philippines on the issue of the green and circular economy. UNDP is working with the European Union in implementing the EU Philippines Green Economy Programme (The Programme). The Programme aims to support the Philippines’ transition towards a green economy, including circular economy, reducing waste and plastic, as well as increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment to support climate change mitigation. The Programme acknowledges that the transition to circular economy will have other added benefits such as reduction of the use of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, improve biodiversity and natural capital, decreased pollution levels, and climate change adaptation.

The Programme addresses three main levels:

• Establishing a Policy Dialogue Platform at the central government level to mobilize EU expertise to facilitate policy formulation, improve city-to-city collaboration through supporting the development of a National Circular Economy Strategy and Roadmap, extend the dialogue to promote renewable energy/energy efficiency, and to apply the dialogue’s outcomes;
• Working with local government units (LGUs) where EU expertise will support to define and implement circular economy, climate change, and energy policies with a human rights and gender-responsive perspective, outreach and support of local business and civil society, and support less advanced LGUs; and
• Enhancing engagement of the private and financial sectors into the circular waste economy creating better conditions for private sector investment by supporting business-driven waste reduction strategies and circular solutions in the production process.

The Programme has 4 specific objectives:

SO1: Improved circular economy and climate change policies and reduced GHG emissions

SO2: Enhanced practices of the circular economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and civil society sector, with a focus on youth and gender equality

SO3: Enhanced engagement of the private and financial sectors in circular, waste-reduction economy

SO4: Increased energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment

UNDP is responsible for the implementation and execution of SO2 “Enhanced practices of the circular economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector” with about EUR 23 million funding.

The project will be implemented in at least 20 local government units across the country that will receive the core project interventions.

UNDP Philippines has expertise and experience working with LGUs, and cities to support project development, programme formulation, and policy actions. There are currently ongoing related programmes in the sphere of circular economy which are being implemented and executed by UNDP Philippines.

A key element of the work of UNDP in the field of circular economy is the development of a portfolio of projects, identifying the sources of financing, potential sources of investments – (grants, loans, blended finance, etc.), developing partnerships and designing investment vehicles to match appropriate partners and project proponents in the circular economy sphere in the Philippines.

UNDP Philippines takes overall responsibility and accountability for the delivery of the project outputs. It will be accountable for managing the project, including the monitoring and evaluation of project interventions, achieving project results, and for the effective use of resources, in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations, policies and procedures. These include relevant requirements on fiduciary, procurement, environmental and social safeguards, and other performance standards.

The day-to-day implementation of the project will be led by a Project Manager within a Project Management Unit (PMU) responsible for ensuring that the project achieves the expected targets to the required quality standards and within the specified time and budget allocations. The Project Manager will be supported by a national Project Management Specialist, project support team, technical staff and a pool of contractors to carry out the deliverables of the project. Technical and programmatic backstopping will also be provided by UNDP Country Office teams and in the Bangkok Regional Hub.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Implementation of operational strategies
2. Support to travel management processes
3. Implementation of sourcing strategies
4. Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1. Implementation of travel management processes, primarily for GEPP, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance of UN/UNDP rules and regulations, policies and strategies on travel management.
• Ensure implementation of cost saving measures through negotiation with travel service provider, arrangement of the most economic route and appropriate itinerary.
• Processing of Purchase orders for travel in Quantum. Ensures availability of budget according to COA.
• Processing of cost-recovery bills in Quantum for the travel services provided by UNDP to other Agencies.
• Follow-up with contracted travel agent to ensure provision of high quality professional service and most competitive price.
• Provision of information to the staff on travel including entitlements, travel route and hotel arrangement.
• Arrangements for security clearance when required.
• Processing travel authorization and travel claims in line with travel entitlements for staff, consultants, UN and visitors, ensuring that the travel arrangement follow the UN rules of most direct route and most competitive prices.
• Hotel reservations for visiting UN/UNDP officials and project partners.
• Processing requests for visas for all UN travelers, as well as requests for Resident Permit and Diplomatic Identification Card for international staff.
• Arrangement for airport pick-up of high-level officials and support to expediting of customs and immigration procedures, as necessary.
• Processing of application and renewal of UNLP for UN staff.
• Preparation of routine correspondence, memoranda and reports in accordance with CO SOP.
• Reconciliation of settlements to be paid by the Finance Unit.
• Support to other UNDP Climate Action Programme Team projects, as necessary

2.  Contributes o implementation of sourcing strategy focusing on achievement of the following result:

• Collection and analysis of market situation on travel service area. Conduct of surveys/biddings of travel services.
• Conduct of DSA survey; survey and analysis of most competitive hotel prices and quality of hotel services; submission of report to HQ and distribution of the Hotel list to all UN agencies.
• Preparation of LTAs for travel and hotel services on behalf of UN Agencies

3.Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Participation in the training for the programme, operations and projects staff on procurement and travel.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.