Unep Imeo Science Project Assistant

Result of Service
- The overall operational efficiency and quality of the team is improved through enhanced organization, logistics, monitoring and coordination.
- Contracting documents (e.g., proposals, implementation planes, budgets, concept notes, correspondence, reports and work plans) are developed in a timely manner while maintaining high quality.
- Donors and partners are well informed of progress and emerging collaboration opportunities with IMEO.

Work Location
Paris

Expected duration
6 MONTHS

**Responsibilities**:
UN Environment Programme (Energy and Climate Branch) hosts the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). IMEO is a data-driven, action-focused UNEP initiative that takes an innovative approach to address the methane emissions problem by collecting, integrating, and reconciling data from different sources, including scientific measurement studies, satellites, rigorous industry reporting through the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0), and national inventories.

IMEO will create a global public dataset of empirically verified methane emissions, with an initial focus on fossil fuel sources and will interconnect data with actions on research, reporting, and regulation. This will catalyse deep reductions in human-made methane emissions and serve the rapidly growing ecosystem of governments, companies, investors, researchers, NGOs and other entities engaging in this crucial climate challenge.

IMEO’s Methane Science Studies have a diverse and growing interest from donors and the scientific community.

To ensure smooth implementation of ongoing and new initiated studies and competitive development of new opportunities, a Project Assistant is needed for administrative and operational support across the methane portfolio.

The Project Assistant will be responsible for supporting the Methane Science Studies Coordinator in project development, execution and close-out activities with a range of responsibilities, as outlined below.
- Day-to-day operations: Organize team check-in meetings, help maintain correspondence where requested, provide copy editing and formatting, and identify operational challenges and propose improvements (e.g., enhance templates and processes).
- Grants: Support the development of donor agreements and invoices to donors, draft internal memos, help process payment requests, provide an initial check for completeness (including use of proper templates) and timely delivery, and support the close-out of grants in accordance with the Administrative Manual.
- Budget: Monitors the IMEO budget and tracks expenditures and initiate reallocation of funds. Integrate and allocate new incoming funding, ensuring efficient coverage of operational team costs. Produces budgetary projections.
- Contracts: Support recruitment processes including helping to prepare Terms of Reference (ToR), due diligence evaluations (including partner profile creation), formal agreements, procurements, internal memos, contract extensions, and close-out of contracts. Provide an initial quality control check on the completeness of reporting and use of proper templates.
- Projects: Conduct desktop research and outreach to relevant experts to gather and compile information for inclusion in concept notes, proposals, workplans, deliverables, presentations, reports, evaluations, audits, and communications.
- Donor reporting and meetings: Identify suitable meeting times and platforms for target audiences. Prepare meetings documents such as task and participant lists, programme invitations, agendas, logistics notes, pre-briefing notes, and meeting reports. Assist with event execution from hosting the platform on Microsoft Teams or similar, displaying presentations, conducting recordings, conducting surveys, etc.

Qualifications/special skills

Education:

- Bachelor’s Degree preferably in administration, business, finance, environmental studies, or similar.

Work Experience:

- Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in administrative services.
- Experience in project documents preparation, coordination and reporting for development projects funded by international donor agencies is highly preferred.
- Knowledge of the UN system
- Experience working with international organisations and/or government counterparts is an asset.

Skills and Competencies:

- High proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.).
- Great teamwork, analytical skills, planning and budgeting ability, attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and oral communications.
- Ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially.
- Ability to work well under pressure, with flexibility and adaptability amidst evolving circumstances.
- Ability to identify and execute tasks independently with thoroughness and care.
- Ability to thrive with multicultural teams.

Languages
Fluency in spoken and written English is required, knowledge of other UN la