Mission and objectivesThe UN Development Programme is the lead UN agency fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in more than 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. In the Pacific, UNDP provides regional and country support to ten countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) and regional support to five countries (Cook Islands, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tokelau), together with a total population of 2.4 million. UNDP is guided by a Sub-regional Programme Document for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories 2018-2022, which in turn contributes to the achievement of an overarching UN system-wide Pacific Strategy. The Programme is shaped to assist countries to advance the global 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda tailored to each country's priorities, through focus on data, policy prioritization, participatory planning, and budgeting and monitoring - and with accelerated action to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP seeks to target the most vulnerable i.e. people experiencing hardship, the marginalized living in remote rural areas, those who are vulnerable to climate and disaster risks, as well as women and youth excluded from socio-political and economic participation. UNDP adheres to an inclusive, pro-poor and human rights-based approaches that leverage cross-practice, multi-disciplinary expertise of UNDP.
ContextIn the Pacific, UNDP provides regional and country support to ten countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) and regional support to five countries (Cook Islands, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tokelau), together with a total population of 2.4 million. There are three focus areas of which gender and human rights are mainstreamed: 1. Effective Governance 2. Inclusive Growth 3. Resilience and Climate Change Guided by a Sub-regional Programme Document for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories 2018-2022, contributing to the achievement of an overarching UN system-wide Pacific Strategy, UNDP seeks to target the most vulnerable i.e. people experiencing hardship, the marginalized living in remote rural areas, those who are vulnerable to climate and disaster risks, as well as women and youth excluded from socio-political and economic participation. UNDP adheres to an inclusive, pro-poor and human rights-based approaches that leverage cross-practice, multi-disciplinary expertise of UNDP. The Fiji Rural Electrification Fund (FREF) support project aims to foster the development of rural mini grids to improve access to clean, affordable, and reliable renewable energy. In doing so, it plans to also diversify Fijiโs energy mix to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the Fijian power sector, contribute to national electricity access objectives and promote gender-balanced economic growth using electricity as an enabler for inclusive sustainable development. The project will seek to electrify at least 20 rural communities in 4 years to support the expeditious implementation of FREF as well as demonstrate best practices to shore up investments in FREF and its rural electrification objectives while building long term implementation and management capacity within the Department of Energy to continue FREF on a long-term basis. It will benefit at least 6,500 Fijians and avoid over 2,920 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by installing over approximately 2 megawatts of renewable energy. The provision of electricity is combined with modern auxiliary services such as smart meters, mobile payment, digital connectivity and clean water and sanitation solutions to - among other things โ induce productive electricity use cases and lift standards of living in rural communities. The ability to productively harness the provided clean electricity is expected to enable rural Fijians to increase community income through multiple economic activities, reduce social inequality and promote gender inclusivity. All of which also contributes to building more climate informed resilient livelihoods. ** https://www.undp.org/pacific/projects/fiji-rural-electrification-fund-support-project *
Task DescriptionUnder the direct supervision of Project Coordinator, the UN Community Volunteer will work closely with the beneficiary communities assisting the FREF Project coordinator, and Community Engagement officer in monitoring the progress of the project. This includes, however, not limited to; - Assisting the Project coordinator in liaising with community beneficiaries in organizing activities and timely delivery of training. - Provide coordination and logistic support for various workshops and consultation meetings, venue, refreshments, registration and evaluation surveys on the training days. - Carrying out community profiling and needs assessment, compiling report and advising the FREF team on needs on the ground. - Mentoring & assisting members of the community in preparing relevant documents and applications for registering cooperative, business for joint venture. - Conduct regular check in on FREF construction site under clear guidance from the Project Coordinator. - Assist the Project coordinator and FREF team with translation during field visits. Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor. Furthermore, UN Community Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: - Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); - Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. - Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. - Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. - Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. - Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible. .Results/Expected Outputs: 1. Community Engagement & Awareness Output: Conduct community consultations and awareness sessions on the benefits, usage, and maintenance of solar mini grids. KPI: - At least 3 community meetings conducted per village before installation of solar mini grid. This will focus on raising awareness about FREF, responsibilities of FREF to the community, responsibilities of households as FREF customers, responsibility of the contractors and any other relevant stakeholders. - 80% community participation in awareness sessions. - At least 50% of attendees are women, youth, and marginalized groups. 2. Facilitation of Household and Community Surveys Output: Assist in data collection for household energy needs, socio-economic conditions, and willingness-to-pay assessments. KPI: - 100% of target households surveyed before installation. - Accurate and timely submission of survey data to project teams (within agreed timelines). 3. Support for Mini-Grid Installation & Logistics Output: Coordinate with project teams, contractors, and local communities to ensure smooth installation. KPI: Assist in identifying and securing community land for solar grid infrastructure. - Communicate and remind community about upcoming key milestones in the lead up to, during and post installation of solar minigrid systems. - Update Project Team on potential major delays for solar mini-grid construction due to community-related issues. 4. Capacity Building & Training Support Output: Support training of community members on solar system maintenance, governance, and payment mechanisms. KPI: - At least 1 training session per community conducted on the mechanics of FREF - At least 3 community members are trained to maintain the technical and financial operations of the FREF solar mini grid solution. - At least 50% of trained individuals are women and youth. 5. Stakeholder Coordination & Reporting Output: Act as a liaison between the community, government agencies, and UNDP project teams. KPI: - Monthly progress reports submitted on time. - Zero unresolved community grievances reported beyond agreed resolution timelines. 6. Promotion of Productive Uses of Energy (PUE) Output: Support communities in identifying opportunities for using solar power for incomegenerating activities (e.g., cold storage for fisheries, agro-processing, handicrafts). KPI: - At least 2 economic activities identified per community. - At least 40% of households show interest in using electricity for economic purposes. - Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment - A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed
Competencies and values- Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNDP Pacific Office; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNDP Pacific Office procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; - Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNDP Pacific Office in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organizationโs interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority. - Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; - Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. - Planning and organizing; effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities - Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; - Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary. - Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards UNDP Pacific Office mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.
Living conditions and remarksThe duration of the assignment is indicated above with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. The current Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers will apply to UN Community Volunteers as an interim measure until a full review of the national Conditions of Service is undertaken, with the following modifications as per Interim Policy Note on UN Community Volunteers. UN Community Volunteers are expected to be recruited locally and work within their community, they are therefore not expected to travel to the duty station and are not eligible for a settling in grant. In addition, UN Community Volunteers should not require reintegration back into their locales upon completion of their service. Therefore, there is no entitlement to a resettlement allowance. The applicable volunteer living allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included. UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of allowances for UN Volunteers is to enable them to sustain a modest and secure standard of living at the duty station. The allowances are in no way to be understood as a compensation, reward or salary in exchange for the volunteer work. Monthly Living Allowance: FJD 898.96 Entry Lump Sum: USD 50 Medical and life insurance (Cigna) Leave entitlements (annual leave, sick leave, learning leave, maternity/ paternity leave โ details can be found in the Conditions of Service: https://explore.unv.org/cos) Access to UNV's learning and career development resources