Programme Associate (Open to All Applicants) (Bahrain) Manama

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

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office in the Kingdom of
Bahrain operates within the context of a high-income, net-contributing country,
where UNDP engagement is fully funded through government cost-sharing and
aligned with national development priorities. Bahrain is implementing an
ambitious national reform agenda under Bahrain Vision 2030 and the Government
Programme (2023–2026), with a strong focus on economic diversification, fiscal
sustainability, effective governance, environmental resilience, digital
transformation, and inclusive human development. As a net contributor country,
UNDP Bahrain maintains a lean operational footprint while delivering high-value
technical assistance, policy advisory services, and innovation-driven solutions
in support of national priorities.

UNDP Bahrain’s programme is guided by the Country Programme Document (CPD)
2025–2029, approved by the UNDP Executive Board in January 2025, and is fully
aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework
(UNSDCF) 2025–2029. The financial envelope for the 2025–2029 Country Programme
Document (CPD) is structured around a total estimated cost of US 2.5 million for
Economic Prosperity (Outcome 1) and US  5 million for Environmental
Sustainability (Outcome 3). As of late 2025, the Country Office manages seven
ongoing projects with a total remaining budget of approximately US$ 1.8 million.
These initiatives are distributed across the three CPD outcomes: Outcome 1
(Economic Prosperity) and Outcome 3 (Environmental Sustainability) each account
for about 37–38% of the project count, while Outcome 2 (Governance) makes up the
remaining 25%. Notable projects include the SIU and KIP Chemicals initiatives,
whereas others like D4SMEs, Rule of Law, and Youth Leadership.

The CPD positions UNDP as a trusted strategic partner to the Government of
Bahrain, contributing to UNSDCF outcomes through integrated, multi-sectoral
interventions that address complex development challenges at the intersection of
economic prosperity, governance and human rights, and environmental
sustainability. Under the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2025–2029, UNDP
Bahrain’s engagement is structured around three interrelated CPD pillars:
(i) Economic prosperity and sustainable livelihoods;
(ii) Effective governance, human rights, and access to justice; and
(iii) Environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

These pillars reflect national priorities under Bahrain Vision 2030 and the
Government Programme (2023–2026), and constitute UNDP’s substantive contribution
to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation
Framework (UNSDCF) 2025–2029.

To ensure coherence, integration, and efficient delivery within a lean Country
Office structure, the Bahrain CO operationalizes the three CPD pillars through
two integrated programme clusters. The first cluster brings together economic
transformation, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental sustainability, the
second cluster focuses on governance, human rights, access to justice, and
social inclusion.

This two-cluster delivery model enables the Country Office to manage complexity,
promote synergies across CPD pillars, and apply a portfolio approach to
programme design, implementation, and partnerships. Staff are therefore expected
to work across thematic boundaries, contribute to integrated solutions, and
support joint programming within the UN system, while ensuring results-based
management, quality assurance, and alignment with national and UNSDCF
priorities.

In this context the Programme Unit works to support achievement of UNDP
strategic objectives and to help the Country Office act with both ambition and
scale to address urgent problems facing the country, the region, as well as
global conditions. Programme staff assist the Country Office in formulating and
implementing programme strategies that go beyond solving immediate development
challenges to create future smart and integrated systemic changes in resilience
and capacity building within the country.

Duties and Responsibilities

1) Support formulation of programme strategies and implementation of the Country
Programme Documents (CPDs)

•    Provide background information for preparation of CPDs and establishment of
Baselines, Milestones and Targets (BMT). 

•    Provide information/evidence to guide future programming and identify
implementation arrangements.

2) Provide effective support to the management of the Country Office programme.

•    Create project in ERP, prepare required budget revisions, revise project
status, determine unutilized funds, and ensure operational and financial closure
of a project.

•    Provide day-to-day guidance to implementing partners on implementation of
projects, and track use of financial resources. Contribute to managing digital
technology solutions in programme implementation towards scalability and
sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.

•    Contribute to the effective management of data in programme implementation,
across the data lifecycle. Follow up on programme and project performance
indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, preparation of reports,
and implementation of corporate results-based management mechanisms and tools. 

•    Identify programme related bottlenecks and propose solutions.

•    Make preparations for external and internal programme/project audits, and
support implementation of audit recommendations.

•    Provide administrative support to the Programme unit by maintaining
internal expenditure system and performing quality assurance review of technical
reports and payments that includes following up with other units and taking
timely corrective actions.

•    Backstopping of Programme Associates in other thematic areas is
expected.    

3) Support implementation of the CO partnership and resource mobilization
strategies

•    Analyze information on donors and prepare donor profiles. 

•    Track and report on mobilized resources. 

•    Review contributions agreements and manage contributions in ERP. 
 

4)   Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Country Office

•    Organize and deliver programme related training for relevant programme and
operations personnel.

•    Compile lessons learned and best practices.

•    Provide contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice and
digital knowledge platforms.

Competencies

Core 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 (insert up to 7 competencies) 

Thematic Area Name Definition 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

Business Management  Digital Awareness and Literacy
* Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through
skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and
empowering others to use them as needed

Business Management  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.

Business Management Communication
* Ability to 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. 

Business Management Monitoring
* Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the
consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and
programme performance and results.

Technical – Finance Budget management
* Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and
management of team budgets

Technical – _Procurement

Procurement 

management

* The ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external
source

Institutional Arrangement

Under the overall guidance of the Transition Manager, and the direct supervision
of the Programme Analyst, (NOB) in corresponding thematic area, the Programme
Associate ensures effective delivery of the CO programme by entering and
managing data and supporting programme implementation consistent with UNDP rules
and regulations.

The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations,
Programme and projects’ staff in the CO and UNDP HQ, and UN Agencies to exchange
information and resolve complex finance-related issues.

Incumbent is expected to display innovation, initiative, and a strong client
orientation that encourages and rewards the timely delivery of services for all
clients and partners. S/he might be required to undertake emerging tasks and
additional duties as requested by direct supervisor or senior management.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

* Secondary education is required. OR
* A university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in Business Administration, Public
Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related
field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement. 

Experience:

* A minimum of 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s
degree) of relevant progressively responsible administrative/management or
programme experience is required at the national and/or international level
is required
* Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word,
Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as
ERP is required.
* Prior experience working with UN /international agencies working in the
support of economic prosperity and environment is highly desirable.
* Prior experience working with quality assurance dashboards would be
desirable.
* Experience in supporting the management of development projects will be
desirable.
* Experience in reviewing and editing documents and proven ability to produce
meeting reports identifying key actions is desired.

Language(s):

* Fluency in English and national language (Arabic) 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
[https://www.undp.org/careers/using-ai-responsibly-undp-recruitment-and-selection]

Scam alert

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information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

Support the formulation and implementation of Country Programme Documents and provide operational management of projects via ERP systems. Assist in resource mobilization, partnership strategies, and the facilitation of knowledge sharing within the Country Office.

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