Terms of Reference
Project Assistant – Saint Lucia Project Implementation Unit
Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Data for Decision Making Project
| Title: | Project Assistant – Saint Lucia, Project Implementation Unit for the OECS Data for Decision Making Project |
| Location: | Saint Lucia Central Statistical Office, The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Youth Economy |
| Duration: | 12 months, subject to extension |
| Tentative Start Date: | 1st November 2023 |
- BACKGROUND
The OECS Data for Decision Making (DDM) Project is a regional project that seeks to improve the capacity of participating Eastern Caribbean countries to produce and publicly disseminate statistical data for country and regional level analytics. It will be implemented by Saint Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the OECS Commission. The project seeks to achieve its objective by strengthening both national and regional level capacities and fostering regional coordination. At the national level, Component 1 and Component 2 of the project will strengthen national statistical systems through (i) statistical modernization and capacity building, and (ii) data production, analysis, and dissemination, with a focus on the population and housing census, living conditions surveys, labor market surveys, and agricultural census. At the regional level, Component 3 of the project will support the OECS Commission’s mandate for regional integration and the strengthening of the regional statistical system. Component 4 will support project implementation, and Component 5 will provide a contingency option for immediate surge funding in the event of a national emergency. The project is to be implemented over a five-year period commencing in 2022.
In Saint Lucia, the Department of Economic Development and Youth Economy (DED), within the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Youth Economy (MoFED) will be the lead agency for the implementation of the Project. A Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for the Saint Lucia portion of the Project is established in the DED in the MoFED under the Central Statistical Office (CSO), which is a Division within the DED in the MoFED. It is in this regard that the Government of Saint Lucia is currently seeking to recruit an individual consultant to provide administrative and technical support to serve as a full time Project Assistant in the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the OECS Data for Decision Making Project. In addition to the Project Coordinator, Deputy Project Coordinator and the other technical staff of the PIU, the successful applicant will be required to work in collaboration with the CSO leadership and relevant staff.
- SCOPE OF SERVICES
Under the direction of the Project Coordinator and Deputy Project Coordinator, the Project Assistant will be required to undertake activities as outlined below.
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- Provide administrative and logistical support to the PIU, in the implementation of the activities of the Project;
- Assist with the scheduling and coordination of meetings, workshops, missions, site visits etc., and maintain a calendar of PIU activities;
- Provide the inputs required of the PIU to ensure the timely procurement of the goods and services to be acquired under the project, including the preparation of relevant correspondence and documentation, support to advertising, acting as Secretary to evaluation procedures as directed, and support with administration of solicitation documents and monitoring of contracts, as laid out in the Project Operations Manual (POM);
- Assist with updating and uploading of procurement documents for each activity / proposed contract agreed to in the Procurement Plan onto the Bank’s online STEP (Systematic Tracking for Exchanges in Procurement;
- Assist in processing of payments and maintain a log / record of all grievances received as laid out in the POM;
- Assist in maintaining the Contract Register and the Fixed Asset Register for the purpose of Audit and post procurement review, as laid out in the POM;
- Support the maintenance of various databases linked to project functional areas, including (but not limited to) procurement activities and monitoring and evaluation;
- Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the project, including regular updating of results indicators of the Results Framework as laid out in the POM, and with the preparation of project reports, as necessary;
- Serve as Recording Secretary to the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and other meetings related to the Project, including key follow up actions;
- Prepare and disseminate meeting notes within agreed timelines;
- Prepare letters and memos in support of the work of the PIU as appropriate;
- Support the creation and maintenance of physical and electronic project records filing system; and
- Assist with any other activity that is required for the successful management of the Project.
- QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration/ Business Administration/Economics or equivalent qualifications from a recognized institution;
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- At least five years’ experience in office or project administration/management;
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Power Point, Projects, and Excel.
Additionally, the Project Assistant is expected to demonstrate the following competencies:
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- Good knowledge of Government’s operational and administrative procedures related to programme development, administration and implementation;
- Ability to apply good judgment in prioritizing assignments;
- Effective time management and organizational skills;
- Efficiency in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relationships with multi-sectoral agencies;
- Excellent analytical and problem solving skills;
- Highly developed people and team skills.
- DELIVERABLES
Deliverables expected from the Project Assistant will include, but are not limited to:
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- Inputs to project reports and schedules;
- Preparation for and coordination of workshops; missions; site visits; meetings convened for the PSC;
- Minutes of PSC Meetings and all other meetings of the PIU;
- Up-to-date project correspondence and files;
- Up to- date fixed Asset Register;
- Fully maintained, up to date project databases.
- DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT:
The duration of the entire Data for Decision Making project is 5 years. The Project Assistant will be engaged in a 12 month contract in the first instance which is renewable upon successfully achieving the duties and responsibilities at the end of the contract period.
- SELECTION METHOD
The Project Assistant will be selected through the “Individual Consultant Selection method” in accordance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement Regulations), November 2020.