Project Assistant

1. Position Information

Office/Unit/Project
UNDP TRCO/ Programme/Preparedness, Response and Resillience Programme/Social Cohesion and Inclusion Support for Refugees in Türkiye

Title
Project Assisstant (3)

Level
NPSA 5

Duty station (City and Country)
Ankara, Türkiye

Type (Regular or Short term)
Regular

Office- or Home-based
Office-based (Premises of the Presidency of Migration Management)

Expected starting date
1 December 2026

Expected Duration
1 year with possible extension based on performance and availability of fund.

Position Number

234071

2. Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP

The project aims to strengthen social cohesion in Türkiye by supporting the effective implementation of the national harmonization strategy. It enhances opportunities for meaningful participation in social, economic, and civic life, with a particular focus on women. Through a combination of institutional support, community-based initiatives, and targeted services, the project contributes to a more harmonious society and improves well-being for Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP), International Protection Status Holders and Applicants (IPSHA), and Turkish Citizens.

To expand access to decent employment, the project reinforces institutional coordination, regulatory frameworks, and labour governance systems while facilitating work permits and labour mobility across regions. It provides market-oriented vocational training, counselling, and job-matching services—especially in the green and digital sectors—and introduces tailored measures to increase women’s employability, including addressing care-related barriers. In parallel, the project supports voluntary relocation by delivering comprehensive resettlement and integration packages that help SuTP and IPSHA settle in new locations and participate effectively in local labour markets and community life.

The project also enhances language proficiency by scaling up accessible language and literacy programmes, with dedicated support for women and girls through enabling measures such as child-care provision. Additionally, it strengthens social cohesion by addressing cultural and social barriers, discrimination, and misinformation that hinder the participation of SuTP, IPSHA in Turkish society. These combined efforts foster mutual understanding, reduce tensions, and create an enabling environment for sustainable integration and cohesive development. I

In light of the above, the Project Assistant will support the implementation and coordination of project activities at the field level

3. Scope of Work

Support the implementation and follow-up of project-supported activities within Premises of the Presidency of Migration Management ( PMM)

- Assist in providing day-to-day technical and operational support to PMM personnel in the planning, implementation and follow-up of project-suported activities in line with the annual work plans.

- Support coordination and information exchange among relevant PMM units and project partner institutions to facilitate project-supported activities and coordinated migration management responses.

- Support continued collaboration between PMM and relevant labour market institutions on migrants’ access to formal employment, work permit-related processes, labour market participation and other related policy areas.

- Support the collection, compilation and follow-up of PMM inputs, comments and approvals required for project reports, guidelines, tools, presentations and other project outputs. Prepare routine working documents and inputs in Turkish.

- Provide operational support to PMM for project activities, including meetings, workshops, consultations, trainings, field visits, missions and other events organized in cooperation with PMM and relevant stakeholders.

- Maintain organized project-related documentation, correspondence, meeting records, approvals and supporting documents are properly filed at PMM databases, regularly updated in line with institutional procedures.

- Support the collection and compilation of sex-disaggregated data and other relevant PMM inputs on gender equality. Assisst in preparing factual background materials, as required for project-supported activities.

Support PMM’s activities on social cohesion at the central and provincial levels

- Support PMM in the implementation and follow-up of social cohesion activities and compile relevant information for their planning and evaluation.

- Support coordination and information exchange among PMM central units, provincial directorates, local authorities, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders involved in social cohesion activities.

- Assist in collecting and and compiling information on local needs, implementation challenges and emerging priorities related to social cohesion and local-level engagement.

- Assist in preparing activity concept notes, agendas, background information, participant lists, meeting notes and follow-up tables for social cohesion activities.

- Assist in collecting and organizing the information on lessons learned, good practices and implementation experiences emerging from activities carried out at the central and provincial levels.

Support PMM’s field activities, research, outreach and monitoring

- Support field-level research, outreach and monitoring activities by collecting and organizing information on migration management, spatial concentration, social cohesion, labour market access and other project-related themes.

- Assist in organizing and documenting field visits, monitoring activities, consultations, workshops, roundtable discussions and other meetings with provincial structures and local stakeholders.

- Support collection, consolidation and preliminary review of qualitative and quantitative information obtained from field activities, provincial institutions, stakeholders, beneficiaries and service providers.

- Assist in maintaining up-to-date tracking tools to follow up on field-level decisions, recommendations, actions, timelines and responsibilities.

Support inter-institutional coordination, partnerships and stakeholder engagement

- Assist with the regular communication among relevant PMM units, public institutions, labour market institutions, local authorities, civil society organizations, NGOs, service providers and other project stakeholders. Facilitate communication with UNDP and UN agencies through designated focal points.

- Support PMM’s coordination with institutions relevant to migrants’ access to formal employment, including labour market actors and public institutions responsible for employment, vocational training, work permits and social security.

- Assist in organizing and documenting coordination meetings, technical consultations, working group meetings and other stakeholder engagement activities carried out under the project.

- Assist in Maintain and regularly update project-related contact lists, stakeholder databases and coordination tracking tools.

- Collect, compile and follow-up on feedback, inputs and recommendations received from PMM, provincial institutions, project partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries.

- Collect and compile factual information and PMM inputs required for project communicationand visibility materials and follow up on relevant PMM comments and approvals

Support data collection, data management, analysis and evidence-based decision-making

- Assist data collection of project-related data and information from PMM units, provincial directorates, responsible parties, service providers and other relevant stakeholders.

- Support the collection, organization, review and presentation of data on migration, labour markets, formal employment, spatial concentration and social cohesion activities.

- Support the collection and updating of PMM-related monitoring information and provide the project team with the relevant data and inputs.

- Assist in compiling and and presenting basic information on the implementation of project-supported activities against agreed plans and indicators.

- Collect and communicate information on implementation challenges, operational issues and emerging risks identified through project-supported activities.

- Regularly update relevant databases, monitoring tools, activity trackers and reporting templates with information received from PMM units and provincial directorates.

Support the collection of information on relevant policy and operational developments

- Assist in collecting and compiling information on relevant policy, legislative, institutional and operational developments in the areas of migration management, social cohesion, spatial concentration, labour market access and formal employment

- Assist in preparation of summaries and background notes on relevant developments to support PMM and UNDP in adapting project activities to evolving national and local contexts.

- Collect and organize information on emerging trends, implementation challenges, risks, opportunities and good practices relevant to project-supported activities.

- Assist in sharing approved factual information and updates with relevant PMM units and the UNDP project team.

Support project-supported knowledge sharing and capacity-building activities within PMM

- Assist organization of trainings, briefings, workshops, consultations and capacity-development activities for PMM personnel, provincial institutions and other relevant stakeholders.

- Support the preparation and adaptation of training materials, guidelines, tools, presentations and other capacity-development documents developed under the project.

- Collect and organize approved project materials, lessons learned, good practices, tools and guidelines and support their sharing among relevant PMM units and provincial structures

- Assist in maintaining organized records of institutional and field-level experiences, lessons learned and good practices emerging from project-supported activities

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary by PMM and UNDP for the efficient implementation of project-supported activities.

4. Institutional Arrangement:

The Project Assistant will be based at PMM premises in Ankara for the duration of the assignment and will report directly to the UNDP Project Manager. The incumbent will work in close coordination with designated PMM counterparts and relevant UNDP project personnel.

5. 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

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 to monitor new and emerging technologies,

as well as understand their usage, potential,

limitations, impact, and added value. Ability to

rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies

in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of

digital technologies and emerging trends

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

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 & Evaluation

Ability to systematically monitor results of

strategies, programmes, and activities with a view

to make sure that they are being implemented

effectively; Ability to provide managers and key

stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting

on the consistency or discrepancy between

planned activities and programme management

and results.

Ability to make independent judgment of the

management and results of strategies,

programmes and activities based on set criteria

and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and

concerns of client, current and upcoming.

Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and

evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies,

systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an

independent judgement based on set criteria and

benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming

needs and concerns.

Technical - Finance
Budget management

Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of teambudgets

General (across the

functions)

Event planning and execution
Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate

6. Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA

Minimum Education requirements

- Secondary education is required. Or

- University Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, International Relations, Social Sciences, Migration Studies, Development Studies, or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

- Minimum of 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required

Required skills

- Experience in one or more of the following areas in Türkiye: migration management, refugee response, social cohesion and harmonization, labour market inclusion, formal employment, work permit-related processes, or related development and humanitarian fields.

- Experience in supporting project/programme implementation, including planning, follow-up of activities, preparation of inputs for work plans, progress updates, reports, briefing notes, meeting minutes and other project documents.

- Experience in supporting coordination and information exchange with PMM units, provincial directorates, Turkish public institutions, local authorities, civil society organizations, service providers and/or other relevant stakeholders.

- Experience in collecting, compiling, organizing and conducting basic checks of qualitative and/or quantitative information for activity planning, monitoring and follow-up purposes.

- Experience in providing administrative, operational and logistical support to meetings, workshops, trainings, consultations, missions, field visits or similar project activities.

- Experience in maintaining project records, correspondence, supporting documents, tracking tools, databases and/or filing systems.

- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

- Experience in supporting projects implemented in cooperation with UN agencies and EU-funded programmes..

- Experience in working at Presidency of Migration Management ( PMM)

Required Language(s)

- Fluency in Turkish is required.

- Working knowledge of English is desired.

Professional Certificates
n/a