Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. 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.
Lebanon continues to confront an unprecedented financial and economic crisis facilitated by a history of violence, volatility, and social inequality that has undermined the subsistence capacity of already vulnerable populations. The country continues hosting the largest numbers of refugees per capita in the world (almost 1 in 3), estimated at 1.5 million displaced Syrians along with 31,400 Palestine refugees from Syria, 35,000 Lebanese returnees, and a pre-existing population of more than 174,422 Palestine refugees, and risks for new displacement waves are rising with a deteriorating geopolitical environment. This multi-layered crisis has devastating impacts on the social, economic and environmental capital of the country and, increasingly, on its social cohesion and stability as well.
Communities hosting large numbers of displaced populations have to face, with inadequate institutional capacities, fast-dwindling resources, and insufficient collective approach, the lingering consequences of the Syrian displacement crisis, exacerbated since 2019 by a severe economic, fiscal and governance meltdown, while pressure from climate change keeps increasing. This state-of-affairs undermines their capacity to cope with the immediate impacts of the compounded crisis – including breakdowns in essential services, rising poverty and the stiffening of inter- and intra-community tensions – and curtails their ability to overcome systemic challenges through a development approach, including, but not limited to, the protracted presence of displaced populations with no durable solutions in sight.
The Lebanon Host Community Support Project – Phase 2 (LHSP 2.0) Project builds upon the long accumulated experience and lessons learnt of implementing the LHSP since 2014. LHSP 2.0 proposes to anchor more firmly stabilization activities into an integrated local development paradigm, to work more at an area-based level in clusters and unions and to strengthen its support to municipal capacity development, in order to increase impact and sustainability of stabilization support.
At the local level, the LHSP 2.0 aims to help increase coping and sustainable development capacities in host communities and create a more enabling environment for mitigating and preventing tensions by:
reducing perceived competition between different population groups over public services, livelihood and economic opportunities by helping to maintain and increase service outputs and create economic opportunities, in a context of acute incapacitation of the public and private sectors to maintain their levels of operations and to mitigate negative crisis impacts over populations, Lebanese, displaced or refugees; and providing conflict-sensitive and inclusive dialogue and decision-making spaces where different components of local communities can explore and agree peacefully on their common interests and build their own pathway to a more sustainable future.The Project has four outputs: Output 1 Local governance for stabilization Mechanisms and capacities built in hosting areas for generating and implementing in a conflict-sensitive and gender-transformative manner local plans that can help prevent and respond to tensions and sustainably reduce multi-dimensional vulnerabilities. Output 2 Essential services & infrastructure Physical infrastructure, including for energy supply, enhanced and more sustainable service delivery models promoted to secure affordable access to basic and social services, including energy supply, for vulnerable groups and hosting communities. Output 3 Livelihoods & local economic recovery Decent livelihoods opportunities paying living income increased for vulnerable groups, including women, youth and people with disabilities, and opportunities for low-carbon and inclusive economic recovery generated, including through the social enterprise sector. Output 4 Social peace & social capital Community-based peacebuilding initiatives, including in schools and media space, supported to help reduce tensions, prevent violence, including against women, and create an enabling environment for collective action for the public good.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of LHSP CTA and the overall supervision of the CPCR Programme Specialist, and in close coordination with the LHSP Head of Engineering Unit, Project Officer, and Area Managers, the Contract Specialist is responsible for conducting reviews and overseeing contracts award and administration:
Review and evaluate tender documents; Administer the awarded contracts and contract amendments; Serve as the liaison between contractors and senior engineers, site engineers, CPCR programme, and procurement Unit; For any contract amendment, facilitate the negotiations, recommendations, and keep records of discussions with contractors; Prepare guidelines related to contract management for the engineers in the Areas and National offices according to the standards and best practices; Develop and implement best practices procedures and ensure that UNDP’s vision is carried out every day through its projects implemented in the four areas; Develop procedures that deal with contractors, local authorities, and LHSP staff that helps maintain best practices, provide a baseline for accountability expectations, and protect against legal, regulatory, and liability issues; Establish and Maintain templates and approval workflows to solidify and simplify processes across the different LHSP Units and procurement Unit; Enhance the workflows, reduce manual tasks, and automate processes to work as effectively as possible, Review and amend standard contract documentation as required; Provides general assistance & advice on contractual & procurement matters; Execute spot-checks to ensure that works are implemented as per the approved design, and that the contractor is respecting the contract terms; Assist in the evaluation of the performance of the engineering unit, draft lessons learned, and propose a strategy for the next year; Ensure that consultants are respecting the terms of contracts and providing quality design with minimal errorsInstitutional Arrangement
The selected incumbent will be working will work under the direct supervision of the CTA and will coordinate closely with all LHSP colleagues.
Competencies Core Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: Thematic Area Name Definition Business Management Project Management Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals Business Direction & Strategy System Thinking Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system Business Direction & Strategy Effective Decision Making Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources Business Management Risk Management Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks Business Management Operations Management Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organizations business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms External Relations & Advocacy Public relations Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate and its brand, while ensuring that individual campaigns and other communications and advocacy initiatives are supported in reaching the public External Relations & Advocacy Resource mobilization Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements Required Skills and Experience Min. Education requirements
This vacancy is archived.