Back Governance Chief Tchnical Advisor

Over the past two decades, Cambodia has made significant economic progress, with growth being over 7%. There is an opportunity to underpin this progress by an inclusive and equitable social contract. This can be done through, for instance, strengthening social capital, expanding trust among social groups as well as between groups and the government, establishing and improving access to participatory mechanisms, and enabling decision-makers to hear the voices of citizens.  

UNDP Cambodia has substantially engaged in the past on sub-national governance support, as well as more recently on national reconciliation, civil society engagement, and innovation in public service delivery. Building on this, UNDP wants to expand its technical expertise and offer on inclusive and participatory governance and sustainable peace in at least two main ways, in order to achieve its commitments under the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF – 2019-2023) as well as the UNDP Country Programme (2019-2023). Firstly, UNDP wants to adopt a portfolio approach to governance, and look at innovative ways in which to address the country’s priorities that are incorporated in the said development frameworks. Secondly, UNDP wants to build on its experience in the past, in supporting the development of institutional and civil society capacities for environmental protection and climate resilience as well as socio-economic development.

UNDP Cambodia is also looking at more integrated and collaborative ways to help the country achieve sustainable development. The Country Office (CO) has identified new ways of working that will facilitate more collaboration and integration across the policy and programme clusters, as well as the Accelerator Lab and teams working on focus areas such as climate resilience, economic development, governance, youth, gender and disability.

The Programme Advisor - Governance works with overall guidance from the Resident Representative. S/he reports directly to the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR). S/he also works in close collaboration with the Assistant Resident Representatives on Programme and Policy respectively, as well as the Peace and Development Adviser based at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. The Programme Advisor - Governance will function as the senior technical advisor on governance and sustainable peace to the CO Senior Management team. S/he leads UNDP Cambodia’s efforts to ensure the achievement of the country programme results and provision of thought leadership and strategic positioning on governance and sustainable Peace.

S/he also helps drive integration of work at all levels, from overall direction setting to ideas generation, design, implementation – and further on to reporting, partnerships and communication. In exercising these roles, s/he supervises a team comprised of international and national staff and provides technical guidance for the deployment of additional long and short-term expertise, as required.

Within the Country Office structure, the Programme Advisor – Governance will be responsible for managing the country office governance portfolio and its corresponding projects (including respective project teams) working at national and sub-national levels. This includes importantly, taking on the technical leadership of a new project – Building Capacities for Civic Engagement, Peacebuilding and Inclusive Dialogue: Towards Inclusive and Participatory Governance.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Provide strategic and integrated advisory services on governance and sustainable peace;
• Lead programme/portfolio/project formulation in the areas of governance and sustainable peace;
• Lead the implementation of governance-related portfolio/projects according to UNDP policies and procedures;
• Partnership Management;
• Build and maintain networks as well as internal and external knowledge sharing in areas of governance and sustainable peace.

1. Provide strategic and integrated advisory services on governance and sustainable peace:

• Leads UNDP’s policy positioning on key thematic issues relating to governance and sustainable peace;
• Provides authoritative technical and strategic advice on possible areas for UNDP support and adjustment of on-going programme to ensure alignment with national policies and priorities;
• Engages in policy dialogue on governance and cross-cutting issues with the Government, other UN agencies, development partners, civil society, private sector and other actors. Supports UNDP’s Senior Management on relevant technical working groups;
• Provides substantive inputs to political economy analysis;
• Leads and contributes to provision of high-quality analysis, substantive inputs and development of strategic documents within the governance and sustainable peace thematic area for internal and external dissemination;
• Works with the UNDP Cambodia Accelerator Lab and its global network to introduce innovation in governance;
• Works with other UNDP programmes/projects to identify and develop synergies as well as integrate governance into areas such as climate resilience, economic development, governance, youth, gender and disability.

2. Lead programme/portfolio/project formulation in the areas of governance and sustainable peace:

• Advises and leads programmatic cooperation in the area of governance and sustainable peace based on national priorities, UNDP country programme objectives, and good global practices and lessons learned;
• Ensures annual planning and management of portfolio activities, including a portfolio monitoring plan;
• Leads the delivery of relevant portfolio activities; identifies modalities to achieve development targets; and plans, coordinates and monitors joint activities with other teams and with other UN agencies;
• Monitors project work progress and ensures accountability of Project Managers, Coordinators  and other key staff for the delivery of the projects toward programme/portfolio objectives;
• Provides quality inputs to CO risk management, monitoring and evaluation systems;
• Facilitates high quality engagement with stakeholders, including through regular meetings of the portfolio/project board/s, for strategic steering of portfolio/project activities in line with the country programme;
• Generates evidence through data collection, validation and analysis to inform project/proposal formulation;
• Leads the formulation of new programmes/projects and funding proposals that contribute to the UNDP Country Programme (2019-2023) governance and sustainable peace-related outcome/outputs;
• Ensures mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment in all governance and sustainable peace programming/projects and achievement of a minimum of GEN2 ratings.

3. Lead the implementation of governance-related portfolio/projects according to UNDP policies and procedures:

• Work closely with government and civil society organisations to identify areas of collaboration, implement initiatives, and support on the development of approaches, methods and tools;
• Provide technical guidance to project staff, consultants and contractors to ensure quality of deliverables and full compliance with portfolio/project management and implementation policies, rules and regulations;
• Provide guidance to the portfolio/project team to prepare the portfolio/project workplans and progress reports;
• Demonstrates commitment to achieving 50/50 gender balance in portfolio and project teams.

4. Partnership Management:

• Advocates for UNDP with government counterparts at all levels, with non-state actors and development partners; networks and helps build credible working relations and effective partnerships;
• Prioritizes identifying and building new national partnerships to support programme/portfolio implementation, including monitoring/reporting of UNDP projects and activities, provision of training to national counterparts, and provision of policy and analytic advisory services;
• Ensures full and timely reporting of development results with a focus on sustainability and on value for money; develops and pursues effective communication for development results and public outreach;
• Develops and implements resource mobilization strategies in the area of governance and sustainable peace to achieve programme results; identifies synergies with development partners and pursues targeted resource mobilization;
• Provides substantive contributions from UNDP to the work of the UNCT on governance and sustainable peace issues within the framework of the UNDAF; promotes thematic and sectorial synergies, and joint programming; represents UNDP in relevant inter-agency task forces; and contributes to UNDAF planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting processes, especially on outcome 4, in cooperation with OHCHR and UN Women.

5. Build and maintain networks as well as internal and external knowledge sharing in areas of governance and sustainable peace:

• Identify and document lessons learnt and good practices emerging from initiatives;
• Consolidate and provide substantive inputs, lessons learnt and good practices emerging from portfolio/projects to UNDP CO platforms and global/regional practice networks;
• Conduct technical exchanges and facilitate knowledge sharing.

Impact of Results

The key results of the post will have a significant impact on the overall success of the Country Programme and UNDAF, through strategic direction, integrated programme and policy advisory services, cross-cluster synergies and innovation on governance and sustainable peace, as well as resource mobilization.

Core Competencies

Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Level 6: Exercises stakeholder-centered design approaches for office / programme / division

Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 6: Ensures teams are resourced for success  and empowered to deliver

People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 6: Guides substantive specialists / teams and expands credibility and innovation capacity

Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 6: Creates confidence among stakeholders by delivering authoritative positions, compelling analysis, and contextual acumen

Delivery: Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 6: Accepts accountability for the outcomes of programme delivery and facilitates improvement and innovation in the delivery of products and services

Technical/Functional Competencies

Core Government Functions: Knowledge of key public administration areas and core government functions and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations in different development situations
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Local Governance: Knowledge of local governance systems and institutions, decentralizations policies and laws, basic service delivery and recovery planning and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Peace Building and Reconciliation: Ability to support peace processes to facilitate recovery and development
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Social Cohesion: Knowledge of methods and experience of supporting communities to achieve greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Infrastructure for Peace: Knowledge of mechanisms, methods to and the ability to contribute through dialogue and consultation in preventing conflict
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Human Rights: Knowledge of international Human Rights standards and principles and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Political Science, Law, Public Policy, Public Management and Administration, Social Science or relevant fields.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of relevant work experience in governance, including the provision of strategic and integrated advisory services and programme/project formulation and management;
• Demonstrates sound knowledge and understanding of governance and sustainable peace-related issues in Cambodia and the region;  
• Sound knowledge and familiarity with UN/UNDP work in democratic governance, and innovative approaches to governance;
• Proven track record of providing advisory services and collaborating with governments in emerging economies;
• Prior experience of development work in Cambodia or in Southeast Asia;
• Strong inter-personal and communication skills;
• Familiar with UNDP’s rules and procedures.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of written and spoken English. Working knowledge of other UN language would be an asset.
• Knowledge of Khmer language would be an asset.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension