** This position is open to Ethiopia nationals ONLY
BACKGROUND
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.
The Government of Ethiopia (GoE) has committed itself to transform the country into a lower-middle income status by 2025 that includes significant investments in promoting issues of good governance, voice and participation, justice and the rule of law, transparency and accountability. It has in this regard articulated a clear development agenda through its 10 Year Perspective Plan for which good governance and justice are amongst its key pillars. The governance reform initiatives in particular stress on consolidating the democratic systems, enhancing the capacity of democratic institutions, strengthening accountability and integrity systems, ensuring the rule of law and access to justice, and transforming the public sector. In recent years, the government has underlined its commitment to advancing democratic reforms, deepening citizens’ participation, transparency and accountability, effective service delivery, peacebuilding/conflict transformation, national dialogue and consensus building, and media strengthening, all through specific interventions supported by the government itself and through its development partners, UNDP being at the center.
Globally, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also provide opportunities and programme entry points to work on governance. Goal 16 of the SDG aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. As stipulated in its Strategic Plan 2021 - 2025, one of the signature solutions that UNDP committed itself to provide is strengthening effective, inclusive and accountable governance. The Strategic Plan re-affirms that ‘inclusive and accountable governance systems and processes are crucial to sustainable development and human security.
UNDP in Ethiopia has been supporting governance structures and systems for several years, and it is expected to stay the course, seek to further strengthen and consolidate its engagement. In its Country Programme Document for Ethiopia (2020 – 2025), which is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework (UNSDCF) covering the same period, UNDP commits to enhancing the capacities of federal, regional, and sub-regional institutions and systems for an open and inclusive democratic governance, reconciliation, prevention, and peaceful management of conflicts, to expand access to justice/rule of law, and to promote and protect human rights, with emphasis on bringing about tangible benefits for women and other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. By investing in this, UNDP wishes to bring about a step change in the advancement of a more inclusive, responsive, transparent, and accountable governance. In view of this, UNDP would like to recruit a competent Programme Specialist who would join the Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding Unit within the Country Office and assist the team in effectively delivering the Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding Portfolio.
Position Purpose
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Team Leader of Democratic Governance and Peace Building, the Programme Specialist is responsible for ensuring effective management of UNDP’s Democratic Governance and Justice programmes and projects, providing substantive strategic and operational support to their design, implementation and monitoring and reporting. The position holder is also expected to assist in the interface between UNDP and its implementing partners in the democratic governance and rule of law/justice sector. As such, the incumbent would be required to support the conduct of the requisite analytical and assessment to inform programme design and understand trends and patterns that impact on UNDP’s programming in the governance portfolio. He/she provides policy and technical advisory services to government counterparts as well as UNDP. The Programme Specialist also promotes and advocates for UNDP’s global mandates and priorities related to the thematic issues.
The Programme Specialist is expected to work independently, with minimal supervision but in close collaboration with the programme colleagues within the Unit and across the CO portfolio, including operations to actively engage with government partners, development partners, civil society, programme staff in other UN agencies, UNDP HQs staff and technical advisors ensuring successful CO programme management, effective resource mobilization and optimal harmonization and alignment.
Key Duties and Accountabilities
Implementation of UNDP corporate and UNDP Ethiopia’s strategies in the governance and peacebuilding sector Provision of top-quality policy/technical advice services internally within UNDP CO and externally to Government and non-governmental counterparts Management of the Country Office (CO) programmes and projects in the areas assigned Supporting strategic partnerships and resource mobilization efforts of the CO Facilitation of knowledge building and managementEnsure implementation of UNDP corporate and UNDP Ethiopia’s programme strategies in the governance and peacebuilding sector, focusing on achievement of the following results
Thorough analysis and research of the political and governance situation in the country on a continuous basis with a particular focus of areas that have impacts on UNDP’s programmes/projects, feeding into the UNCSDF, SP and CPD, Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned based on the above analysis, as well as UNDP’s corporate priorities and comparative advantages, Keeping abreast of policy changes and trends regarding public sector management, justice and human rights, parliament and democratic institutions, local governance and civil society, analyze them and inform Senior Management, Develop concept papers, briefing notes, issues papers and analytical pieces to inform UNDP policy-making and programming; Regular monitoring and analysis of assigned programmes and projects, and suggest timely readjustments in portfolio as and when necessaryEnsures effective management of the CO programme within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned focusing on quality assurance from formulation to implementation to monitoring and evaluation achieving the following results
Effective application of RBM tools, monitoring achievement of results and contribution to team and office-wide initiatives and activities (e.g., contribution to formulation of CO SP/CPD, formulation of UNSDCF, development of Result Framework including introduction of performance indicators, targets and milestones), Identify programmatic entry points through gap assessments and actively contribute to formulation of new programmes/projects within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions, Presentation of new projects to LPAC, including facilitation of launching of new initiatives, Determination of required revisions/adjustments, and coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, Coordination of programme/project implementation with implementing partners according to agreed-upon priorities, Annual Work Plans, and available resources, Financial and substantive monitoring of projects, analysis of the programme/project environment, identification of operational and financial challenges and propose timely adjustments and/solutions, Facilitate evaluation of the programmes and projects, and facilitate smooth closure of projects, Facilitation of NEX audit process, arrangements for the management response to audit recommendations and for the recommendations to be timely carried out, Regular field monitoring visits, reporting back on findings and recommendations, follow-up to ensure timely implementation of the recommendations to build the capacity of the implementing partners, Compilation of project/programme progress reports, distilling lessons learnt, contribution to ROAR and other corporate requirements, Perform functions of Project Manager in Atlas for POs and Vouchers approval, Participates in recruitment and appraisal processes for projects,Supporting strategic partnerships and resource mobilization efforts of the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:
Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and partner’s priorities, Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, Preparation of briefing notes, statements, talking points and speeches for Senior Management related to programmes and projects under custody, Maintenance of project briefs and activity information for bilateral donors, civil society, academia, private sector and other stakeholders to support UNDP’s visibility activitiesProvision of top-quality policy/technical advisory services internally and externally to Government and non-governmental partners, including donors and civil society, focusing on achievement of the following results:
Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues, Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy objectives and priorities, Represent UNDP at various technical fora as requested by the Team Leader, such as UNCT Inter-agency technical working groups, donor technical working groups, etc. Perform other activities as assigned by the Team LeaderFacilitate knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
Sound contribution to knowledge building, networks and communities of practice, Systematic recording of best practices and lessons learnt in the areas assigned, Coordination of internal and external reviews and evaluations and facilitation of application of lessons in future programming, Organization of trainings for implementing partners, operations/projects staff on programme issues,Requirements:
Education
This vacancy is archived.