Over the past decades, Bangladesh made remarkable human development progress, despite frequent intensive and extensive disasters, impact of climate change and, more recently, the Rohingya refugee crisis. As one of the world's fastest growing economies, the country is an aspirant of LDC graduate and aims to become a developed nation by 2041. 

  • Provide policy guidance, thought leadership and subject matter expertise 
  • Lead, coordinate and manage portfolio 
  • Deliver quality assurance and ensure value for money of programme interventions
  • Facilitate strategic partnerships and resource mobilization
  • Lead knowledge management and communication of results
  • Provide intellectual or substantive leadership in the subject area especially in UNDP support for achievement of SDG 16 as well as other supporting SDGs particularly Goals 10 and 17, through identification of key policy issues and formulation of best possible and alternative policy options for UNDP. Stimulate strategic thinking in the subject area and tap into opportunities.  This will include, among others: 
  • Coordination of development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.  This includes supporting the management in leading the policy and advocacy discourse towards toward unified frameworks for poverty reduction, democratic governance and climate change, environmental sustainability and resilience at policy and programming levels.
  • Provide intellectual or substantive leadership in CO-wide efforts to ground programmes on sound political economy analysis
  • Identification of programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities 
  • Preparation and operationalization of UNSDCF / CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identification of possibilities for joint programming
  • Systematically engage project colleagues and citizen engagement specialist to incorporate the views of target groups in programme / project design
  • Design, formulation, and coordination of the CO programme implementation with development partners and implementing partners
  • Planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programme portfolios
  • Programme oversight and programme management
  • Development of AWPs in concert with CO annual planning, including facilitating the day-to-day functioning of the Portfolio 
  • Development of project documents within corporate standards
  • Maintenance of project and programme risk logs
  • Conduct of programme / project reviews and codification of lessons learned
  • Effective monitoring, measuring the impact of the CO programme and evaluation
  • Tracking use of financial resources  
  • Implementation of NIM oversight measures (incl. oversight of NIM advances, documentation of capacity assessments, etc.) 
  • Constant monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely readjustment of programme, as well as measure the impact of the projects and ensure that results and lessons learned feed into the analytical and project work (i.e. results used to make decisions).
  • Leverage innovative approaches, resources, and collaborative efforts to enhance programme and project impact
  • Ensure that UNDP Strategic Plan priorities and corporate programme quality standards are integrated into the UNDP’s programme formulation
  • Ensure robust project design, including articulation of Theory of Change and a strong results framework (identifying key costs, risks, opportunities and measurable outcomes). Defining how the inputs, outputs and outcomes would add up to the overall impact statement, including a thorough scrutiny of evidence.
  • Explore alternative options for project delivery, and selection of the most appropriate delivery route to achieve the expected results (including a detailed delivery scheduling and VfM indicators at the outset)
  • Regular review of progress against the results frameworks/ Theory of Change and VfM assessments (utilizing the latest metrics), including implementing recommendations from periodic reviews.
  • Ensure clarity and transparency in budgeting and reporting of expenditure, including understanding and managing of key cost drivers.
  • Work closely with integrated service delivery team to improve cost consciousness; more efficient procurement and timely recruitment. 
  • Quality assurance of project outputs.
  • Creation and coordination of partnerships with the UN Agencies, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society, etc. 
  • Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing.
  • Mobilize and network with the experts of international development community, government partners, UN Agencies and prominent think-tanks. 
  • Mobilize resources to support the achievement of programme outcomes.
  • Lead and support the effective management of partnership coordination platforms, for example, relevant Local Consultative Group (LCG) working groups, UNSDCF Pillars, and other appropriate mechanisms as they emerge
  • Actively promotes and facilitates innovative approaches to results delivery.
  • Translates evaluation findings, real-time monitoring data, and applied learning to formulating adaptations in UNDP’s programme / project and policy advisory work
  • Sound and proactive contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice
  • Facilitation of knowledge building and management especially between the programme and projects
  • Establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks
  • The key results impact on the overall success of the country programme and reaching UNSDCF/ CPD goals. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.
  • Ability to make new and useful ideas workLevel 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them;
  • Ability to persuade others to followLevel 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers;
  • Ability to improve performance and satisfactionLevel 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others;
  • Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transformLevel 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others;
  • Ability to get things done while exercising good judgementLevel 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions;
  • Master’s Degree in political science, public policy, democracy, governance, economics, social or development sciences, public administration, judicial reform, human rights or related field.
  • Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in promoting democracy and governance issues (parliament, civil service, public administration, decentralization, electoral reforms, police and security, judicial reforms, human rights, social security, gender, urban governance, youth engagement, civil society development) at national and sub-national levels, in providing management advisory services, 
  • Minimum 3 years of experience of implementing multiple complex projects in broader democratic governance areas in partnership with national government is required
  • Knowledge of current issues and trends in democracy and governance
  • Knowledge and/or experience of working with UNDP programmes
  • Experience working with UN, international organisations will be added advantage.
  • Experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments. 
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software 
  • Fluency in written and spoken English and Bengali

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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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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.

Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

This vacancy is archived.

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