Background
Since Timor-Leste attained independence in 2001, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office has served as a steadfast partner to the Government, actively supporting the nation’s state-building initiatives and sustainable development objectives. Presently, UNDP Timor-Leste is implementing its Country Programme Document (CPD) for the period 2021–2025, which is aligned with the National Strategic Plan of Timor-Leste as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for the same timeframe, thereby reinforcing the country’s national priorities. The programme is structured around three principal outcome areas:
- Sustainable economic opportunities and the promotion of decent work for all.
- Climate change resilience and sustainable management of ecosystems.
- Accessible, accountable, and gender-responsive governance systems, institutions, and services at both the national and municipal levels.
These outcomes are operationalized through three dedicated programmatic units: the Economic Development and Prosperity Unit, the Climate Change and Environment Unit, and the Democratic Governance Unit. Each unit administers a range of projects and initiatives targeting specific challenges in close collaboration with pertinent government ministries, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
The forthcoming CPD for 2026–2030, scheduled for endorsement in September 2025, will place particular emphasis on decentralization and improved access to services; the rule of law and access to justice; public transparency and accountability; as well as electoral cycles and participatory processes.
Within this framework, the Democratic Governance Unit (DGU) is committed to enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, fairness, and inclusiveness of state governance. The unit provides technical assistance in policy formulation and capacity development, integrating customized solutions with international best practices and expertise. The DGU maintains flexibility to respond to evolving government priorities while remaining firmly anchored in UNDP’s core principles and strategic focus areas. Accordingly, the DGU continuously seeks to refine its programming strategies and priorities to maximize impact.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR), the Programme Analyst of Country Office (CO) programme in the area of Governance. S/he works in close collaboration with other policy/programme and operations teams to ensure coherent, timely, and appropriately prioritized support to effective implementation of the country programme. Cross-cutting coordination with Communications, Economist, Gender, Oversight and Compliance, and other relevant experts will be required to increase the impact of the development interventions. The Programme Analyst leads in policy development, strategic planning and partnerships for new programme areas, pipeline development and project design, effective monitoring in line with the country programme priorities. The Programme Analyst develops innovative solutions while ensuring quality assurance, programme oversight and compliance of the programme and project management.
The Programme Analyst ensures effective oversight on programme/ portfolio management, accountability, and achievement of the CPD results within the assigned outcome, and supervises staff assigned within the unit. The incumbent works in close collaboration with Bangkok Regional Hub, UNDP HQ, staff from other UN Agencies and national partners from the Government, civil society, and donors through multilateral and/or bilateral arrangements. The position requires occasional travel within the country to conduct monitoring/field visits, as required by the nature of the projects.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
1. Provides strategic direction and effective management of the country programme, focusing on the area of Governance:
Leads programme/ project design with development partners, UN Agencies and implementing partners for the portfolio, ensuring robust articulation of Theory of Change and results from framework linking inputs and activities to programme outputs and outcomes, supported with evidence to report on the Strategic Plan and CPD indicators. Contributes to the analysis of the political, social, and economic situation in the country and ensures collaborative and coordinated preparation/revision of CCA, UNSCDF, CPD, annual business planning, Integrated Work Plan and results reporting, project documents, policy briefs, briefing notes and other programmatic documents. Identifies and analyze strategic programmatic areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities and operationalization of CPD with the Government and other partners of UNDP. Promotes and facilitates innovation and innovative approaches as well as identification of innovative development solutions to the delivery of results. Leverages innovative approaches, resources, and collaborative efforts to enhance programme and project impact. Ensures regular monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely adjustment of programme, measuring of the impact of the projects, and results and lessons learned to inform analysis, policy and programme, and project work. Ensures that women empowerment and gender mainstreaming aspects are integrated and applied in all programmes/projects from the design to implementation, including planning and budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as reporting in line with and using the corporate gender equality commitments, tools and strategies. Ensures effective application of results-based management tools and high-quality reporting of results for internal and external audiences. Ensures the integration of women empowerment and gender equality into programming and budgeting/resource allocation and supports the CO efforts to uphold the Gender Equality Seal aspirations and requirements Participates and contributes to the CO and Inter-Agency (if applicable) thematic focal teams actively making sure that the responsible activities under the respective plans are delivered successfully. Facilitates robust monitoring of key performance indicators and risks of the portfolio and leads the direction and implementation of corrective strategies and management measures based on risk-informed analysis and trends. Ensures effective monitoring of pipeline management system, programme delivery and applies appropriate actions for delivery acceleration measures. Applies UNDP’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework in the assigned portfolio, including the application of the Social and Environmental Standards in each project and ensures adequate safeguards measures. Manages team(s) and ensures that the team-specific enabling actions are included in the annual plans and implemented to meet the set targets contributing to the CO’s performance in corporate and regional KPIs. Coordinates UNDP’s support to development institutions working towards addressing national development priorities in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.2. Ensures accountability, quality control and effective oversight of the projects:
Provides strategic planning and oversight of the assigned portfolio of programmes/projects and ensures their compliance with programme and operations policies and procedures (POPP) and quality assurance standards. Ensures annual work planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of assigned portfolio in line with requirements (e.g., budget revisions, approval of CDRs, etc.). Provides quality assurance of the entire cycle of programming and management of portfolios. Performs project assurance function in projects and serves as Quality Assessors. Facilitates and quality assures the project documentation prior to final approval by Senior Management and ensures proper document management and update in the corporate systems and regional platforms (CPS, Quantum, Vital Signs, etc.) Performs the function of Manager Level 2 in ERP for development projects transactions approval in line with the established internal control framework, and ensures appropriate separation of duties is in place and maintained throughout the project cycle. Implements Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) framework covering micro assessments, assurance plans and assurance activities, carries out programme/monitoring visits, ensuring appropriate remedial actions are implemented. Ensures the establishment of the tracking mechanism for cash transfers to Implementing Partners/Responsible Parties in accordance with UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations and HACT policies. Performs clearance measures (incl. tracking of NIM advances/reimbursements, liquidation of NIM advances, clearance of FACE forms, escalating and advising the CO Management on timely remedial actions required). Facilitates assessment of barriers and opportunities to enable private sector engagement and participation and quality assures all required capacity and risk assessments, including private sector due diligence. Provides strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. Ensures compliance with a cost-recovery system for the services provided in close collaboration with the operations colleagues. Ensures adherence to the UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) as well as established CO business processes and internal controls, contributes to design of the Standard Operating Procedures on programme and project management.3. Ensures establishment and maintenance of strategic partnerships and leads resources mobilization efforts in Governance:
Identifies strategic opportunities and leads engagement on potential joint programming with other UN Agencies and entities. Ensures development and implementation of CO partnerships and resource mobilization strategies to achieve country programme outcomes related to Governance. Contributes to effective pipeline development in the Office. Supports deployment of partnership strategies and related actions with a focus on programme portfolio development and the identification of sustainable and predictable funding mechanisms for the implementation of the country programme. Leads and maintains strong partnerships with relevant development partners and government, UN Agencies, IFIs, government institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, and civil society in the designated support areas. As part of the overall CO partnerships and communications strategy and action plans, develops new project concepts to ensure project documents and financing agreements are developed with high quality and in line with UNDP corporate rules and procedures. Ensures the preparation of analysis and research of information on partners, donor profiles, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing and initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall CO efforts in resource mobilization. Leads engagement, networking and mobilization of experts of the international development community, government partners, UN Agencies, and prominent think tanks. Leads development of strategies for government financing in the Governance area. Ensures quality and timely donor reporting and adherence to the conditions and requirements of partnership agreements by programme teams and projects.4. Leads provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitates effective knowledge management:
Integrates evaluation findings, real-time monitoring data, and applied learning to adaptive programme and project management and policy advisory work. Ensures capacity building of national counterparts for effective management and compliance with funding partner’s requirements within UNDP projects. Maintains effective network with development partners and Government at the national level and sub-national level and where necessary links up with the corporate Global Policy Network of UNDP and other international development actors. Leads the implementation of awareness building and advocacy around UN/UNDP events and supports strategic communications work and knowledge management initiatives. Provides sound and proactive contributions to corporate, regional and CO events, knowledge networks and communities of practice. Writes and communicates on best practices and lessons learned linked to programme and policy goals. Facilitates knowledge building and management especially between the programme and projects and facilitates trainings for the UNDP staff and personnel and national counterparts on relevant programme issues. Contributes to development of training materials and organizes workshops, as required by the supervisor.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The Programme Analyst will be responsible for supervision, performance management and development of the Programme Associate(s) and other relevant staff, and personnel.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision makingPeople Management:
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
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 Management
Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals 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. Results-based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools. Partnerships Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies Risk Management: Identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio managementRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Policies, Law, International Development, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or related field is required, or A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree. Professional Certification in programme or project management (e.g., PRINCE-2, MSP etc.) is a distinct advantage.Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:
Minimum 2 years (with master´s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor´s degree) of working experience at the national or international level in providing policy and/or programme management advisory services with a focus on Governance. Managerial experience in a supervisory role for at least 2 years is a requirement. Prior experience in a UN Agency and/or an international organization is an advantage. Demonstrated knowledge of UNDP programme and project management policies and procedures is desirable. Proven track record of understanding of policy development processes is an advantage. Demonstrated ability in people management and working with diverse teams is an advantage. Excellent knowledge of ERP platforms (such as Oracle) is desirable. Fluency in English and Tetum is required. Working knowledge of Portuguese would be an advantage.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
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