Back Programme Analyst (Planet) (Open to external applicants)

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives. 

UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others.  The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team that provides strategic guidance on  results Management  and compliance entrusted with the corporate alignment, programme finance management and quality assurance,  and strategic communications  team that provides knowledge management and communication support to all programme interventions.

Within the Pacific Office Multi-Country Office (MCO), the Programme team has a responsibility of developing, providing oversight and ensuring adherence to the quality standards of UNDP’s projects and programmes in full alignment with the priorities set out in the MCPD and UNSDCF. During the design, implementation, and closure of projects and programme. Programme Staff provides high level advice to all PICs supported by UNDP on programming, technical issues covered under the MCPD, advocate for UNDP Corporate messages and engage partners including governments, private sector, development partners, civil society organizations, UNDP corporate bodies including regional and Headquarters to coordinate and catalyze knowledge, lessons learning and partnerships to design effective and innovative programmes. Programme team further oversees effective implementation of the multi-country programme and its outcomes and strategic direction of UNDP, contribution to UN cooperation framework. It also plays an important role in strategic planning in close consultation with the Management and oversight unit, target-setting, and results monitoring/reporting. The team further ensures that quality principles as per the UNDP policies and guidelines are adhered to during the entire cycle of programming and across management of portfolios. Strategic partnerships support resource mobilization and identify strategic programme areas of cooperation for new initiatives, including joint programming opportunities. Programme team is responsible to maintain effective 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.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Team Leader, Resilience and Climate Change based in Fiji, the Programme Analyst acts as advisor to Senior Management on all aspects of programme in the area of Resilience and Climate Change. S/he works in close collaboration with other policy and programme portfolios and the Operations Team to ensure a collaborative and harmonized joint UNDP programme. Cross-cutting coordination with MCO Communications, Gender and other relevant experts will be required to increase the impact of the development interventions. The Programme Analyst coordinates policy development, capacity building and strategic planning for new programme areas while ensuring consistency of MCPD priorities together with the advancement of strategic partnerships and resource mobilization and expansion of the country portfolio. The Programme Analyst develops innovative solutions while ensuring oversight and compliance of the vertical funds’ management for partnership building and resource mobilization.

The Programme Analyst ensures effective oversight of programme/ portfolio management, accountability, and achievement of the MCPD 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. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures implementation of programme strategies and effective management of the MCO programme, focusing on the area of resilience and climate change:

• Coordinates 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 MCPD 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, MCPD, annual business planning, Integrated Work Plan and results reporting, project documents, policy briefs, briefing notes and other programmatic documents.
• Identifies and analyzes strategic programmatic areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities and operationalization of MCPD with the Government and other partners of UNDP.
• Promotes and facilitates innovation as well as identification of innovative development solutions to the delivery of results. 
• Contributes to the design of the climate finance strategy, as well as a comprehensive landscape and key stakeholder analysis to determine implementation activities existing in climate financing, and the key stakeholders involved. 
• Contributes to sector mapping to inform financing priorities and strategies for nature, climate and energy programming. Participates in the development of green project pipeline generation for development/climate financing. 
• Ensures regular monitoring and analysis of the programme results, timely adjustment of projects activties, measuring of the impact of the projects, and that 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.
• Ensure results of projects is appropriately entered into Corporate systems including in Quantum and PIMs+
• Participates and contributes to the MCO and Inter-Agency (if applicable) thematic focal teams actively making sure that the responsible activities under the respective plans are delivered successfully. 
• Ensures robust monitoring of key performance indicators and risks of the portfolio and proposes and implements 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. 
• Oversee implementation of Projects to meet the set targets contributing to the CO’s performance in corporate and regional KPIs.
• Ensures UNDP’s support to development institutions working towards addressing national development priorities in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Contributes to pipeline and portfolio development and ensures cross-cutting collaboration between projects under the entrusted portfolio, stimulates synergies and aggregates data for portfolio reporting 

  Ensures accountability, quality control and effective oversight of the projects:

  • Ensures planning and oversight of the assigned portfolio of programmes/projects and 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.  
  • Provides quality assurance of the documentation required for requests for project extension, project revisions, or Check lists for the GEF-funded projects, etc.  
  • Quality assures the project documentation prior to final approval by the Senior Management and ensures proper document management and update in the corporate systems and regional platforms (CPS, Quantum,  etc.) 
  • Exercises transaction approval for development projects as delegated 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; and 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).
  • Supports 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.
  • Ensures 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.
  • Coordinates and quality assures the completion of the Vertical Funds project development stage and ensures appropriate separation of duties is in place and maintained throughout the project cycle. 
  • Ensures adherence to the UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) as well as established MCO business processes and internal controls, contributes to design of the Standard Operating Procedures on programme and project management.

    Ensures establishment and maintenance of strategic partnerships and implements resources mobilization efforts in the area of resilience and climate change:

    • Identifies opportunities and supports engagement on potential joint programming with other UN Agencies and entities.
    • Ensures development and implementation of MCO partnerships and resource mobilization strategies to achieve country programme outcomes related to resilience and climate change. Contributes to effective pipeline development in the Office. Ensures effective and timely pipeline management through timely and accurate update of the pipeline management module in UNITY (corporate ERP system).
    • 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, including but not limited to Environmental Vertical Funds (GCF, GEF and others).
    • Develops 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 MCO partnerships and communications strategy and action plans, proposes 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 MCO efforts in resource mobilization.
    • Contributes to engagement, networking and mobilization of experts of the international development community, government partners, UN Agencies, and prominent think tanks.
    • Implements strategies for government cost-sharing in the resilience and climate change area.
    • Ensures quality and timely donor reporting and adherence to the conditions and requirements of partnership agreements by programme teams and projects.

      Coordinates provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitates knowledge building and management:

      • Ensures integration of 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.
      • Contributes to development and implements awareness building and advocacy around UN/UNDP events and supports strategic communications work and knowledge management initiatives. 
      • Contributes to corporate, regional and MCO events, knowledge networks and communities of practice.
      • Drafts and promotes 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.

        Performs other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.

        Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The Programme Analyst will be responsible for supervision, performance management and development of the Programme Associate and relevant project-funded 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 making 

          People Management:

          UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site. 

          Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

          📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

          ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

          Business Management     

          • Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals
          • Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results
          • Partnerships Management: Ability to 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: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
          • Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment

            2030 Agenda: Planet    

            • Nature, Climate and Energy: Climate Change Adaptation: concepts and advancing resilient development

              2030 Agenda: People    

              • Gender: Gender Mainstreaming

                Required Skills and Experience

                Education:

                • Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Development Financing, Environmental Economics, Natural Resources Management, Climate Change, International Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Development Economics, Economics, International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field, or 
                • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university 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 relevant working experience at the national or international level in providing policy and/or management advisory services on nature, climate or energy.
                  • Experience in providing oversight and advisory services to multiple complex development projects in the area of nature, climate change, energy, development/climate financing or disaster risk reduction is desirable.
                  • Knowledge and experience in the management of funding mechanisms on environmental portfolio including GEF and GCF is a strong asset.
                  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills is a requirement.
                  • Demonstrated multi-stakeholder facilitation and coordination skills.
                  • Demonstrated ability in people management and working with diverse teams is an advantage. 
                  • Prior experience in a UN Agency and/or international organizations is an advantage.
                  • Experience working with high-ranking officials is an asset.
                  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling web-based management systems.
                  • Fluency in English is a requirement, local language i.e. itaukei, and or Fiji Hindi/Chinese/Rotuman or any other local language spoken in the country
                  • This position will be required to travel to countries within the MCO for up to 15% of the time. 

                    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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