UNDP Jobs - 34892- Peace and Development Advisor

Peace and Development Advisor

Location :

N'Djamena, CHAD

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

01-Mar-2013

Application Deadline :

19-Jan-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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.

Background

Post context:

The post of Peace and Development Advisor (PDA) in Chad is a key position, providing both policy level advice and guidance to the UN Resident Coordinator, and the UN Country Team, and also direct hands-on work to liaise with national counter parts, including the Office of the National Mediator, the Political Dialogue Committee, other relevant national institutions and civil society organizations, as well as relevant international actors. Working alongside national counterparts at different levels, the PDA is expected to bring international expertise and networks, and as necessary build capacity among national counterparts, with a view to the sustainability and conflict sensitivity of the interventions. The PDA is also expected to maintain linkages with broader work and initiatives of the global UN system, in particular the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the Department of Political (DPA) and UNDP at Headquarters, as well as key international players in the country.

Country context:

During the past two-and-a-half years, Chad’s security has improved significantly thanks to a combination of diplomatic efforts, military investments and international support. Nonetheless, the country’s situation remains fragile due to external and internal factors.

In recent years, the Government has increased its investments in infrastructure and health care, marking a rupture from its earlier strong emphasis on military expenditures. Efforts have also been deployed in the area of governance, through the organization of legislative, presidential and local elections. After repeated postponements since 2007, Chad’s legislative elections took place on 13 February 2011, which were considered credible by national and international observers. Presidential elections, which were organized on 25 April 2011 and boycotted by the three main opposition leaders, gave a fourth term to President Déby with 83.59% of the vote. On 5 January 2012, Chad organized its first municipal elections, during which the ruling party MPS won in most localities.

Despite progress achieved, Chad continues to face external and internal threats to its security and stability. The country suffered from the negative fallout from the 2011 Libyan crisis, including massive returns of Chadian migrant workers, a decline in trade, customs revenue, remittances and foreign direct investments from Libya, and the proliferation of fighters and weapons. Chad is also feeling the impact of the Sahel humanitarian crisis. Moreover, Chad's regained sense of relative normalcy and stability is compromised by the risk of spill-over from tensions in other neighbouring countries, particularly in Nigeria (Boko Haram), the Central African Republic and Sudan (influx of refugees).

The lack of State authority in significant portions of the country and high levels of impunity have made communities more vulnerable to violence and injustice. Competition over natural resources is a frequent source of tensions, pitting communities against each other. These dynamics have eroded fundamental structures which underlie social cohesion and peaceful coexistence among the Chadian population.

These cross-border concerns are compounded by episodes of social and political unrest. Given the strong parliamentary majority of the ruling party and the limited capacities of civil society organisations, channels through which social and political grievances can be expressed are limited. The Government’s relationship with public-sector workers is tense and has been aggravated by wage disputes with Chad’s trade unions. There is a general climate of unrest over the lack of improvement in living conditions, as highlighted by a strike by the powerful public-sector worker's union, Union des syndicats du Tchad (UST), which has paralysed N’Djamena repeatedly for long periods from June 2012 onwards. The risk of continued civil unrest over wages and living conditions remains in the upcoming period.

In this context, Chad’s political and security situation is a source of concern and requires close analysis and monitoring. United Nations assistance may be necessary for the prevention and resolution of potential conflicts and would have to focus on strengthening the capacities of the UNCT, including the Resident Coordinator/Resident Representative’s Office, as well as those of national institutions and civil society organizations involved in conflict prevention and resolution.

Policy and Advisory duties:

The Peace and Development Advisor will provide analysis and strategic advice to the UN Resident Coordinator (UN RC) and help link initiatives in a systematic fashion in collaboration with the UN system and national counterparts. The PDA will also provide advice to the UN RC, DPA and UNDP on political and security developments, including the political dialogue process, and advise on options to address challenges and seize opportunities in both tracks. The PDA will establish and maintain relationships with key players at an appropriate level, both at national and local level.

The PDA will work to support the UNDP component of conflict sensitivity, political dialogue, local conflict mitigation mechanisms and other initiatives in the kind. The UNDP component aims to enhance national and local-level capacities to effectively bolster cohesion in multi-ethnic and multi-religious communities. The PDA will also help support relevant ministries, other national institutions, associations, municipalities and civil society to advance a conflict transformation system at local and national levels and ensure that informal mechanisms for dialogue and dispute settlement, including mediation, are also available to local communities.

The Peace and Development Advisor will work under direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative and, for activities related to the UNDP component will work closely with the UNDP Country Director and UNDP Country Office staff. He/she will cooperate with UNCT members and Government officials, multilateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement sustainable interventions in this area.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key functions:

Monitor the political, security and socio-economic situation with a view to provide regular updates on the developments in the country;
Provide technical support and assist the continuation of the UNDP-EU Mediation project, in close partnership with civil society network and the Office of the Mediator.
Provide technical support and liaise with relevant counterparts and existing partners in Government, in particular the Office of the National Mediator, the Economic Social and Cultural Council, the Comité du Dialogue Social, the Comité de Suivi and civil society organizations, notably CSAPR;
Provide advice and analysis on conflict prevention and resolution, including national reconciliation processes;
Provide advice on and help develop and implement a UN strategy of engagement in support of political dialogue within the framework of the Political Dialogue Committee or its successor;
Provide advice on and help develop and implement a UN strategy of engagement in support of a peaceful resolution of labor disputes between the government and workers’ organizations;
Provide technical support to the implementation of PBF IRF project between IOM and UNDP and ensure complementarity, synergy and coherence with the existing Access to Justice and economic recovery programs ;
Support the start up-of relevant areas of activities.
Initiate and/or support any initiative to make the national environment more conducive to a constructive approach of political and social problems.

Key Results Expected:

Provide strategic advice and analysis to existing conflict prevention opportunities and strengthen national capacity for conflict prevention
Provide continuous and timely advice and managing the peace and development process at the local level in particular with regard to the EU UNDP mediation project and the UNDP IOM PBF project (‘Conflict prevention through community stabilization)
Provide regular and timely analytical briefs to the RC, DPA, UNOCA, UN Country Team and UNDP Program Team on political and security developments both nation-wide and region specific and advise on programmatic options to the UN to address challenges and seize opportunities;
Assist the UN system in implementing development programs and initiatives from a conflict-sensitive, culturally-sensitive and gender-sensitive perspective;
Collaborate with other CPR and wider UNDP program teams in developing strategic frameworks and programmatic strategies for country-specific engagement in post-crisis restoration of local conflict mitigation mechanisms;

With regard to the national counterparts, liaise with the relevant counterparts in the Government, including the Office of the National Mediator and the Ministry of Planning, other relevant national institutions and civil society organizations and provide advice on conflict prevention and resolution, including national reconciliation processes;

Provide advice on and help develop and implement a UN strategy of engagement in support of political dialogue within the framework of the Political Dialogue Committee or its successor;
Maintain networks with key players in the area of national reconciliation, inter-ethnic relations and this at both governmental and non-governmental level;
Provide technical support in the design and delivery of specific activities targeted at building national governmental and non-governmental capacities for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, based on dialogue and consensus building, as well as initiatives around media, social content programming and communications;

With regard to the international key stakeholders, liaise with relevant international partners, including bilateral partners, their development agencies and International Financial Institutions to mobilize resources for conflict prevention and resolution activities;

Consolidate existing strategic partnerships with international partners in the area of peace and development, including multi-lateral and bi-lateral (EU, Swiss, US, etc);
Maintain existing networks with key players in the field of reconciliation, dialogue, inter-ethnic relations, both at governmental and non-governmental level;
Undertake regular field visits throughout the country (where possible) to improve the analysis and to assist the relevant UNDP/UNCT programs in their conflict sensitive approach;
Ensure transparent and conflict-sensitive stakeholder participation and involvement in the activities led by the Peace and Development Adviser (e.g. workshops, trainings on conflict sensitive approaches as well as guidance on national reconciliation processes);
Assist the RC and other UNCT members (as requested) in dealings and dialogues with Government, civil society and the international community.

Competencies

Corporate Competences:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Functional Competences:

Possesses strong political analysis and monitoring skills and technical knowledge and skills on conflict prevention and post-conflict recovery issues, including inter-ethnic related issues, local level conflict mitigation mechanisms, processes of inclusive national dialogue, national reconciliation;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of conflict prevention and recovery;
Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship with partners.

Managerial Competences

Leads strategic planning, resource-based management and reporting;
Pursues innovative approaches and translates them into viable program interventions;
Formulates and manages budgets, contributions, transactions, and conducts financial analysis;
Mobilizes resources and advises on cost recovery;
Monitors and evaluates development projects and programs.

Behavioral competences

Nurtures team spirit and supports staff in developing their potentials;
Builds strong relationships with partners, focusing on impact and results;
Demonstrates creativity, openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
Possesses positive and constructive attitudes to work;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development

Required Skills and Experience

Education

University degree (Master Degree) in social sciences, international relations, political science (with focus on conflict and peace studies), development studies, or other related domain;

Experience

Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional international experience in the field of conflict prevention, peace-building and conflict-sensitive development, and other related area;
Proven experience in advising senior management and interacting with senior Government officials;
Demonstrated experience to provide project and program support with a conflict sensitive perspective;
Experience in facilitating peace processes and dialogue activities will be an asset;
Experience working in an international organization, preferably the United Nations, and familiarity with political analysis, as well as crisis prevention and recovery issues;
Knowledge of UN regulations, rules and policies, procedures and practices

Language

Fluency in oral and written French and English is essential; Fluency in classical Arabic is desirable.