Background

Under the direct supervision of the Country Director (CD), the Assistant Country Director for Programme (ACD-P) serves as senior manager on all aspects of the Country Office (CO) programme, with a particular focus on UNDP’s work in Northern Uganda.

The ACD-P assists the Country Director with general programme development and implementation activities under the country Programme Action Plan (CPAP), including the management, supervision and coordination of Programme Unit Team Leaders and related programme staff. The ACD-P also supports the Country Director with CO representation duties in UNDP’s engagement with headquarters, other UN agencies, development partners, technical advisors and experts, government officials and other programme counterparts. In particular, the ACD-P supports the Country Director in UN Country Team (UNCT) interagency coordination activities being implemented under of the Delivering-as-One (DaO) initiative, and represents the UNDP CO at relevant DaO forums whenever delegated to do so by the Country Director.

In addition, the ACD-P leads & coordinates the CO’s work on all aspects relating to UNDP’s interventions in Northern Uganda, including those being undertaken by UNCT under the DaO initiative, with a view of ensuring a coherent approach that enhances the effectiveness and impact of UNDP’s programme in that region. To this end, the ACD-P provides strategic direction to UNDP’s work relating to Northern Uganda, liaises with external partners working on similar issues and coordinates all relevant CO activities, in order to ensure that programmatic interventions that have a bearing on that part of the country are undertaken in a coordinated way that maximizes synergies and efficiency gains and, more broadly, UNDP’s development results in that region.

Duties and Responsibilities

Assists the Country Director in the management of the Country Office programme and the supervision of programme staff, focusing on quality control of the full cycle of programming, from formulation to implementation, and seeking to achieve the following results:

• Assisting in the effective strategic monitoring and evaluation of CO interventions, measuring the impact of the CO programme and, when relevant, its timely readjustment;
• Assisting and, where designated, leading on behalf of UNDP UNCT inter-agency programme coordination tasks and activities implemented under the Delivering as One (DaO) framework;
• Contributing to the effective application of Results-Based Management (RBM) tools, establishing Balance Scorecard (BSC) management targets and monitoring achievement of results;
• Providing analysis and presentation of UNDP policies and their implementation in the Country Office.
• Assuming acting functions in the absence of, or by delegation from the Country Director, of all programmatic matters, including the supervision of programme staff;
• Performing the function of Manager Level 2 in ATLAS for development projects transactions approval.

Maintains strategic partnerships, supports resource mobilization efforts in cooperation with the Management Support team, actively participates in inter-agency forums and, when delegated by the Country Director, represents the Country Office externally, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Implementation of the CO Partnerships and Resources Mobilization strategies to achieve programme outcomes.
• Coordination of partnerships with UN Agencies, bi-lateral and multi-lateral development partners, private sector, civil society etc;
• Analysis and research of information on donors’ activities and resources, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, and identification of opportunities for cost-sharing;
• Assisting the Country Director and UNDP senior management to ensure the representation and effective participation of UNDP in engagements with project counterparts, government officials, development partners and other relevant national and international counterparts;
• Represents the Country Director in UNCT coordination groups, including the UNCT Programme Management Team (PMT) as well as other forums set up under the Delivery as One (DaO) framework.

As a member of the Country Office management team, supports and facilitates the development of the country office programme’s strategic direction,with a special focus on Northern Uganda and with a view of achieving the following results:

• Providing continued analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country and, in particular, in Northern Uganda;
• Ensuring the collaborative preparation, monitoring and review of the CCA, the UNDAF, the CPD, the CPAP, project AWPs and other relevant documents, especially in areas relating to Northern Uganda;
• Supporting the operationalisation of the UNDAF and CPD, with a particular focus on Northern Uganda and in close collaboration with UNDP’s main partners, including government, development partners, non-government national counterparts and, under the framework of the delivering as one (DaO) initiative, other UN agencies in Uganda;
• Contributing to the identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation, especially those focused on Northern Uganda, based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and development partners’ priorities.

Under the direct supervision of the Country Director, leads & coordinates UNDP’s work in Northern Uganda, with a view of maximizing the impact and effectiveness of Country Office interventions in that region, focusing on achieving the following results:

• Providing strategic management and oversight of planning, budgeting and implementing of all CO programme interventions in Northern Uganda;
• Ensuring the effective monitoring of CO programme interventions in Northern Uganda and the evaluation of development results, in terms of progress made towards achieving intended programmatic goals in that region;
• Coordinating CO activities with a bearing on Northern Uganda across all programme Units, with a view of maximizing programmatic synergies and efficiency gains in UNDP’s operations in that part of the country;
• Advising programme counterparts and UNDP’s senior management and guiding relevant CO units on the design and formulation of programme interventions in and directly affecting Northern Uganda, contributing to translate UNDP and national priorities into local interventions.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Development and Operational Effectiveness;
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects, mobilize resources;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
• Good knowledge of the Results Management Guide and Toolkit;
• Good ICT skills, knowledge of Atlas;
• Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least seven (7) years of relevant work experience at the national or international level in management positions and/or in the provision of strategic management advisory services;
• Extensive work experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Demonstrated experience of having worked on Northern Uganda issues. Familiarity with area-based approaches to development programming would be an asset;
• Experience of working in development and aid environments with development partners, government agencies and other national counterparts;
• Proficiency in the use of computers, standard office software packages and integrated software management tools.

• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Excellent written and presentation skills;
• Knowledge of other UN official languages is an asset.