Background

IMPORTANT CONDITIONS: The following position is open only to Danish and other European Union nationals, as well as permanent residents of Denmark. The applicant must be fluent in both Danish and English. According to the UNDP JPO programme framework, the age limit for JPO applicants is 32 years of age at the time of application. Only applicants with a Master’s degree diploma in hand will be taken into consideration.
 
Background Information:
From 2012 the process of local development had to face the impact of the Syrian, which reached an unprecedented scale. While in April 2012, 32,800 refugees were registered or awaiting registration with UNHCR, by late-October 2013 that figure had jumped sharply to over 800,000. This number is expected to exceed one million by the end of 2013 and reached 1.5 million during 2014, an increase equal to 36% of the entire Lebanese pre-crisis population. The crisis is not only challenging the country’s existing social and economic infrastructure, it is exacerbating significant development deficiencies such as unemployment, especially among women and youth, and profound disparities between the wealthy and the poor.
 
By end-2014, as a result of the Syrian crisis, some 170,000 additional Lebanese will be pushed into poverty, an increase of nearly 20%. Furthermore, an additional 220,000-324,000 Lebanese are expected to lose their jobs, representing a doubling in unemployment levels, with the greatest impact falling on youth, women and the unskilled. Border communities who have depended on Syria for health, trade and education have been especially affected due to the simultaneous loss of access to these resources and the high burden of hosting refugees. The targeted communities, including both hosts and refugees, are marked by a rapid loss of livelihoods.
 
Through increased unemployment, lack of social services, especially among women and youth who are losing skills, knowledge, experience and capacities and face more and more difficulty to find jobs due to increased competition in the labour market. Limited job opportunities and weak private sector investment, the loss and/or depletion of livelihood assets and weak economic and productive infrastructure are key challenges and drive potential conflict, with special emphasis to vulnerable women and youth (Lebanese, Syrian and refugees).
 
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has formulated a Stabilization and Recovery Programme (SRP) which sets out the overall institutional response to stabilize the current situation in Lebanon and in coordination with MOSA, UNDP sets up a specific program for host communities (Lebanon Support Host Community Program – LSHC) in term of reduce and mitigate the Syrian crisis’ effect on the most poor Lebanese communities, looking at increase livelihoods and jobs opportunities, improve the basic services delivery and reduce communities social conflicts.
 
For 2014, 50 Host communities have been selected in order to intervene for crisis impact’s alleviation, through activities regarding livelihood and economic development, improvement of basic services delivery and social cohesion. These 50 communities have been selected based on the following criteria: poverty vulnerability, number of Syrian refugees, ratio between Lebanese population and refugees.
 
It is under this framework that UNDP Lebanon requests a JPO in order to contribute to define specific affirmative action for increase livelihood, skills and job’s opportunities to women and youth. he overall guidance will be under the responsibility of the CTA – S&LD Portfolio.

The JPO will perform in close coordination with the Local Economic Development expert of the S&LD Portfolio.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Prepare a quick assessment the 50 Host communities selected by UNDP for 2014 intervention, regarding women and youth social and economic conditions, considering the impact of the Syrian crisis on livelihood and basic services delivery. 15%
  • Support the regional UNDP Area Managers and Socio-Economic regional experts in the identification and formulation of targeted projects for women and youth reducing the crisis impact. 25%
  • Provide support to proposals formulation considering specific affirmative actions for women and youth regarding social, livelihood and economic opportunities.15%
  • Support the regional staff assisting local stakeholders in needs assessment and planning activities under a sensitive gender and youth approach.10%
  • Support the LED national officer in developing guidelines for gender and youth sensitive strategies linking crisis response and local economic development approach.10%
  • Provide Support to the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of Women and Youth activities.10%
  • Participate in knowledge network and communities of practice through the identifications of best practices and lessons learned.10%
  • Carry out additional activities as requested by the CTA.5%

Competencies

Core competencies:
  • Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
  • Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
  • Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative
  • Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
  • Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication
  • Self-Management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others
  • Conflict Management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
  • Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge
  • Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making
Functional competencies:
  • Strong analytical and communication skills
  • Ability to work within a team as well as carry out tasks independently
  • Strong planning and organizing skills with ability to identify priority activities and assignments and to use time efficiently
  • Ability to take decisions and manage political/cultural sensitivities

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
Master’s Degree or equivalent, or higher Advanced Degree in Economics, Social Science or other related field of expertise
Work Experience:
A minimum of two years of relevant paid work experience in the relevant development discipline. Experience in international corporation work, field work and/or UN experience is an advantage
Language requirements:
Fluency in Danish and full Working knowledge of English, including excellent writing skills.
Age:
According to the UNDP JPO programme framework, the age limit for JPO applicants is 32 years of age at the time of application.
Nationality:
The position is open only to Danish and other European Union nationals, as well as permanent residents of Denmark.
Application process:
Please complete the P11 form and attach to your online application:
http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.docx
 
For more information and details on the JPO Programme and this position, please go to www.jposc.org