UNDP Jobs - 48729- Project Manager, Community Security Project

Project Manager, Community Security Project

Location :

Mogadishu, SOMALIA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

22-Aug-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One Year (Renewable)

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

In 2011, UNDP Somalia started a new five-year programme that aims to deliver recovery and development assistance to Somalia. The programme is based on priorities identified by Somali authorities. The strategy focuses on making progress towards peace and meeting people’s humanitarian and recovery needs by addressing gender issues, boosting social services, improving livelihoods, reducing poverty, promoting good governance and improving human security. To implement the UNDP Somalia Country Programme 2011 – 2015 UNDP Somalia comprises two main programme clusters: (a) Governance and Rule of Law (GROL) Programme; and (b) Poverty Reduction and Environment Protection Programme (PREP).

The UNDP Somalia five-year programme has been aligned to the Somali Compact 2014-2016 which provides a new political, security and development architecture framing the future relations between Somalia, its people and the international community, embodying a spirit of new partnership. Within the Compact priorities are framed by the five Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals (PSGs) of the New Deal and represent agreement on what is required to move towards peace and recovery. The Compact aims to foster the resilience of Somali people and institutions, restoring the Somali people’s trust in the state and its ability to protect and serve their basic needs for inclusive politics, security, justice, an economic foundation and revenue and services, in full respect of human rights. Cross cutting issues of gender, capacity development, bringing tangible results to people, respect of human rights and external relations are also addressed in the Compact.

The Community Security Project supports priorities identified under the Compact PSG 1: Inclusive Politics and PSG 3: Justice. The Community Security Project is a new project which has evolved from the projects implemented over the past five years including the DDR/Armed Violence Reduction project. Building on lessons learned and best practices the Community Security Project has been redesigned and established on a hybrid rule of law and stabilization approach. The Project consists of three main pillars. First, assessment to understand the local needs and establish an evidence base to help identify and prioritize initiatives that can strengthen social cohesion and community based reconciliation in the particular community. The types of assessments may vary based on the local context but may include safety and security baseline and attitude surveys. Second, community based reconciliation that includes collective trauma healing, social and economic rehabilitation, integration and reparation. Third, understanding the immediate social impact of the interventions. The Project will be implemented in close collaboration with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and UN Agencies.

Under the direct supervision of the GROL Programme Manager, the Project Manager supervises the project team and works in close collaboration with the UNDP Somalia projects and programme staff, Heads of Sub-Offices, operations team, UNSOM, other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff, Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP project.

The Project Manager, based in Mogadishu, is expected to spend a minimum of 40% of his/her time on mission to project sites across Somalia.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

Ensures strategic direction and leadership of project operations;
Ensure effective and accurate overall management of the project;
Establish and maintain strategic partnership and implement the resources mobilization strategy;
Ensure efficient financial management, advocacy, programming, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and representation of the project;
Ensure Knowledge Building and Management.

Ensures strategic direction and leadership of project operation, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Provide overall direction and leadership to community security development activities throughout Somalia to ensure that UNDP’s support is contributing to the establishment of overall safety and stabilization of the communities;
Coordinate strategic development and direction with Somali governmental and non-governmental counterparts;
Participate in the UN system wide coordination for the development and implementation of community security programmes, based on international human rights standards and restorative justice, contextualized as appropriate to the Somali context, and ensure harmonization with relevant UN programmes and the overall directions provided by BCPR;
Provide advisory support to all stakeholders on optimal strategies for community security development within the rule of law and stabilization frameworks. Such advice will take into account the Somali context in addition to international best practice and lessons learned;
Facilitate the development of comprehensive frameworks and processes that can respond to local needs in the area of community security;
Lead the formulation of strategies for the development of effective and independent oversight and accountability mechanisms;
With partners, develop approaches to community security that prioritizes community-based responses to strengthen social cohesion and reconciliation.

Ensure effective and accurate overall management of the project focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Lead, effectively manage and supervise the implementation of UNDP’s Community Security Project, including the supervision of staff, management of resources and development of appropriate linkages with other actors involved in supporting good community dialogue practices across the full spectrum of activities;
In close collaboration with the Heads of Sub-Offices, provide direction and supervision to the community security area project teams and area project managers;
Implement the project activities in accordance with UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations and the Internal Control Framework for UNDP Somalia;
Prepare project implementation activities and select implementing partners such as government institutions, service providers, and INGOs and LNGOs. Manage calls for bids and proposals and select implementing partners within the UNDP contractual framework for project activity implementation; design the scope of works and TORs for the bids and calls for proposals;
Manage day to day administrative matters for the project under the direction of the GROL Programme Manager with the support of administrative staff;
Ensure full transparency and access to information for all project activities participate in communication and media activities (ensure project website, briefing notes, success stories are up to date at all times). Coordinate distribution of the project related information. Ensure visibility of the Donor and Implementing Partners in all project outputs;
Prepare the project Annual Work Plan for approval of the Project Board in alignment with national and regional priorities;
Account for the achievement of project outputs in line with the approved work plan through the day-to-day planning, management coordination and implementation of activities;
Supervise regular risk analysis and monitoring activities and ensures the maintenance of the project risk log and issues log.

Establish and maintain strategic partnership and implement the resources mobilization strategy focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Establish and maintain dialog with government officials, both local and national, NGOs, partners, donors and communities to provide knowledge and understanding while ensuring accurate interpretation of the project objectives and implementation;
Identify areas of cooperation and coordination with UNSOM and other UN agencies for the implementation of joint activities related to the Community Security Project;
Collect and make analysis of information on donor contracts, funding priorities, criteria and processes related to the Community Security Project;
Create tools and communications materials to promote project objectives, establish contact as a focal person for project in support to the UNDP CO cooperation with donors;
Support CO resource mobilization efforts;
Contribute to PSG Working Groups as required.

Ensure efficient financial management, advocacy, programming, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and representation focusing on achievement of the following results:

Facilitate gathering of information for project monitoring and evaluation processes ensuring compliance with UNDP M&E requirements in reporting on programme results and progress towards outcomes;
Ensure proper monitoring and evaluation procedures are instituted in all project activities; ensure proper monitoring of project progress against annual and quarterly work plans and budgets;
Produce and coordinate the preparation of the substantive and operational reports from the project;
Develop project budgets and implement the project in accordance with the budget;
Manage the accurate and timely quarterly reporting on the progress of the project with a specific focus on the activities and funds utilized;
Produce high quality reports to donors at the standard and timeline according to UNDP’s contractual obligations to donors;
Facilitate proper monitoring of project inventory, attendance records, filing system. Assure fair and transparent personnel management and procurement of goods and services in accordance with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures;
Ensure overall accountability for the use of project funds as well as the strict and consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations in all project operations;
Provide leadership in overseeing the effective provision of services to counterparts including fair and transparent procurement, efficient logistics and sound financial management;
Ensure the integrity of financial systems and directly oversee the administrative, financial and budgetary aspects of the project;
Maintain field level financial accountability through regular liaison with field staff, monitoring payment requests from the field and ensuring timely and regular payment.

Ensure Knowledge Building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

Promote cross-unit teamwork and skills development for the Community Security Project team members through coaching and mentoring;
Capture and disseminate lesson’s learned and best practices to contribute to learning on policing and development elsewhere;
Participate in international knowledge networks and other fora to draw on best practice and lessons learned in other similar contexts to apply to Somalia;
Coordinate project strategies and activities with other UNDP projects to ensure the effective implementation of the Country Programme Document.

Impact of Results

The results of the work of the Project Manager will help strengthen UNDP’s delivery of effective community security support to the priorities identified in the Compact, national policies and capacity development, in part through the establishment and/or strengthening of strategic partnerships as well as facilitation of resource mobilization. The Project Manager increases the visibility and contribution of UNDP in the subject area. The Project Manager is responsible for daily contact with national counterparts and for recommendations to the GROL Programme Manager when necessary and in response to the changes in the local context in the area of community security.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:

Advocates for the inclusion of UNDP’s focus areas in the public policy agenda;
Brings visibility and sensitizes decision makers to relevant emerging issues;
Builds consensus concerning UNDP’s strategic agenda with partners on joint initiatives;
Leverages UNDP’s multidisciplinary expertise to influence the shape of policies and programmes;
Demonstrates political/cultural acumen in proposing technically sound, fact based approaches/solutions;
Develops internal organizational policies promoting strategic approaches to UNDP’s focus areas (HQ);
Dialogues with national counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country, regional and global perspectives;
Demonstrates cultural sensitivity, political savvy and intellectual capacity in handling disagreements with UNDP’s policy agenda in order to promote and position UNDP in complex environments.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

Identifies country needs and strategies using a fact-based approach;
Sets performance standards, monitors progress and intervenes at an early stage to ensure results are in accordance with agreed-upon quality and timeframes and reports on it;
Makes use of a variety of resources within UNDP to achieve results, such as cross-functional teams, secondments and developmental assignments, and collaborative funding approaches;
Oversees and documents the process of strategy formulation for programmes at country level;
Ensures the integration of UNDP’s strategic concern in interagency, other multilateral initiatives and multi-sectoral development frameworks such as PRSPs, and SWAPs;
Ensures the full implementation of country programme and Financial Resources to obtain results.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Identifies and prioritizes opportunities and obstacles in the political scene (government, civil society, parliamentarians, pressure groups) to advance UNDP’s agenda; identifies common interests and goals and carries out joint initiatives with partners;
Makes effective use of UNDP’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships;
Builds partnerships with non-traditional sectors by translating UNDP’s agenda into messages that reflect the pertinence of their values and interests;
Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations;
Leverages the resources of governments and other development partners.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

Influences and coaches others inside and outside UNDP in developing and implementing innovative approaches;
Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
Conceptualizes more effective approaches to programme development and implementation and to mobilizing and using resources;
Leverages resources in support of new approaches;
Facilitates change and influences senior decision makers to implement change strategies.

Resource Mobilization:

Contributes to the development of resource mobilization strategies at regional (sub-regional) level (RSC, HQ);
Actively develops partnerships with potential donors and government counterparts in all sectors at country level;
Shares information with country offices concerning opportunities to tap potential donors;
Strengthens the capacity of the country office to mobilize resources.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts in primary discipline, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures;
Applies knowledge to support the unit/branch’s objectives and to further the mandate of UNDP;
Applies a broad knowledge of best management practices; defines objectives and work flows, positions reporting relationships in such a way as to obtain optimum effectiveness for the unit/branch;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself personally;
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Demonstrates expert knowledge of the current programme guidelines and project management tools and manages the use of these regularly in work assignments.

Client Orientation:

Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives;
Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services;
Consults with clients and ensures their needs are represented in decision-making processes;
Advises and develops strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNDP programmes and operations.

Core Competencies:

Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
Building support and political acumen;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective teams;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in international relations, anthropology, community development, or any other related field.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience working in the field of community security, resilience and social cohesion building, or related experience in development or humanitarian programmes, particularly in crisis and post conflict countries;
At least 3 years of progressive responsibility in project or programme management, including personnel management, budgetary and financial management;
Extensive knowledge of and experience in crisis and post-conflict contexts;
Strong diplomatic skills in handling counterpart relations;
Previous experience with UNDP preferred and good knowledge of UNDP rules and procedures is desirable;
Prior working experience in Somalia is an advantage.

Language:

Strong written and spoken English.