UNDP Jobs - 49001- PRRP National Officer - (Open to Vanuatu Nationals

PRRP National Officer - (Open to Vanuatu Nationals Only)

Location :

Port Vila, VANUATU

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

29-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NO-B

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Renewable for the term of project subject to perfomance and availability of funding.

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

The Pacific Risk Resilience Programme (PRRP) will focus on strengthening governance mechanisms for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (CCDRM) at the national, sub-national and local levels. The goal of the programme is: to strengthen the resilience of Pacific island communities to climate change and disaster related risk. To do this, the programme’s objective is to support a strong enabling environment for risk governance, to empower communities to identify risks and needs, and formulate and implement sustainable responses. PRRP is a US$16.2 million programme funded by the Government of Australia through a partnership between UNDP Pacific Centre and Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE). It has been launched in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, based on their risk profiles and potential to demonstrate successful models for regional replication.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Pacific Risk Resilience Programme Manager (P4) based in UNDP Pacific Centre, the National Programme Officer directly supports the effective implementation and management of PRRP for Vanuatu. This post is for Vanuatu Nationals only.

Duties and Responsibilities

Programme management support at the country level:

Responsible for national level programme oversight, quality assurance and reporting to the PRRP Programme Manager in Suva;
Maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders for PRRP at country level;
Provide regular updates with in-country donor and regional partners;
Identify ‘entry-points’ for climate and disater resilient development;
Support the formulation and implementation of the PRRP work-plan in collaboration with selected governmental agencies, partners and local level stakeholders;
Ensure gender and social inclusion aspects (for example, gender dimensions and people with disability) are a core function of the PRRP work-plan and approach;
Provide advice to the PRRP Programme Manager on on-going opportunities and challenges relating to programme implementation;
Contribute to the PRRP regional programme through pilot testing new initiatives;
Liaises strategically with LLEE and other NGOs for the effective implementation of PRRP programme activities;
Acts as secretariat to the country level PRRP national steering committee and / or working groups.

Climate and disaster resilient policy and programme coordination:

Manage the work of technical experts and partners implementing PRRP activities;
Coordinate risk governance analyses (RGAs) in key entry-points for strengthening governance capacity to identify and address climate change and disaster related risk;
Support CCDRM champions at national level to advocate for climate and disaster resilient development;
Support mainstreaming of CCDRM initiatives into planning and budgeting processes;
Support the design and implementation of capacity development initiatives at national, provincial and local levels for climate and disaster resilient development;
Ensure integration of gender and social inclusions issues into PRRP activities;
Maintain network of PRRP change-agents for strengthening capacity for climate and disaster resilient development.

Monitoring, evaluation and progress reporting:

Implements the monitoring and evaluation framework at country level based on the PRRP theory of change;
Develop baselines of CCDRM instiutional arrangements and partner activities to facilitate monitoring and review of programme progress;
Responsible for providing monthly progress reports with inputs from LLEE and all PRRP partners, with more emphasis on output and outcome reporting;
Provide timely and relevant inputs for PRRP six-monthly and annual progress reports to the Programme Manager and the PRRP programme board;
Responsible for the overall financial management and reporting for the programme;
Liaison between programme implementing partners and UNDP PC in facilitating the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and reports, programme award revisions and programme status (operational and financial closure of a project).

Knowledge management and partnerships:

Ensures lessons are captured and approaches are shared with the Programme Manager and the PRRP team at country and regional level;
Ensure effective contributions to communities of practice by PRRP change-agents and partners from country level change-agents and partners;
Highlight opportunities and constraints for more effective Gender and Social Inclusion approaches within risk governance;
Applying country level knowledge and experiences to regional activities and analysis across all four countries;
Developing and strengthening partnerships and networks with local, national, regional and international agencies to ensure comprehensive and coordinated approaches to risk governance;
Explore and coordinate opportunities for inter-stakeholder cooperation with Government;
Identify and coordinate opportunity for harmonization of approaches and optimal use of resources with regional and national partners.
Coordinate and facilitate the establishment of local forums for consultation between community, government and local NGOs.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Demonstrates corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
Self-development, initiative-taking;
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
Creating synergies through self-control;
Managing conflict;
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
Informed and transparent decision making.

Functional Competencies:

Job Knowledge and Technical Expertise:

Understands aspects of climate change and disaster risk management as well as broader international development theory;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of climate change and disaster risk management and seeks to develop him/herself professionally.

Innovation and Judgment:

Conceptualizes and analyses problems to identify key issues, underlying problems and how they relate;
Contributes creative, practical ideas and approaches to deal with challenging situation.

Building Strategic partnership:

Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments;
Willingness and demonstrated commitment to forge effective & strategic partnership with complementary entities;
Takes responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

Shares knowledge and experience;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Geography, Environment, Political Sciences, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, Social Sciences or related field.

Experience:

At least 2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in disaster risk management, working knowledge of country’s governance structures, CCDRM policies and institutional arrangements, and government priority afforded CCDRM, knowledge and understanding of socio - economics, political and demographic situation of the country;
Experience of advocacy and in facilitating training/workshops;
Experience in developing and strengthening partnerships within the Government and NGO community will be an added advantage; and
Hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and programme;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language:

Fluent in spoken and written English.