UNDP Jobs - 49365- Social Cohesion & Development Specialist

Social Cohesion & Development Specialist

Location :

Honiara, SOLOMON ISLANDS

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

01-Nov-2014

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Renewable 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 UNDP Sub-office in Honiara, Solomon Islands was established in 1999 as a project implementation unit to oversee the implementation of post-crisis rehabilitation programmes. In the intervening years, the portfolio of programmes implemented by the Sub-office has grown. The overall aim of the Country Programme is to respond to current and emerging development challenges of Solomon Islands in close partnership with the Government through continued emphasis on capacity development, strategic focus and use of resources in high-impact areas, robust engagement and coordination with other key stakeholders and development partners; and strong partnerships at national, provincial and local levels.

The programme is aligned with the country’s priorities as reflected in national development planning documents, and has four strategic outcome areas:

Equitable economic growth and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
Good governance and human rights;
Crisis prevention and recovery; and
Environment and sustainable natural resources management.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, the Social Cohesion and Development Advisor is expected to formulate strategy for peace building in Solomon Islands by analyzing issues affecting peace, conflict management and development in the country while reviewing the past and current assistance of UNDP to the government counterparts as well as efforts made by the Government, civil society and other stakeholders including RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission for Solomon Islands) in ensuring peace, social cohesion and stability.

The Advisor is expected manage the Building Capacities for Peace and Development in the Solomon Islands project and also play an advisory role to UNDP Solomon Islands and the government counterpart in formulating a vision for sustainable peace building. As one of the end products, the Advisor will .develop a long term Project Document on strengthening the capacities of key players of Peacebuilding and implementing of Peacebuilding and social cohesion initiatives.

The Social Cohesion and Development Specialist will also work in close collaboration with UNHQ, UNDP Crisis Prevention and Recovery unit and operations teams in the CO and other UN Agencies, Government officials, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to ensure successful, conflict-sensitive UNDP programme implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Serve as a Manager of the Building Capacities for Peace and Development in the Solomon Islands project:

Ensure timely, efficient and effective implementation of the work plan according to the UNDP rules and regulations and adjust the work plan when and where necessary to ensure that the project outcomes and outputs are aligned with national priorities and frameworks of the relevant Ministries.

Formulate new strategy for peace building and peace and social cohesion analysis to the DRR, MCO, UNDP Pacific Centre, UNCT, UNHQ, MNURP and other SIG Ministries on new peacebuilding and conflict management initiatives:

Develop the strategy by reflecting findings and lessons learned of the past and current assistance of UNDP and other stakeholders to the government counterparts in ensuring peace, security and stability;
Organize, facilitate and conduct of strategy development workshops to ensure the strategy is inclusive and reflects inputs from key actors in Peacebuilding;
Present peace and social cohesion analysis to the DRR of UNDP Solomon Islands, UNDP Fiji MCO, UNDP Pacific Centre, UNCT and relevant sections of UN HQ.

Provide strategic advice to the government offices and UNDP on a long-term vision on peace building linking to sustainable development:

Provide strategic advice, peace analysis and technical assistance in the areas of conflict prevention, peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity to ensure effective and sound implementation of the National Peacebuilding Policy with synergies to implementing the New Deal to SIG ministries and other relevant national stakeholders;
Provide strategic advice to MNURP and other SIG ministries on mainstreaming conflict prevention into development plans and programmes;
Provide advice and political analysis to relevant UN partners and other stakeholders in identifying relevant risks and opportunities for peacebuilding and conflict management programming;
Provide the DRR, RC/RR MCO, and UNHQ with regular peace analysis of and advice on the situation on the ground, including written reports and updates on conflict dynamics, entry points and peace building opportunities and facilitate regular communications between national offices and headquarters; and
Lead on the integration of critical conflict prevention elements within the Government and its key stakeholders at all levels.

Develop and mobilize resources for a Long Term project document on Conflict Management and Peacebuilding in the Solomon Islands:

Create strategic relationship with relevant donor partners for an effective resource mobilization for the implementation of the multi-year Project Document on Peacebuilding and conflict initiatives;
Based on current initiatives by the MNURP and UNDP, identify opportunities and entry points for strategic conflict prevention initiatives/preventive action and make concrete proposals to senior management of UNDP;
Design and formulate a long term strategic conflict prevention project with emphasis on Capacity Building as well as reflecting the opportunities of entry points identified; and
Support the DRR in mobilizing resources for conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives.

Manage and support social cohesion, conflict management and peacebuilding initiatives with the aim of mitigating future “triggers” and addressing root causes of conflict:

Design, convene and facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue and/or other conflict resolution processes; undertake/support confidence-building measures; and other inter-group processes, as required;
Initiate, manage and/or provide advice to the MNURP on dedicated programmatic activities in the area of peace-building and conflict management;
Provide national counterparts with comparative experiences and best practices on effective conflict management capacities;
Support the capacities of networks of mediators and facilitators at national and local levels;
Strengthen MNURP relations with key stakeholders at both national and community levels, including advice support in critical negotiations and agreements;
Initiate and manage peace advocacy and awareness initiatives that leads to behavioral change and peaceful co-existence; and
To an extent possible, engage women and youths as key drivers of Peace and promote the participation of women, youth and other marginalized groups.

Lead in strengthening the capacities of national and local institutions in the conflict prevention and management initiatives:

Assist in the development of capacity building and training programmes for MNURP and other key national and local stakeholders including on concepts, methodologies in dialogue and social cohesion, particularly those applicable at the community level;
Lead in developing the capacity of MNURP and its key partners in confidence-building exercises, skill building on dialogue, negotiation, mediation and reconciliation processes, as well as training in restorative justice, conflict management, conflict transformation, conflict analysis and conflict sensitive development for national and local leaderships; and
Identify and build the capacity of community-level organizations, and link their work to the programme and polices of the MNURP.

Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, regional and international actors and development partners:

Strengthen UN/UNDP relations with senior government counterparts and key stakeholders in order to build entry points and partnerships for conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives;
Create and maintain existing networks with local key players in the field of reconciliation, dialogue, social cohesion, conflict management, both at governmental and non-governmental level for Peacebuilding related strategies and initiatives; and
Assist in building a network of partners and stakeholders to strengthen the incorporation of a conflict-sensitive lens across all development programmes; and
Design and support the implementation of strategic conflict assessment exercises in conjunction with other key actors (Donors, UN agencies, NGOs, CBOs, traditional authorities, etc.);

Support the integration of peacebuilding and conflict management into UN programmes:

Contribute to UNDP and other UN agencies policies in conflict prevention and peacebuilding and help improve synergies among joint UN programmes addressing peacebuilding issues;
Initiate, design and facilitate capacity building initiatives of UNDP and other UN agencies in conflict-sensitive development programming and peacebuilding awareness; and
Provide technical assistance and advice on the integration of conflict sensitivity elements into UNDP supported programmes, strategies and other planning processes.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

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 Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning;
Development and Operational Effectiveness;
Behavioral competences;
Management and Leadership;
Demonstrable ability to engage with sensitivity, strategic foresight, and political acumen in situations involving multiple especially political – actors and stakeholders;
Ability to convey difficult issues and positions, and sensitivity to local cultures.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master degree in social sciences, preferably with specialization in peace and conflict studies and/or peace-building; or the equivalent combination of education and experience in a related area.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in conflict analysis, conflict and crisis prevention and management, peace-building, recovery and development, electoral and related areas;
Proven experience in development programming, including good understanding of UNDP programming modalities, and rules and regulations;
Previous work experience UNDP in particular is preferred;
Well-developed skills and demonstrated experience in facilitation, consensus-building, multi-stakeholder dialogue processes, mediation, negotiation, dispute resolution, preferably in crisis situations;
Knowledge of relevant methodologies on conflict analyses, conflict impact assessments, and M&E of social cohesion and development activities;
Specific experience with designing and delivery of training in conflict resolution, conflict management and or similar trainings;
Extensive field experience or at least a field experience in the Solomon Islands would be an advantage.

Language:

Fluency in English.