UNDP Jobs - 49777- Programme Analyst (Steering Committee Support Offi

Programme Analyst (Steering Committee Support Office), UNDP Iraq

Location :

Baghdad, IRAQ

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

P-2

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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, the Iraq UNDAF Fund was established to support the first United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2011-2014 for Iraq. The UNDAF articulates Iraq’s recovery and transition towards longer-term development by providing a coherent and coordinated strategy for the delivery of UN assistance in line with Iraq’s national priorities stipulated in the Iraq Five Year National Development Plan (NDP) 2010-2014.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of the Resident Coordination Office (RCO), and under direct supervision of the Programme Coordination Officer, the Programme Analyst will provide support for managing the process of UNDAF programmes development, implementation and monitoring including administrative support to the Iraq UNDAF Fund Steering Committee in the RCO. The Programme Analyst will be responsible for the effective day to day operations of the Iraq UNDAF Fund and ensure the efficient closure of the UNDG ITF working closing with the administrative agent and UN Participating Organizations. The Programme Analyst will also assist in drafting reports, convening meetings, following up on decisions/action points, drafting project/budget revisions and overall programming of the Iraq UNDAF Fund.

S/he will promote a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDG joint programming and financing approaches ensuring to the greatest extent possible the UN system to deliver as one through the Iraq UNDAF Trust Fund.

The Programme Analyst will work in close collaboration with the RCO, UNDAF Priority Working Groups and programme staff in other UN Agencies. The incumbent will maintain close contact with Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office) portfolio manager and Government officials on Iraq UNDAF Fund matters.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the UNDAF Steering Committee Chairs in ensuring the strategic direction of Iraq UNDAF Fund Programmes as per UNDAF priorities focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Standardization of annual work planning, identification of areas for joint activities and regular progress reporting based on SMART results and indicators;
Provides support to the Inter-agency Programming Group (IPG) in ensuring effective oversight over the work of the UNDAF Outcome Groups and regular reporting of UNDAF progress to the UNCT;
Assists in coordinating efforts to adopt a common programming terminology and to mainstream the UN’s key programming principles (HRBA, Gender, Environment, RBM, and Capacity Development);
Supports the IPG and UNCT in the identification, development, implementation, M&E and joint resource mobilization for Joint Programmes;
Liaises with Joint Programme coordinators to ensure capturing of programme results and success stories that can be used by the UN Communications Group to promote UN work and Delivering as One;
Collects and disseminates global practice in the field of Joint Programmes while supporting implementation of these practices locally.

Ensure effective programme management of the Iraq UNDAF financed activities focusing on the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation and reporting:

Support the Programme Coordination Officer in the approval process of Iraq UNDAF Fund programmes;
Overall tracking of individual projects progress;
Support the Programme Coordination Officer in the maintenance of pipeline and project status table;
Coordination support for the PWGs and agencies on Iraq UNDAF Fund related matters including policies for extensions and budget revisions;
Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on PWGs’ Iraq UNDAF Fund activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donors and Iraq UNDAF Fund activity briefs for the DSRSG and Steering Committee;
Support to the Programme Coordination Officer as deemed necessary.

Ensure effective and accurate financial approval for programme management, budget approvals and extensions:

Provide support in the review of budgets prepared by the Agencies for all new ? programmes ensuring inter-agency cross checking on pro forma costs, past expenditures analyses and management of security and miscellaneous budget approval requests;
Overall tracking of individual projects progress;
Maintenance of hard and electronic files on all projects and agencies;
Maintenance of pipeline, project status table;
Management of project timeline extensions and ‘change of scope’ requests (related budget revisions);
Schedule, attendance and follow-up on results of the regular Agency/SCSO meetings;
Management of SCSO database and compilation of reports with data.

Ensure effective SCSO and RCO budgets management and tracking:

Tracking of all RCO-SCSO allocated financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Assist the programme coordination Officer in regular analysis and reporting on the budget approvals and the delivery situation against RCO-SCSO work plan;
Provide and ensure proper control of the supporting documents for payments;
Ensuring that advance payments, direct payments, travel claims and other entitlements are properly reviewed, made on a timely basis and duly processed as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis;
Assist in the preparation of financial reports to be submitted to MPTF Office and DOCO;
Elaboration of the internal expenditures’ control system which ensures that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas;
Regular monitoring of the budgets;
Support the programme coordination officer in budget preparations for SCSO-RCO.

Ensures efficient administrative support, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Planning and coordination of travel arrangements with UNDP/Iraq for SCSO-RCO staff and visiting missions;
Organization of workshops, conferences, retreats;
As requested by the Head/ RCO-SCSO, take the lead in organizing meetings of the Steering Committee. Assist in the preparation of the agenda and relevant documentation, and ensure its circulation to participants;
Prepare meeting minutes for all SCSO and Iraq UNDAF Fund-related meetings;
Prepare draft communications as requested by the Head/RCO-SCSO.

Ensure provision of quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management;, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Maintain updated lists of UN agencies and Priority Working Groups in Iraq, and ensure that the MPTF Office in New York has updated information;
Serve as focal point for information sharing related to the MPTF Office and Iraq UNDAF Fund Projects’ Databases (on MPTF Gateway), ensuring they reflect information on newly approved projects, status reports, budget revisions, etc.;
Research and retrieval of statistical data from internal and external sources; preparation of statistical charts, tables and reports.

Ensure Programme Performance and Reporting in line with legal arrangements:

Maintain regular contact with the Participating UN Organizations and provide support and guidance on the preparation and timely receipt of progress reports;
Contribute to the preparation of consolidated annual analytical results-based progress ? reports with the MPTF Office in accordance with timelines stipulated in the UNDG ITF/ Iraq UNDAF Fund Memorandum of Understanding and Letter of Agreement;
Prepare, as requested and in consultation with the MPTF Office, periodic briefs and position papers on overall UNDG ITF/ Iraq UNDAF Fund level progress, emerging results and outcomes through write ups in periodic Newsletters and web postings.

Support the Resident Coordinator Office in Iraq as needed:

Contributes flexibly to other activities of the RC Office team in support of the RC system and Delivering as One as required, including backstopping arrangements.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
Demonstrate 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:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:

Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration;
Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development;
Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues;
Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches.

Resource Mobilization:

Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors;
Develops a database of project profiles. Identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals:

Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences;
Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for advocating for UNDP’s mandate.

Client Orientation:

Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field;
Prince2 training and certification, RMG.

Experience:

2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems;
Previous work experience with UNDP and other UN agencies is considered as advantage.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English;
Working knowledge of Arabic language is an asset.