Background

The peace and security situation in South Sudan remains fragile and volatile, following its independence in July 2011 as the world’s newest nation, emerging from decades of violent conflict. The effects of this conflict has posed immense challenges to  the new Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS) due to weak governance and rule of law institutions and systems, degraded infrastructure, and low delivery of basic social services. This situation is further compounded by growing insecurity due to traditional ethnic/tribal rivalries, driven by cyclical competition over scarce resources – i.e. water, food, livestock and land – as ongoing conflict with Sudan along the border areas.

On 15 December 2013, renewed armed violence erupted in the capital city - Juba between two factions of the South Sudan’s People Liberation Army (SPLA). Within days, large-scale defections spread across the security sector and precipitated the mobilization of armed groups, local militias as well as communities themselves. Similarly, defections and polarization have also affected the country’s civilian administration, including its highest political strata. This has resulted in the splintering of the ruling political party and army, the SPLM/A, and consequently has given rise to the SPLM/A in Opposition (SPLM/A-iO).

With robust regional and international support, led through East Africa’s Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoH) was finally signed on 23 January 2014; paving way for subsequent discussions seeking for a comprehensive political solution. To date, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) estimates that over 900,000 people have been displaced and well over 10,000 people killed since the eruption of violence in December 2013.

On 20 January 2014, representatives of the government and the opposition group committed to an 8-point road map and wide consultations with all stakeholders to resolve the current conflict. Subsequently, on 31 January 2014, the 24th Extra-Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly on the situation in South Sudan instructed IGAD Special Envoys to organize a series of public consultations with representative stakeholders including inter alia political parties, traditional and religious leaders, civil society and displaced communities as well as a framework and implementation modality to implement these consultations.

Senior Advisors to the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission (SSPRC), including UNDP’s Technical Advisory team seconded through UNDP South Sudan’s Community Security & Arms Control (CSAC) project to the SSPRC, are working in close collaboration with Senior Advisors to the Committee for National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation as well as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Peace and Reconciliation. On 9 January 2014, these three institutions, issued a Joint Statement at a press conference in Juba. This marked the first time that all three bodies undertook joint action, and was the first widely disseminated call for peace and reconciliation—importantly, by leaders from three major ethnic groups—after the current outbreak of hostilities. Jointly the three bodies created the ‘National Platform for Peace & Reconciliation’ (NPPR) in the country that will reach out to faith-based groups, academia, youth, women, civil society, Members of Parliament, different levels of local government and local leaders in order to facilitate a process of national dialogue, peacebuilding and longer-term reconciliation.

UNDP’s CSAC project is directly providing technical and financial support to the national dialogue process and is also involved in a series of coordinated responses including conducting consultations with other peace stakeholders, undertaking conflict-sensitive assessments for early recovery programming, establishing a joint secretariat for the NPPR and expanding the NPPR presence at state-level. The CSAC project has technical staff deployed at both the national and state-level and requires dedicated human resources to oversee the development and implementation of key peacebuilding activities, serves as the focal point for peacebuiling research and analysis and provides day-to-day management of the Peacebuilding team’s programme delivery including its presence and activities in the field. 

The CSAC Project is under UNDP South Sudan’s Democratic Governance & Stabilization Unit (DGSU). A Project Manager heads the CSAC Project, and the project’s Peacebuilding component is lead by a Senior Technical Advisor. Accordingly, under the overall leadership and guidance of the Team Leader – DGSU and in close collaboration with the CSAC Project Manager, the Senior Technical Advisor serves as the line manager for the Peacebuilding Specialist position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Programme Development & Implementation;
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Analysis and Impact Assessments;
• Project Management and Coordination.

Programme Development & Implementation:

• Under the supervision of the Senior Peacebuilding Advisor, leads effort to translate peaecbuilding strategies into implementable. actionable and time-bound components through the development of work plans, budgets, reporting frameworks and other programming tools;
• Plans and supports implementation of activities related to capacity development of government counterparts and partner institutions in line with the outcomes of Organizational Capacity Assessments and/or other capacity building assessments and strategies;
• Regularly liaises with technical staff of the NPPR institutions, ensuring coherent and joint planning, programming and relationship management;
• Leads efforts to conceptualize and design new initiatives as outlined within the CSAC Annual Work Plan, particularly on or related to: community consultations processes / facilitations; national dialogue and reconciliation; social cohesion and peacebuilding;
• Upon request, provides direct support to the Senior Technical Advisor in line with the project’s Annual Work Plan;

 Research, Analysis and M&E:

• Develops Peacebuilding targets and indicators, along with reporting and monitoring frameworks to capture progress against them;
• Leads efforts in drafting quarterly reporting, ensuring adherence to and compliance with project annual work plans and M&E frameworks;
• Develops and undertakes joint monitoring missions with key national, state and local counterparts in support of programme monitoring, impact assessments and programme enhancement;
• Contributes to the production of Peacebuilding knowledge products through the CSAC Analysis Cell / UNDP Solutions Team to inform and/or support policy-making, programming or technical advisory services.

Project Management & Coordination:

• Oversees and coordinates IUNV and national staff within the project’s Peacebuilding component including field-based staff in support of programme objectives and targets;
• Maintains contact with and participates in peacebuilding forums with relevant external UN and non-UN partners and actors to identify synergies, expand partnerships, avoid duplication and exchange information;
• Maintains stock of technical programme and operational issues vis-à-vis peacebuilding activities in the field to support cross-fertilization, comparative analysis and documentation of lessons learned / best practices;
• Establishes and maintains effective coordination and communication systems at national and state levels with staff as well as national and state level authorities;
• Provides and coordinates timely technical and operational support/response to field-based Peacebuilding teams, ensuring quality of programme outputs, timely implementation of key activities and overall client satisfaction.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards, as well as tact and diplomacy;
• 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:

• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning amongst colleagues and clients;
• Demonstrates technical expertise on Conflict Prevention, Peace-building and Stabilization policies and programming;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to support strategic planning, results-based programming, management, reporting as well as resource mobilization efforts;
• Ability to support formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects;
• Knowledgeable about UNDP’s program management/strategy regulations, systems and procedures, including execution modalities;
• Demonstrates outstanding oral and written communication and presentation skills;
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation and networking skills;
• Strong IT skills. Encourages the use of new technologies and strives for high standard of professional work;
• Strong inter-personal skills: Ability to motivate and inter-act with colleagues at all levels within the organization as well as with inter-agency partners.

Management and Leadership:

• Analyses complex problems systematically and efficiently;
• Focuses on critical details while managing a broad perspective. Draws accurate conclusions and makes sound decisions;
• Results Oriented: Uses initiative to deliver required outputs and planned results in accordance with time and budget targets;
• Demonstrates high tolerance for change, complexity and unpredictability. Focuses on impact and results for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Demonstrates strong conflict resolution skills;
• Handles confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude. Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Peacebuilding, International Affairs, Social Science, Political Science, International Development, Development studies, Human Rights/Security or other related field; focus in post-conflict development / peacebuilding highly desired.

Experience:

• Five years of relevant professional experience in post-conflict setting focusing on human rights/security, peacebuilding, conflict transformation, recovery/development, rule of law and/or community security-related projects. Prior experience in (post) conflict countries in the East and Horn of Africa region is required;
• Experience in conflict-sensitive planning and budgeting, programming, participatory research, monitoring and evaluation, as well as resource mobilization, donor liaising/reporting and partnership building is an added advantage;
• Work experience in the UN system is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English is a must;
• Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.