UNDP Jobs - 51807- Strategic Specialist

Strategic Specialist

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

05-Jan-2015

Application Deadline :

05-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year

Languages Required :

English Spanish

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

The Strategic Specialist is part of a team that advises the Bureau on programmatic and macro-economic, social, political and environmental trends through regional analysis and forecasting as well as on possibilities for positioning the Bureau, fostering substantive partnerships and advocating for change. In close coordination with the Strategic Analysis Chief, the Strategic Specialist advises the Bureau on regional programmatic priorities (including CO programmes, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, governance MDGs and Post 2015 Agenda), and informs regional and country programs in close collaboration with the Planning, Reporting and Oversight Team at Headquarters and the Country and Regional Support Teams in the Regional Hub. S/he reports to the Regional Director.

Duties and Responsibilities

Regional Forward Analysis:

Identify opportunities and alignments for UNDP programmatic interventions in the region against clients’ emerging needs;
Continue and advance on-going engagement with specialized institutions in producing analytical work related to regional progress of the Bureau’s key initiatives in the region;
Develop analytical tools and processes to contribute to the diagnosis and monitoring of economic trends in the region and their expected impact. Based on preliminary analysis, recommend adjustments to on-going programmes to strengthen their quality and responsiveness to emerging developments in collaboration with the Planning, Reporting and Oversight team;
Draft briefing notes and papers for the Regional Bureau leadership providing substantive contributions on evolving needs and trends, including aggregate data and benchmarks to facilitate the review and decision making processes.

Regional Strategy and Positioning:

Contribute to the formulation and monitoring of the implementation of regional and sub-regional strategies, by analyzing aggregate results from country and regional programmes, including regional development plans. Identify bottlenecks in the achievement of agreed international development targets and recommend resolution;
Provide inputs into major publications requiring interaction with relevant UNDP units and UN offices in New York liaising with the Bureau’s teams both at Headquarters and in the Regional Hub;
Under the supervisor’s guidance, identify innovative approaches to leverage the Bureau’s strategic positioning and programmatic interventions in the region, drawing on international development organizations’ best practices and benchmarks.

Knowledge Management:

Analyze results and draw lessons for country and regional programmes from the implementation of critical initiatives in the region; Identify best practices for recording and dissemination, based on assessment of programme implementation in the region including recovery interventions and coordination mechanisms;
Work with BPPS to ensure regional development issues are fully integrated into UNDP’s corporate development policy issues and corporate tools are cascaded to regional and national levels including SDGs or post 2015 development agenda related tools;
Contribute to the development and review of knowledge products in close coordination with the regional teams by analyzing and sharing lessons learnt and programme evaluation results as well as targeted interventions in crisis countries.

Advocacy and External Relations:

Upon specific delegation, represent the Bureau in global meetings, events and other fora to discuss, promote, and advocate the Bureau’s ideas, mission and interests and to influence the discussion and setting of agenda;
Strengthen the Bureau’s partnerships and networks by ensuring substantive exchange and information sharing with critical stakeholders;
Establish effective and collaborative dialogue with partners to keep abreast of situations and trends that will impact the Strategic Analysis team’s effectiveness in coordinating services and technical support.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Innovation - Ability to make new and useful ideas work;
Leadership - Ability to persuade others to follow;
People Management - Ability to improve performance and satisfaction;
Communication - Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform;
Delivery - Ability to get things done.

Technical/Functional Competencies:

Primary:

Strategic Planning - Ability to make decisions that align with strategy, vision, and mission;
Marketplace Analysis - Ability to research, discover trends, and make recommendations pertaining to a particular market;
Data Analysis / Measurement - Ability to evaluate, transform and model data to derive relevant findings;
Ability to set goals and indicators and to interpret and synthesize results into usable information to inform policy, strategy, and/or action;
Representation - Ability to productively share UNDP knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues);
Relationship Management -Ability to engage with other parties and forge productive working relationships.

Secondary:

Report Writing - Ability to prepare quality reports;
Research (General) - Knowledge of various programme information for research to provide recommendation and guidance to management;
Results-based Management - Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results;
Knowledge Management - Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in public policy, economics, political science, or related fields.

Experience:

A minimum of 7 years of increasingly responsible relevant experience at the national and international level, in a governmental, development multilateral or civil society organization setting in providing advisory services;
Experience in experience Country Offices and programmes on issues related to MDGs, post 2015 agenda, crisis prevention and recovery as well as governance.

Language:

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Spanish;
French and/or Portuguese are an asset.