UNDP Jobs - 55974- Project Coordination Specialist

Project Coordination Specialist

Location :

Beirut, LEBANON

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

26-May-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 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

The impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon is reaching a scale unprecedented in the history of complex, refugee-driven emergencies. In April 2012, 32,800 refugees were registered or were awaiting registration by UNHCR. By mid-September 2013, the numbers had jumped sharply to over 730,000. By the end of 2013, this number is expected to reach one million – equal to 25% of the entire Lebanese pre-crisis population – and rise much further in 2014. The crisis is not only challenging the country’s existing social and economic infrastructure, it also brings to Lebanon a new set of disparities, cleavages and tensions that threaten to undermine Lebanon’s delicate social and political balance of power.

Furthermore, areas with the highest concentration of refugees, North Lebanon and the Bekaa valley, are among the poorest and most underserved regions of Lebanon. Even before the crisis, social services, infrastructure and livelihood opportunities were inadequate. Now, increased refugee populations are putting enormous pressure on water, sanitation, education and health care systems. Local authorities, in these areas, will have to govern municipalities whose needs have grown exponentially.

The socio-economic impact assessment carried out in September 2013 by the World Bank and the UN confirmed that spillover effects from the conflict in Syria are “large, negative and growing rapidly” for Lebanon. The assessment report analyzed the impact of the Syrian conflict on three main areas: a) economic (macroeconomic and fiscal); b) human development and social dimensions (health, education, employment and livelihoods, poverty and safety nets, social cohesion and gender); c) infrastructure (water and sanitation, solid waste management, electricity, transportation). Using counter-factual methodology (i.e. comparing the current scenario with a hypothetical non-crisis scenario), the report estimated a financial impact of $7.5 billion USD in reduced economic activities; 1.6 billion USD in lost revenues; and 1.2 billion USD in additional public expenditures.

UNDP Lebanon has formulated the “Stabilization and Recovery Program” (SRP) that focuses on scaling up existing initiatives supporting host communities in the areas of livelihoods, basic infrastructure and social cohesion. In addition UNDP is taking the lead in coordinating the Livelihoods and Social Cohesion sector in the framework of the Regional Response Plan (RRP6) and the Hosting Communities Task Force.

The CO requires support in setting up monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure that the expected donor funding for the SRP program is producing the expected results and it implemented according to the UNDP standards of best practices. UNDP also envisages reinforcing its role in coordinating the livelihoods and social cohesion working groups at the national and regional levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

Acts as the UNDP representative and focal point on all issues associated with the coordination of the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP):

Represent UNDP, as the lead on Stabilization, in all Inter Agency meetings at Beirut and in the field;
Represent UNDP in the Quartette the core group that monitors the implementation of the LCRP and involves UNDP, UNOCHA, RCO and UNHCR;
Represent UNDP in all LCRP Inter Sector Meetings involving representatives from all the different sectors;
Act as the key focal point on all issues associated with coordination of the LCRP;
Liaise and communicate with the Government counterpart from the Ministry of Social Affairs on all issues associated with implementation of the LCRP;
Advise the Country Director and other senior staff on all issues associated with the LCRP.

Ensures effective Communication of UNDP’s programming within the context of the LCRP:

Act as the key focal point with the Sub Regional Facility in Amman and review and comment upon all material associated with the LCRP;
Liaise closely with the UNDP and UN RCO Communications Officers to ensure that all materials produced are accurate and present the UN programming in the most effective manner;
Preparation of speakers notes, talking points and speeches for the Country Director and other senior UN staff on issues associated with the LCRP;
Takes the lead in developing key products highlighting specific issues associated with the implementation of the LCRP, specifically concerned with the Stabilization dimension.

Support the UNDP CO programming team in ensuring effective implementation of the LCRP:

Advise and support programme design and development processes in line with the LCRP;
Highlight to the relevant programme staff where linkages and partnerships can be developed with other actors whether they be UN, Private Sector, INGOs or local organisations.

Manage, as part of a Matrix management system, the four Field Coordinators placed in each of the UNDP regional offices:

Play a line management role, in partnership with the Area Manager, in the setting of results for the Field Coordinators;
Hold regular coordination meeting with the Field Coordinators;
Play an oversight role from a Coordination perspective.

Support the CTA Stabilization & Recovery in his/her capacity as lead person on M & E with regards UNDP’s implementation of the LCRP:

Develop a good understanding of the Activity Info Database and being able to extract data and advise on its applicability and use;
In coordination with others develop a M & E system that ensures UNDP is monitoring the Stabilization dimension of the LCRP and can report accordingly.

The key results have an impact on the success of Country Office with regards to role as lead, on Stabilization, with regards to the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
Building support and political acumen;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective teams;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda:

Creates effective advocacy strategies;
Contributes to the elaboration of advocacy strategies by identifying and prioritizing audiences and communication means;
Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

Identifies country needs and strategies using a fact-based approach;
Sets performance standards, monitors progress and intervenes at an early stage to ensure results are in accordance with agreed-upon quality and timeframes and reports on it;
Makes use of a variety of resources based on UN/UNCT priorities to achieve results, such as cross-functional teams, secondments and developmental assignments, and collaborative funding approaches;
Oversees and documents the process of strategy formulation for programmes at country level.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UN/UNCT’s strategic agenda;
Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UN/UNCT’sstrategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts;
Develops positive ties with civil society to build/strengthen UN/UNCT’s mandate;
Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
Effectively attentive to programmatic synergies in inter-agency meetings.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
Generates for regional and innovative ideas and effective solutions to problems;
Looks at experience critically, drawing lessons, and building them into the design of new approaches;
Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
Documents successes and uses them to project a positive image.

Resource Mobilization:

Develops detailed knowledge and understanding of key donors, their priorities and areas of interest and adapts content and approach of resource mobilization activities to their requirements;
Builds and maintains relationships with donors demonstrating professionalism in providing advice and information on UN activities and sensitivity to donor concerns.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff;
Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Demonstrates comprehensive 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:

Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level.

Client Orientation:

Anticipates client needs;
Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Sciences or related field.

Experience:

At least 7 years field experience, a significant part of which would be from countries in special development situations;
Extensive experience at the national or international level in providing policy advisory services on Aid Coordination;
Hands-on experience in design, monitoring and overseeing implementation of support to building national capacity for Aid Coordination and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems (Atlas);
Knowledge and experience from disaster response operations, including missions in support of recovery planning and/or Aid Coordination in at least two different UN regions is desirable.

Language:

Fluency in English;
Knowledge of Arabic and French would be an asset.