UNDP Jobs - 58736- Project Director (Humanitarian Project) 1

Project Director (Humanitarian Project) 1

Location :

Geneva, SWITZERLAND

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

10-Sep-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-6

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One year with possibility of extension

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 post is located in the Senior Transformative Agenda Implementation Team (STAIT) based in Geneva. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Emergency Directors Group (EDG) established the STAIT to support the roll-out of the IASC Transformative Agenda at field-level. The STAIT is an inter-agency team which includes senior NGO and UN colleagues with extensive experience in humanitarian operations. The STAIT provides peer support for country operations, sharing good practice and providing peer support guided by the vision of transforming and supporting a better collective humanitarian response. The STAIT aims to contribute to a ‘mindset shift’ in the way humanitarian actors work together to enable a more effective, accountable and timely humanitarian response.

The STAIT’s work focuses on the following main areas:

Leadership (at all levels including: Humanitarian Coordinators, Humanitarian Country Teams, Inter-Cluster, Clusters, sub-national)
Coordination;
Humanitarian Programme Cycle with a focus on delivery;
Accountability to Affected People;
Centrality of Protection;
Enabling security management.

In order to consolidate the work already undertaken by the STAIT, two new Project Director (Humanitarian Project) positions have been created. These two key roles will enable the STAIT to more than double the level of support provided to Humanitarian Coordinators (HCs) and Humanitarian Country Team (HCTs), including through field missions and remote support methodologies.

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project),P6, will directly report to the Director (Team Leader) (D2) of the STAIT, and leads two Programme Specialists-Humanitarian Affairs at P4 and P3 levels.

Under the leadership and guidance of the Director (Team Leader), the Project Director (Humanitarian Project) supervises the STAIT core team for implementation of STAIT’s programme and operational activities.

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) leads country support missions as requested by the Director (Team Leader) and engages with HCs and HCTs as a peer, sharing insight, advice and good practices based on her/his own extensive experience in the management and leadership of humanitarian field operations. As requested by the Director (Team Leader), the Project Director (Humanitarian Project) represents the STAIT with IASC member organisations, Government agencies, technical advisors and experts, multilateral and bilateral donors and civil society. The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) participates in regional and international fora on behalf of the STAIT, as requested by the Director (Team Leader). The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) supports the Director (Team Leader) in setting the strategic vision for the STAIT and establishing its priorities, goals and objectives.

The Project Director (Humanitarian) will frequently interact with the following:

Directors and senior staff of IASC organizations;
NGO consortia and NGOs at HQ and field level;
Humanitarian Coordinators and their staff in the field, as well as Programme Managers, Regional Commissions;
UN Resident Coordinators in disaster-prone developing countries;
UN Mission and Member State personnel with responsibility for humanitarian issues and non-governmental organization representatives;
Government officials;
Delegations and partners in universities and research institutes, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) shall fully support the Director (Team Leader) in the formulation of the STAIT vision, establishing priorities and goals, and achieving STAIT’s objectives. In particular, the Project Director (Humanitarian Project) 1 is expected to:

Provide substantive and thematic support to the Director (Team Leader) in formulating and guiding the STAIT workplan; provide strategic support to the STAIT Director to establish priorities, goals and objectives for the Team;
Support partnership building and resource mobilization for the STAIT project;
Represent the STAIT in inter-agency fora and effectively promote STAIT’s support to humanitarian reform.

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) shall lead the STAIT field support programme for specific countries, as requested by the Director (Team Leader), including field missions and remote support. Specifically he/she:

Establishes effective professional relationships with HCs, HCT members, and Resident Coordinators (RCs), in client countries;
Provides insight, strategic advice, good practices as appropriate to HCs and HCTs in selected countries;
Leads the coordination, planning and execution of STAIT field support missions, linking with HCs and HCTs at the country level and bringing on board senior leadership as members of the inter-agency STAIT missions;
Leads and supervises the rollout and implementation of remote support to HCTs in selected countries, through remote self-assessments on context-related Transformative Agenda (TA) issues, including the debriefing of HCTs on findings and organizing follow-up in-country support as necessary.

Ensure strategic direction to communicate, promote and mainstream the Transformative Agenda in an inter-agency IASC context:

Develop strategic partnerships and utilize key networks to share and promote the roll-out of the Transformative Agenda and sharing of best practices.Engage with IASC organisations to promote coherence in mainstreaming Transformative Agenda Protocols, and understand communication and learning needs to inform the communications strategy;
Lead and supervise the development and implementation of a series of online webinars on relevant issues related to the Transformative Agenda, e.g. collective leadership, coordination, AAP (Accountability to Affected People), HPC (Humanitarian Programme Cycle), in close collaboration with partners leading on these subjects. Moderate webinars and provide substantive direction to elicit core messages from expert panelists;
Lead and supervise the development and implementation of a communications strategy in support of the roll-out, understanding and application of the Transformative Agenda and its protocols.

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) operates under delegation from the Director (Team Leader). Drawing on the guidance of the Director (Team Leader), the Project Director (Humanitaria Project) 1 is responsible for effective resource allocation and utilization, monitoring budgets, ensuring appropriate financial and budget controls, reviewing resource allocations in light of strategic goals and outcomes and identifying opportunities to attract or leverage resources.

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) 1 is accountable to the Director (Team Leader) for the following results:

Office management:

Monitors the implementation of STAIT’s activities and monitors achievement of results;
Financial management: Ensures the integrity of financial transactions, systems and reports by consistent application of rules and regulations.

Resource management:

Ensures integrated, results-based planning, budgeting and utilization of management (operational) and development (programme) resources in line with established policies and procedures and with consistent application of UNDP’s established cost recovery policy. Routinely monitors financial exception reports for unusual activities, transactions, and investigates anomalies or unusual transactions. Informs the Director (Team Leader) and, in full consultation with the Director (Team Leader), informs concerned UNDP staff at Headquarters of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained;

Human Resources management:

Under delegated authority from the Director (Team Leader), ensures that HR processes are effectively implemented including the creation of specific positions funded from non-core resources, classification of local positions, recruitment, learning, etc.

Procurement:

Under delegated authority from the Director (Team Leader), ensures that procurement processes are effectively implemented including the proper use of procurement methods, solicitation processes, award and management of contracts, asset management, etc.

Risk Management:

The Project Director (Humanitarian Project) is responsible for the identification of all significant risks and appropriate action including the implementation of a risk management strategy. This will be done in consultation with the Director (Team Leader).

Lead knowledge building and management:

Lead and supervise the development and implementation of a learning and knowledge management strategy for the Transformative Agenda;
Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the STAIT programme for IASC-wide sharing and learning;
Link the findings and recommendations of STAIT missions, remote support, webinars etc to global policy and practice forums eg of relevant IASC bodies, providing recommendations based on learning;
Oversee and provide substantive direction and inputs to communications and reports related to learning from STAIT missions and webinar discussions for IASC bodies, such as the Emergency Director Group (EDG);
Provide high-level briefings on learning from the application of the Transformative Agenda for IASC partners, both at HQ and field level;
Promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the STAIT;
In collaboration with research institutions or consultants, lead and supervise reviews to assess the impact of the application of the Transformative Agenda to date.

Competencies

Core

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:

Primary:

Transformative Agenda:

Knowledge of the content and purpose of the Transformative Agenda Protocols, the three pillars of the Transformative Agenda (coordination, leadership and accountability, including the humanitarian programme cycle), the Centrality of Protection, and the spirit of the Transformative Agenda, and the ability to apply in strategic and/or practical situations.

Partnerships:

Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

Secondary:

Knowledge Management:

Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international relations/development/law/political or social science, or a related area.

Experience:

Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the fields of humanitarian affairs, relief coordination, disaster management and response, complex emergencies and natural disasters, rehabilitation and development, inter-agency coordination, resource mobilization and advocacy;
Relevant professional experience must include a minimum of 10 years of experience at the international level and at least 6 years of experience in support of humanitarian operations, with experience in leadership roles in inter-agency humanitarian coordination at field level e.g. Humanitarian Coordinator or member of Humanitarian Country Team, Area Humanitarian Country Team (sub-national delegation), Inter-Cluster or Cluster;
Extensive field experience in emergency situations (e.g. complex emergency, natural disaster etc) with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) is required;
A good understanding of the IASC coordination system, and the roles played by different stakeholders at field level (UN and NGOs), is essential;
Extensive experience at a senior management level as Representative/Country Director or representation role at sub-national level delegation is required;
A good understanding of issues affecting the effectiveness and accountability of humanitarian operations highlighted in the Transformative Agenda – Leadership, Coordination, Accountability (Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC), Accountability to Affected People (AAP) as well as other key humanitarian operational issues around the Centrality of Protection/Rights up Front, Security in humanitarian operations, is required;
Facilitation skills and experience is highly desirable;
Experience developing and implementing a communications strategy using a wide range of media would be an advantage.

Language:

Fluency in oral and written English is required;
Knowledge of French, Arabic or another official United Nations language is highly desirable.