UNDP Jobs - 59576- MZ Local Governance Officer (national)

MZ Local Governance Officer (national)

Location :

Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

SB-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months

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 UNDP’s Social Inclusion/Democratic Governance Sector aims to decisively promote social inclusion and empower the most vulnerable, as well as to enhance access to social and economic benefits to marginalised people and communities through specifically tailored sector initiatives and other UNDP sectors’ programmes, fully utilizing CO knowledge and experiences.

Within that sector is the Strengthening the Role of Local Communities (Mjesne Zajednice/MZs) PROJECT, which is a joint initiative of the Government of Switzerland and the Government of Sweden, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in partnership with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Government of Republika Srpska, the Government of Brcko District and both Associations of Municipalities and Cities.

The Project is geared towards strengthening local communities (MZs) and will empower women and include the marginalized groups into economic, social and political mainstream. The overall Project objective is to contribute to better quality of life of BiH citizens through increased democratic participation and accountability, enhanced local services and infrastructure and social inclusion. The chosen means to achieve this goal is through encouraging community-led local development and revitalising community government by MZs, as the places where government comes closest to the people and as grass-roots organisations that serve communities of around 1,000 people, with the possibility for real participation and joint action. The three specific Project outcomes are:

Outcome 1: Citizens and governments are committed to realise the jointly agreed upon new inclusive and gender-sensitive vision of MZs in BiH, as foundation for more participatory and accountable local governance in BiH.
Outcome 2: Pro-active, capacitated and inter-connected MZs contribute to downward responsiveness of local governments and improved service delivery.
Outcome 3: A new regulatory framework for functional MZs developed by governments enables more inclusive, gender-sensitive and accountable local governance in BiH.

The Project's implementing strategy will be to support and drive forward change from bottom-up by engaging citizens and communities and giving them a voice in local governance processes, and by revitalising MZs as spaces where citizens come together to interact and involve, to identify and solve problems, to transmit their concerns to the local government and participate in the ways it makes its plans, spends their money and takes decisions that affect people’s lives. In doing so, the Project places MZs and their communities at the centre of its work, while also relying on a broad range of relevant stakeholders to sustain and expand Project results and increase democratic accountability. This approach will be capitalised upon to address the current flaws in the system, and to build momentum and drive forward the process of local governance reform to produce long term and sustainable change. To reach this goal, the Project will utilise existing legitimate local governance structures and processes to implement planned interventions, thus ensuring that improvements related to capacity of MZs and local governments, quality of service outcomes, enabling MZ-related regulatory environment and accountability of municipal decision-making processes are embedded and sustained within the system. The Project will work with app. 120 MZs country-wide and app. 20 local governments and will seek to develop partnership with civil society organizations.
This position relates specifically to the Project’s work in the domain of local governance, as elaborated in the Functions/Key Results section of these terms of reference. The employee will be based in the UNDP BiH office in Sarajevo with frequent field travel.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:
The incumbent’s duties are outlined below and are to be undertaken with due respect to UNDP regulations and rules and in accordance with UNDP internal control framework, under the direct guidance of the Project Manager/Chief Technical Advisor:
1. Technical advice and guidance in the area of local governance, including revision of relevant regulatory framework;
2. Technical advice and expert contribution to the design, implementation and quality assurance of the Project assistance for partner local governments and target MZs;
3. Support the overall design, management, implementation and monitoring of the outcome 2 and 3 aspects of the project, especially the Seed Fund for partner MZs and local governments;
4. Pro-actively support partnerships, networking and advocacy in the Project implementation, as well as in the broader UNDP local governance/local development programme.

1. Technical advice and guidance in the area of local governance, including revision of relevant regulatory framework

Provide backstopping support and technical guidance to the Project Manager with respect to local governance issues;
Analyse and link local governance initiatives undertaken by relevant government authorities with the processes led by the Project;
Contribute to and engage in the broader UNDP local governance/local development programme, ensuring close connectivity with the Project and the rest of relevant interventions;
From the viewpoint of the Project’s assistance to local governments and MZs, contribute to design of Project details, schedules, deliverables, budgets and reports as per the Annual Work Plan;
From local governance viewpoint, provide on-going support and interact with relevant counterparts (Associations of Municipalities and Cities, etc.) in public discussions, joint initiatives, advocacy for policy and legal drafting/revision of municipal/higher government level frameworks, etc.
Interact effectively with and provide advice to field level Project officers;
Provide inputs in identification of linkages between the MZ Project and other local governance Projects in BiH or beyond, maximizing the efficient and effective use of resources and multiplying Project results.

2. Technical advice and expert contribution to the design, implementation and quality assurance of the Project assistance for partner local governments and target MZs

Provide direct management and oversight of implementing partners in the design, development and implementation of institution-building and capacity-building trainings and technical assistance to local governments and MZs;
In close coordination with the Community Development Specialist, guide the design, steer, monitor and assess the effects of the Project packages related to delivery of process-based assistance to partner local governments and their MZs, with focus on MZ-specific grass-root processes;
Support effective dialogue between MZs and partner local governments;
Coordinate/provide support in organising training workshops, technical assistance sessions, conferences and other events;
Duly collect data and all relevant information, as well as support conduct of Project surveys at the local level, so as to effectively contribute to measurable review of results and longer-term Project effects, as per the Project M&E plan and logical framework;
Participate in Project-level committees, policy and capacity development working groups and events;
Establish and maintain good working relations with direct partners – local governments, MZs, civil society organisations, etc., as relevant for the Project implementation;
Ensure that achieved policy and legislative results, as well as successful approaches will be mainstreamed within the broader UNDP local governance/local development programme, and beyond.

3. Support the overall design, management, implementation and monitoring of the outcome 2 and 3 aspects of the project, especially the Seed Fund for partner MZs and local governments;

In cooperation with the relevant Project team, provide strategic technical guidance to the design and impactful implementation of Project interventions related to the Seed Fund for local governments and MZs;
In cooperation with the Project team at the field level, manage, monitor and quality assure the overall timely and quality implementation of Projects under the Seed Fund;
Prepare analytical reviews and systematically capture lessons learnt and development effects from the Seed Fund;
In cooperation with the relevant project team, provide strategic and task specific guidance for implementation of outcome 2 and 3 with local governance aspects in mind through support, planning, implementation and quality assurance.
Ensure proper monitoring and reporting is done for knowledge management and evidence based interventions.

4. Pro-actively support partnerships, networking and advocacy in the Project implementation, as well as in the broader UNDP local governance/local development programme:

Capture and ensure wide dissemination and visibility of Project achievements, particularly with regard to local success stories;
Ensure regular communication and coordination with Project counterparts and develop and maintain effective mechanisms for integrating and responding to their feedback and insights;
Encourage active participation of all stakeholders in order to promote empowerment and ownership of national counterparts and stakeholders;
Support awareness raising on and mainstreaming of gender equality principles within Project implementation;
Represent UNDP professionally at internal and external meetings and gatherings;
Mainstream gender and propose/implement innovative solutions for greater and sustainable project impact;
Proactively draft reports in accordance to the donor compliance but also to best capture interventions, lessons learned and behavioural changes.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: Fundamental knowledge of own discipline

Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
In-depth knowledge on development issues, especially in the domain of local governance and community development.
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;

Results-Based Programme: Development and Management: Contributing to results through provision of information

Provides information for linkages across Project activities to help identify critical points of integration;
Provides information and documentation on specific stages of Projects implementation;
Provides background information to identify opportunities for Project development and helps drafting proposals;
Participates in the formulation of Project proposals.

Building Strategic Partnerships: Identifying and building partnerships

Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda;
dentifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners.

Client Orientation: Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Basic research and analysis

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

Core Competencies:

Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, disabilities, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people and partners fairly without favouritism;
Self-development, initiative-taking;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude and strong ability to continuously self-motivate;
Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time;
Excellent diplomatic and interpersonal skills and ability to liaise effectively with government and stakeholders at the highest levels;
Sound judgment and problem solving skills;
Excellent conceptualisation and analytical skills, as well as proven ability to draft documents in clear and concise manner;
Excellent communication skills with excellent drafting and presentation skills;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective Project team;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent Project team;
Managing conflict;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
Fair and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Master’s degree in public administration, development studies, economics, political sciences, social sciences, or other related areas. BA degree with additional two years of experience maybe accepted in lieu of MA. BA degree in law preferable;
Minimum three years of professional experience in the field of local governance and local development in BiH; previous practical work at the MZ level is a distinct asset;
Proven knowledge, expertise and practical experience in design and delivery of assistance to local governments; including in local planning and policy design; public consultations, local financial management; local infrastructure projects, etc.;
Excellent understanding of the overall political, administrative and institutional set-up of local governance in BiH;
Rich previous experience in partnering and interaction with governmental institutions at state/entity/local levels, as well as with civil society organisations;
Familiarity with key public documents, strategies and trends related to local governance in BiH;
Fluency in English and languages of peoples of BiH;
Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource

Applicants are required to submit completed and signed UNDP Personal History Form (downloadable from http://www.ba.undp.org/content/bosnia_and_herzegovina/en/home/operations/jobs.html) online through this website.
Candidates must either be citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina or hold a valid work permit for BiH. Only successful candidates will be contacted.