UNDP Jobs - 60469- TICAD Programme Specialist

TICAD Programme Specialist

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

P-3

Duration of Initial Contract :

One 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

Against the backdrop of the extensive network of Country Offices, expertise in key development areas such as Poverty/Growth, Good Governance, Environment and Climate Change, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Gender, etc., convening and coordination role for UN development assistance, and its position as the trusted partner for the development, UNDP has been partnering with Japan to support and enhance the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), initiated in 1993, as one of the key forum for the advancement of dialogues and collaborations on African development. UNDP, as one of the co-organizers of TICAD along with UN-Office of Special Adviser for Africa (OSAA), the World Bank and African Union Commission (AUC), has hosted a Special Unit for TICAD with the funding from Japan, which has been integrated to the UNDP Regional Bureau of Africa (RBA) with a view to enhancing integrated UNDP support for the TICAD process. Through the Special Unit for TICAD, UNDP has consistently engaged in the organization of successive TICAD meetings and provided critical support in substantive, programmatic, technical and operational aspects including e.g. identification, formulation and implementation of country based and regional projects in line with TICAD frameworks, substantive contribution to the formulation and finalization of strategic agenda for TICAD, and domestic and international advocacy.

Most recently, with the participation of 51 African countries (including 39 heads of states), 31 development partners and Asian countries, and 72 international organizations, TICAD V proved to be the largest and most successful TICAD summit. UNDP’s contribution to this success, both substantively and operationally, and the active presence at TICAD V were well appreciated by Japan as well as other stakeholders.

While TICAD has achieved significant growth both as a forum and the multilateral framework on African development, international environment has also evolved significantly, as demonstrated for example by the resurgence of global support and interest in African development, due not in insignificant part to TICAD process, emergence of new development partners and actors, as well as multiplication of international forum for African development. TICAD VI summit, to be organized in 2016 for the first time in Africa, will provide a critical opportunity to further enhance the TICAD as the unique open and multilateral forum for African development with strengthened mechanism to translate its visions into actions.

UNDP, as one of the co-organizers of TICAD process and with a view to achieving the above goal, is committed to respond to calls by partners through (1) Identification, formulation and effective implementation of programmes and projects in support of TICAD priorities, (2) Galvanizing UNDP’s wide ranging resources to support and enhance TICAD process, substantively, programmatically, technically and operationally. (3) Advocacy and outreach, and (4) Provision of strategic and advisory support to TICAD process.

Duties and Responsibilities

Effective Financial Planning and Reporting

Support financial monitoring, management and compilation of financial and activity reports and plans for the TICAD Process Promotion Support Fund, under the overall guidance of the TICAD Programme Adviser.

Effective Support to TICAD V Process

Provision of substantive/technical advice and logistical support to TICAD meetings and related occasions in partnership with relevant stakeholders including CSOs.
Coordination with internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth management of the TICAD process.

Effective Project Identification and Formulation

Support identification, formulation, implementation, as well as reporting and closure of projects funded by Japan under the TICAD process, with accompanying resource mobilization.
Collaboration with RBA units and other internal stakeholders.

Support to Knowledge Management and Advocacy

Support knowledge management activities, including the monitoring and provision of timely update on TICAD related activities and Japan’s ODA policy to Africa to relevant UNDP constituencies to facilitate project formulation and resource mobilization.
Support for advocacy and communication support activities under TICAD process, in close coordination with internal and external stakeholders.

Any other tasks which may be required by the TICAD Programme Adviser in support of UNDP-Japan partnership in Africa.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda;
Analysis and creation of messages and strategies;
Creates effective advocacy strategies;
Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

Contributing to results through provision of information;
Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration;
Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme 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;
Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

Developing new approaches;
Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Developing tools and mechanisms;
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:

In-depth knowledge of the subject-matter;
Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
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:

Analysis and creation of messages and strategies;
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:

Contributing to positive outcomes for the client;
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;
Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in international development, public administration, business administration, public policy or other relevant areas.

Experience:

Minimum 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, implementation, financial monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
Good knowledge in African development agenda, Japanese ODA will and experience on partnership with Japan will be an asset; Demonstrated competency in financial management is an asset;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, as well as in handling of web based management systems such as Atlas.

Language:

Strong written and spoken skills in English;
Knowledge of a second UN language and Japanese will be an asset.