UNDP Jobs - 60829- Early Recovery/Community Resilience Advisor

Early Recovery/Community Resilience Advisor

Location :

Kinshasa, CONGO, DEM. REPUBLIC

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

26-Oct-2015

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

6 months

Languages Required :

English French

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

Eastern DRC remains a fragile zone and, in spite of progress made after the recent military defeat of the M23, the willingness of several armed groups to surrender their arms, this part of the country is still confronted with a number of key challenges. The North and South Kivu populations, but also the surrounding provinces (notably Maniema, North-Katanga and Ituri) are still suffering from the consequences of violence that resulted from displacements of people fearing the violence. According to OCHA figures, by 30th September 2013, the highest concentration of IDPs was located in the North- and South-Kivu with respectively 1.032.958 and 591.627 persons.

This situation requires an emergency relief response together with a more long-term recovery perspective, and it implies the need to start initiatives with the view to stabilising communities, providing economic alternatives, reconciliation and preventing a relapse into conflict and violence. More short term humanitarian interventions should be combined with income generation and livelihoods recovery programs to ensure impact in terms of (i) sustained stability and preventing a relapse into conflict in more stable areas and/or (ii) of contributing to peace-building efforts and stability in currently unstable areas. This will be achieved through an early recovery/community resilience (ER/CR) approach, in which income generation and livelihoods recovery should be implemented with a strong social cohesion lens and used as an entry point to promote inter-community dialogue.

For better sustainability and ownership of the community resilience process by national structures, (associations, especially women and public structures, female company), the decentralised authorities have to be involved as much as possible in order to increase state authority and to strengthen the capacities of national actors and structures.

The objective of building resilience in the context prevailing in DRC is to strengthen the capacity of individuals, communities and local institutions to anticipate, recover and prevent local and intercommunity conflicts, while creating perspectives for longer term development and takes into account the needs of marginalized groups including women.

In this context, the UNDP programme is at a crossroads in the DRC due to a number of key initiatives that are currently underway. This includes the Peace and Security Consolidation Framework (PSCF), the Busan New Deal on Fragile States, the implementation of the revised International Strategy for Security and Stabilisation (ISSSS), etc. Beyond these more strategic initiatives are the many more specific programmes that relate to community resilience, access to justice, conflict prevention, local governance and small arms and light weapons reduction, that will ultimately be framed and influenced by these strategies that will have implications and both national and provincial levels.

In view of the high demands posed on UNDP in the DRC in critical programming areas, the Country Office needs to expand its presence throughout the country, especially in areas where post conflict transitional recovery, coordination and action are a priority. In addition, given the increased concentration of MONUSCO capacities in the East and in view of their possible departure (sooner or later), it is important to scale up UNDP presence in the East in light of opportunities presented by the revision of the International Support Strategy for Security and Stabilisation (ISSSS) and the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSCF).

The ER/CR approach will be a strategic flagship for UNDP support to consolidate an overarching approach, which will allow different interventions to build on and reinforce each other as the situation changes from humanitarian to stabilization and development.

In this framework UNDP intends to recruit an Early Recovery/Community Resilience Advisor (ER/CRA) in Kinshasa, who will support the elaboration and implementation of the ER/CR approach.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Early recovery/Community resilience Advisor (ER/CRA) will support the HC/RC and the UNDP country office. In this capacity, and in close coordination with the UNDP CIDD-pillar in Kinshasa, he/she will support the elaboration and implementation of the ER/CR approach in the DRC and support the coordination with the agencies (elaboration of one UN approach and joint projects), and the negotiations with the SSU (Stabilization Support Unit) concerning ISSSS, with the HCT concerning the humanitarian interventions, with the donors (concerning the possibilities for projects) and with all actors, concerning the transition from humanitarian and stabilisation to development.

Summary of key functions

Under the strategic guidance of the HC/RC and the Deputy Country Director/Program, and the direct programmatic supervision the Team Leader CIDD, he/she will be responsible for the elaboration and implementation of the strategy for early recovery/community resilience and the support for the transition from humanitarian and stabilisation to development in the DRC. The ER/CRA will have an essential role in the coordination with the other agencies concerning the elaboration and implementation of an overall ER/CR strategy (for the pillars of emergency/humanitarian, stabilisation and development) and the transition from emergency to development. The ER/CRA will coordinate and collaborate with the other advisors and experts on ER/CR, but will also work together with the staff of the others agencies and humanitarian cluster at the national level, the HCT, the SSU, the UNCT with the national and provincial governments and other stakeholders and actors. He/she will also be a focal point for donors in the DRC concerning ER/CR and transition from humanitarian and stabilization towards development.

Support the HC/RC and UNDP with promoting ER/CR

Clarify the concept of early recovery/community resilience in the three main areas (humanitarian, stabilisation and development) with the different actors in these fields;
Develop and formulate a strategic approach to early recovery/community resilience for the UNCT (support role to the HC/RC), while clarifying the policy options for UNDP on supporting community resilience approach and related interventions, taking clearly in account the mainstreaming of reintegration strategies and transversal issues of gender women economic empowerment and environment;
Stimulate strategic thinking in the early recovery/community resilience area, in particular with HCT (OCHA, Inter-cluster), SSU (Stabilization Support Unit), UNCT, agencies, civil society, governmental structures and donors;
Assist the HC/RC and the Country director in their role to ensure that the ER/CR approach is integrated in the inter-agency and inter-cluster coordination as well as in the work of the HCT, SSU, UNCT through providing clear and strategic direction for early recovery/community resilience interventions, taking in account reintegration and transversal issues;
Advise the HC/RC and liaise with all cluster coordinators to ensure that the humanitarian response incorporates the ER/CR approach, including in needs assessments, generally in humanitarian plans (Strategic Response Plan, ad hoc inter-agency plans), and in cluster response plans;
Promote coordination with national/local authorities, state institutions, local civil society and other relevant actors and provide strategic advise to the HC/RC and UNDP-DRC in this respect.

Program Support

Support HC/RC in the elaboration and coordination of a coherent strategy of the UNCT concerning early recovery/community resilience, including durable solutions and reintegration of conflict-affected populations (IdP, SGBV survivors, etc) and support to host communities;
Support UNDP leadership in coordinating a strategic thinking group for better positioning of UNDP in the area of ER/CR, coordination and support the ER/CR advisors and experts and other experts of pillar 2 (CIDD) concerning the elaboration, implementation and monitoring of ER/CR approaches;
Ensure the coherence with the other UNDP programs and projects implemented in DRC and especially the initiatives concerning gender, women economic empowerment and environment (sustainable development);
Prepare project proposals, especially joint projects and support development and implementation of project concepts with specific attention to gender, women economic empowerment and environment;
Identify programmatic priorities for immediate and mid-term attention;
Ensure systemic and effective capturing of the project results i.e outputs, country program outcomes and longer term impact through sound M&E mechanisms, linked with the UNDP-DRC programme 2013-2017 and the UNDP strategic plan 2014-2017, especially on ER/CR issues and among others on gender and women’s empowerment (indicator 18, and outcome 6.4 of UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017);
Promote/support training and capacity building of ER/CR partners and efforts to strengthen the capacity of the national authorities and civil society;
Lend technical support to NGOs and agencies in project development to strengthen the elements of early recovery/community resilience in project work (and the response in general);
Ensure integration of agreed priority cross-cutting issues in ER/CR needs assessment, analysis, planning, monitoring and response (e.g. age, diversity, environment, gender, HIV/AIDS and human rights); contribute to the development of appropriate strategies to address these issues; ensure gender-sensitive programming and promote gender equality; ensure that the needs, contributions and capacities of women and girls as well as men and boys are addressed;

Coordination and Management

Represent UNDP in the DRC in front of the HCT, SSU, UNCT, agencies and donors especially concerning the ER/CR approach and the transition form humanitarian and stabilization to development;
Contribute to the coherence of the 2 pillars of UNDP;
Supervise UNDP-CIDD activities to ensure efficient coordination and implementation at provincial and territories levels
Document best practices, including concepts, strategies and implementation approaches and support streamlining of ER/CR approach and report and share findings with other community resilience actors, clusters members, Government, donors, and CWGER;
Ensure that baseline data are collected, with due regard to and sex disaggregation, benchmark defined, real-time evaluation conducted, and recommendations integrated in plans and programming.

Strategic partnership, Coordination and Resource Mobilisation

Identify resource requirements and mobilise resources for ER/CR interventions;
Contribute to broader advocacy and resource mobilisation initiatives of the CO, HC, Cluster members and Government;
Liaise with the global Cluster Working Group on Early Recovery (CWGER) to inform CWGER global policy discussions with good practices and lessons learned from in-country (and to seek support if required).

Support the transition from humanitarian - stabilisation to the longer-term agenda.

Assist the HC/RC functions by linking ER/CR to the broader recovery agenda e.g. identification of strategic entry points for building sustainable institutions and systems;
Work closely with national counterparts, the World Bank, donors and other stakeholders to ensure that humanitarian/stabilisation activities support and / or link into recovery strategies;
Advocate for an early involvement/deployment of development, conflict resolution, reconciliation, and mediation actors to facilitate a smoother transition from relief to development;
Provide guidance and support to the RC and UNDP-DRC on issues related to the transition process from a post-crisis situation to longer-term support structures and actors;
Provide input and guidance to the design of HCT/UNCT strategic plans as appropriate.

Impact of Results:

Support UNCT to have a coherent intervention strategy concerning ER/CR;
Support to DRC will be balanced between essential live-saving interventions and early recovery interventions aiming at social cohesion, mediation, reconciliation and resilience building oriented activities;
The pressure on displaced communities and host communities will be reduced through restored livelihoods and reconciliation processes;
Increased coordination and complementarity between humanitarian, stabilisation and development actors;
‘Early recovery/community resilience’ interventions will be better coordinated, tracked and monitored. This will provide a solid basis for gathering information and carrying out analysis (information management) to support decision-making at the HCT, SSU and UNCT levels.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;

Development and Operational Effectiveness

Knowledge of information management systems in humanitarian response and recovery environments;
Experience working within a humanitarian / recovery environment;
Well-developed conceptual and analytical ability to concisely reflect discussions in an accessible format (written);
Ability to use sound judgment to ensure the effective and timely completion of tasks, including the ability to prioritise;
Ability to write accurately, and concisely;
Excellent ‘soft skills’ required to facilitate the development of relations with ER/CR partners to help gather information for a comprehensive understanding of response activities of the ER/CR approach.

Management and Leadership

Builds strong relationships with partners;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Summary of critical competencies for crisis Response:

Possess a comprehensive set of competencies enabling immediately taking on the challenging role of leading ER/CR efforts – strategic, integrity, results orientation, teamwork, good inter-personal skills, well developed communication skills, sound judgment, analytical skills, flexibility, proactive engagement, innovation, risk management, gender and culturally sensitive, ability to work under pressure and demonstrates high tolerance for change, complexity and unpredictability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field.

Experience:

At least 7 years of experience in humanitarian action and / or development, preferably with a significant part in countries in special development situations;
Extensive experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development, recovery and conflict prevention/peace building strategies programmes and projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organisations and national governments;
Hands on experience on operationalising recovery including knowledge of livelihoods, local governance and other cross cutting issues will be an added advantage;
In conflict/post conflict situations: Experience with conflict prevention, reconciliation, reintegration and conflict sensitive development.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in French and English.