UNDP Jobs - 61976- Programme Specialist,

Programme Specialist,

Location :

Accra, GHANA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

01-Jan-2016

Application Deadline :

07-Dec-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-3

Duration of Initial Contract :

One Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One Year

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

Equitable energy access and sound environmental management are critical to achieve sustainable development. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) (2012-2017) provides support to strengthen the capacity of Ghana to address energy and environmental challenges at national, regional, and local levels, by focusing on key priority areas, such as climate change, disaster risk reduction, energy and biodiversity.

In the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation, the overarching aim of UNDP support is to promote Ghana transition towards a green economy and a low-carbon and climate resilient society. UNDP is also contributing to achieving the Government of Ghana’s twin objectives of securing diverse energy sources, primarily by increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, and improving energy efficiency. This will be instrumental for Ghana to achieve its goal in becoming a middle income inclusive economy in a sustainable way, in the context of the Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative. UNDP has been the Government of Ghana’s key partner towards shifting the national paradigm from emergency response to disaster risk reduction. A new area of UNDP focus is on biodiversity with the current UNDAF emphasis on preservation of water bodies and afforestation. UNDP will provide support in strengthening policy and regulatory framework for mainstreaming biodiversity into national strategies.

The Programme Specialist acts as a manager of the UNDP Sustainable Development Cluster, leads and supervises the Sustainable Development Programme team, along with projects under his/her portfolio and works in close collaboration with the Operations team in the CO, Programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP programme.

The Programme Specialist provides substantive advise to Senior Management on all aspects of CO programme with respect to sustainable development, and in particular on climate change, green economy, disaster risk reduction, energy, biodiversity and chemicals management.

The Programme Specialist supports the development and coordination of strategic partnerships with UN entities, development agencies, private sector networks, community networks and other relevant bodies to strengthen UNDP policy advice and programme delivery on sustainable development, as well as resource mobilization.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions / Key Results Expected:

Summary of Key Functions:

Programme management;
Policy advice, positioning and representation;
Partnership and resource mobilization;
Knowledge management.

Programme Management:

Provide strategic direction to UNDP’s programme in major environment and energy areas including but not limited to climate change, green economy, disaster risk reduction, energy, biodiversity and chemicals management;
Identify strategic programme areas of cooperation on sustainable development, energy and environment, in consultation with development and government partners and civil society;
Support integration of sustainable development concerns into Country Office’s programme framework and project work plans, budgets and M&E framework;
Provide oversight to the Sustainable Development Programme portfolio, including budgeting, implementation and monitoring. Ensure that reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes related to the Sustainable Development Programme. Ensure that donor reports are timely prepared and submitted, and provide quality assurance;
Ensure that inputs to corporate reporting requirements (e.g. IWP, ROAR) related to the Sustainable Development Programme are timely submitted, and provide quality assurance;
As Team Leader, supervise programme officers and other staff in the Sustainable Development Cluster, providing mentoring and guidance in the implementation of work plans;
Support implementation and development of UNDP programme on sustainable development, in particular on climate change and energy. Monitor project activities and progress and ensure that the agreed deliverables are produced satisfactorily according to plans. In doing so, effectively apply RBM tools;
Support the implementation of the UNDAF in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies with respect to UNDAF Thematic Area 2 (Sustainable Environment, Energy and Human Settlements);
Follow up on audit recommendations related to projects belonging to the Sustainable Development portfolio;
Perform the function of Manager Level 2 in Atlas for development projects transactions approval.

Policy advice, positioning and representation:

Conduct relevant analysis and coordinate preparation of drafts of technical policy advice and programme support documents in the area of sustainable development, in particular climate change, green economy, disaster risk reduction, energy, biodiversity and chemicals management;
Identify sources of information related to sustainable development policy-driven issues. Identify best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals;
Develop or contribute to briefings and speeches for UNDP senior management’s participation in sustainable development related meetings, workshops and conferences;
Review and assess existing national policies relevant to sustainable development, with the objective to identify gaps and opportunities for development of new policies and to guide their implementation;
Coordinate and substantively contribute to UNDP’s policy advice to Government in the implementation of the National Climate Change Policy Strategies, in line with Ghana’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) submitted to the UNFCCC and with the upcoming new global climate agreement;
Coordinate and substantively contribute to UNDP’s policy advice to Government in the adaptation of the Sendai Framework of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction to the national framework;
Coordinate and substantively contribute to UNDP’s policy advice to Government in the implementation of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative;
Support UNDP’s engagement in UN interagency coordination, and provide substantive technical contribution and research insights on sustainable development issues to the UNDAF Thematic Area 2 Group on Sustainable Environment, Energy and Human Settlements;
Provide technical support to the development of the new UNDAF document (2018-2022) with respect to sustainable development, environment and energy issues.

Partnership and resource mobilization:

Undertake research for partnership building and resource mobilization in the area of sustainable development, in particular climate change, green economy, disaster risk reduction, energy, biodiversity and chemicals management;
Support the development and coordination of strategic partnerships with UN entities, development agencies, private sector networks, community networks and other relevant bodies to strengthen UNDP policy advice and programme delivery on sustainable development;
Partner with the UNDP global and regional programmes, offices and networks on sustainable development areas to support the Country Office’s policy development and programming needs in this sector;
Support programme networking, linkages and partnership development in sustainable development areas with other UN Agencies and development partners;
Participate in relevant external meetings, including resource mobilization, partnership and advocacy activities with UN partners and other stakeholders;
In line with the UNDP Strategic Plan, identify innovative ways to engage private sector and civil society to work with UNDP to develop and/or implement sustainable development related programmes;
As part of the involvement in the UNDAF Thematic Area 2 Group on Sustainable Environment, Energy and Human Settlements, identify and pursue opportunities for joint programming with other UN Agencies in the area of sustainable development;
Provide substantive contribution to UNDP’s role as chair of the Development Partners’ Sector Working Group on Environment and Natural Resources, including: organize meetings; facilitate coordination of programmes and activities among development partners; draft common positions on specific topics to present to the Government counterparts;
Participate in and contribute to meetings of the Development Partners’ Sector Working Group on Energy. Ensure continuous engagement of UNDP in the Sustainable Energy for All network;
Coordinate and contribute to the establishment of project pipelines in the area of sustainable development. Follow up on existing pipeline projects to fast-track their approval and start of implementation.

Knowledge management:

Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice in the area of sustainable development and in particular climate change, green economy, disaster risk reduction, energy, biodiversity and chemicals management;
Contribute to the development and review of knowledge products in close coordination with the Communications Unit;
Support organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on the sustainable development programme.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the overall success of the country programme and reaching UNDAF/ CPD goals as well as targets for UNDAF Outcome 3. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of sustainable development activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.

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.

Resource Mobilization:

Implementing resource mobilization strategies

Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend a strategic approach;
Identifies and compiles lessons learned;
Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level.

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 or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Environment or related disciplines.

Experience:

5 years of relevant programme experience at the national or international level in the area of sustainable development;
Hands-on experience in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments;
Experience in providing management advisory services;
Experience working in developing countries and in particular in Sub-Saharan Africa is an asset;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language:

Fluency in English, both written and oral.