Background

The Central African Republic has made tangible progress towards ending its transition by the holding of elections. This is seen as the final step in concluding the transition phase and putting a democratic and legitimate Government in place and paving a way for the establishment of inclusive institutions and start economic recovery processes.

With the end of the transition, a new era will hopefully begin opening a new page in CAR’s history, away from divisive agendas and political and social intolerance. All citizens of the Central African Republic aspire to peace, reconciliation and long-term sustainable development. Following the completion of the transition, the support to the new government in undertaking reforms that reflect the aspirations of its citizens on governance, security, rule of law and sustainable development as outlined in the recommendations of the Bangui Forum will be key. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation remains critical. Across the country, almost half a million people, including those living in enclaves, as well as more than 450,000 refugees in neighbouring countries, have not been able to return home  and 2.7 million people depend on humanitarian aid.  
The extension of state authority, DDR, SSR, justice and reconciliation as well  as economic recovery and development remain the top priorities for the new elected leaders of CAR. The UNCT and MINUSCA are working in partnership in order to extend their presence into the field.  
It is within that perspective that UNDP is establishing two project offices in field. These offices will be in Bossangoa (Ouham) and in Bria (Haute Kotto), to support the programmatic and operational activities in the western and eastern zone of the country. They will play key role in facilitating UNDP projects implementation on the ground. Therefore, the offices will be headed by Livelihoods and Recovery Specialists with proven experience in office management.

The offices will be established through the delocalization of the Community stabilization and resilience project in the field. When Bria (Haute Kotto) will be the main zone with the deployment of the P4 with the current project team, Bossangoa (Ouham) will be managed by a new team headed by a P3 to be recruited.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Livelihoods and Recovery Specialist will support the UNDP Country Office in Bria Haute Koto Province. He/She work with all actors, concerning the transition from humanitarian and stabilisation to development. He/She will work under the overall guidance of UNDP Resident Representative and the direct supervision of UNDP Country Director.

The Livelihoods and Recovery Specialist will perform the following functions:

Summary of Key Functions:

• Planning of programme/project activities including support to UNDP project portfolio;
• Management of sub-sector, including the coordination of the implementation of the PRESCO project to ensure the timely delivery of quality results, and achieving the financial and programmatic targets;
• Project and Budget Management;
• M&E, Reporting and Communications.

Planning of programme/project activities:

• 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;
• Familiarize with the overall humanitarian and recovery context in Bria/Haute Koto, including the existing initiatives in the area of emergency youth employment, pre-DDR/THIMO, social cohesion and the extension of states authority;
• Ensure the coherence between the PRESCO-Community stabilisation and resilience project under which the incumbent is recruited with other UNDP programs and projects to be implemented in the zone, including the RAFAT-extension of states authority, the EU funded Community Stabilization and Reintegration of ex-combatants project, Reconciliation project, justice and rule of law projects and any other initiatives to be developed in the future;
• Review and update assessments of the recovery needs, capacities available, resources and market conditions, including specific conditions to emergency and long term employment;
• Map, identify and prioritize emergency employment schemes in coordination with MINUSCA, the UNCT, the government and communities;
• Work with stakeholders to ensure national ownership of the UNDP projects;
• Develop detailed work plans for the PRESCO-livelihoods and recovery based on the results framework, and agree on interventions with the government stakeholders, MINUSCA, the UNCT and the beneficiaries;
• Document best practices, including concepts, strategies and implementation approaches and support streamlining of community resilience approach;
• Prepare project proposals, especially joint projects and support development and implementation of project concepts in support of community resilience, reintegration and pacification, 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 trough sound M&E mechanisms linked with the UNDP-CAR programme.

Management, including the coordination of the implementation of PRESCO-Livelihoods and recovery initiatives to ensure the timely delivery of quality results, and achieving the financial and programmatic targets:

• Ensure an overall and comprehensive Livelihoods and Early Recovery approach (of the three interventions: humanitarian, stabilisation and development);
• Work closely with MINUSCA substantive sections including Civil Affairs, DDR section, Justice and corrections through MINUSCA field office to ensure coherence and effectiveness;
• Contribute to the coherence of UNDP’s project in the areas of Justice and Rule of Law, extension of states authority and community resilience;
• Participate in the most important coordination meetings in Bria;
• Supervise UNDP-PRESCO activities at the provincial levels to ensure efficient coordination and implementation at local levels; 
• Establish and maintain appropriate sector coordination mechanisms, including working groups at the prefecture levels;
• 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;
• Facilitate and support the implementation of UNDP local initiatives in the zone;
• Develop an exit, or transition, strategy for the UNDP-PRESCO interventions, including robust propositions for national and/or community ownership and technical, social, economic, environmental sustainability.

Strategic partnership, Coordination and Resource Mobilization:

• Identify resource requirements and mobilize resources for Livelihoods and recovery interventions; 
• Contribute to broader advocacy and resource mobilization initiatives;
• Identify resource mobilization opportunities in UNDP priorities areas.

Project and budget Management:

• Management of all financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Preparation and monitoring of projects’ budgets in Atlas;
• Regular analysis and reporting on the budget approvals and the delivery situation of management projects;
• Elaboration of proper mechanisms to eliminate deficiencies in budget management;
• Ensuring that advance payments and direct payments of the project are properly reviewed and made on a timely basis, as well as ensuring that payment information is properly recorded into the Atlas system on a timely basis;
• Ensuring that cost-sharing contributions are properly transferred to UNDP on a timely basis;
• Submission of financial reports to donors on a timely and quality basis;
• Recommendation of imprest level, risk assessment, timely accounting and reconciliation of all transactions, security for cash assets on site;
• Supervision of project staff on site;
• Proper management of UNDP assets, facilities and logistical services, including full compliance with IPSAS in the accounting for the procurement, utilization and disposal of the project assets.

M&E, Reporting and Communications:

• Develop M&E online information system for measuring projects’ impact, and report on the progress;
• In addition to regular reporting to the UNDP CAR Country Office, regularly liaise with partners, including MINUSCA, UNCT, and NGOs, and other key actors in order to share lessons and resolve common challenges;
• Facilitate and document community-based self-assessment of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries on performance and income changes;
• Document project development for future replication and expansion;
• Report on a regular basis on progress vis-à-vis a clear outline of duties and expected results on annual basis as well as work plans to relevant staff;
• Preparation of various communication initiatives, including a monthly progress report, input to UNDP County Office newsletter and input to the UNDP cooperate website.

Impact des résultats

The Livelihoods and Recovery specialist will be responsible for supporting the programmatic interventions to support early recovery initiatives, particularly at community level. In addition to planning and implementing programmatic activities in this key area, the Specialist will also be responsible for coordinating the Livelihoods and Stabilization cluster in the context of the CAR emergency, while at the same time maintaining a vision towards mainstreaming early recovery and a longer-term development vision into the ongoing transition process in the Central African Republic. The Specialist will play a key coordination role both within the United Nations system on livelihoods and economic recovery as well as with external partners in order to assert and maintain UNDPs role and mandate in this critical area of post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.

Management and Leadership:

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Ability to lead effectively,  mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University degree (Masters or PhD) preferably in Economics, Political or social Sciences, International relations, Development, Project Management, or other related areas or professional experience equivalent to the required level.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of continuous experience in a supervisory position in the context of reconstruction, development and crisis prevention and management, good governance or any other similar experience.  Experience in Africa would be a strong asset;
• Relevant experience of collaboration with several financial donors, coupled with the need to provide specific analytical reports to each donor, would be an advantage;
• Proven knowledge in community development methods and a participatory approach;
• Proven ability to field work;
• Proven experience of  working with NGOs or other development organizations involved in human settlement;

Other requirements:

• Experience in the fields of economic and social development, reconstruction and development;
• Experience in the field of post-conflict coordination and proven analytical capacity, especially for issues relating to conflict prevention and resolution, reconstruction and development;
• Ensure liaison with the DDR team for the potential support to the reintegration activities;
• Familiarity with programmatic issues surrounding relief to recovery transition; 
• Demonstrated experience in humanitarian and/or development coordination especially at the field level and in working with Government officials, NGOs and donors;
• Experience in project design, implementation and evaluation/impact analysis;
• Capacity for responsible problem-solving and troubleshooting;
• Good knowledge of Central Africa and CAR, including their political, economic and social dimensions;
• Ability to work independently  in high pressure and stressful environment;
• Good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to reconstruction and development, and a good knowledge of the United Nations System and the multi/bilateral cooperation;
• Solid written and oral skills including the ability to write reports and efficiently communicate and formulate clear ideas;
• Strong capacity to set priorities in the different tasks and produce results within the allotted timeframe;
• Ability to work in a multicultural team and to maintain good professional relations;
• Computer literacy, including familiarity with spreadsheets, and power point presentation and good knowledge of computer aided management systems, such as Atlas, People Soft, etc. and other basic office automation tools: word processing and spreadsheets.

Language:

• Good command of French, spoken and written;
• Good knowledge of English (written and spoken) would be an advantage.