UNDP Jobs - 65760- Project Management Specialist

Project Management Specialist

Location :

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

03-May-16 (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

The spread of radicalization especially amongst youth is an imminent threat to peace, stability and development. Absolutist ideologies that reject co-existence, tolerance and progress represent an existential threat to many countries. Such ideologies have found recruits amongst youth who believe they have been failed by the state and excluded from legitimate political and economic processes. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the leading development agency in the United Nations System has sought to understand the drivers of radicalization, its manifestations at the national and regional level and how government, communities and citizens can be supported to respond which ensures the protection and promotion of human rights.

With this in mind, UNDP has developed a four (4) year regional project anchored in the Regional Programme. This follows an 18 month consultation process with the African Union, Regional Economic Communities (including IGAD and ECOWAS), Bilateral partners (Sweden, Finland, US, UK, Mauritania, Netherlands and the EU), CSO’s including faith based institutions, academia/research based institutions, media organisations, African governments and the wider UN family. The project articulates a development response and addresses structural, causative or perpetuating factors. The initiatives focuses on twelve (12) countries including: countries at the epicentre of the crisis; neighboring countries affected by violent extremism and countries at risk. The initiative promotes a regional approach given cross border and sub-regional dynamics demanding a coordinated regional approach.

The Project focuses on nine(9) Actions including: (1) Rule of law and Security: national institutions and communities are better equipped to prevent and address violent extremism (2) Disengagement and reintegration: members of extremist groups are disengaged and reintegrated into communities (3) socio-economic factor: At risk youths and vulnerable people benefit from livelihood initiatives (4) media, technology and public awareness: violent narratives and propaganda are countered (5) community resilience: communities and religious institutions are resilient to the effects of violent extremism (6) Setting up national observatories to analyse violent extremism at the national levels and provide policy advice (7) Gender specific engagements: women are empowered to play a leading role in prevention and response to violent extremism (8) Research and advocacy: Regional and national policies and programming are informed by research and analysis on violent extremism (9) Regional Level interventions: Regional and sub-regional entities are coordinated and enabled to prevent and address violent extremism [the project document can be found at file:///C:/Users/simon.ridley/Downloads/UNDP-RBA-Preventing-Extremism-2015.pdf ]

The Project Management Specialist will be working within a dedicated team of international and national staff (under the overall leadership of a Project Manager) who will be responsible for implementation of UNDP’s Project on Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in Africa along with International Advisors and Consultants based at the Regional Service Centre (RSC) in Addis Ababa. The Project Management Specialist will also be expected to work closely with affected UNDP Country Offices in Africa who will be responsible for implementation of selected components of the Project, the African Union Commission and Regional Economic Communities (REC) including IGAD and ECOWAS.

The Project Management Specialist based in Addis Ababa is expected to spend a percentage of their time visiting project sites in affected Country Offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

Support implementation of Violent Extremism Project;
Establish and maintain strategic partnership and implement the resources mobilization strategy;
Ensure efficient financial management, advocacy, programming, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and representation;
Ensure Knowledge Building and management.

Duties and Responsibil;ities:

Under the overall supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Management Specialist will be responsible for achievement of the following results:

Support implementation of Violent Extremism Project focusing on achievement of the following results:

Under the supervision of the Project Manager participate in substantive co-ordination and implementation, including policy analysis and advice; capacity development and training with respect to activities which fall under this project;
As part of the Regional Programme support the startup of Project Activities and implementation at the Regional Level and in Country Office locations including needs assessments of the programming landscapes and baselines and thereafter assist in development of implementation plans;
Support development of regional and national strategies/action plans which articulate a development response to addressing the growth of radicalsation and violent extremism;
Develop community initiatives which will build trust between authorities and communities in districts/regions affected by violent extremist groups;
In partnership with media organisations assist in development of counter-narratives to respond to violent extremist messaging as well as proactively messaging which will act as a deterrent;
Work with CSO’s, faith based organisations and local government bodies to increase the resilience of communities to respond to violent extremism;
Support the development of a regional research platform on countering violent extremism in coordination with relevant partners;
Provide technical and advisory support to Regional Organisations and National Governments with respect to implementation of this project;
Ensure that Gender considerations are mainstreamed across all project interventions according to best practices;
In collaboration with the Project Manager act as focal point to respond to requests from Regional Organisations and Governments in matters relating to countering/preventing Violent Extremism.

Establish and maintain strategic partnership and implement the resources mobilization strategy focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Establish and maintain dialogue with government officials, both local and national, NGOs, partners, donors and communities to provide knowledge and understanding, ensuring accurate interpretation of the project objectives and implementation;
Identify areas of cooperation and coordination with UN agencies, Regional Organisations including the AUC and RECS, academia and CSO’s for the implementation of joint activities related to the Project;
Collect and make analysis of information on donor contracts, funding priorities, criteria and processes related to the Project;
Promote and explain the UNDP projects’ activities and support the UNDPs cooperation with donors;
Support Rba resource mobilization efforts particularly as it relates to this project.

Ensure efficient financial management, advocacy, programming, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and representation focusing on achievement of the following results:

Facilitate gathering of information for project monitoring and evaluation processes ensuring compliance with UNDP M&E requirements in reporting on programme results and progress towards outcomes;
Ensure proper monitoring and evaluation procedures are instituted in all project activities;
Ensure proper monitoring of project progress against annual and quarterly work plans and budgets;
Produce and coordinate the preparation of the substantive and operational reports from the project;
Develop annual work plans, budget reports and other documents for the management and reporting of project activities;
Develop project budgets and implement the project in accordance with the budget;
Manage the accurate and timely quarterly reporting on the progress of the project with a specific focus on the activities and funds utilized;
Produce high quality reports to donors at the standard and timeline according to UNDP’s contractual obligations to donors;
Facilitate proper monitoring of project inventory, attendance records, filing system. Assure fair and transparent personnel management and procurement of goods and services in accordance with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures;
Ensure overall accountability for the use of project funds as well as the strict and consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations in all project operations;
Provide leadership in overseeing the effective provision of services to counterparts including fair and transparent procurement, efficient logistics and sound financial management;
Ensure the integrity of financial systems and directly oversee the administrative, financial and budgetary aspects of the project and advise the Project Manager accordingly;
Maintain field level financial accountability through regular liaison with field staff, monitoring payment requests from the field and ensuring timely and regular payment.

Ensure Knowledge Building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

Promote cross-unit teamwork and skills development for the Project team members through coaching and mentoring;
Capture and disseminate lesson’s learned and best practices to contribute to learning on policing and development elsewhere;
Participate in international knowledge networks and other fora to draw on best practice and lessons learned in other similar contexts;
Coordinate project strategies and activities with other UNDP projects and programmes to ensure the effective implementation of this project as well as the RSC Regional Programme.

Competencies

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;
Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Functional Competencies:

Building Strategic Partnerships:
Establishing, maintaining and utilizing a broad network of contacts. Building partnerships and strategic alliances. Leveraging the resources of national governments and other development partners.

Makes effective use of UNDP’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships;
Builds partnerships with non-traditional sectors by translating UNDP’s agenda into messages that reflect the pertinence of their values and interests;
Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations;
Leverages the resources of governments and other development partners.

Resource Mobilization:
Ensuring that UNDP has the resources it requires to implement programmes and advance a policy-oriented agenda. Moves from providing basic inputs to resource mobilization strategies, through implementation of the strategies, to conceptualization and design of strategies.

Contributes to the development of resource mobilization strategies at regional (sub-regional) level (RSC, RBA);
Actively develops partnerships with potential donors and government counterparts in all sectors at country level;
Shares information with country offices concerning opportunities to tap potential donors;
Strengthens the capacity of country offices which are part of this project to mobilize resources.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

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;
Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with excellence;
Motivated and demonstrates a capacity to pursue personal development and learn.

Developing innovative and creative approaches:

Leverages different experiences and expertise of team members to achieve better and more innovative outcomes;
Leverages multi-disciplinary, institutional knowledge and experience of other countries and regions to promote UNDP’s development agenda.

Client Orientation:

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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced University Degree in Law, Development Studies, Business Administration or any related field.

Experience:

A minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience working in crisis, post conflict and fragile states;
Prior experience working on CVE/PVE related projects is required;
Experience working in areas relating to youth empowerment is desirable;
Experience in implementation of projects including project development and donor reporting from is desirable;
Familiarity with the UNDP/United Nations and/or the AUC /REC;
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint is required.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written English is required;
A working knowledge of French is desirable but not a requirement.