Background

Organizational Context

The management of borderlands in the Sahel region is one of the complex problem the countries of this region are facing in terms of human security. The difficulty for States to control their borders leads or at least contributes to the development of illegal and illicit activities. The national and collective resilience of Sahel countries continues to be undermined by intersecting crises of terrorism, trafficking, and irregular migration, all of which have highlighted the imperative of improving border management in the region.

The growth of illicit trafficking in recent years, and the increased activities of violent transnational extremist Islamist groups, such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Boko Haram in the Sahel/Saharan border areas, poses a serious threat to the stability and development of the region as well as to international peace and security. While national and international security concerns dominate current discourse in regard to border management in the Sahel, however, the nature and vulnerability of border communities in the region must be understood if underlying causes are to be addressed and resilience at all levels improved. The fragility of border communities in the Sahel is such that further deterioration in the security situation or external shocks will continue to have profound and unpredictable effects across the region until resilience is built and sustainable. 

Border communities in the Sahel continue to lurch from crisis to crisis, challenged by ongoing conflicts, terrorism, and organized crime, by population displacement and irregular migration, by lack of Government services and inadequate presence of the State.  Many borderlands in the Sahel region are effectively beyond Government control and require military intervention before development processes can be re-started; others require immediate support to reinforce human security and provide basic public services if the continued adherence to State authority of local communities is to be maintained.

Although improving border management in the Sahel is understood as a vital and urgent
priority, the challenges involved in meeting it is daunting. Borders in the Sahel were mostly defined in the colonial era, and imposed upon local populations; remoteness of locations, limited State presence and capacities, and the ethnic homogeneity of cross-border communities has led to ‘porous’ borders that are difficult to control by traditional means.
 
Border regions in the Sahel have long been associated with a lack of the rule of law. The state formation and consolidation process in this region, the long history of totalitarian rule and the exclusion and marginalization of minority groups, has often created a vacuum where the state has used strong arm tactics to pacify local communities with mixed results. In many ways, effects of the Arab spring and from civil strife in Libya are only recent manifestations of this problem. While ethnic homogeneity allows communities to engage across borders, State capacities to manage the process are notably weak: border infrastructure is poor or non-existent; basic equipment for transport, communications, and security control is missing, or cannot be maintained; law enforcement personnel are badly paid and inadequately trained. 

Traditional approaches to border security are unlikely to be effective in any case, however. A new border management paradigm is required, to support Governments of the Sahel to move toward a better and more sustainable balance between open but secure borders by preventing security threats while facilitating vital cross border trade and maintaining traditional routines and patterns of human mobility.

To support implementation of this project, UNDP is recruiting an International Consultant as part of the broader Sahel project’s team. The consultant will work in close collaboration with Sahel Project Manager. The consultant will directly report to the RSC Platform Coordinator. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the direct supervision of the Sahel Programme Manager, the staff will work closely with the office of the Regional Coordinator and other Units to perform the following expected results:

Strategic and Technical advisory functions

• Provide strategic support in the implementation of project activities at country and regional levels;
• Support the setting up of implementation mechanisms/frameworks for timely and quality delivery on activities and achievement of results.
• Support the development of a clear implementation plan of the AWP
• Provide advice and technical support on project implementation and delivery whenever necessary.
• Analyzes country and region situation to identify opportunities for project development
• Participates in the formulation of project proposals and draft proposals
• Support the establishment and maintaining of network of contacts and think tank for knowledge management and general information sharing on the Sahel region and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective practices
• Support development of project report including providing advisory service to the monitoring and evaluation officer  
• Support the Sahel Programme Manager as lead of the regional governance working group and activities related to the implementation of UNISS.
• Support the setting up of monitoring mechanism for project activity and financial implementation whenever necessary.
• Work with CO project focal points and responsible parties whenever necessary.
• Perform other relevant tasks as requested by the Platform Coordinator and the Sahel Programme Manager.
• Actively support knowledge building and knowledge sharing in close collaboration with other team members
• Support the organization of regional coordination meetings with focal point and others implementing actors including regular interaction between them for designing perspectives, opportunities to work together

Support to the Regional Coordinator’s office

• Advise Dakar Platform Coordinator on strategies and technical issues related to the Sahel
• Support the Regional Platform in the development of concept notes and designing of programmes/projects document.
• Regular analyses and advisory services on the political and social environment in the Sahel region and neighboring regions.
• Drafting of “issues papers” and analytical report that could serve as the basis for further dialogue and decision making with partners

Competencies

Competencies and Critical Success Indicators
Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Exerts strict adherence to corporate rules, regulations and procedures.
• Familiarity with the internal control framework and results-based management tools is a must.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning

• Good knowledge of the Sahel and conflict regions, including political, economic and social dimensions, and their relation to the main engines of instability and conflict.
• Sound knowledge and exposure to a wide range of post-conflict, peacebuilding, good governance, human rights, vulnerability, gender, recovery, resilience and development-related issues. 
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.
• Possesses specialist knowledge in the area of conflict prevention, social cohesion, dialogue and governance reform or related areas, as well as in-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Sound political acumen and extensive experience of providing policy advice;
• Sound skills and demonstrated experience in facilitation, consensus-building, multi-stakeholder processes and negotiation;
• Sound analytical skills. Experience and specialist knowledge in building national capacities in good governance and building national reconciliation.
• Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems.
• Ability to identify entry point, opportunity and thematic required deepening information providing through research and survey for decision-makers

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks related to Results-Based Management, including support to design, planning and implementation of programme, managing data, reporting.
• Good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to small arms conventions, recovery and development issues, peace and security and sound knowledge of the institutions of the UN system.
• Ability to establish and maintain contacts with senior-level officials of the host government required. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential part of the job.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, for effective advocacy and influence on policy makers.
• Ability to analyze is required to obtain, evaluate and interpret factual data and to prepare accurate and complete reports and other documents.
• Ability to advise and oversee formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, development of projects document and programmes

Leadership and Self-Management

• Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports and communications and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style.
• Ability to plan own work, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.
• Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications.
• Very good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations.
• Very strong leadership capacities to guide a multi-cultural team in difficult circumstances.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• A Master degree in political or social sciences, international studies, management and development related field.

Experience

• A least two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in programmes/projects management, in crisis prevention, recovery, livelihood and local socioeconomic development, human rights, gender, governance, peace building support and other related areas at the programmatic and operational levels in a multicultural environment at national or regional level. Strong knowledges of issues and challenges in West and Central Africa and or regular contact with RECs remain an advantage.
• Experience working with UNDP or a United Nations common system or any similar international organization (including peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds, and programmes) in a conflict or post-conflict setting in the West and Central Africa is required. Demonstrate experience in developing programmes/project proposals.
• Ability to use computers and office software packages and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language requirements

• Fluency French is required fior this position  and knowledge of English is desirable.
• Arabic is an asset.

Female applications are strongly encouraged.