UNDP Jobs - 29296- Recovery Specialist

Recovery Specialist - BCPR

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

27-Apr-12 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

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 overall goal of the Advisory and Programme Support Division (APSD) is to provide integrated, coordinated and consistent technical and programme support to UNDP Country Offices in areas related to preparedness, prevention, emergency response and recovery in both disaster and conflict contexts. This support reflects both the inter-connected nature of effective crisis prevention and recovery interventions as well as the need for cutting edge technical expertise. The Division also leads the generation of technical and evidence-based knowledge to strengthen UNDP’s global leadership on crisis prevention and recovery, in close collaboration with the Bureau for Development Policy and the Regional Bureaux.

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director, APSD, the Recovery Specialist is responsible for the development and day-to-day management, implementation, and effectiveness of BCPR’s recovery programming, including early recovery measures. In particular, s/he is responsible for identifying recovery field-support requirements, inputting into policy advances, the development, monitoring and review of the related programme portfolios, work-plans and budgets, for preparing reports as required by BCPR, UNDP, UN system mechanisms and donors, and for preparing submissions to donors and to the BCPR Project Appraisal Committee, in order to mobilize resources. In addition, the Recovery Specialist will facilitate linkages between UNDP’s Recovery / Early Recovery work and that of other BCPR units.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Ensures consistent, quality support – and monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the UNDP Recovery / Early Recovery policy and programme framework
Facilitates knowledge networking and management related to Early Recovery
Represents BCPR on policy and advocacy issues related to Early Recovery
Contributes to UNDP-led crisis and recovery-related resource mobilization efforts and to the maintenance and development of inter-agency and institutional relationships related to and during crisis response
Provides substantive support to field needs and particularly post disaster needs assessments (PDNAs) and post conflict needs assessments (PCNAs)

Ensures consistent, quality support – and monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the UNDP Recovery / Early Recovery policy and programme framework, focusing on achievement of the following results:

In collaboration with all BCPR Teams and Clusters, contribute to the development of a programme concept and programme framework for Recovery – including Early Recovery (ER) to guide BCPR support to country offices (as a tool for strengthening UNDP programmatic interventions for BCPR support)
Collaborate with colleagues and further build consensus and definition of standard BCPR ‘signature products’ for recovery – ensuring the roll out and effective and rapid implementation in country as required.
Within the programme concept, coordinate the development of a mainstreaming methodology and approach for integrating risk reduction, conflict prevention and gender issues into Recovery programmes
Collaboration with APSD and CSMT to develop an UNDP Programming Toolkit for Recovery / Early Recovery
Periodic up-date of the overall Recovery programme concept and framework on the basis of reviews, lessons learned and best practices derived from different thematic areas
Coherence ensured through Recovery / ER thematic and geographic programmes and projects prepared by Geneva and out-posted staff
Provision of Recovery support to HC/RC, Country Teams and UNDP COs when requested either through deployments or virtually
Coordination of the technical appraisal of recovery projects formulated by UNDP country offices and recommendations to the BCPR Project Appraisal Committee
Appropriate technical support is provided to ongoing UNDP country office (early) recovery and cross-cutting elements of projects, with the collaboration of the CSMT
Coordinate the management and supervision of the programme support functions ensuring that adequate systems are in place to monitor the status of the programmes, together with associated budgets and expenditure reports in ATLAS
Contracting and supervision of consultants to support recovery programme development

Facilitates knowledge networking and management related to Recovery, focusing on achievement of the following results:

In coordination with field and support staff working on Recovery / Early Recovery issues, knowledge is retrieved from UNDP early recovery projects, through periodic reporting, meetings, analysis of documents produced, lessons learned exercises, and other means
Knowledge is documented and systematized and fed back into programme development through contributing to knowledge networks both within UNDP and beyond, in particular to the evolving inter-agency Community of Practice on Recovery / Early Recovery.
Contributes to the supervision of the production of practice notes, publications and other knowledge products on early recovery in close coordination with the Policy and Planning Division (PPD)

Represents BCPR on policy and advocacy issues relating to Recovery / Early Recovery, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Coordinate the preparation of reports as required by the UNDP Executive Board, APSD, ECOSOC, General Assembly, and other legislative bodies
Articulates and presents the Recovery strategy and technical matters in inter-agency and international meetings; presentation of UNDP position on early recovery policies, strategies, results, and lessons learned in workshops, seminars and conferences
Support to the implementation of the UNDP Corporate Policy on Recovery

Contributes to UNDP-led crisis and recovery-related resource mobilization efforts and to the maintenance and development of inter-agency and institutional relationships related to and during crisis response, focusing on achievement of the following results:

In the context of UNDP's lead role in Early Recovery, support to the development of strategic partnerships and alliances with other UN organizations, multilateral organizations, regional organizations, scientific, academic and technical organizations and with donors and programme countries; contribution to the negotiations in establishing such partnerships, drafting of agreements and monitoring their implementation.
Liaise and cooperate with other BCPR units, developing alliances and working partnerships
within UNDP (thematic, advocacy and policy units, regional bureaux, sub-regional resource facilities, etc.),
Provides substantive inputs for UNDP partnerships with the World Bank and the EC on recovery
Collaborates in the identification and development of resource mobilization opportunities in support of UNDP early recovery programmes and focal point for External Relations on Recovery
Preparation of funding proposals and briefing documents in support of UNDP resource mobilization efforts, including where appropriate through appeals and donor conferences
Support to the organization of donor briefings and presentations for resource mobilization purposes
Undertaking working level negotiations with counterparts in multi and bilateral agencies

Provides substantive support to field needs and post disaster needs assessments (PDNAs) and post conflict needs assessments (PCNAs) and other post-crisis assessments, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Supporting the development of monitoring and evaluation tools for post disaster needs assessments (PDNAs) and post-conflict needs assessments (PCNAs), and participation in country based evaluations as required
Providing technical support to PCNAs and PDNAs requested by CSMT for Country Teams and Regional Bureaux, working closely with UN DGO, World Bank, IASC and IRP
Advocacy for gender and conflict-sensitive methodologies to be incorporated in needs assessment
Promotes close collaboration with the IASC, IRP and UNDG initiatives with respect to PCNAs
Coordination with the World Bank in relation to PCNAs and PDNAs, working closely with the Disaster and Conflict Pillars within BCPR Technical Advisory Services
Provides substantial and medium-term field support to RC / HC offices

Impact of Results

The key results will have a decisive impact on the capacity of the UN system and partners to support programme countries in the design and implementation of strategies and activities to improve UNDP’s overall recovery interventions – with early recovery as a coherent part. As such, the results will contribute to the implementation of the Humanitarian Reform process and other key UN system strategies and frameworks that advocate for a sustainable improvement in responses to early recovery. At the same time, the results will facilitate joint coordinated action by UN programmes, funds and specialized agencies and other partners.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

ADVOCACY/ADVANCING A POLICY-ORIENTED AGENDA
Influencing the public policy agenda

Ability to advise on leveraging UNDP’s multidisciplinary expertise to influence the shape of policies and programmes
Promotes dialogues with national counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country, regional and global perspectives

BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
Building strategic alliances

Demonstrates ability to make effective use of UNDP’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships
Builds partnerships with non-traditional sectors by translating UNDP’s agenda
Ability to creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations

PROMOTING ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Participating in the development of policies and innovative approaches and promoting their application throughout the organization

Promotes innovative methodologies and the development of supporting policies/tools to encourage learning and knowledge sharing
Participates in the development of policies and new approaches and participates in training of staff in their application throughout the organization

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION
Developing resource mobilization strategies at country level

Contributes to the development of resource mobilization strategies at regional (sub-regional) levels
Builds partnerships with potential donors and government counterparts in all sectors at country level

JOB KNOWLEDGE/ TECHNICAL EXPERTISE:
Excellent knowledge of own discipline

Possesses excellent knowledge of advanced concepts in crisis prevention and early recovery, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as a sound knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures
Keeps abreast of new developments in crisis prevention and recovery and seeks to develop him/herself personally
Demonstrates excellent knowledge of the current programme guidelines and project management tools and promotes the use of these regularly in work assignments

CLIENT ORIENTATION
Meeting long-term client needs

Seeks to anticipate constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives
Ability to advise and develop strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNDP programmes and operations

Core Competencies:

Ethics & Values: Promoting Ethics and Integrity / Creating Organizational Precedents Demonstrates and promotes the highest standard of integrity, impartiality, fairness and incorruptibility in all matters affecting his/her work and status
Organizational Awareness: Building support and political acumen Builds and maintains alliances and networks of partners, colleagues and interest groups inside and outside of the organization to achieve results
Developing & Empowering People/Coaching and Mentoring: Building staff competence, Creating an environment of creativity and innovation Takes appropriate risk in developing new or adapting existing methods and approaches to more effectively perform tasks or to solve problems in new and unique ways
Working in Teams: Building and promoting effective teams Encourages and creates mechanisms to share expertise and team approaches between HQ Units, Country Offices and regional centers, as well as with other partners and stakeholders
Communicating Information and Ideas: Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication Makes effective use of existing communication tools and creates new ones to ensure effective internal and external communication
Self-Management & Emotional Intelligence: Creating an emotionally intelligent organization -Provides a sense of direction and purpose, and maintains operational effectiveness of the organization, even during times of organizational crisis or change
Conflict Management/Negotiating & Resolving Disagreements: Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards -Acts as a role model for positive handling of potentially situations of conflict to others inside and outside the organization
Knowledge Sharing & Continuous Learning: Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning Creates, supports, and promotes an enabling environment for organizational knowledge sharing and learning including the use of technology
Appropriate and Transparent Decision-making: Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.Ensures that criteria and reasons for important decisions are communicated and explained to all those affected, especially in the case of tough or sensitive decisions

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A minimum of a Master’s degree or equivalent in engineering, planning, social sciences, development studies or a discipline relevant to post-disaster recovery
.
Experience:

At least 7 years of experience in implementing, planning and managing programmes and policies related to early recovery
Extensive field and programming experience in the area of post crisis early recovery
Knowledge and experience of UNDP and UN system policies and programming
Knowledge and experience from crisis response and recovery operations, including missions in support of recovery planning in at least two different UNDP regions

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English, both oral and written, is required; working knowledge of other UN official language (preferably French or Spanish) is an asset