Historique

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for UNDP’s external relations and advocacy functions. The Bureau leads and supports the organization in cultivating, building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances that are essential for advancing and successfully achieving the mission of UNDP. These relationships encompass a wide range and number of key constituencies and development partners especially those related to resource mobilization and donors relations, intergovernmental affairs with member states, programme countries, existing and prospective donor countries/emerging economies, multilateral institutions, such as the IFIs, the European Commission, civil society, the private sector, foundations, academia and think tanks, the wider UN system, various UN inter-governmental bodies. BERA also leads the Organization’s communication functions, establishing UNDP branding and interface with global, regional and national media. The bureau coordinates and acts as a facilitator of information exchange, knowledge management, network building and dissemination of best practices throughout the UNDP in resource mobilization, intergovernmental and inter-agency affairs and communications.

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy consists of the Directorate and three groups as follows: Partnership Group (RPG), UN System Affairs Group (UNSAG) and Communications Group (CG). , In addition, BERA has five Representation Offices in Washington DC, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Geneva and Brussels.

The UN System Affairs Group (UNSAG) is responsible for managing UNDP’s relations with the UN and its many inter-agency and inter-governmental bodies (DOCO, DESA, ECESA, DPA, CEB and its 3 pillars, HLPF, GA, ECOSOC and subsidiary bodies). It supports the leadership of UNDP by positioning, protecting and promoting UNDP in inter-agency and intergovernmental affairs and is responsible for scanning and anticipating trends that influence UNDP policy and prepares proactive strategy options, for coherent multi-stakeholder engagement. It is also responsible for positioning UNDP as leading the RC system and chairing the UNDG. The group consist of 2 teams: the Intergovernmental and Multi-stakeholder Engagement and the UN Coordination and Coherence, working collaboratively to leverage resources within the group and address the group’s functional results delivery for analysis and advocacy, strategic positioning, reporting and documentation, and coherent operations.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The incumbent will be working with the UN Coordination team, under the general supervision of the Group’s Director and UN and Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor/Team Manager, and under the direct supervision of the UN Coordination and Coherence Specialist, working closely with UNSA Group Specialists and Analyst(s).

Summary of key functions:

• Provide technical and analytical inputs in support to UNSAG coordination of UNDP’s Interagency relations and Promote an effective and efficient internal/external relations and partnership development strategy;
• Contribute to strategic advocacy, policy coordination and analysis with regards to UN Coherence, inter-agency affairs, including operational aspects of the Resident Coordination (RC) System;
• Contribute to knowledge building and sharing.

Provide technical and analytical support to UNSAG coordination of UNDP’s Interagency relations and Promote an effective and efficient internal/external relations and partnership development strategy:

• Provide technical advice to inform UNDP’s participation in UNDG working groups of an inter-disciplinary nature to ensure UNDP’s position is fully developed and reflected in the relevant discussions, outcomes, tools and guidance notes;
• Provide technical and analytical support to UNSAG Team engagement by establishing contacts, monitoring inter-agency processes for overall cooperation and troubleshooting; provide technical inputs, as appropriate, to the elaboration of UNDP positions at interagency meetings;
• Track overall trends, plans and activities of other agencies and inform UNSAG on applicable interagency activities, identifying challenges and opportunities for UNDP; provide technical inputs in the development of strategies and plans to harmonize activities with other agencies;
• Work with colleagues from UNDG members and other relevant UN departments (including UNICEF, UNFPA, UNWOMEN, WFP, DESA, non-resident agencies, et al) on issues of operational activities for development and ensure that UNDP is appropriately represented, well informed and engaged in the identification and formulation of positions on issues of common concern;
• Provide technical and analytical inputs into preparatory and reporting material for UNDP's participation in the CEB and its sub-mechanisms (UNDG, HLCP, HLCM); participate in relevant UN inter-agency technical working groups or other meetings and support other UNDP-led initiatives in inter-agency fora; ensure UNDP's position is reflected in the relevant discussions, outcomes, tools, guidance notes;
• Work with colleagues within UNDP Bureaus and units (BOM, BPPS, RBx, OSG etc…) on relevant coordination and coherence issues and  consult, as necessary with central Bureaus, keeping them fully informed, ensuring their views are reflected in relevant discussions and outcomes; Represent  as necessary BERA/UNSAG at UNDP inter bureau meetings;
• Work with Member State delegations on issues of operational activities for development and relevant UN intergovernmental deliberations; develop partnerships with delegates, negotiating groups and UN colleagues, as part of an advocacy strategy so that corporate priorities for UN coherence are appropriately reflected in intergovernmental legislation;
• Prepare timely and high-quality briefing notes, talking points, analysis, and speech inputs for Executive level meetings with other UN agency principals or interagency stakeholders.  Draft succinct summaries of relevant background issues; informed political analysis of the intergovernmental and interagency issues at hand; and identification of potential challenges and opportunities for UNDP;

Contribute to strategic advocacy, policy coordination and analysis with regards to UN Coherence, inter-agency affairs, including operational aspects of the Resident Coordination (RC) System:

• Analyze trends, and positions on UN coherence together with inter-agency colleagues through the review and analysis of country-level involvement in UN coherence including sharing of outcomes from RC annual reporting (and other system-wide reporting mechanisms) to ensure the operational dimension is appropriately reflected in the relevant policy-making for a;
• Provide technical advice on operational aspects of managing the RC system, including UN relationships and interagency dialogue at HQ, regional level and county level, as part of overall team effort;
• Monitor and analyze inter-governmental discussions/negotiations related to UN Reform, coherence, and related issues and keep UNSAG informed, identifying challenges and required action;
• Serve as focal point for COs and Regional Offices (as necessary and through RBx and UNSAG management) in operational aspects of UN coordination, including implementation of the M&A system;
• Prepare policy proposals to support UNDP’s engagement in relevant UNDG mechanisms and other UN inter-agency fora;
• Work across bureaux to ensure UNDP compliance and participation in all UNDG mechanisms and coherence initiatives; Liaise with Regional Bureaus to bring the regional and country perspectives and concerns to the appropriate UNDG forums, as necessary, and help them translate HQ and intergovernmental guidance for the use of CO and regional offices;
• Bring together inputs from divisions of HQ, Regional and Country Offices, assess what works and what does not work in UN reform and prepare guidance notes on UNDP’s position on future UN reform initiatives; 
• Prepare periodic briefing notes and reports on  operational activities for development issues; and recommended actions, for use by UNDP senior management; as well as prepare timely submissions of high quality talking points and briefing notes as requested by senior officials; and draft and review inputs for speeches and reports as requested by senior management; and
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned.

Contribute to knowledge building and sharing

• Share knowledge management concepts, practices and precepts with groups/teams/task forces through active collaboration and interaction to reinforce their understanding of working with issues on UN Coherence and Intergovernmental Affairs;
• Identification and formulation of lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader UNDP knowledge management efforts; and
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Compétences

Core:

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Delivery

• Ability to get things done

Technical/Functional

Primary:

UN System: UN Coordination and Coherence

• Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply to practical situations.

Representation

• Ability to proactively share UNDP knowledge and activities at UN and other venues.

Partnerships/Relationships management

• Ability to engage with other agencies, delegations and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

Briefs and Speech writing

• Ability to prepare quality briefs and or speeches.

Risk management

• Ability to identify and prioritize risks, and organize actions around mitigating them.

Secondary:

Intergovernmental and Multilateral Affairs

• Knowledge of the Intergovernmental bodies and respective mandates and operations.

Knowledge management and sharing

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s) in international development, international relations, political science or other related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in development-related areas, within the UN System/UNDP, multi-stakeholder engagement, international or multilateral organizations, UN operational activities for development, project management, or other relevant setting;
• Considerable Experience in UN coordination at the field level and organization HQ level; Relevant experience in a Delivering as One Country a plus;
• Sound knowledge of the UN development and inter-agency system, and United Nations processes relating to operational activities for development, including UN  Coordination at the country level, development effectiveness, sustainable development, and other issues of system-wide coherence; Understanding of UNDP programming and project management arrangements;
• Familiarity with intergovernmental processes and fora.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of, and drafting skill in English essential;
• Working knowledge of other UN languages desirable.