Antecedentes

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. UNDP is on the ground in 177 countries and territories, offering global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. As the UN's global development network, UNDP links and coordinates global and national efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). UNDP is working with a wide range of partners to help create coalitions for change to support the goals at global, regional and national levels, to benchmark progress towards them, and to help countries to build the institutional capacity, policies and programmes within four main areas: poverty reduction and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); democratic governance; crisis prevention and recovery; environment and sustainable development.

Encompassing 46 countries, the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) is UNDP’s largest Regional Bureau, with almost one third of the countries in crisis or post-crisis situations. To help Africa overcome its development challenges, UNDP is focusing its resources to support development efforts of countries in the region through:

  • Innovative region-wide strategic thinking, advocacy and partnerships;
  • Translation of corporate and regional strategies and goals into successful development results on the ground;
  • Enhancing RBA’s managerial and substantive effectiveness.

The Regional Director is the leader of UNDP in the Africa region as well as a member of UNDP’s corporate leadership group, and as such, serves as a role model for corporate values, behaviors and substantive skills.

Deberes y responsabilidades

The Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa reports to the Administrator/Associate Administrator. He/She is a member of UNDP’s Executive Group and contributes to shaping and monitoring overall corporate strategic directions. He/She directs and manages the overall policy and ongoing regional programme and country office operations of the region to address priorities and achieve outcomes. 
 
The scope and principal functions of the position include:
 
Participates in UNDP’s highest level corporate decision making body, the Executive Group (EG), helping to identify and implement strategic directions for the Organization as a whole;
 
Builds strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to carry out UNDP’s mission and achieve results;
 
Manages the Regional Bureau for Africa and works collaboratively and collegiately across UNDP to achieve outcomes and results in line with UNDP’s Strategic Plan and Annual Business Plan including by: 
  • Providing overall leadership and shaping strategic thinking for UNDP’s engagement in the region;
  • Identifying existing and emerging development challenges and priorities in the region; defining the strategic programming priorities at the regional and country and implementing measures to improve the quality and effectiveness of programmes;
  • Providing intellectual guidance for region-specific knowledge products, including Regional Human Development Reports;
  • Guidance to the Resident Representatives and other senior managers in Country Offices, including playing a facilitating role with host Governments, donors and counterparts as needed;
  • Oversight of Country Office performance and timely action on problems and challenges. 
Guiding the implementation of strategies for Bureau resource mobilization and delivery;
 
Builds and maintains strategic partnerships for UNDP in the Africa region, with a focus on knowledge sharing, joint activities and resource mobilization and represents UNDP, as required, in high-level events and fora relating to the Africa region;
 
Represents UNDP in key policy, programme, management, advocacy forums and conferences;
 
Leads the UN Development Group (UNDG) in the Africa region, representing the most active UNDG agencies in the region, for strengthening the UN Resident Coordinator system for greater coherence and harmonization of UN Country Teams;
 
Supports implementation of UN reform initiatives in the region, in line with corporate policies and guidance from the UN Development Group;
 
Leads by example and encourages excellence, professionalism, competence, integrity and ethics and values enshrined in the UN Charter;
 
Guides, mentors and develops a team of senior managers in New York, Addis Ababa and Country Offices;
 
Oversees and is responsible for Bureau’s operations in financial, human resources, procurement and general administration.

Competencias

Functional Competencies

Strategic Thinking:

  • A clear understanding of African development challenges and priorities;
  • Demonstrated ability to identify high level strategic issues, opportunities and risks
  • Develop organizational strategies to meet objectives, and generate and communicate organizational direction and expected outcomes to all stakeholders. 

Leadership:

  • Proven track record of excellent management, leadership and representation skills;
  • Demonstrated effectiveness in establishing productive relationships and networks to achieve outcomes; Strong people management skills;
  • Demonstrated competence for incorporating gender perspectives;
  • Demonstrated personal drive and commitment to organizational objectives;
  • Proven experience in leading change. 

Achieves Results:

  • Demonstrated ability to provide strategic direction;
  • Demonstrated excellence in successful management of a complex portfolio of responsibilities including translating goals into practical implementation strategies; 
  • Proven ability to build organizational capability and responsiveness to achieve outcomes;
  • Mature judgment and initiative.  

 Communication:

  • Influential and confident oral and written communication skills;
  • Proven ability to negotiate persuasively and achieve objectives;
  • Proven ability to establish and maintain effective inter-personal relationships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. 

 Professionalism:

  • Ability to work collaboratively and collegiately with internal and external stakeholders to achieve corporate goals;
  • Capacity to anticipate and address difficult issues;
  • Demonstrated commitment to acting ethically and with integrity and commitment to the values enshrined in the UN Charter.

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.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

  • Advanced degree in development-related disciplines, Economics, Business Administration, Public Policy or other relevant Social Sciences.

Experience:

  • At least 15 years of progressively responsible, substantive experience and results achievement- experience at the international level, including in development-related advisory services, managing complex development situations, interagency and international cooperation, negotiation of partnerships, mobilization of resources and management of programmes in development related areas with national, regional, international entities.
  • The candidate should have in-depth knowledge of the Africa region and its development context, and of national, regional and intergovernmental institutions and other international entities.  

Language requirements:

  • Proficiency in English. Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage, preferably French.