Antecedentes

The UN Resident Coordinator System, which is managed by UNDP, is aimed at enhancing the impact of the operational activities for development of UN agencies, funds and programmes at the country level through improving their coherence, efficiency and effectiveness. It promotes a coordinated multi-sectoral approach to respond to the specific needs of host countries, under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator and by capitalising on the comparative advantages of the different UN agencies. To perform her functions as the team leader of the UN system organisations in Lao PDR, the Resident Coordinator needs strong coordination support capacity, especially for strategic analysis and results based planning in the context of formulating and adjusting appropriate UN responses to national development priorities and in implementing Delivering as One, as a self-starter country, including the progressive realization of the 15 core elements of the Standard Operating Procedures for Countries adopting the Delivering as One approach.

Under direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator, the Coordination Specialist supervises and leads the staff of the Office of the Resident Coordinator. She/he works in close collaboration with the members of the UN Country Team (UNCT), programme and operations teams of the UN agencies, UNDOCO staff, Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and other development partners, to ensure successful and transparent coordination of UN activities. The UN Country Team in the Lao PDR employs several regular mechanisms for coordination and collaboration to ensure more integrated, complementary actions at the country level related to both programme and administrative matters. These include a combination of UN interagency coordination mechanisms, such as the Operations Management Team and UN Communications Group, as well as a coordinated approach with donors, bilaterals and other international development partners.

The Office of the Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR organizes monthly coordination (UNCT) meetings, ensures that pertinent UN information flows to all UN agencies operating in Lao PDR and supports the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) Action Plan. The Office of the Resident Coordinator also facilitates the Millennium Development Goals process for Lao PDR including reporting on the progress made. The Office also facilitates coordination among inter agency humanitarian actors as part of emergency preparedness and response, and disaster risk management through the Inter Agency Contingency Plan.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Summary of key functions:

• Provides direct support to the Resident Coordinator/Designated Official to help her carry out her functions effectively;
• Facilitates UNCT support to the implementation by the Government of the MDG-based 7th National Socio Economic Development Plan for Lao PDR (2011-2015) and the development of the 8th NSEDP (2016 – 2020);
• Facilitates UNCT support in accelerating progress towards MDGs, consultations on the post-2015 agenda and Lao PDR’s objective of graduation from LDC status by 2020;
• Supports and facilitates the preparation, implementation and M&E of the UNDAF;
• Helps promote the agenda for aid effectiveness in Lao PDR;
• Supports effective communications and advocacy of UN positions and activities in close consultation with UN communication officers;
• Helps to foster strong strategic partnerships in support of key UN initiatives;
• Facilitates knowledge management and capacity building among UN staff;
• Ensures sound leadership and management of the Office of the Resident Coordinator.

Provides direct support to the Resident Coordinator/Designated Official to help her carry out her functions effectively, through:

• Keeping abreast of and analyzing new political, legal, social and economic developments in the country, to provide well-founded advice on UN positioning;
• Keeping abreast of developments within the UNCT and pertaining to key partners, to provide advice as needed.
• Following and using debates at the global level, e.g. on climate change and other important issues, to inform the work of the UN at the country level;
• Ensuring substantive preparations for Resident Coordinator’s meetings, including follow up on key actions and preparation of minutes;
• Coordinating the preparation of briefs, speaking points and speeches for the Resident Coordinator for meetings, conferences or other events and official functions;.
• Drafting correspondence, briefing notes, and reports for the Resident Coordinator as needed;
• Substantively preparing for incoming high-level UN missions, and missions of the Resident Coordinator abroad;
• Preparing and following up on regular and ad-hoc meetings of the UNCT and the accredited heads of agencies;
• Ensuring the timely sharing of relevant information with the UNCT;
• Answering queries and providing guidance to UNCT agencies and development partners as needed;
• Facilitating the active engagement of non-resident agencies in UNCT initiatives.

Facilitates UNCT support to the Government of the 7th and 8th NSEDPs , through:

• Supporting UNCT analytical and research work to provide advice to the Government on the establishment of social safety nets to mitigate the impact of the global economic crisis;
• Supporting UNCT initiatives to help the Government take stock and better assess the social and environmental trade-offs of economic growth;
• Coordinating UN collective inputs to the 8th Plan as requested.

Ensures effective support in the preparation, implementation and M&E of the UNDAF, through:

• Providing coordination support to the UNCT on all aspects of preparation of the next country analysis and UNDAF / One Programme (Lao PDR is a 2015 roll-out country) through a human-rights based approach;
• In the context of preparation of the new country analysis and UNDAF/One Programme, working with resident and non-resident agencies to identify strategic opportunities for collaborative engagement for the UNCT based on thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country;
• Ensuring establishment of effective mechanisms for monitoring UNDAF implementation in consultation with UN agencies, government and other development partners;
• Supporting preparation and implementation of a resource mobilization strategy for the next UNDAF and following up on opportunities for resource mobilization;
• Supporting coordination of UN programmes through Results Groups, task forces and other fora, helping to ensure clear links with the national aid coordination framework and ongoing initiatives in the country;
• Supporting the Results Groups and Agencies in developing a common budgetary framework and joint work plans;
• Providing advice to the UNCT on adjusting strategies and implementation modalities for more cost-effective and efficient implementation of joint programmes/initiatives and common services;
• Support the OMT in developing, implementing and monitoring a Business Operations Strategy to enhance operational oneness processes through eliminating duplication of common processes to leverage efficiencies and maximize economies of scale;
• Supporting the UNCT in devising and implementing responses aimed at MDG attainment under the future Lao PDR MDG operational strategy;
• Supporting the UNCT in taking forward key joint initiatives, bringing on board relevant partners and ensuring that lessons learned are documented and shared.

Helps promote the agenda for aid effectiveness in Lao PDR, through:

• Coordinating coherent UNCT follow up actions on the Vientiane Declaration Country Action Plan and future OECD/DAC surveys;
• Facilitating follow up actions to the Busan and subsequent High Level Forums on Aid Effectiveness in support of the Government of Lao PDR as required;
• Analyzing information on donors’ assistance strategies and procedures, and providing advice to the Resident Coordinator on better aligning donors’ and UN strategies and procedures with national strategies, systems and procedures, in line with the provisions of the Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the associated Country Action Plan.

Supports effective communications and advocacy of UN positions and activities in close consultation with UN communication officers in the UN Communications Group, through :

• Supporting the development, implementation and monitoring of a joint UN Communications Strategy;
• Supporting the preparation of an annual UN Country Results Report;
• Keeping systematic records and information on UN activities and facilitates effective and timely sharing of information through, inter alia, the  www.la.one.un.org website and the regular UN newsletter.

 Helps the Resident Coordinator to foster strong strategic partnerships in support of key UN initiatives, through:

• Facilitating and providing secretariat support to Informal Development Partner Meetings and other donor consultations;
• Facilitating regular dialogue between UN heads of agencies with INGOs and civil society organisations;
• Maintaining good working level contacts with the Department of International Organisations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other key partners in Government;
• Maintaining good contacts at all levels with groups of development partners on specific issues of common interest, as appropriate;
• Continues the implementation of small-scale strategic initiatives to foster strong partnerships with future decision-makers, namely annual Model UN simulations, involving students of international relations and starting up a UN agencies country office internship scheme for students of international relations;
• Ensuring that lessons learned and good practices from the implementation of joint UN initiatives are documented and shared widely.

Facilitates knowledge management and capacity building among UN staff toward Delivering as one, through:

• Supporting the finalisation and implementation of the UNCT knowledge management strategy;
• Continuing to facilitate and lead regular orientation trainings for new staff of UN agencies in Lao PDR;
• Organising training activities on strategic topics for the UNCT and/or UN staff;
• Documenting lessons learned and sharing these through knowledge networks.

Ensures sound leadership and management of the Office of the Resident Coordinator (ORC), through:

• Preparing a multi-year ORC business plan and funding proposals for cost-sharing of ORC staffing and running costs;
• Ensuring timely preparation of Resident Coordinator annual reports and UNCT work plans, drawing upon inputs and feedback from the UNCT;
• Managing the ORC budget and other funds dedicated to UNCT activities;
• Setting objectives for and monitoring staff performance, and encouraging learning among staff in line with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Participating in UNDP management and unit chief meetings, and ensuring that UN system considerations are taken into account in programme planning;
• Ensuring that staff are informed on major developments relevant to their work;
• Ensuring that staff are informed on UNDP administrative standard operating procedures and adhere to office protocol in their work.

Ensures the effective implementation of the Inter Agency Contingency Plan through:

• Coordinating the members of the Emergency Task Force, Inter Cluster Coordination Group, Humanitarian Country Team and other groups within the Plan;
• Working with the ICCG leads to update the response plans of the different clusters prior to the rainy season each year;
• Supporting the training of the members of the IACP as applicable, e.g. emergency simulation training;
• Supporting the Resident Coordinator in any response through the carrying out of the SOPs in the IACP;
• Acting as a liaison with OCHA for any preparatory or response efforts to be done.

Impact of Results:

• The key results have an impact on the successful formulation and implementation, by the UNCT, of appropriate responses to national development priorities. They also have an impact on the creation of strategic partnerships to promote issues on the global development agenda.

Competencias

Corporate Competencies:

• Has strategic vision, sound judgment, strong technical skills and analytical capacities;
• Demonstrates commitment to UN’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, adaptability, nationality and age sensitivity.

 Functional Competencies:

Management and Leadership

• Produces quality outputs in a timely manner when assigned a given task;
• Analyses problems carefully and logically, leading to fact-based and practical recommendations;
• Has initiative and develops creative solutions to particularly challenging situations;
• Focuses on impact and result for the client;
• Leads teams effectively and possesses good conflict resolution skills;
• Sets clear performance goals and standards; executes responsibilities accordingly;
• Sound strategic planning expertise and familiarity with results-based management instruments and their application;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good-humoured even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Dependable and reliable;
• Possesses sound political judgment and maturity, and keeps confidentiality.

Partnering and Networking

• Initiates and sustains relationships with key constituents;
• Builds and sustains effective partnerships with UN agencies;
• Advocates effectively, engaging others to take action in desired directions;
• Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;
• Seeks and applies knowledge information and best practices from within and outside the UN.

 People Skills

• Recognises and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests and concerns of others;
• Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behaviour;
• Respects individual/ cultural differences;
• Utilises diversity to foster teamwork;
• Ensures others’ understanding of , involvement in and adaptation to change processes;
• Provides and responds constructively to feedback.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Sciences, Development Studies, Management and Coordination or related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years relevant experience in development.  At least four years work experience in the field at the international level;
• Experience in providing management advisory services, with hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Excellent knowledge of the UN and Resident Coordinator system, and UN procedures. Previous experience in CCA and UNDAF formulation essential;
• Familiarity with the human rights based approach to programming an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.