UNDP Jobs - 13537- Policy Specialist (Governance, Human Rights & Just

Policy Specialist (Governance, Human Rights & Justice)

Location :

Bangkok, THAILAND

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

01-Feb-2010

Application Deadline :

16-Dec-09 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 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

Within UNDP’s global policy framework and practice architecture the Advisor will work specifically to implement the Asia Regional Governance Programme and within this focus on the key result areas related to human rights and justice.

Governance challenges in the region are diverse, ranging from inequitable service delivery to information hoarding bureaucratic cultures, weaknesses in parliamentary oversight, lack of access to justice and exclusion of marginalized groups such as the indigenous peoples. The Democratic Governance practice team focuses its Asia Regional Regional Programme (ARGP) on overcoming governance bottlenecks in delivering on the MDGs, in two areas in particular: (1) inclusive participation in policy making and implementation; and (2) the promotion of international norms and standards on anti-corruption, human rights and aid effectiveness, to ensure that governance policies are grounded in the principles of human rights, transparency and integrity. In addition to these two regional priorities, the DG practice team supports UNDP country offices as well as UN country teams and their national counterparts with the design and implementation of a range of democratic governance initiatives that cover the entire spectrum of UNDP’s democratic governance service lines.

The advisor will encourage home grown solutions and innovations, and foster South-South exchange and mutual support across countries in the region. An underlying thread in the strategy is investing in regional institutions and capacities for catalyzing democratic governance reform in Asia-Pacific. The advisor will support the democratic governance team in deepening its knowledge and policy analysis to ensure technical guidance provided to national counterparts and Country Offices draws upon and enriches lessons at country, regional and global levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Policy Specialist in RCB will provide substantive and technical advice and advocacy regarding democratic governance, human rights and justice and report to the Practice Leader at the RCB. The Adviser will provide specific support for UNDP’s policy and programming, over-all in governance, and specifically in : (i) strengthening UNDP’s policy advice and technical support for enhancing access to justice by poor and disadvantaged groups at country level; and (ii) mainstreaming and applying human rights norms and principles in UNDP programming, particularly in the democratic governance area.

1. Regional Policy Advocacy and Advisory Services:
Advise national counterparts and UNDP Country Offices in strengthening policy and capacity development efforts to ensure that democratic governance policies are grounded in the principles of human rights and that justice sector policies and reforms effectively increase access to justice for poor and disadvantaged groups

Provide technical advice to government counterparts and Country Offices on how to position human rights and justice initiatives within their local context;
Advocate with Country Office/Country Teams Senior Managers to support the inclusion of human rights norms and principles in country programming frameworks at various stages in the UN/UNDP’s programme planning cycle;
Advice Country Offices in:
- Engagement with government and other stakeholders (including civil society) on developing and implementing policies to ground development efforts and governance interventions in international human rights norms and principles and increase access to justice by poor and disadvantaged groups;
- Support strengthening of effective national institutions particularly national human rights institutions and national justice sector institutions, and support their mandate of applying international human rights norms and principles through targeted programmes;
- Work with country teams and country offices to leverage technical and other resources for governance, human rights and justice programming, including through regional partnerships.

2. Policy Development
Facilitate regional and global policy development on governance, human rights and justice that are grounded on cutting edge policy developments and practices from the region, fed into HQ policy processes, and replicated in countries of the Asia Pacific

Strengthen UNDP’s policies and programmes in the areas of governance, human rights and justice as well as UNDP potential for influence within the international community by effectively channeling the views and perspectives from partners in the region to the global level;
Promote UNDP policy on democratic governance, human rights and justice, grounded on international norms and standards and best practices at the country level through expert advice to country teams and by facilitating engagement between HQ and country teams in priority areas.

3. Partnership Building
Effectively position the regional governance programmes and initiatives to ensure that its approach to human rights and justice policy and programming is understood and supported by UN and external partners

Effectively position UNDP’s contribution to the democratic governance practice area:
- Within the UN System, to foster consistency in approach;
- Within the global and regional level by continually scanning and assessing activities of non-UNDP players in the local context;
- In support of UNCTs and UNDP Country Office programming arrangements with government counterparts;
Under the leadership of UNDP Country Offices / UNCTs, engage national, regional and global partners in programme responses (including but not limited to the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions-APF, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – OHCHR, the Asia Pacific Forum on Judicial Reform –APJRF, relevant donors);
Lead partnership building with regional / local institutions and consultancies which are conversant in UNDP’s position and approaches and well placed to formulate and support the implementation of the practice area in response to local, national and global strategies.
Mobilize resources in support of Asia regional governance programme

4. Quality control and assurance
Provide quality assurance to ensure alignment of democratic governance, human rights and justice policies and programming, with UNDP’s global development policies and international norms and standards

Coordinate the delivery of demand-driven service delivery to government counterparts, country offices and regional programmes ensuring professionalism in support (e.g. timeliness / responsiveness, quality in deliverables, with global coordination etc.);
Apply integrated and holistic approach to the practice area and ensure cross-practice and cross-regional collaboration linking to global experiences and international best practices, norms and principles.

5. Knowledge Management

Collaborate with UNDP Country offices, regional Governance team, and across UNDP’s practices at regional and global levels, to support governments and other stakeholders in using knowledge to strengthen democratic governance, and the application of international human rights norms and standards, as well as increase access to justice

Prepare knowledge products pertaining to democratic governance reforms in the Asia region, especially related to fostering inclusiveness and adherence to international norms and standards
Broker and promote local, regional and global knowledge exchange, through learning networks, partnerships and programme implementation, codification of lessons learned Work with UNDP Country Offices and other stakeholders, through global Democratic Governance Community of Practice , the Asia Pacific Rights and Justice Community of Practice, and the Global Human Rights Community of Practice, to support partner countries in developing and disseminating evidence and lessons;
Contribute to relevant country level, regional and global knowledge sharing events

Competencies

Corporate:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional:

Strong ability to apply various governance related development theories to the specific context, including translating democratic governance principles into effective policy and programme interventions in the field.
Capacity to interact with senior officials and credibly influence senior decision makers in UNDP programme countries and other international development organizations Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products
Professional and/or academic experience in one or more of the areas of the Democratic Governance Practice.

Leadership:

Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills;
Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of global development experience;
Knowledge and expertise in UNDP’s programming processes;
Proven ability to lead a practice area and drive for results with a strong knowledge of results-based management and budgeting.

Managing Relationships:

Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational skills;
Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff;
Excellent negotiating and networking skills;
Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills.

Managing Complexity:

Ability to address global development issues;
Substantive knowledge and understanding of development cooperation with the ability to support the practice architecture of UNDP and inter-disciplinary issues;
Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate global knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives;
A sound global network of institutional and individual contacts.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP;
Provides constructive coaching and feedback.

Judgment/Decision-Making:

Mature judgment and initiative;
Proven ability to provide strategic direction in practice area;
Independent judgment and discretion in advising on handling major policy issues and challenges.

Required Skills and Experience

Master's degree in development studies, Economics, Law, government studies/political science, Public Policy;
7 years of overall relevant professional experience as well as a proven professional record in the practice area;
Work experience from a developing country context is a necessity;
A track record of extensive national/international working experience with increasing managerial responsibilities in the development arena and UNDP’s practice areas;
Experience in leading/managing knowledge product development and dissemination.
Excellent command of English, including drafting and presentation skills; and working knowledge in one the primary UN official language of the region an asset.