UNDP Jobs - 13594- Chief Technical Specialist (Early Recovery Program

Chief Technical Specialist (Early Recovery Programme)

Location :

Bujumbura, BURUNDI

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

15-Dec-2009

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

Twelve months

Languages Required :

English French

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

Burundi is in a critical phase of stabilization and community recovery. However, a several current events run the risk of disturbing the transition. On the one hand, the massive movement of returnees who have recently come back to the country – estimated to be around 540,000 people – creates sharply increased demand on crucial social services which are still severely limited and in the process of being re-established. On the other hand, the process of disarmament and demobilization has resulted in a great number of ex-combatants – approximately 55,000 – who are still waiting for sustainable reintegration.

To face the problems resulting from the influx of returnees, such as: property disputes, lack of access to land, food insufficiency, increased unemployment, and new pressures between communities. Inattention to these problems could seriously threaten the still fragile stability in the country, UNDP, in partnership with the Government of Burundi, supports the implementation of a programme in which community based and government institutions play an active part in communities’ security and socioeconomic development. The project will act as a catalyst to strengthen government structures, particularly the General Management of Reintegration. The investments realized in that domain will allow the Ministry of Solidarity to respond strongly to the challenge of reintegration in the context of the future national programme of reintegration.

This programme will strengthen the national structures undertaking sustainable reintegration and to promote the economic reintegration of returnees by strengthening the local productive sector and promoting sustainable forms of employment. Its global strategy will emphasize reestablishing institutional capacity, on the national as well as the local level, while also supporting communities to build the country anew within a sustainable development approach. A sense of national and local ownership, facilitated through a participatory approach, is essential. If all beneficiary communities and other stakeholders are fully involved in the process and their views are taken into account during the identification and implementation of various project activities, the accomplishments will be more sustainable.

UNDP is therefore recruiting a Chief Technical Specialist who will run this new programme:

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the general supervision of the UNDP Deputy Country Director / Programme, in close cooperation with the project national counterpart and in coordination with the National Office of Reintegration, the Chief Technical Specialist (CTS) is responsible for global management of the Project in conformity with UNDP procedures & modalities of execution and the context of the results of the project document. For that, the CTS assures the following responsibilities and functions:

Ensure the adequate institutional coordination between the Project and the national counterpart on the basis of the mechanism of coordination approved by the project;
Represent the Project beside the national and international partners, including the target group of the Project;
Attend to consistency and coherence of the Project actions in global context of UNDP interventions in early recovery and reintegration;
Plan the quarterly and annual cycle of the Project, according to results-based management methodology, by assuring logistical, technical and financial resources of the Project;
Coordinate and supervise the general functioning of the sub-offices of the Project in the country;
Organize and participate to conduct the preparatory studies of the Project;
Ensure the elaboration of the technical management tools of the Project (matrix, handbook of the operations, procedures, etc…);
Organise the tripartite evaluations of the Project according to the calendar and the modalities planned in the project document;
Establish and animate the Project partners network in order to accomplish the activities of reintegration and rehabilitation expected in the project document (NGO’s, ACB, SNU, private sector, etc…);
Establish a continuous training programme for the technical staff of the Project national counterpart in order to ensure the capacity building in community recovery area;
Attend to transversal themes of the Project at the time of making use of several components of the Project;
Attend to application of technical, administrative and financial management procedures of the Project;
Perform other duties as required by the immediate supervision and/or the Country Director in the context of Project execution.

The key results have an impact on the success of country office programme within the specific area of Recovery programme and the reintegration unit. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships in the field of activities of the programme as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.

Competencies

UN Corporate competencies :

Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promote the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treat all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies :

- Knowledge Management and Learning:

Share knowledge and experience, also contribute to UNDP practice areas and actively work towards continuing personal learning and development;
Skills to provide counsel in economics policy;
Familiarity with interdisciplinary development issues.

Development and Operational Effectiveness :

Familiarity with efficiency practice;
Ability to conduct strategic planning, apply results-based management, ensure monitoring & evaluation and report on activities;
Ability to lead a design and evaluation of development programme & project.

Management and Leadership:

Focus on partners’ impact & results and respond positively to critical feedback;
Demonstrate openness to change and ability to manage complexity;
Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports & communications and to articulate ideas in a clear, concise style;
Encourage different components of the project to taste nice for creativity and innovation.

Required Skills and Experience

Education :

Master’s degree or equivalent in international development, international economics, political sciences and/or social sciences, or related fields.

Experience :

At least 7 years of progressively responsible international professional experience in national or regional project/programme management of socioeconomic development promotion in post-conflict countries;
Full familiarity with the concepts, approaches and modalities of programme execution related to early recovery and reintegration;
Control of the project/programme planning & monitoring tools and techniques;
Familiarity with international cooperation institutional environment in transition countries context (NGO’s, bilateral & multilateral cooperation, United Nations system, etc…).