Background

The Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) has been leading the implementation of the National Recovery Strategy Hamutuk Hari’i Futuru to address the impacts resulting from the 2006/7 crises, both on communities and on their displaced members.
 
UNDP, in partnership with the MSS, has been implementing a project that expands the resources available to the Ministry in supporting the processes of return, relocation and reintegration by channelling support to a variety of national and international Government partner organizations. All programmes implemented addressed enhancing communication and trust between former IDPs and their recipient communities according to the principles outlined for trust-building within the National Recovery Strategy.

The project is being administered by a Project Management Board (PMB) comprising representatives of MSS, UNDP and AusAID (the project donor). At the end of 2008, ten proposals were selected according to a set of criteria developed in close consultation with the MSS. In doing so, transparent socialisation and peer-review processes were conducted through the Hamutuk Hari’i Konfiansa working group established by the Government and supported by UNDP to coordinate trust-building activities of the National Recovery Strategy. Following approval of the ten proposals submitted for the PMB’s consideration, UNDP worked with each organisation to develop a complete project document and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) clarifying the nature, duration, reporting requirements and areas of responsibility for each project. The ten projects were implemented in 9 out of the 13 districts in Timor-Leste, and span a wide range of approaches including the promotion of dialogue, training in conflict resolution/transformation for community leaders, peace games and youth exchange programmes.

The project will call for the second round of proposals to national and international Government partner organisations to further support the government-led National Recovery Strategy, especially its trust-building pillar, and to address the issues that arose from the recovery processes. More specifically, the key activity areas will include:

• Strengthening the Government’s and local leadership’s capacity to engage in dialogue and help resolve and mitigate conflict including land disputes in Dili and other IDP-affected areas;
• Engaging with Martial Arts Groups and youth groups that may have previously been engaged in conflict during the crisis to encourage positive contributions;
• Post-return/relocation monitoring of IDPs and their host communities;
• Facilitating discussion and reflection highlighting a common and shared history and culture;
• Dissemination of Public Information in support of IDP-reintegration and broader social stability; and
• Socialisation of the process in defining the land law, with an emphasis on targeting former IDPs, and displacement-affected communities as well as areas where there is known to be a potential for conflict stemming from land and property disputes.

Duties and Responsibilities

The specific responsibilities are:

Overall management

• Ensure that the project produces the results to the required standards of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost described in the project document;
• Provide the overall direction of the project, and motivate the project team;
• Be responsible for project administration such as finance, procurement and recruitment.

Capacity Development:

• Provide support and mentor the National Deputy Project Manager so that he/she could assume the role of Project Manager in 6 months time;
• Provide support and mentor national NGOs for enhancing their capacity for project design, delivery, oversight and reporting;
• Work with the focal point of small grants management at MSS and support his/her capacity development;
• Provide policy advice to MSS and UNDP on civil society related issues.

Coordination:

• Organise regular meetings to promote coordination and collaboration among beneficiaries of the project, including the Hamutuk Hari’i Konfiansa working group;
• Attend and provide regular updates to forums concerned with peace/trust-building, social stabilisation and social reintegration;
• Liaise with the MSS’ Directorate of Social Assistance to ensure complementarity between programmes under this project and current Government programming.

Monitoring and evaluation:

• Plan and monitor regularly the project and all programmes supported under the project as per signed MOUs and project documents;
• Develop/ strengthen relevant M&E plans and ensure their implementation;
• Conduct monitoring visits per grants recipient organisations during their implementation period;
• Through regular monitoring, ensure the quality of activities implemented by the grants recipient organisations, and advise/ support to improve the quality when necessary;
• Monitor and manage the risks, including the development of contingency plans as necessary;
• Take responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiate corrective action where necessary;
• Alert the PMB on possible shortcomings, limitations or risks of exceeding constraints, and propose remedial actions. 

Reporting:

• Provide direct support to grants recipient organisations in the preparation of necessary financial and narrative reports;
• Prepare and report to the PMB through monitoring reports and progress reports;
• Prepare any follow-on action recommendations required;
• Provide weekly or as required updates to supervisor and UNDP management;
• Provide as required briefings to counterparts at the Ministry of Social Solidarity.

Impact of Results:

• The incumbent will play a lead role in implementing the UNDP project “Support to the Trust-Building Pillar of the National Recovery Strategy” and providing support to the Ministry of Social Solidarity in implementing the National Recovery Strategy and its trust-building pillar for peacebuilding and social cohesion for the sustainable reintegration of IDPs.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge and Learning Management

• Shares knowledge and experience from within and outside the UN Country Team;
• Encourages staff to share knowledge;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Coordination Effectiveness

• Ability to lead the design and implementation of UN programme activities, strengthening of strategic partnerships for results;
• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with UN Agencies and main constituents, advocate effectively, communicate sensitively across different constituencies.

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result and responds positively to feedback;
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Schedules activities to ensure optimum use of time and resources; monitors performance against development and other objectives and corrects deviations from the course;
• Possesses the capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations; evaluates information accurately and identifies key issues required to resolve problems;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
• Manages conflict and stress, remaining composed and working as a mediator in crisis or antagonistic situations;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
  

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in an international development, peacebuilding, civil society and/or related disciplines or equivalent of related experience.