Background

THIS POST IS FOR NATIONALS OF ANGOLA OR FOREIGNERS WITH ANGOLAN RESIDENCY STATUS
 
Access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities (WatSan) is still precarious in Angola as demonstrated by successive outbreaks of Cholera. In peri-urban Luanda, people pay high prices for poor quality water from private vendors, as a great proportion of water standpoints, especially those managed by state-owned public utilities, break down frequently or do not function; many sub-urban neighborhoods simply do not have water points. In the Moxico province, most people, among whom there is a high number of returnees, take water from rivers, exposing families to health risks linked to unpurified water.
 
This programme aims to ensure sustainable, equal and non-discriminatory access to sufficient, safe, physically accessible and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation for peri-urban and rural communities in the Luanda and Moxico provinces of Angola, by through human rights-based approach. Therefore, the programme to address the issue of sustainability of access to water and sanitation by introducing ownership rights and community management of WatSan schemes.
 
This joint-programme, which sees the participation of ILO, IOM, UNICEF and UNDP, will pursue the key objective of bringing safe drinking water and adequate sanitation to up to 120,000 people directly, and another 400,000 from multiplier effects, so that the MDG gap for water and sanitation is closed by 3.4% (to 12%) and 3.3% (to 12%) respectively.
The model of governance proposed in this project entails promoting a network of autonomous units of small and medium scale WatSan utilities owned and managed by communities – namely the Grupos de Àguas e Saneamento (GAS) – in the target peri-urban and rural areas of the programme, with the local government at the ‘center’ (of the network) confining its role to monitoring the network, regulating the rural water and sanitation market, pushing for the autonomy of communities in the management of their water and sanitation schemes, and intervening only when a major problem occurs in any one of the units or when a specific need is expressed (for example, the need for funding to upgrade a water post installation or the enforcement of the applicable pricing system).
 
To achieve this, the programme will seek to: (i) establish a pro-poor policy and regulatory framework that feature community participation in the provision and management of WatSan facilities; (ii) promote the autonomy of communities in the management of WatSan facilities; (iii) reinforce the capacity of local governments, namely municípios, to effectively monitor community WatSan management units, mobilize resources and fund community WatSan projects and (iv) put in place an enhanced accountability system for peri-urban and rural water and sanitation sector.
 
Using capacity development and advocacy as main intervention strategies, while focusing on such governance issues as pro-poor policy/regulation, community participation and accountability, the programme will seek to achieve results focusing on addressing the challenge of designing an institutional and regulatory arrangement that embraces a rights-based approach and that is consistent with community-driven approach, to promote sustainable water and sanitation management scheme for the poor.
 
As regard to its implementation, the programme will be coordinated through a three-level mechanism: (i) a National Steering Committee, composed of the UN Resident Coordinator Office, the Ministry of Planning and the Spanish Cooperation agency; (ii) a Programme Management Committee composed of the UN Resident Coordinator (or a designee), the Director Nacional de Águas (DNA), Coordinador Nacional da Unidade Técnica de Saneamento Ambiental (UTNSA) and representatives from participating agencies, NGOs and beneficiary groups; (iii) a UN-level coordination which consists of the UN country team and technical working groups.
 
The programme’s total budget of $ 7,60,000 comes from the Spain MDG Achievement Trust Fund (MDG-F). It is ‘passed through’ UNDP’s Multi-donor Trust Fund Office for transfer and distribution to participating UN agencies at headquarters level, then for use by country offices in a ‘parallel funding’ fashion. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Main Responsibility: Manage the implementation of the Joint Water and Sanitation project on behalf of UNDP
 
Functions:
  • Support to partners on the proper implementation of program activities through direct support and technical and operational advice whenever necessary;
  • Promoting national ownership supporting the Government of Angola to implement the Joint Program and focusing on capacity building;
  • Facilitate liaison with the operational teams of UN agencies and partners involved in establishing the Annual Work Plans and Annual Budgets;
  • Consolidate on a timely basis the annual work plans, budget and Annual narrative and financial reports on behalf of the leading agency (UNDP);
  • Ensure that the activities of the Joint Programme gives priority to the development of capacities of beneficiaries;
  • Prepare relevant documents for the Program, contracts, minutes and other documents relevant to program implementation;
  • Ensure high quality financial and administrative processes;
  • Support the preparation and the proper development of the missions (both in Angola and outside the country);
  • Perform other tasks as necessary for good performance and implementation of the Programme.

Competencies

  • Computer skills (Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
  • Knowledge of United Nations procedures will be positively valued;
  • Good interpersonal skills;
  • Demonstrated knowledge of project management cycle and ability to develop proposals;
  • Capacity of long-term planning;
  • Demonstrated ability to liaise with Government officials and donors;
  • Good communication and organizational skills;
  • Demonstrated ability to work creatively and independently, both in field and office;
  • Motivation and desire to work with local communities and NGOs;
  • Ability to travel and work under pressure and tight deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

THIS POST IS FOR NATIONALS OF ANGOLA OR FOREIGNERS WITH ANGOLAN RESIDENCY STATUS
 
Education:
  • University Degree (minimum required BA) in the fields of administration, Finance or similar.

Experience:

  • At least 4 years of experience in program management
  • Knowledge of Water and Sanitation sector will be an asset.