Background
The Policy Support Officer (PSO) will work under the direct supervision of UNDP’s Policy Advisor/Rule of Law and Access to Justice (PA/ROLA2J), to whom he/she will report. She/He will assist the PA/ROLA2J through undertaking research on relevant legal/judicial issues, including domestic, comparative and international legal research, and analyzing law reform and development issues. The incumbent is therefore expected to have a strong legal background and a good understanding of current law and judicial reform issues affecting Vietnam.The PSO will also be expected to participate in knowledge development and knowledge sharing events (e.g. workshops, seminars, etc.), and to network and engage in collaborative policy and programmatic initiatives with other UNDP units, especially the Governance Unit, other UN agencies in Vietnam and with the broader development policy community in Vietnam, especially with local researchers and research institutions.
Finally, the PSO will assist the PA/ROLA2J in the management of UNDP’s portfolio of legal/judicial policy research studies, which the UNDP undertakes in collaboration with external researchers. To this end, he/she will help the PA/ROLA2J with contractual issues and financial arrangements associated with this subcontracted work, monitoring external researchers’ progress and, when necessary, providing initial quality assurance.
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions:
- Support legal/judicial policy research, analysis and advocacy activities undertaken by the PA/ROLA2J, the PAT and other UNDP units working in this area
- Contribute to knowledge building and knowledge dissemination activities
- Support UNDP’s PA/ROLA2J in the management of UNDP’s policy research and advocacy activities in the area of legal and judicial reform
1. Supports legal/judicial policy research, analysis and advocacy activities, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Conducting research for the PA/ROLA2J and other relevant UNDP units, with analysis and research of legal/judicial reforms and trends in Vietnam and globally, in the form of short analytical pieces, policy briefs, legal research etc.
- Monitoring Vietnamese media, relevant government laws/decrees/announcements and other sources of information to keep abreast of trends and developments relevant to the policy work undertaken by the PAT and, more generally UNDP, including the Governance Unit, analyzing and summarizing this information and briefing the PA/ROLA2J, UNDP and UN Country Team as appropriate in a timely and proactive manner.
- Supporting the preparation of information materials for policy dialogue and dissemination events (e.g. workshops, seminars, high-level meetings with government, etc.).
- Conducting research for the PA/ROLA2J and other relevant UNDP units, with analysis and research of legal/judicial reforms and trends in Vietnam and globally, in the form of short analytical pieces, policy briefs, legal research etc.
- Monitoring Vietnamese media, relevant government laws/decrees/announcements and other sources of information to keep abreast of trends and developments relevant to the policy work undertaken by the PAT and, more generally UNDP, including the Governance Unit, analyzing and summarizing this information and briefing the PA/ROLA2J, UNDP and UN Country Team as appropriate in a timely and proactive manner.
- Supporting the preparation of information materials for policy dialogue and dissemination events (e.g. workshops, seminars, high-level meetings with government, etc.).
2. Contributes to communication and facilitation of knowledge building, focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Actively participating in relevant research and dissemination events taking place outside the office (e.g. workshops, seminars, etc.) and sharing results with colleagues.
- Developing strong partnerships with other UNDP staff, contributing to knowledge building across UNDP’s portfolio of projects and studies.
- Contributing to information sharing initiatives within PAT, Governance Unit, the UNDP, the UNCT and other external strategic partners.
- Providing quick informal translations of media articles and short documents as required.
- Actively participating in relevant research and dissemination events taking place outside the office (e.g. workshops, seminars, etc.) and sharing results with colleagues.
- Developing strong partnerships with other UNDP staff, contributing to knowledge building across UNDP’s portfolio of projects and studies.
- Contributing to information sharing initiatives within PAT, Governance Unit, the UNDP, the UNCT and other external strategic partners.
- Providing quick informal translations of media articles and short documents as required.
3. Supports the management of PAT’s legal/judicial policy research and advocacy activities, focusing on achieving the following results:
- Assisting the PA/ROLA2J with the management of PAT’s portfolio of policy research studies in the area of legal/judicial reform, undertaken both in-house and by external researchers, ensuring seamless and efficient delivery of all activities.
- Supporting the dissemination of policy research and analysis findings through the organization of workshops, publication material, etc.
- Supporting PAT’s and, more broadly, UNDP’s research partnerships with national and international institutions in collaboration with other UNDP’s staff and liaising, when necessary with resource persons and focal points in government agencies, research institutions, and other strategic partners.
- Supports quality assurance of PAT’s and UNDP’s research activities, through initial peer reviewing of policy research material and by taking part in field monitoring activities for selected research projects.
- Assisting the PA/ROLA2J with the management of PAT’s portfolio of policy research studies in the area of legal/judicial reform, undertaken both in-house and by external researchers, ensuring seamless and efficient delivery of all activities.
- Supporting the dissemination of policy research and analysis findings through the organization of workshops, publication material, etc.
- Supporting PAT’s and, more broadly, UNDP’s research partnerships with national and international institutions in collaboration with other UNDP’s staff and liaising, when necessary with resource persons and focal points in government agencies, research institutions, and other strategic partners.
- Supports quality assurance of PAT’s and UNDP’s research activities, through initial peer reviewing of policy research material and by taking part in field monitoring activities for selected research projects.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Treats all people fairly and without favoritism
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Treats all people fairly and without favoritism
Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning
- Has a good understanding of global law and judicial reform trends and of current governance issues in Vietnam.
- Is able to undertake legal and analytical research
- Is able to present research results in a clear and accessible manner
- Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
- Is able to archive research results in a logical manner, facilitating quick retrieval and underlining cross-linkages
- Has a good understanding of global law and judicial reform trends and of current governance issues in Vietnam.
- Is able to undertake legal and analytical research
- Is able to present research results in a clear and accessible manner
- Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
- Is able to archive research results in a logical manner, facilitating quick retrieval and underlining cross-linkages
Work-Planning and Organization
- Is able to plan, prioritize and organize working schedule effectively, including the ability to manage complex tasks.
- Adopts proactive approach, looking out for opportunities to enhance UNDP’s policy research and advisory work in the field of legal/judicial reform.
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
- Is able to plan, prioritize and organize working schedule effectively, including the ability to manage complex tasks.
- Adopts proactive approach, looking out for opportunities to enhance UNDP’s policy research and advisory work in the field of legal/judicial reform.
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
Communication and Teamwork
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
- Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors
- Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
- Demonstrates openness to change
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
- Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors
- Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
- Demonstrates openness to change
Required Skills and Experience
- Master’s degree in law, or equivalent combination of academic qualifications and experience.
- Familiarity with international human rights law an advantage.
- Familiarity with international human rights law an advantage.
- Minimum 2 years professional experience working on governance issues in Vietnam. Experience with policy-relevant research is highly desirable.
- Experience in working with local research institutions, NGOs and government agencies is highly desirable
- Computer literate, fully competent in MS-Office based applications, and internet research
- Ability to work in diverse multi-cultural team environments
- Fluency in English and Vietnamese
- Experience in working with local research institutions, NGOs and government agencies is highly desirable
- Computer literate, fully competent in MS-Office based applications, and internet research
- Ability to work in diverse multi-cultural team environments
- Fluency in English and Vietnamese