UNDP Jobs - 5279- HIV/AIDS Cluster Leader

HIV/AIDS Cluster Leader - Human Rights and Gender

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

200 Series

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

01-Jul-08 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

L-6 (ICS-13)

Duration of Initial Contract :

one 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

UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2008-2011 and the 2008 regionalization plan articulate the corporate requirement to bring timely and effective substantive and technical services to the country offices through strengthened practice architecture at the global regional and country level.

The UNDP Practice Architecture serves as a framework for better organizing UNDP to provide consistent policy advisory services, more relevant and substantive policy knowledge, better linking of policy and programming and capacity development. The value of the practice architecture lies in its comprehensive structure to solidify UNDP and its staff into a global team that ensures coherence, consistency, alignment and quality assurance in the way UNDP delivers service internally and to development partners and programme countries.

The Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) is responsible for articulating UNDP’s development policy, using evidence gathered through country applications, regional experiences and global interactions. BDP has a key role to play in helping country offices to accelerate human development by supporting the country offices in the design and implementation of programmes and projects that effectively contribute to the national-level policies and results. Driven by demand, and working through the Regional Bureau and the RSC, BDP provides the tools, analysis and capacities that country offices need to make a real difference in UNDP’s practice areas.

BDP’s support of UNDP’s strategic plan 2008-2011 is focused in 4 practices (Poverty Reduction, Governance, Environment and Energy, HIV/AIDS) and 2 thematic areas (Capacity Development and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment).

Practice Approach:

HIV/AIDS Practice
UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The UNAIDS division of labor provides the framework for UNDP’s response to the AIDS epidemic. UNDP is responsible for leading the UNAIDS response in addressing the following:

Development Planning and Mainstreaming
AIDS responses are integrated into poverty reduction strategies, MDG-based national development plans, macro-economic processes and non –health sectors as appropriate.

Governance of the HIV responses
Strengthened national capacity for inclusive governance and coordination of HIV responses, and increased participation of civil society organizations and people living with HIV in the design, implementation and evaluation of HIV programmes.

Human Rights and Gender
Policies and programmes implemented through multi-stakeholder approaches to protect the human rights of people affected by AIDS, mitigate gender related vulnerability and address the impact of AIDS on women and girls, men who have sex with men, sexual minorities and other key populations.

Country Implementation Capacity
Accelerated implementation of AIDS funds and programmes financed through multilateral funding initiatives, including the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Driven by demand, the HIV/AIDS Practice provides the tools, analysis and support that country offices need to make a real difference in responding to the epidemic at national level. Within the overall context, the Cluster Leader will oversee UNDP’s AIDS work related to Human Rights and Gender as a senior manager of the HIV/AIDS Practice group within the Bureau for Development Policy. His/her work is crucial to addressing UNDP global strategies on Human Rights, Gender and AIDS and to provide substantive guidance and support to UNDP’s Global, Regional and Country AIDS programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Functions:

Cluster Management and Coordination
Policy Development
Research and Content Development
Policy Advisory and Programme Support
Practice Advocacy

Detailed functions and results in line with UNDP Strategic Plan Results Framework:

Cluster management and Coordination

Directly supervise global policy advisers and policy specialists working on gender, human rights, sexual minorities and TRIPS/trade and access to ARVs.
Promote cluster coherence across the HIV/AIDS Practice, ensure cluster work planning, financial and human resources management and support the Practice Director both in substantive and operational areas
Provide substantive leadership on human rights and gender and guidance to a global network of UNDP policy advisers, practitioners and field-based policy specialists in brokering and providing direct policy and technical support to developing countries; and build a global network of experts and institutions to provide research, policy guidance and technical assistance that are relevant to the practical needs of programme countries.
Mobilize resources for global programmes and flagship initiatives.
Strengthen UN system coherence and coordination in the areas of human rights, gender and HIV/AIDS, including by liaising with counterparts in the UNAIDS Secretariat and cosponsors, OHCHR and other international organizations and by initiating and leading joint activities in areas for which UNDP serves as lead agency within UNAIDS.
Lead processes for the establishment, expansion and maintenance of broad-based partnerships – including with donor and partner governments and civil society – to promote the integration of human rights-based and gender-sensitive approaches in national development strategies and national AIDS plans and programmes.

Policy Development

Play the lead role in the HIV/AIDS Practice for designing strategies and policies for responding to the human rights and gender dimensions of the HIV epidemic.
Promote the development of policies and programmes that ensure the integration of human rights and gender into national development strategies and HIV/AIDS plans, including the development of system-wide guidance and costed implementation plans.
Design and ensure implementation of a strategy to identify and address gaps in global policy guidance in the areas of Human Rights, Gender and HIV/AIDS.
Interact substantively with other UN agencies and development partners to ensure mutual synergies in policy development through exchanges of ideas, learning from mutual experiences, collective research and joint initiatives
Provide substantive inputs in international and regional conferences and other forums on issues of HIV human rights and gender to help shape global and regional development strategies, policies and responses in this area
Ensure that UNDP policy documentation on HIV, human rights and gender is developed in consultation with key constituencies and is of high quality, user-friendly and widely disseminated.

Research and content development

Lead work on analysis of data, case studies, applied policy research, legislation, legal and programme audits in order to distil good practices and lessons as it relates to HIV, human rights and gender.
Play a leading role in training and capacity development, and the development of relevant documentation such as practice notes and policy notes, to strengthen the capacity of UNDP regional teams and country focal points to undertake effective programme support and to broker and provide technical advisory services to national partners in the areas of HIV, human rights, gender, sexual minorities and TRIPS/trade and access to ARVs.
Lead discussions and debates on HIV, human rights and gender and promote policy options via UNDP’s HIV/AIDS Network and thus promote knowledge sharing within UNDP and with other UN agencies.
Produce discussion papers, practice notes, working papers, research papers and book publications on emerging and current issues relation to Human Rights, Gender and HIV.
Generate, based upon research and analysis, innovative operational concepts and develop, test and roll out tools and methodologies in the focus areas of the cluster work that can widen relevant policy choices.

Policy Advisory/Programme Support

Ensure high-quality and relevant advisory services on Human Rights, Gender and HIV policies, through coordinating and supervising the HIV Practice Policy Advisors working in the HRG Cluster and through active collaboration with regional policy advisers based in the RSCs.
Provide policy advice at the country level by ensuring the highest quality policy analysis and substantive support. Undertake participatory and broad-based multi-stakeholder consultation processes to accomplish this task.
Coordinate the design and implementation of training and capacity building development in Human Rights, Gender and HIV for UNDP HIV/AIDS staff and for key constituencies such as parliamentarians, judges, legal professionals, police, associations of people living with HIV and community based organisations.
Supervise the establishment, expansion and maintenance of Communities of Practice in Human Rights, Gender and HIV/AIDS.

Practice Advocacy

Contribute to strategic partnerships, where appropriate, with UNAIDS cosponsors and other UN organizations for advocacy purposes
Develop partnerships at the highest level with NGOs and civil society institutions working in areas of Human Rights, Gender and HIV
Formulate, with guidance from the Senior Management of UNDP, the advocacy positions of the organization in various areas of HIV, Human Rights and Gender.
Contribute to the communication strategy of the HIV Practice and liaise with the BDP Directorate, the Communication Office and others as needed
Represent the organization in key international fora where appropriate and contribute to present the UNDP’s position and work to the outside world.

Impact of Results

The role of the HIV/AIDS Human Rights and Gender Cluster Leader will impact the strengthening of the Practice architecture of UNDP, the quality and delivery of programme and project services in the HIV/AIDS Practice and the delivery of UNDP’s programmes globally. He/she will also contribute to fulfilling UNDP’s responsibilities within the UNAIDS division of labour as it relates to HIV, human rights and gender.

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

Proven professional credibility, as well as senior-level working experience in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization, in both developed and developing countries;
Work experience in a developing country highly desirable;
Extensive network of international and individual contacts;
Advanced university degree in Social Science, Political Science, Public Administration, Public Health or Epidemiology;
Fluency and proficiency in English is required, working knowledge of another UN language would be an advantage.

Leadership

Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills;
Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of 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 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

Education

Advanced university degree in public health, social science, political science, law, development studies or related discipline.

Experience

Approximately 15 years of experience, including a minimum of 10 years of direct experience in HIV related research and policy/programme work (or advisory services) in the areas of human rights and/or gender, preferably with extensive experience in developing countries.

Language Requirements

Fluency and proficiency in English (both written and verbal), with working language of other UN language desirable.