Antecedentes

Nigeria faces significant challenges to its development efforts in the form of growing violence in the Niger delta region, ethno-religious violence in the central states, and episodic outbreaks of clashes across the country, including those linked with elections and the struggle for political advantage.

In recent years, Nigeria has brought significant resources to bear on addressing violent internal conflicts, including a strong recognition on the part of national authorities that these conflicts could threaten Nigeria's cohesion and stability if left unaddressed. Given Nigeria's size and complexity, and the significant resources that Nigeria itself is bringing to bear, the role of the UN system is relatively limited and utilized strategically to ensure its relevance.

The greatest contribution that the UN can make to Nigeria's own efforts is substantive and advisory in nature rather than financial based on recognized expertise and experience worldwide. This can be threefold: first, given its perceived neutrality, the UN can provide reliable advice, facilitation and accompaniment for Nigerian-led efforts; second, and linked to the first, the UN can bring comparative technical expertise and experience from other developing countries to bear on Nigerian-led efforts to build national and local capacities for conflict management; and, third, the UN can demonstrate methods, approaches and forms of organization than can be the basis for replication on a larger scale. As a result of the above, UNDP's Country Programme Action Plan emphasizes Conflict Prevention, Management and Peace-Building as a major component of its Sustainability and Risk Management Programme. The component distinguishes long-term development of the Niger Delta, stakeholder participation for conflict mitigation and improved community responses and coping mechanisms.

The current UN support for conflict management efforts in Nigeria demonstrates the utility of the approach: building specific capacities for conflict management in select states and localities in Nigeria drawing on ongoing local efforts in anticipating and preventing violence in these localities.

The UN is coordinating the development partners in supporting the Government of Nigeria pursuing a two-pronged approach to the issue of the Niger Delta. Following a partial successful declaration of amnesty in 2009, technical assistance is being leveraged towards the Amnesty Committee and its Implementation Secretariat in operationalising the conditions of the Amnesty through a government-led DDR process, contributing to a slowly increasing level of security, peace and development in the troubled region. Mind-set change programmes for militants, case and camp management, overall planning and logistics as well as transitioning into reintegration programming have been at the centre of UN support to the process. In the longer-term perspective the UN is playing a crucial convening role in the development of a medium to long-term vision for the Niger Delta as lead by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Aligning the work of UN Agencies and other Development Partners including EC, USAID, DFID and the World Bank a five-year vision is being formulated and operationalized.

After heavy outbreaks of violence in the Jos region in later 2009 and early 2010, the UN is gradually revising its network of peace advocates that was built over the years. In the still fragile situation, do no harm is a leading principle and, with assistance from BCPR, peace support programming will be expanding gradually.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Summary of key functions:

• Manages the implementation of the CPAP-based programme framework, supervising a team of staff and consultants
• Provides substantive technical and advisory support to the UN and UNDP CO
• Provides leadership in designing and executing analytical work
• Provides strategic analyses and inputs
• Builds a strong network of relationships
• Assists the UN and national counterparts in implementing development programmes from a ?conflict-sensitive? perspective.

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP Resident Representative and working on a day-to-day basis with the Programme Unit, the Peace and Development Specialist shall, within the parameters set in the CPAP (2009-12):

1.Manages the implementation of the programme framework including work planning, budgeting and financial oversight, recruitment, procurement, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, working closely teams and units of the Country Office. Incumbent manages a small but expanding team of staff and consultants, mostly out-posted in relevant government entities.

2.Provides substantive technical and advisory support to enable implementation of the programme framework focused particularly on building national and local capacities for conflict management - networks of mediators, local peace committees, early warning and response capabilities and emergency response teams; and promoting dialogue and reconciliation, with emphasis on the central and Niger Delta states.

3.Provides leadership in designing and executing analytical work on conflict issues in the Nigerian context, working with national and international experts, with the aim of positioning the Country Office as a thought leader among development partners in this area.

4.Provides strategic analyses and inputs on issues related to peace and development to the UN Resident Coordinator and to UNDP and DPA headquarters, with a view to enabling the best support from the wider UN system for conflict management and reconciliation efforts in Nigeria, including ?entry points? for conflict management and reconciliation initiatives.? A particular focus may be on mounting an effective system-wide response to the situation in the Niger Delta.

5.Builds a strong network of relationships in-country with key Governmental and non-governmental institutions, experts and practitioners; do the same with relevant development partners; and link the Country Office with UNDP, UN and external knowledge and expert networks/communities of practitioners in the areas of conflict prevention, management and recovery.

6.Assists the UNDP Country Office and national counterparts in implementing development programmes from a ?conflict-sensitive? perspective, ensuring that conflict sensitivity is integrated into all UNDP and UN programming, as appropriate, in the latter case through the CCA and UNDAF processes.

Competencias

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 and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
• Knowledge of the issues pertaining to conflict prevention and conflict transformation; negotiating and training/facilitation skills, knowledge of and/or experience with transition situations and development processes.
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP
• Understanding of the UN/UNCT system, including thorough knowledge of its practices and procedures

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Experience in planning and coordinating operations and development work in the field; previous work experience in West Africa is an advantage
• Specific experience involving the facilitation of multi-stakeholder consensus, (preferably in crisis situations) and with imparting training in conflict resolution and consensus-building
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills, with sensitivity to local cultures
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills
• Ability to engage with sensitivity, strategic foresight, and political acumen in situations involving multiple actors and stakeholders
  

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Masters degree in international development, public administration, business administration, public policy or other relevant social sciences.

Experience:

• 7 years of relevant experience in development in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization in a multi-cultural setting
• 3 or more years of senior-level management responsibilities of similar size and complexity.

Language Requirements:

• Strong written and spoken English. A second UN language desirable.

Please ensure that you upload your UN Personal History Form-P11 (available at http://www.undp.org.af/Jobs/index.htm ) in the relevant field of the on-line applications.

Please note that only applications that are short-listed will be contacted.

Candidates, who are currently holding UNDP or UN Agencies contracts, are asked to declare the type contract and duration in their application.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.