Please note that this is Development Project Funded (DPF) post.

The changes in the development assistance landscape have clear implications for how the global governance system will adapt, including, how UNDP will respond, globally and regionally.  Specifically, they will affect how UNDP will do its business, both in terms of its offering of development services and in terms of modalities of partnerships and presence on the ground.    

Globally, the Administrator recently launched the “UNDP Agenda for 2012 and Beyond” to make UNDP more relevant and more strategically focused in this shifting environment. Building new strategic relations is a key component of this change agenda, which seeks to contribute to three proposed outcomes: (a) Position UNDP as a development leader in the global multilateral environment through strategic engagements with emerging global powers; (b) Enhance South-South Cooperation and cooperation with emerging powers to accelerate progress on the MDGs and other internationally agreed development goals; (c) Broadening substantive participation and dialogue with these countries in UNDP’s Executive Board and other policy fora.

Regionally, RBEC is already realizing this global vision at two levels. On the one hand, it has been leading the corporate efforts to engage with Turkey and Russian Federation as global partners of UNDP.  On the other hand, it has been undertaking efforts around the East-East cooperation in Europe and the CIS.  

As the next step, RBEC is now developing a vision for an East-East development cooperation network in Europe and the CIS that will advance UNDP’s global vision and will reflect the needs and features of the region’s new players in development assistance.   This network will be a flexible platform serving two main objectives.  First, it will connect new players in development assistance in Europe and the CIS – allowing them to learn from each other and articulate a common case in the global debate.   Second, it will provide a mechanism for matching their offering of resources and experience (supply) and the needs of recipient countries in the region (demand), to ensure assistance is relevant and effective.

To help the network develop and achieve these objectives, UNDP will act as a facilitator of the East-East development cooperation network:

• Supporting the ability of the new development players of the region to share and access experience and expertise, within Europe and CIS and with other regions  of the world, while helping reduce significant transaction costs associated with such exchanges;
• Further developing horizontal networks and promoting triangular cooperation (where the efficiency and speed of cooperation between two or more countries are enhanced using UNDP’s infrastructure);
• Developing capacities in development cooperation and assistance, to provide ODA according to aid effectiveness principles supporting donor coordination.

A number of “knowledge partnerships” is the outcome that we are seeking and should be considered the main success criteria for this position.

The New Development Partnership Coordinator will work under the overall joint supervision of the Senior Programme Coordinator in UNDP’s Bratislava Regional Centre and UNDP’s Partnership Bureau’s department supporting new types of partnerships.

The Bratislava Regional Centre is UNDP’s knowledge advisory arm in the Europe and CIS region (ECIS). It provides advisory support and knowledge services to UNDP Country Offices in ECIS in the areas of Poverty Reduction, Governance, Environment and Energy, Capacity Development, Gender, HIV/AIDS and Crisis Prevention and Recovery.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Champion the brokering of development cooperation solutions
2. Devise a strategy for the development  cooperation network
3. Manage the horizontal relationship within the network

1. Champion the brokering of development cooperation solutions (matching supply and demand), that will be the cornerstone of a future network:

• Articulate and promote the value proposition of the East-East development cooperation.
• Champion the codification and sharing of development experiences of countries without COs.
• Identify opportunities where UNDP’s involvement can enhance the effectiveness or efficiency of new donor development engagement.
• Establish and manage innovative partnerships for participation, and bring on board network partners.
• Devise and implement innovative solutions (in consultations with key stakeholders) for operationalizing the network, such as an online supply-demand platforms; functional rosters of government experts and   government staff exchanges, volunteerism, involvement of civil society, etc.

2. Devise a strategy for the development  cooperation network:

• Develop and help prove the value of a “development brokerage service offering” that new donors will want to fund, possibly jointly as a network.
• Assess existing elements of this partnership and identify entry points with potential network partners (including stock-taking of existing partnerships and lessons learnt). 
• Assist in clearly defining the business model and related legal and operational frameworks in accordance with the New Partnerships Strategy and the evolving agenda for organizational change within UNDP.
• Compile donor intelligence on possible similar exercises and networks these countries have established (or to be established) with other multilateral institutions
  

3.  Manage the horizontal relationship within the network:  between supply and demand (between programme countries in need of programming support (receiving partners);  new development cooperation players interested in supporting programmes (offering partners), and UNDP.

• Identify and support offering partners who want to support programmes as part of their development cooperation agenda;
• Monitor existing UNDP pipeline to identify opportunities that need support and help develop them further as needed;
• Broker cooperation and knowledge partnerships between offering partners and development interventions of receiving partners. This involves working with the receiving partners and respective UNDP offices to ensure that they react and mobilize towards the opportunities that exist with the offering partners. It also involves working with the offering country to develop their needs and scope of assistance available;
• Liaise within RBEC to ensure substantive support from Practices, and geographical oversight from Divisions is well-leveraged.  Tapping into substantive expertise within the thematic practices (sectors) is key;
• Identify specific transitional solutions in Romania, Bulgaria, Russia and other countries that will change programming modality, in the context of the corporate review of typologies of UNDP presence.
  

Impact of Results:

The key results have an impact on UNDP’s development and business goals in the region in strengthening development cooperation and the position of UNDP vis-à-vis emerging and new donors in the ECIS region.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Advocates and 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:

• Demonstrated ability as a strategic thinker and ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data;
• Ability to conceive and implement internal and external communications and publications strategies;
• Strong understanding of outreach and advocacy at the international level;
• Ability to advocate effectively, based upon rigorous results-based measurement;
• Excellent verbal and communications skills;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of current development issues particularly those pertinent to UNDP’s Practice Areas, as well as practices key development priorities of the region;
• Proven ability to position issues effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Demonstrates knowledge and experience in media relations at the international level and an in-depth knowledge of the Europe and CIS region.

 Management and Leadership:

• Excellent team player;
• Interacts effectively with all levels of the organization;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, proactive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates excellent production skills, and communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;
• Demonstrates exceptional ability to remain calm, in control and good humored even under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Demonstrates openness to change;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;
• Solicits feedback about the impact of his/her own behavior.

Education:

• Master's degree or equivalent in communications, PR, marketing, media relations, journalism, international relations or a development field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience at the international level in one or more of the following areas: partnership building, advocacy and communication, donor coordination or aid effectiveness;
• Thorough understanding of the regional context (Europe and the CIS);
• Proven track record of engaging partners, building partnerships and mobilizing resources (not necessarily in the area of international development);
• Proven track record of applying innovative solutions;
• Excellent oral communication and writing skills (English, and any relevant language of the countries involved is an asset);
• Understanding of risk management, evaluation, audit or other related areas;
• Understanding of UNDP’s business model is an asset;
  

Language Requirements:

• Oral and written fluency in English ; knowledge of Russian is a strong asset.