Antecedentes

UNDP Practice/Thematic Architecture and Approach

In order to meet today’s global challenges, UNDP is transforming itself into a knowledge based organization that is more strategically focused on achieving the MDGs with transformational programme interventions, including through the provision of cutting edge policy support and development expertise.

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

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

The core services of the Poverty Practice are structured around four thematic teams: Economic Governance, Inclusive Green Growth, Inclusive Globalization, and MDG Support. The services of the Practice also benefits from its Community of Practitioners.

UNDP's work on poverty reduction is governed by several internationally agreed frameworks such as the Millennium Declaration and the MDGs. It is also geared towards informing and influencing the Post-2015 development Agenda. UNDP's work on poverty reduction is anchored in three basic principles — the multidimensionality of poverty, the centrality of equality (including gender equality) and the critical importance of a cross-practice approaches.

The Poverty Practice contributes substantively to global debates and dialogues through knowledge products. Its core services to support national efforts to reduce poverty and inequities involve: (1) Policy advice and technical support; (2) Strengthening capacity of institutions and individuals (3) Advocacy, communications, and public information; (4) Promoting and brokering dialogue; and (5) Knowledge networking and sharing of good practices. The Practice also serves as a platform for intra-regional and inter-regional dissemination of knowledge.

Regional Context

The Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC) is an out posted unit within the Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific (RBAP) and an integral part of UNDP’s global infrastructure and knowledge networks. UNDP has established the Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (located in Bangkok with a multidisciplinary office in Suva, Fiji) with the main priority to provide the 24 UNDP Country Offices in the region with reliable and easy access to quality advisory services and technical support based on global applied research and UNDP lessons learned.

Headed by Regional Practice Leaders, the APRC’s Practice teams of policy specialists provide advisory services and technical assistance in the main focus areas: Democratic Governance, Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction, Environment and Sustainable Development, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, HIV-AIDS and in the cross cutting areas of Gender, Capacity Development and Knowledge Sharing.

Asia-Pacific development has been marked by significant poverty reduction as well as rising income but persisting social inequality. Gender disparities and limited female participation restrict human development. Public policies have also not been sufficiently inclusive. In many countries for example, social protection programmes have provided limited coverage, are fragmented and poorly targeted. Rapid urban growth could compound these problems if not properly planned. The region’s inequality is not only a break on economic growth and human development. It also raises the risk of crisis and conflict as populations see that access to the resources and opportunities created by economic growth are restricted to a select few.

To address the region’s disturbing and explosive increase in inequality, a key role for the Regional Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction Practice Leader is to suggest policies that reduce the economic and social inequalities in the context of fostering inclusive development in Asia and the Pacific. Policy advice support services based on research and analysis on progressive fiscal systems, conditional and cash transfers, and selective subsidies are all part of part of the responsibility of Regional Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction Practice Leader. An equally serious concern is that progress in reducing hunger and poor nutrition has not matched that in income poverty. This lag has created an important opportunity for Regional Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction Practice Leader to find new ways to reduce hunger faster, improve nutrition and accelerate. Reviews of MDG progress in Asia and the Pacific have revealed many successes, but also the need for urgent, focused action. In the absence of enhanced efforts, many countries risk missing one or more of the targets by the deadline. In others, even if the target will be reached by the country as a whole, subnational areas may lag behind. In this regard, as called for by the 2010 MDG Summit Outcome Document, UNDP is working with other UN agencies in promoting MDG Acceleration Framework (MAF) which offers a systematic way to identifying bottlenecks to those MDGs that are lagging behind in specific countries, as well as prioritized solutions to these bottlenecks. The framework is expected to build upon existing country knowledge and experiences, as well as policy and planning processes, and to help the development of country-level partnerships, with mutual accountability of all partners, towards the efforts needed to reach the MDGs by 2015. This MAF has provided an important opportunity for Regional Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction Practice Leader to work with other regional UNDG agencies in addressing MDG disparities and accelerating MDG progress in Asia and the Pacific. UNDP in partnerships with other UN agencies also support countries in shaping post 2015 development agenda. Currently 11 global/regional thematic consultations and over 60 national consultations capturing development priorities are underway. The consultations are part of an unprecedented global consultation which aims to build consensus between people, communities, cities, countries and stakeholders such as people with disabilities or youth - groups that usually don’t participate in multilateral negotiations - on what are in their view key development priorities. UNDP is planning to support preparations of national/regional MDG progress in many developing countries. The Regional Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction Practice Leader is expected to support all these regional and national level initiatives in shaping post 2015 development agenda.

Deberes y responsabilidades

The Regional Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction Practice Leader s role is to strengthen the global practice architecture in the region, with emphasis on practice co-ordination vis-a-vis global experiences and manage the regional programme on MDGs, based at the RSC in Bangkok. The incumbent will ensure the quality and relevance of programme and project services in the poverty practice in the Asian region, ensuring consistency at the global level. To that end the PL‘s functions are fully integrated in the APRC Bangkok structure, results planning and delivery. As a result, the incumbent will be accountable for the delivery and quality of results to both the Regional Manager at the APRC Bangkok and the Director, Poverty Practice, in BDP, NY. The incumbent will also need to work closely with the RBAP Policy Unit in New York. 
This integrated approach translates into joint work planning and joint performance assessment. The Performance Appraisal will take place in the APRC, Bangkok with the participation of the Director, Poverty Practice,  New York, who can ensure consistency between PL’s in the different regions and provide advice on learning and career development in the practice.

The incumbent will be responsible for the following functions:

• Policy Advisory/ Regional MDG Programme Management and Delivery ;
• Policy Development;
• Practice Management/Coordination;
• Practice Advocacy;
• Partnership Building;
• Quality Control and Assurance; and
• Knowledge Management.

Policy advisory/Programme management-delivery

• Provide management and coordination functions and policy advisory services on the Bureaux’s regional programme on inclusive growth and policies and MDGs; \
• Provide policy advisory services to the Governments and other partners in the region in the area of pro-poor macroeconomic policies,  strategies for poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, and conducive sectoral strategies;
• Contribute to the design and formulation of CO programmes, drawing upon lessons from programmes and other initiatives in the region and from global experiences, on pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, MDG-based national development strategies and designing of sectoral strategies in areas of health, education, agriculture;
• Provide effective support and backstopping for, and timely feedback and reporting on implementation of programmes in support of the practice architecture;
• Strengthen internal CO capacity on the use of UNDP corporate practice development frameworks in the area of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs;
• Promote the utilization of financial resources mobilized and allocated for practices in regional and country programmes and in HQ, thematic trust funds, ensuring that all policy advisors are able to facilitate access to these funds by country offices and regional projects;
• Lead cross-practice policy and programming initiatives in the region as well as backstopping other pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, strategies for poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, and conducive sectoral strategies.

Policy development

• Develop, with the Director, Poverty Practice, , BDP in New York, corporate policy and guidance in areas of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDG;
• Provide substantive inputs to international fora to help shape global and regional development strategies, policies, norms and standards in the context of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs.

Practice Management and Co-ordination

Substantive Leadership:

• Participate in providing strategic leadership of the APRC as a member of the Senior Management Team in the centre
• Provide substantive and managerial leadership of the practice team and coordination for all personnel engaged in related operational activities in the RSC;
• Collaborate with the PD, Poverty, BDP, New York and policy advisors in the Headquarters to ensure that the RSC-based practice team is up to date on evolving analytical work and policy-options in areas of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs;
• Lead the practice area in the region across UNDP APRC, country offices and policy centres ensuring UNDP’s credibility in delivery of a highly visible programme in areas of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, which in turn links to UNDP’s delivery on its Regional Programme and Strategic Plan

Coordination and Management:

• Develop and implement practice work plans;
• Provide practice programme management oversight;
• Consolidate and anchor the practice architecture in the regions to support country offices;
• Liaise with country offices to support the inclusion of issues of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs at the planning stages of country offices (and regional programmes);
• Identify sub-regional and inter-country development and integration opportunities and translates them into capacity development initiatives to address cross border issues;
• Support the Global Tracking system for the practice;
• Manage all activities related to the poverty practice functions at the RSC, Bangkok including direct supervision, when appropriate, of the policy advisors and specialists, create positive team environment and ensure access to learning opportunities for all staff;
• Ensure coordination and management of all related human and financial resources in a politically complex environment.

Mobilizing the Community of Practice:

• Promote the development of a community of practice (COP) ) across UNDP APRC, country offices and policy centres on issues of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs and catalyze and connect to global experiences including cross-regional/practice collaboration;
• Coordinate and capitalize on the approaches and tools in other practices.

Practice Advocacy

• Lead advocacy in the poverty practice area in the region including promotion of the practice’s global policies, norms and standards and the sharing of the practice’s global experience;
• Provide substantive and content leadership in UNDP corporate discussions and Inter-Agency coordination on issues of pro-poor macroeconomic frameworks, poverty and inequality reduction and the achievement of the MDGs;
• Represent UNDP (and UN partner organizations) to advocate poverty practice messages in the international development for a discussion;
• Mobilize external partnerships behind UN/UNDP initiatives.

Partnership Building

• Effectively position UNDP’s poverty practice capacity within the UN system to foster consistency in approach, within the regional level by scanning and assessing activities of non-UNDP players in local context and in support of UNCTs and UNDP CO programming arrangements with government counterparts;
• Provides guidance and leadership for the engagement of civil society in regional and country programmes, the promotion of civic engagement and the establishment of strategic partnerships;
• Engage national and regional partners in poverty practice policy and programme responses under the leadership of the country offices and the UNCT;
• Lead partnership building with regional and local institutions and consultancies;
• Lead and contribute to practice specific and cross practice resource mobilization initiatives to strengthen regional programme delivery
• Develop with staff an expert roster for the region in the poverty practice area;
• Lead the formulation and implementation, in the poverty practice areas, of the regional partnership to support the practice area and support resource mobilization strategies in liaison with the Regional Bureaux and other concerned units and develop multi-partner proposals;
• Scan partnership opportunities and donor intelligence and inform DRD of new partnership developments – e.g. donor priorities; pledges, new donor funding modalities, etc. ensuring that this supports the practice area;
• Maintain and strengthen partnerships with key multilaterals (BWIs, Regional Banks, etc) and key regional institutions to support the practice architecture.

Quality Control and Assurance

• Provide Quality Assurance to ensure alignment with global development policies, norms and standards;
• Co-ordinate delivery of demand-driven service delivery to country offices and regional programmes ensuring professionalism in support – e.g. timelines, responsiveness, quality in deliverables, etc;
• Promote quality standards including long-term locally driven initiatives;
• Ensure cross-practice approach and cross-regional collaboration back into the global practice level.

Knowledge Management (KM)

• Develop with the Knowledge Management Team, in co-ordination with the Practice Director, region-wide lessons learnt, best practices and generate knowledge needed and lessons learnt to shape UNDP’s global strategies in the region;
• Participate in local KM sharing events and support the corporate KM agenda;
• Support the development of a knowledge system and support the utilization of KM strategies and tools;
• Link KM to business processes; and promote UN wide Knowledge Management Strategies.

Competencias

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:

• Strong ability to apply various practice/thematic area related development theories to the specific context, including translating practice principles into effective policy and programme interventions in the field;
• Capacity to interact with senior officials and credibly influence senior decision makers in UNDP programme countries and other international development organizations;
• Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products;
• Professional and/or academic experience in one or more of the areas of practice/thematic area.

Leadership and Programme Management

• 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;
• Strong skills in programme management and delivery

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.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

• Master's degree in a development related area, preferably in Economics with a specialization in Macroeconomics

• 15 years of overall relevant professional experience as well as a proven professional record in the practice area;
• Work experience from a developing country context and familiarity with Asia and its development challenges are highly desirable;
• A track record of extensive national and international working experience with increasing managerial responsibilities in the development arena and  in the practice areas and the ability to link to global policy development for UNDP;
• Knowledge, experience and strong track record in managing and delivering programmes in complex and challenging environments
• Experience in leading/managing knowledge product development and dissemination.

• Fluency in English (both written and verbal.) Working knowledge of another UN regional language desirable.