Background
Nepal in 2006 emerged from ten years of internal conflict, with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. While much progress has been made, Nepal’s peace process is at a critical stage where prolonged political statements have obstructed progress on key issues such as constitutional reform, state restructuring and transitional justice for conflict-affected victims.UNDP’s Peacebuilding and Recovery Unit (PBRU) was created in 2007 to support Nepal’s transition to peace. PBRU is one of five thematic units that make up the UNDP Country Office, and is dedicated to strategic programming that relates directly to the peace process in Nepal and related issues of post-conflict transition. The unit has a unique and strategic role within UNDP Nepal, managing projects directly related to peacebuilding and peace process issues while also playing a catalytic role in developing new strategic peace-related initiatives/projects The current project portfolio of the unit includes initiatives related to: the discharge and rehabilitation into civilian life of former Maoist combatants (specifically the minors and late recruits from among the former combatants); conflict prevention (building collaborative leadership and dialogue capacities at the national and local levels and the mainstreaming of conflict-sensitive programming throughout the UN Country Team and government bodies; and security (armed violence reduction and strengthening community security)
Work within the PBRU requires dealing with a wide cross-section of individuals both within UNDP and other UN agencies, as well as with external partners and counterparts. This requires an ability to deal comfortably and effectively with individuals at different levels within institutional hierarchies. The interagency nature of the work also requires an ability to manage relations across agencies in a diplomatic way that promotes and maintains inter-agency buy-in even though administrative and other procedures vary between agencies.
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the head of the PBRU, the Programme Analyst is responsible for management of UNDP programme assigned from within the peacebuilding and recovery portfolio. In total, two Programme Analysts, both reporting to head of unit, will be assigned to oversee the full peacebuilding portfolio (conflict prevention, rehabilitation, security and any additional areas developed). The Programme Analyst analyzes political, social and economic trends related to peacebuilding in Nepal and leads formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within his/her portfolio, provides policy advice services. The Programme Analyst is also responsible for coordinating and undertaking all oversight, quality and fiduciary assurance of the assigned programme areas.
The Programme Analyst supervises and leads programme support staff, coordinates activities of the projects’ staff. The Programme Analyst works in close collaboration with the Head of Unit, the Project Managers and project teams, the operations team, programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UNDP programme implementation. Special attention will be given to establishing, strengthening and maintaining partnership with other UN agencies, including those participating in the interagency initiative to mainstream conflict sensitivity and ‘do no harm’ approaches.
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions:- Implementation of programme strategies
- Management of the CO programme
- Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy
- Provision of top quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management
- Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country in relation to Nepal’s peace process and preparation of substantive inputs to CCA, UNDAF, CPD, CPAP and other documents.
- Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned (from among the portfolio of conflict prevention, security and rehabilitation).
- CO business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management.
- Operationalization of UNDAF/CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identification of possibilities for joint programming.
- Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results.
- Design and formulation of CO programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones.
- Initiation of new projects developed in PBRU, and where applicable presentation of the project to PAC, entering project into Atlas, finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review. Programme Analyst will be assigned to perform functions of Manager Level 1 in Atlas for POs and vouchers approval, participates in recruitment processes for projects.
- Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of NEX/DEX projects.
- Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
- Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.
- Active collaboration with the Project Implementation Support Unit (PISU) to ensure timely and quality delivery of development support services.
- Active identification and promotion of programmatic collaboration between the Country Office’s programme thematic focus areas.
- Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities.
- Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.
- Regular and ad-hoc results based reports to donors as required.
- Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues relevant to the peacebuilding portfolio. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals.
- Support to development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
- Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Support to development of knowledge management productions highlighting the lessons from project implementation.
- Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.
Competencies
Functional Competencies:Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda
Preparing information for advocacy
- Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate
Contributes into results through primary research and analysis
- Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
- Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
- Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation
- Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development
- Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly
Maintaining a network of contacts
- Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
- Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
Enhancing processes or products
- Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches
Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategies
- Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors
- Develops a database of project profiles. Identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors
Basic research and analysis
- Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
Fundamental knowledge of own discipline
- Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
- Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
- Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
- Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
- Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments
Preparing information for global advocacy
- Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences
- Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for advocating for UNDP’s mandate
Establishing effective client relationships
- Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
- Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
- Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
- Self-development, initiative-taking
- Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
- Creating synergies through self-control
- Managing conflict
- Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
- Informed and transparent decision making
Required Skills and Experience
Education:- Completion of Master’s Degree or equivalent in Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention/Resolution, Human Rights, Development, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Law or related field.
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant senior level experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of peacebuilding projects.
- Excellent understanding of Nepal peacebuilding and political processes. Understanding of security and/or local governance.
- Experience of developing partnerships with government and NGOs.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
- Fluency in the UN and national language of the duty station.