Background

UNDP supports stabilization, state building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and subnational levels. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

Years of conflict have damaged Afghanistan’s economic, political, physical, social and institutional structures. Reconstruction demands a secure environment in which there is credible leadership and enforced rule of law. Strong, legitimate and effective public administration structures, responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens - including the poor – are a precursor to any sustainable development. To this end, UNDP supports Afghan electoral institutions so that they can become more effective instrument for development.

The UNDP Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT) project- phase I (2006 – 2011) provided technical and operational assistance to Afghan electoral bodies throughout the 2009 Presidential and provincial council elections and 2010 parliamentary elections.

The ELECT II project commenced at the end of 2011 and comprises of long-term assistance to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan, focusing on institutional strengthening and capacity consolidation to encourage broader democratic participation. The overarching objective of ELECT-II is to support the national electoral institutions to plan and conduct credible future elections with minimal external support.

Duties and Responsibilities

Working under the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor, the Special Assistant plays an important role in the management and implementation of coordination processes associated with electoral assistance in Afghanistan. The incumbent will be expected to:

• Ensures in the preparation and monitoring of the Elect Senior Management work plan;
• Interacts as required with ELECT Senior Management Staff, Independent Election Commission Staff, as well as other UN system colleagues and external partners to ensure that the CTA and Senior Management are kept abreast of important developments affecting the Project. Coordinates task assignments and scheduling issues between the Senior Management team and the various pillars/clusters;
• Assists in the day to day operation of the UNDP ELECT II team, including through participation in the coordination of substantive administrative activities and interpretation of policy guidelines and handling operational and administrative queries;
• Prepares and/or coordinates preparation of substantive policy briefs, speeches and detailed presentations and other materials as needed for the CTA internal and external use, in close consultation with concerned pillar Heads;
• Reviews all drafts and/or assists in the drafting of correspondence at the request of the CTA for clearance and signature;
• Keeps abreast of major events globally which are of interest and relevance to the Senior Management team and advises the CTA accordingly;
• Provides regular inputs to UNAMA reporting structures as required, ensuring inputs are submitted in an efficient and timely manner;
• Manages the CTAs meeting schedule by reviewing and prioritizing requests and managing meeting arrangements for Project, external partners, and internal units; Develops agendas, presentations, reports and/or minutes in preparation for regular meetings of the Elect senior Management;
• Attends meetings with the CTA and all levels of staff including with partners and prepares relevant notes for file, meeting minutes, action points, etc.

Performs other relevant tasks as directed by the Chief Technical Advisor or her/his designated representative

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates 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:

Development Effectiveness

• Ability to prepare accurate and timely reporting on the status of the elections, as a critical indicator of the transition of Afghanistan to a democratic nation. 

Management and Leadership

• Through the reporting component of the incumbents work, builds a dependable relationship with clients, (Government counterparts, CSOs, UN agencies);
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Works within a team environment effectively;
• Remains calm under the pressure of tight deadlines.

Communications and Networking:

• Excellent written communication skills with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize;

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Shares knowledge and experience;
• Actively work towards continuing personal learning and applies newly acquired skills.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in communications, law, political or social sciences, international relations or related fields.

• 5 years of relevant work experience in the field of Electoral Assistance, Political Affairs, Communications, Coordination and other related fields;
• Previous experience of working in a post-conflict and transitional setting highly desirable;
• Experience in working with or within electoral management bodies;
• Experience of working with a range of international agencies, UN organizations and CSOs;
• Proven ability to work harmoniously with people from varying cultures and backgrounds;
• Proven reporting and communications experience;
• Ability to work in hardship conditions and stressful situations.

• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential;
• Knowledge of other UN official languages is an asset.