UNDP Jobs - 47849- Head of Sub-Office

Head of Sub-Office

Location :

Aden, YEMEN

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

17-Jul-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

Arabic English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Under the overall guidance of the Resident Representative (RR), direct supervision of the Country Director (CD) and in close coordination with the Deputy Country Director (DCD), and the Programme Team Leaders, the Head of Sub-Office sets the strategic direction at the local level and oversees all Sub-Office (SO) activities. The Head of Sub-Office is part of the management team of the Country Office.

The Head of Sub-Office has formal delegated authority from the RR (documented in writing) to represent the UNDP programme at the local level and perform related indispensable management functions.

The Head of Sub-Office leads and supervises the UNDP Aden staff, personnel and project staff in Aden ensuring cross-unit cooperation and coordination. He/she ensures a client-oriented approach and consistency with UNDP rules and regulations in conformity with the UNDP Internal Control Framework and good management practice. He/she advises the senior management on programmes in the southern regions, UNDP presence, cost effectiveness and responses to emerging complex challenges in the area.

The incumbent will work closely with the UN bodies in Aden notably the Area SMT and Humanitarian Country Team and with diverse internal and external counterparts, including Government, national institutions, civil society, NGOs, INGOs and the private sector to successfully deliver UNDP programme at the local level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Participates in strategic programme planning, and ensures programme coordination and implementation in Aden and southern governorates where UNDP works, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Analyses the socio-economic and political situation and trends in the area and identifies opportunities and entry points for UNDP;
Provides guidance and participates in programme development and ensures programme implementation including budgeting, implementation and monitoring;
Ensures overall efficient coordination of programmes/projects and timely delivery of results taking into consideration agreed upon work plans with the UNDP country office and consistency with UNDAF/CPD/HRP priorities;
Ensures identification and promotion of joint programming and planning opportunities;
Identifies and develops new programme and project opportunities, in close collaboration with the Programme Team Leaders;
Supports capacity building of national counterparts;
Oversees project implementation through close monitoring of results, in close collaboration with the M&E Unit and ensures effective application of RBM tools, management of scorecard targets and other benchmarks;
Coordinates and follows through on decentralized local evaluations;
Ensures full compliance with audit requirements and timely follow-up to audit recommendations, in collaboration with the Strategic Management Unit;
Promotes identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning;

Responsible for effective Office management focusing on achievement of the following results:

Ensures smooth running of the Sub-Office, builds an effective SO team, promotes team work and an environment that is conducive to delivering results;
Ensures full responsibility for the appropriate use and management of resources attributed to the Sub-Office by tracking use of financial resources, ensuring the integrity of financial systems and consistent application of the Internal Control Framework and/or rules and regulations. Continually finds ways to systematically identify and integrate efficiency gains and cost reductions in all operations of the Sub-Office;
Approves contracts and ATLAS transactions under written delegated authority from the Resident Representative and/or Country Director, has ATLAS manager rights as delegated. Responsible for the management of the Sub-Office staff, monitors their performance, completing performance assessments where necessary;
Ensures timely and regular reporting;
In collaboration with the DCD and the Field Security Specialist, ensures that the security needs of office and projects are met and that security procedures and MOSS/MORSS requirements in the Sub-Office are enforced;
Mitigates possible risks and impacts associated with the Sub-Office operations (e.g. logistical, security etc) by proactively designing reduction measures in collaboration with the Security Advisor;
Builds capacity of the office staff by identifying capacity needs and establishing training/learning programmes.

Responsible for Representation and Coordination in the area focusing on achievement of the following results:

Represents UNDP with the Area HCT and the Area Security Management Team;
Maintains regular exchanges with Government and development partners at the local level;
Provides strong coordination support to UN Agencies, national authorities and other organizations through the establishment of a wider consultation process;
Ensures proper coordination and inputs to interagency initiatives.

Promotes communication flow in the office focusing on achievement of the following results:

Maximizes communication between the various portfolios and ensures that stakeholders (development partners, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, civil society, UN agencies and Government agencies) have one consistent UNDP counterpart;
Ensures internal communication and coordination at Sub-Office level and effective and proactive communication between relevant Country Office units (programme operations and OSD units) and the Sub-Office;
Monitors the perception of UNDP at the local level and suggest media activities that positions UNDP more strategically and effectively as a neutral broker for local development. Enhances local visibility for UNDP in development effectiveness;
Ensures that local development results are effectively communicated in collaboration with the Country Office.

Fosters effective advocacy, partnership building and donors liaison focusing on achievement of the following results:

Contributes to the development of the CO and SO Advocacy, Partnership and Resource Mobilization strategy, including planning tools to implement the strategy;
Identifies new partnerships and strengthens existing ones at the SO level through innovative approaches to partnership development;
Encourages ways of increasing Sub-Office funding base such as engaging in resource mobilization efforts in consultation with local counterparts and following-up with donors on local opportunities.

Competencies

Functional competencies:

Dialogues with national counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country, regional and global perspectives;
Ensures the full implementation of country programme and Financial Resources to obtain results;
Makes effective use of UNDP’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships;
Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations;
Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
Conceptualizes more effective approaches to programme development and implementation and to mobilizing and using resources;
Contributes to the development of resource mobilization strategies at SO level;
Actively develops partnerships with potential donors and government counterparts in all sectors at country level;
Promotes UNDP as a learning/knowledge sharing organization;
Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts in primary discipline, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures;
For managers: applies a broad knowledge of best management practices; defines objectives and work flows, positions reporting relationships in such a way as to obtain optimum effectiveness for the unit/branch;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself personally;
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Demonstrates expert knowledge of the current programme guidelines and project management tools and manages the use of these regularly in work assignments;
Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives;
Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services;
Advises and develops strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNDP programmes and operations.

Core Competencies:

Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
Building support and political acumen;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective teams;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in development studies, crisis and post-crisis studies, International Development, relevant Social Sciences, Public Administration, Business Administration, or other relevant development areas.

Experience:

7 years of relevant experience in development in a governmental, multilateral organization in a multi-cultural setting;
3 years of management responsibilities of similar size and complexities.

Language:

Strong written and spoken skills of the English language. Arabic as a second language is extremely desirable.