Historique

The UNV Peace and Development Programming Sections contribute to the implementation of UNV Strategic Framework 2014-2017, in particular overseeing five Global Programmes in the areas of Basic Social Services, Community Resilience to natural disaster, peace-building, youth empowerment and volunteers’ infrastructures. They advocate for the integration of volunteerism in peace and development at global, regional and national levels, targeting specific focus areas in which the role of volunteerism adds significant value.

They mobilize volunteers to support the peace and development agenda of UNV partners, including national volunteerism interventions as well as proactive mobilization of UNV and other volunteers. They ensure quality volunteer management of UN Volunteers.

They work to promote advocacy for volunteerism, and support the documentation of the contribution of volunteerism to peace and development, and target national development for governments and parliaments with a view to influencing national policies, legislation, statutory frameworks and budget in order to promote volunteerism for peace and development.

Both sections focus on Development and Peace issues and areas. However, the Development Programming Section oversees the “predominantly development” countries, and the Peace Programming Section oversees the “predominantly peace” countries.

More specifically, the Peace Programming Section works in some 34 countries and in the following focus areas:

• UN Missions (peacekeeping or political/peacebuilding) with a UNV component;
• Long-term humanitarian operations (excluding disaster-related operations);
• Electoral processes carried out under the auspices of EAD (regardless of the actual implementing framework, which could be UNDP, DPKO or UNOPS);
• Early recovery activities (e.g. restoration of basic services, community services) as well as peacebuilding and conflict prevention activities in the immediate aftermath of conflict (i.e. not long-term peacebuilding/conflict prevention);
• Short/medium-term thematical activities that are typically associated with a post-conflict setting, such as:Reintegration (of both IDPs/refugees/returnees and ex-combatants/persons associated with armed groups, for instance in a DDR/RR framework), protection (including a range of human rights functions, refugee eligibility, assistance to vulnerable groups affected by conflict, etc.) and institution/state-building and rule of law (e.g. security sector reform, civil affairs, transitional justice, natural resources management, etc.).

The Portfolio Teams headed by a Portfolio Manager within the Peace Programming Section are responsible for the supervision and guidance of the UNV at regional and country level, including UN Volunteers’ management and regional and country programmes and projects.

The UNV Field Units in peace keeping missions are efficient functioning units, providing full administrative, operational and programme support to the serving UN Volunteers, and fully integrated into the UN Mission’s functional structure.  The UNV programme’s presence in Central African Republic (CAR) is ensured through two UNV Field Units, one in the peace-keeping mission (currently political mission) and the other within the United Nations Country Team (UNCT).

Reporting to the Portfolio Manager of the concerned Portfolio Team in the Peace Programming Section at UNV Headquarters, the Programme Manager is first and foremost responsible for the effective strategic planning, programming, coordination and overall management of the day to day operations of UNV’s programme activity within the context of its programme collaboration with a United Nations peace-keeping operation and the UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes in an assigned country. Additional responsibility includes promoting and programming UNV and volunteer activities within the host country and with, host Government and other partners.. In context of the integrated UN Mission to CAR, the Programme Manager will be overall responsible for the coordination of the presence, planning and operations of both UNV Field Units in the country.  The Programme Manager, though under the supervision of UNV Headquarters, will also be required to report locally on daily operational matters to the Director/Chief of Mission Support, of the UN peace-keeping operation and regularly update the UNDP Deputy Country Director (Programme) on UNV’s activities and initiatives in the country. Being in charge for the overall coordination of the UNV programme in an assigned country, and considering that the UNV programme is administered by UNDP, the Programme Manager will ensure that the DSRSG/UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative is informed on regular basis on UNV Programme priorities, operations and results.  

Central African Republic (CAR) and Peace Keeping Mission in CAR
On 10 April, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2149 to establish the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) that will replace the existing political mission UN Peace-building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) from September 2014. The new mission will have a strong mandate with focus on protection of civilians, support of reconciliation, and facilitation of political process. With an authorized strength of 10,000 military personnel and 1,800 police personnel, MINUSCA will be the fourth largest of the current 17 peacekeeping missions after MONUSCO (DRC), UNAMID (Darfur) and MINUSMA (Mali).  
 
As it has been the case for all peacekeeping missions since 1992, UNV will play a critical role in support to MINUSCA, and is due to deploy the pre-approved number of 66 volunteers for the mission start-up phase between May and June. This number is expected to grow to about 150 by the time the mission will be working at full capacity.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Provision of administrative, operational and programme support to UN Volunteers:

• Manage the UNV Field Unit within the peace-keeping missions, including the UN Volunteer Support Officers, and supervise the UNV Programme Officer (UNV Field Unit within the UNCT) to ensure maximum efficiency and output of UNV involvement in UN activities in field locations, including the administrative and corporate backstopping to the UN Volunteers in the UN Mission (which includes contract management, payroll monitoring, leave and attendance monitoring, provision of induction briefings, ensuring appropriate working, living and security conditions, etc.), while ensuring UN Volunteers in the UN Mission are managed on an equal footing with other Mission-associated personnel, and in accordance with the stipulations of the Global MOU concluded between UNV and DPKO/DFS;
• Monitor the security situation in the country, liaising with the Designated Official and the Security/DSS staff;
• Manage UNV programme budgets including for all UNV peacekeeping related activities in the country. This includes regular financial reporting, preparation of project budget revisions and financial tracking of allocated to the country resources as well as external to UNV/HQ;
• Ensure adequate UNV Field Units (2) supervision and coordination of operations in the country;
• Ensure adequate office management, including drafting, implementing and monitoring of annual work plans, designing and maintaining digital databases as necessary, set-up of in-country sub-offices as may be needed, monitoring proper functioning of UNV Field Unit office in terms of set-up, equipment, supplies and IT/communications, etc.;
• Manage the efficient compliance of the UN Volunteers with UNV’s Volunteer Reporting System (VRS), including working towards a maximum response from the supervisors, and build on the outcome of the reports;
• Manage efficiently the training budget of the EOL (i.e. mission budget) – in coordination with the UN Mission’s Training Unit – and the budget provided by UNV HQ for the promotion of volunteerism.

Continuing UNV programme development with UN Agencies host Government and other partners present in the country of operations:

• Develop regular contact with relevant partners and colleagues at the sub-regional, country and, if required, headquarters level, in order to strengthen existing collaboration and promote/identify new opportunities for UNV in the areas of peacekeeping, humanitarian, and crisis prevention and recovery activities;
• Where appropriate, develop and follow up on leads and planning exercises with key post-conflict electoral activity partners, including the UNDP Country Office and the Electoral Assistance Division (EAD) at the field level, with the view to create new UN Volunteer involvement in the areas of electoral supervision, monitoring and observation with the view to create and expand collaboration. This includes regular short and long-term programme analysis, preparation of official correspondence, preparation of programming advisory notes, programme strategy papers, and project documents;
• Position strategically UNV as a reliable programmatic and implementing partner in the UNCT and Mission (joint projects and programmes, quick impact projects (QIPs), national capacity building etc.);
• In line with DPKO/DFS policies, position UNV as an apt partner that can assist the UN Mission in its national capacity development efforts in both substantive and technical support roles;
• Position UNV as a reliable programmatic and implementing partner in the UN Mission’s quick impact projects (QIPs);
• Identify, design and implement volunteerism promotion activities/events/projects/joint programmes (including the annual celebration of International Volunteer Day on 5 December), either at request of UN Volunteers, local or international volunteer associations or private stakeholders, or at own initiative, including exploring funding opportunities (both internally, e.g. POEM or SVF, and externally), liaison with local volunteer associations to ensure local ownership and local volunteer mobilization, and mobilization of UN partners and international stakeholders for volunteer mobilization, co-funding and logistical support in implementation of activities;
• Contribute to the creation of a corporate identity for the UN Volunteers and to the promotion of volunteerism through the UNV volunteers in the country.

Advocacy and public information activities on UNV involvement and volunteer activities in the country:

• Identify, pursue and develop inputs to UN Mission, UNDP, UNV and other publications and working documents for programme development purposes. This includes the preparation of case studies, best practice guidelines, briefing notes, annual reports, etc., on UNV’s work in the country (including development aid, peacekeeping, humanitarian relief and electoral support in the country);
• Identify, pursue and develop news stories, case studies, and briefs for publication in DPKO, DFS, DPA, UNDP, UNV and other publications. This involves close consultation with UNV/HQ’s Communications Unit.

Integration of UNV’s work in the country into UNV’s corporate business plan as well as strategic documents at country level (UNDAF, etc.):

• Participate in UNDP, DPKO, and UNV corporate and country level discussions and planning, including the preparation of portfolio summary reports, contributions to UNV business plans, global programme inputs, project appraisal committees, and routine preparation of briefing and advisory notes.

Managerial Functions,accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of UNV resources:

• Represent the UNV Programme with UN partners, including senior UN officials, with Government and with civil society and other partners;
• Manage the recruitment, performance and career management of international UNV Programme Officer,  Support Officer and national GS staff, to motivate and promote organizational excellence;
• Manage learning activities, including establishing learning plans and ensure staff supervised meets their development needs while meeting the needs of the UN Integrated Mission in the country;
• Implement procurement processes and provide oversight to contract implementation and  certification of  payments;
• Supervise the UNV Field Unit in the UNDP Country Office and ensure the efficient coordination, joint planning and operations in the spirit of “Delivering as One”.
  

Compétences

Functional Competencies:

Building Strategic Partnerships:

• Effectively networks with partners, seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNV’s mandate and strategic agenda;
• Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UNV’s strategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts;
• Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments;
• Takes responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved;
• Promotes UNV’s agenda in inter-agency meetings.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
• Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

• Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
• Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff;
• Continues to seek new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
• Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Client Orientation:

• Anticipates client needs;
• Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
• Keeps the client informed of problems or delays in the provision of services;
• Uses discretion and flexibility in interpreting rules in order to meet client needs and achieve organizational goals more effectively;
• Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

• Identifies country needs and strategies using a fact-based approach;
• Sets performance standards, monitors progress and intervenes at an early stage to ensure results are in accordance with agreed-upon quality and timeframes and reports on it;
• Ensures the programme implementation and Financial Resources to obtain results.

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.
  

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• Master degree in social sciences, public administration, humanitarian, international relations/development studies, law, human resources or other relevant field.
  

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience at the field level, preferably with UNDP/UNV in the areas of humanitarian relief, development aid, electoral assistance, special operations in DPKO environment and communications;
• Demonstrated experience in project development and management;
• Work experience as UNV Specialist / Programme Officer in a field location is an asset;
• Previous experience in a civil society setting and/or as a volunteer with volunteer management and/or promotion of volunteerism is a distinct advantage.  

Language:

• Fluency in English and French required.
  

Note:

Applications should be submitted on line and include an up to date UNDP Personal History Form (P11) posted at http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

The successful candidate will hold a UNDP letter of appointment.