Background

For more than a decade the recurrent armed conflict in the Eastern part of the country have compromised reconciliation and human development including justice and security service delivery in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Peacebuilding efforts have also been hampered by political, economic and social difficulties. The reform of the justice and prison system has benefited in recent years of legal, financial and technical frameworks for the implementation of commitments made at national and international levels. These instruments, however, have not led to a unified vision of supporting the development of the field of criminal justice sector.

Therefore, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (MJDH), MONUSCO, UNDP and UNODC decided to implement, starting in 2014, a multi-year support programme with the objective to strengthen the whole penal chain and thus to provide support to the justice and penitentiary reform process initiated by the Government of DRC.

The programme consists of the following five projects, each of which will be administered by a different project coordinator:

• 1) Support to strengthen the capacities for coordination of justice sector policies;
• 2) Support the strengthening of the prison administration and penitentiary reform; and
• 3) Support to strengthen the capacities of the judicial police;
• 4) Support to judicial institutions and legal; aid
• 5) Support to strengthen the capacities of the Superior Council of Magistrates and the Cassation court. All five projects are designed to provide holistic support to the whole criminal justice system - police, courts and prisons - in targeted geographical areas - North and South Kivu and Ituri - to support the process of stabilization and consolidation of peace and also to support at central level, the national plan for justice sector reform.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and overall supervision of the UNDP Team Leader Governance in close collaboration with MONUSCO relevant sections, the Programme Manager will provide strategic advice and coordinate the implementation of the “Programmme Pluri-annuel du Government de la RDC et des Nations Unis (UNDP, MONUSCO, and UNODC) pour l’Appui à la Justice (PPAJ)”.

Summary of Key Functions:

•     Overall Direction and Coordination of Programme Implementation
•     Monitoring & Evaluation/Reporting
•     Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
  

Overall Direction and Coordination of Programme Implementation:

• Oversee the programme implementation management functions, provide technical advice and quality assurance on the work of implementing team and partners, monitoring and evaluation and reporting;
• Coordinate the overall delivery of the programme in an effective and efficient manner; working closely with the justice and security institutions at national and provincial level to ensure national ownership and build sustainability of the programming efforts;
• Oversee and coordinate the planning and conceptualization of activities in the framework of the ongoing Justice programme; in particular ensure the coordinated implementation     of all projects of the PPAJ and apply area-based programming approach;
• Supervise staffing of PPAJ;
• Liaise closely with colleagues from UNDP, MONUSCO and UNODC at provincial, country and headquarters’ levels, and engage actively with partners on joint planning and implementation;
• Ensure the integration of cross-cutting issues, such as gender and SGBV, peace building, and human rights into justice and security project implementation and monitoring and evaluation;
• Lead the development, negotiation and implementation of any additional initiatives elaborated in the context of the programme’s area of intervention;
• Develop a close partnership with the Ministry of Justice and other key national partners as well as community leaders, national civil society and community-based organizations;
• Develop partnerships between the UN and other stakeholders such as international NGOs, donor partners to support capacity building;
• When required, ensure the representation/leadership of the UNDP-MONUSCO-UNODC in inter-agency working group meetings or other coordination mechanisms on justice areas;
• Undertake any other activities as designated by the UNDP CO and MONUSCO management as needed.

Monitoring & Evaluation/Reporting:

• Ensure conduct of baseline studies and baseline data collection;
• Ensure high-quality and timely reporting to donors and other partners involved in the programme and prepare other documentation as required;
• Ensure regular monitoring and evaluation, including but not limited to, regular field visits and participation in Project Board and/or Steering Committee meetings;
• Promote justice and rule of law results, ensuring appropriate levels of visibility and public awareness on results and ongoing activities;
• Supporting capacity and knowledge building of national counterparts;
• Identify and document best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to Rule of Law and Justice programming in DRC.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Develop, coordinate and implement partnership and resource mobilization strategy for the PPAJ;
  
• Identify funding opportunities and lead project resource mobilization efforts with donor partners, including the development of advocacy/communication tools in support of resource mobilization;
• Ensure coherence, complementarities and coordination with other development partners in the area of rule of law, justice and security;
• Advocate for and substantially contribute to UN rule of law strategy in DRC and multi-partner joint planning and/or programming initiatives;
• Build partnerships with national and international NGOs throughout the project implementation;
• Manage, monitor and report on financial resources allocated to and delivered by the project to contributing partners;
• Maintain regular communication with Global Focal Point on Rule of Law (Justice, Police and Corrections) to enhance advocacy, support resource mobilization and access  technical expertise.

Impact of Results  

Key results will have an impact on the overall international support to justice reform in DRC and the GoDRC’s capacity to provide justice service delivery to the population in conflict-affected areas. The key results will also increase the effectiveness of UNDP, MONUSCO and UNODC in its mission to support the Government of DRC for justice sector reform.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Promotes knowledge management in UN and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skill;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UN.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations;
• Ability to use ATLAS .
  

Management and Leadership:

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

•  Looks at experience critically, drawing lessons, and building them into the design of new approaches;
•  Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
• Documents successes and uses them to project a positive image;
• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
• Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.

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.

Organizational skills:

• Solid capacity for analysis and synthesis of situations and empowered to find solutions;
• Ability to work under stress of deadlines and results showing initiative, dynamism and pro activity;
• Aptitude and interest in working together in a multicultural environment;
• Strong written and oral expression and actual abilities to formulate clear and concise ideas;
• Ability to communicate effectively with the different partners and donors involved;
• Openness and willingness to adaptability and flexibility in relations with its staff;
• Pedagogy and wish to register in a framework of knowledge transfer.

Core Competencies:

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the Global Focal Point on Rule of Law;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• 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;
• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Fair and transparent  decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A Master degree in law, preferably with specialization in human rights and/or international criminal law, or related relevant field;
• A relevant combination of university degree, professional training and experience may be considered in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:

• At least 7 years’ work experience dealing with issues related to rule of law, access to justice, judicial reform and security sector reform, community security in conflict and post-conflict countries or similarly relevant experience;
• Prior experience within the United Nations, in particular UNDP, is desirable.

Language

• Excellent oral and written skills in French and English.