UNDP Jobs - 55826- Policy Specialist, Core Government Functions, Reco

Policy Specialist, Core Government Functions, Recovery

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

04-May-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

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

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Response Unit (CRU) to support emergency and crisis response and with the UN family and partners in the provision of integrated support to Core Government Functions in the Immediate Aftermath of Conflict. Core Government Functions includes support to local government, centre of government, civil service, aid management and public financial management. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

Reporting to the Team Leader, Responsive and Accountable Institutions, Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster, in New York, the Policy Advisor based in HQ leads the collaborative process of policy development in the core government functions thematic area. S/he works with teams across UNDP’s Regional Hubs, Country Offices and Global Policy Centers, overseeing the development of substantive approaches, products and tools in support of core government functions in the immediate aftermath of conflict to support policy and programming services to UNDP Country Offices. The advisor also liaises closely with the Singapore Policy Centre on Public Service Excellence to analyse innovations in public service management and their impact on sustainable and inclusive development. This guidance is informed by the empirical perspectives of programmatic and partnership dimensions at the country level. The Policy Advisor advances results, the credibility and recognition of the organization’s programmes in the thematic area.

S/he is responsible for leading the following:

Policy Formulation and Development;
Policy Advice and Programme Support Delivery;
Overall Management and Resource Mobilization;
Partnerships, Representation and Advocacy;
Knowledge Management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Policy Research and Development:

Develop guidance in the specific thematic area, and related tools for the implementation of global policy standards, including testing and roll out of tools and methodologies;
Develop policy initiatives for different contexts on key emerging policy agendas, in collaboration with policy teams in the Regional Hubs bringing in perspectives and knowledge from Country Offices and the regions.
Coordinate and conduct analysis of data, case evidence and research findings to distill relevant lessons from projects and programmes to inform policy formulation and guidance;
Develop relevant analysis and guidance, in close collaboration with BPPS strategic positioning team, on emerging issues of global significance and contribute to new research, including through working with the Global Policy Centers;
Guide the policy teams in the Regional Hubs in applying policy and tools to crisis context to make them relevant for specific situations; and
Support the quality assurance of policy services and foster policy innovation in the specific thematic area by reviewing lessons learned and evaluations to enhance programme delivery.

Policy Advice/ Programme and Project Delivery Support:

In collaboration with the BPPS teams in the Regional Hubs, support the integration of technical advice into programmes and projects that responds to country office needs, including through the provision of capacity building and backstopping;
Apply integrated multi-disciplinary approaches, including through setting up, coordinating and engaging with Development Solutions Teams (DSTs), to meet policy and programming needs in line with corporate guidance and standards;
Provide support to Regional Hub and Country Office teams in their application of risk management tools across country typologies by answering questions, providing guidance and sharing relevant documents and lessons learned; and
Support the Team Leader in liaising with the CRU to ensure a rapid and well-coordinated response to crisis and conflict situations and provide related contributions to UNDP SURGE for country offices.

Policy Positioning and Representation:

Provide substantive and content input to contribute to mobilizing, fostering and strengthening strategic partnerships with UN entities and other relevant bodies and provide inputs to those partnerships in support of UNDP initiatives;
Prepare briefing notes and speeches;
Provide substantive input in the process of advocating the importance of the thematic area in various fora, including academia and civil society, with a view to deepen related political commitment and related reforms; and
Support Team Leaders in engagement in UN interagency coordination in relevant policy areas by drafting briefing, preparing for and participating in meetings on core government functions and public service reform.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

In collaboration with BERA, support the Team Leader to engage with global partners and develop/implement resource mobilization plan under corporate guidelines, including to fulfill corporate and donor reporting, advocacy and information-sharing requirements;
Provide substantive inputs related to global external partnerships in the area of work; and
Develop implementation plan to foster strategic partnerships with UN and external partner institutions, Governments, private sector, academia, NGOs, and CSOs.

Knowledge Management:

Coordinate team contributions and support to corporate KM activities, whether at the global, cross-regional or region-specific level to help influence/advance policy dialogue in the thematic area in collaboration with policy teams at HQ and in Regional Hubs; and
Coordinate and perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned in the specific thematic area, and verify that knowledge sharing and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools.

Competencies

Core:

Innovation:

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership:

Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management:

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication:

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Delivery:

Ability to get things done.

Technical/Functional:

Primary:

Core Government Functions:

Knowledge of centre of government, public financial management, aid management and civil service issues and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations in post-conflict contexts.

Crisis Governance:

Knowledge of Crisis Governance concepts and principles, including governance in recovery and peacebuilding contexts and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Project and Programme Management:

Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Partnerships:

Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

Knowledge Management:

Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.

Recovery Policy and Planning:

Ability to establish mechanisms, processes, resources in readiness to disaster/crisis response.

Secondary:

Resource Mobilization:

Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.

Coordination:

Ability to manage complex relationships through pathways of knowledge exchange, capacity development, funding relationships and strategic engagement.

Trends and emerging areas analytics:

Ability to scan the horizon and identify approaches and initiatives to bring into policy and programme design.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in development economics, political science, social sciences or related disciplines.

Experience:

7 years of professional work experience providing policy advice and programme support in the general area of Core Government Functions, Recovery, including knowledge of public service reforms and restoration of basic administrative functions, in different development contexts;
Experience working in developing country settings is required and experience in crisis contexts is an asset.

Languages:

Fluency in English, both written and oral;
Working knowledge of another UN language is an asset.