Background

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for UNDP’s external relations and advocacy functions. The Bureau leads and supports the organization in cultivating, building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances that are essential for advancing and successfully achieving the mission of UNDP. These relationships encompass a wide range and number of key constituencies and development partners especially those related to resource mobilization and donors relations, intergovernmental affairs with member states, programme countries, existing and prospective donor countries/emerging economies, multilateral institutions, such as the IFIs, the European Commission, civil society, the private sector, foundations, academia and think tanks, the wider UN system, various UN inter-governmental bodies. BERA also leads the Organization’s communication functions, establishing UNDP branding and interface with global, regional and national media. The bureau coordinates and acts as a facilitator of information exchange, knowledge management, network building and dissemination of best practices throughout the UNDP in resource mobilization, intergovernmental and inter-agency affairs and communications.

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy consists of the Directorate and three groups as follows: Partnership Group (PG), UN System Affairs Group (UNSAG) and Communications Group (CG). In addition, BERA has five Representation Offices in Washington DC, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Geneva and Brussels.

The UN System Affairs Group (UNSAG) is responsible for managing UNDP’s relations with the UN and its many inter-agency and inter-governmental bodies and platforms (DOCO, Chief Executives’ Board [CEB], and its 3 pillars including the UN Development Group [UNDG] , High Level Political Forum, GA, ECOSOC and subsidiary bodies). It supports the leadership of UNDP by positioning and promoting UNDP in inter-agency and intergovernmental affairs and is responsible for scanning and anticipating trends that influence UNDP policy and prepares proactive strategy options, for coherent multi-stakeholder engagement. The group consist of 2 teams: the Intergovernmental and Multi-stakeholder Engagement team and the UN Coordination and Coherence team, working seamlessly and collaboratively to leverage resources within the group and address the group’s functional results for analysis and advocacy, strategic positioning, reporting and documentation, and the overall focal unit role within UNDP for engagement in, and compliance with, the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review of Operational Activities for Development (QCPR) of the General Assembly.

UNDP has a special role in UN Coherence as the custodian of the Resident Coordinator System, and as Chair of the UNDG at global and regional levels

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

UN Coordination:

• Support Coordination of UNDP’s interagency relations and promote effective and efficient internal/external relations and partnership development.

UN Coherence:

• Strategic advocacy, policy contributions, analysis and other technical and substantive support with regards to matters of UN reform and country-level coordination efforts, including operational aspects of the Resident Coordination (RC) System, Delivering as One, etc.

Dialogue, knowledge capture and relationship management:

• Engage in dialogues and build collaborative relationships with Member States, UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, capture and share knowledge and analysis on UN reform and other efforts.  

UN Coordination: Support Coordination of UNDP’s interagency relations and promote effective and efficient internal/external relations and partnership development:

• Support BERA Directorate and UNSAG Team Manager in coordinating UNDP’s participation in UNDG and its working groups to ensure UNDP’s position is fully developed and reflected in the relevant discussions, outcomes, tools and guidance notes;
• Ensure that relevant  actors in UNDP  are fully informed and consulted and their views reflected in relevant discussions and outcomes, including Regional Bureaus, and as need may arise, country offices;
• Engage regularly with colleagues from the Funds and Programmes, Specialized Agencies and other relevant UN departments to ensure that UNDP is well informed and engaged in the identification of and formulation of positions on issues of common concern;
• Represent UNDP and position organizational tools and activities in intergovernmental fora including formal meetings and informal consultations of the Plenary, Second, Third and Fifth committees of the General Assembly, the ECOSOC and other relevant inter-governmental fora as required;
• Develop partnerships with delegates, negotiating groups and UN colleagues, as part of an advocacy strategy so that corporate priorities are appropriately reflected in intergovernmental legislation;
• Represent UNDP at UNDG and other UN inter-agency technical working groups or other meetings where necessary; 
• Support UNDP's participation in the CEB, its follow-up work (including issue-based task teams) and other UNDP-led initiatives in inter-agency fora;
• Track overall trends, plans and activities of other agencies and inform the organization on applicable interagency activities, identifying challenges and opportunities for UNDP; Develop strategies and plans to harmonize activities with other agencies, in support of enhanced institutional effectiveness and alignment with relevant intergovernmental mandates;
• Support a coordinated organizational engagement, contacts and processes with other UN system agencies, funds and programmes for overall cooperation and troubleshooting; Provide support, as appropriate, to the elaboration of UNDP positions at interagency meetings;
• In collaboration with the Executive Board Secretariat, provide advice on issues likely to be raised by members of the Board, identify issues and challenges, facilitate liaison between various members so as to pave the way for consensus; ensure linkages between the Executive Board and UNDP senior management;
• Prepare and coordinate briefing notes for executive level meetings with other UN agency principals or interagency meetings.

UN Coherence

Strategic advocacy, policy coordination, analysis and other technical support with regards to UN Coherence, inter-agency affairs including operational aspects of the Resident Coordination (RC) System:

• Contribute to UN coherence efforts within the broader UN development system including UNDG and other relevant fora and mechanisms;
• Analyze, together trends in UN coherence including outcomes from UNDG Management Information System to ensure that the operational dimension is appropriately reflected in relevant policy-making fora;
• Contribute to the review and analysis of country-level involvement in UN coherence, mainly through analysis of Country Office Annual reports; the main focus of this work would be on the RC system and governance issues;
• Support operational aspects of managing the RC system, including UN relationships and interagency dialogue at HQ, regional level and county level;
• Coordinate representation of and monitor UNDP's participation in various UNDG mechanisms/sub groups to ensure UNDP's position is reflected in the relevant discussions, outcomes, tools, guidance notes, including tactical interface with COs and field-based UN partners;
• Work across bureaux to ensure UNDP compliance and participation in all UNDG mechanisms and coherence initiatives; Support Regional Bureaus to bring the regional and country perspectives and concerns to the appropriate UNDG forums, as necessary, and help them translate HQ and intergovernmental guidance for the use of CO and regional offices;
• Support COs and Regional Bureaus in operational aspects of managing the RC system, including implementation of the M&A system, and ensuring that the system is mutually accountable;
• Bring together inputs from divisions of HQ, Regional and Country Offices, assess what works and what does not work in UN reform and develop UNDP position on UN reform initiatives; 
• Analyze trends, and positions on UN coherence including sharing of outcomes from RC annual reporting (and other system-wide reporting mechanisms) to ensure the operational dimension is appropriately reflected in the relevant policy-making fora
• Prepare policy proposals for UNDP’s engagement in relevant UNDG mechanisms and other UN inter-agency fora;
• Prepare periodic briefing notes on operational activities for development issues and recommended actions, for use by UNDP senior management;
• Prepare periodic reports on operational activities for development for the information of senior staff in Headquarters and the field;
• Coordinate and prepare timely submissions of high quality talking points and briefing notes as requested by senior officials;
• Draft, coordinate and review inputs for speeches and reports as requested by senior management; and
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned.

Dialogue, knowledge capture and relationship management: on UN reform and related intergovernmental processes, facilitation of Knowledge building and sharing:

• Follow UN reform processes underway in Ecosoc and General Assembly bodies/committees, assess and anticipate trends, analyse options and undertake follow-up actions;
• Convey and facilitate UNDP’s positions with Member States, including jointly with Agencies, Funds and Programmes where necessary;
• Serve as the UNDP focal point for the QCPR including internal coordination across Bureaus and units, and coordination with Agencies Funds and Programmes;
• Serve as one of UNDP’s lead specialists in the Ecosoc Dialogues (on the long term positioning of the UN System);
• Track processes and outcomes related to UN reform in the CEB, UNDG, HLCP, HLCM and analyse implications for UNDP.
• Capture and codify information, produce analytical readouts and options for UNDP’s management;
• Identify and formulate lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader Country Office knowledge management efforts;

Competencies

Core Competencies:

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 Competencies:

• Good knowledge of political developments; sound understanding of the UN system, including intergovernmental bodies, interagency dynamics and mechanisms, and the UN reform agenda;
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of the challenges and dynamics related to the development agenda and the evolution of operational activities;
• Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas as well as to transfer knowledge and skills;
• Strong analytical and evaluative skills combined with good judgment; in-depth understanding and an ability to grasp the underlying concerns which may be influencing UN agencies/entities’ positions;
• Ability to work independently, analyse issues, speak and write clearly and quickly, often under pressure;
• Must be amiable, possessing excellent inter-personal skills, tact, good cheer and  disposition willing to work hard with  initiative, resourcefulness and sound  judgment; ability to function in harmony with UNDP and UN colleagues as well as  UN/UNDP delegates at all levels;
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
• Builds consensus for task purpose and direction with team members;
• Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required;
• Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary;
• Proven ability and experience in the development of complex communication strategies;
• Establishes and maintain productive partnerships with clients (internal UNDP and inter-agency colleagues) by gaining their trust and respect;
• Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions;
• Monitors on-going developments inside and outside the UN System to keep informed and anticipate problems;
• In view of the need to work closely with UNDG members, excellent relations with inter-agency colleagues and close familiarity with the UNDG process are an essential prerequisite for this function; and
• Excellent and effective communication (both verbal and written) skills, including ability to make and defend recommendations;
• High energy, diplomacy and tact, ability to persuade people with varied points of view;
• Present information in a concise and accurate manner;
• Ability to convey difficult issues and positions to senior officials.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s) in International Relations, public administration or other social sciences related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of Seven (7) years varied and increasingly responsible experience in UNDP and/or within the UN System, Government, inter-governmental and other related experience;
• Extensive experience/familiarity with UN Coordination, preferably a combination of field and HQ experience.

Language:

• Excellent command of, and drafting skill in English essential;
• Working knowledge of other UN languages desirable.