UNDP Jobs - 73313- International Nexus Consultant

International Nexus Consultant

Location :

Yangon, with in-country travel

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

31-Aug-2017

Application Deadline :

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

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

end-August 2017 — end-October 2017 (43 days of work over a period of 2 months)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

end-August 2017 — end-October 2017 (43 days of work over a period of 2 months)

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 auspices of the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in the context of the formulation of Myanmar's first United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2018-2022, the UN in Myanmar is looking to strengthen the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to ensure a conflict-sensitive and "do no harm" approach for UN agencies and partners to work in a more integrated and coherent manner across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.

The "new way of working" described in the Secretary-General's Report "One Humanity: Shared Responsibility" seeks to "move beyond traditional silos, works across mandates, sectors and institutional boundaries and with a greater diversity of partners towards ending need and reducing risk and vulnerability in support of national and local capacities and the achievement of the 2030 agenda. It encompasses three major shifts: 1) Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems; 2) Anticipate, do not wait for, crises; and 3) Deliver collective outcomes: Transcend the Humanitarian Development Divide. The new way of working focuses on strengthening the humanitarian-development, and critical for the Myanmar context — peace-building - nexus through use of multi-partner trust funds, country-based pooled funds and other initiatives.

Efforts to strengthen the nexus were given fresh impetus through the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, which commits to leave no one behind and prioritize the most vulnerable through the underlying principle of "reaching those furthest behind first". The SDGs have the potential to transform development cooperation with their focus on the most vulnerable people and represent an overarching framework with collective outcomes that, for the first time, are relevant for both humanitarian and development actors.

Linking development, humanitarian and peace-building activities to further World Humanitarian Summit outcomes and the 2030 Agenda and SDG's will help provide a holistic response to the needs of vulnerable Myanmar communities and support the 2030 Agenda and the Commitment to Action: "Working to collective outcomes across the UN system and the broader humanitarian and development community, including Multilateral Development Banks; working over multi-year timeframes, recognizing the reality of protracted crises and aiming to contribute to longer-term development gains, in the logic of the SDGs; and working collaboratively based on comparative advantage of diverse actors (as relevant to the context)".

The Myanmar context strongly lends itself to this joined up approach: There are communities in several specific geographical areas with acute humanitarian vulnerabilities. At the same time, needs in communities affected by conflict and disaster are well beyond humanitarian as Myanmar has a number of long-term structural causes of humanitarian needs related to under-development, including high poverty rate, low literacy and low levels of development and community peace-building activities. The level of conflict is relatively low across a defined geographical area. Conflict has been reduced in some areas as result of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) but in other areas, conflict has escalated significantly. There are well-capacitated humanitarian, development and peace building communities comprised of national and international organizations as well as political interest and will in solidifying a benefit of peace. In this regard, a coordinated call would build linkages and synergies between the humanitarian-development-peace spectrum in projects that could engage refugee and IDP returnees in finding durable solutions to displacement, support the interim Arrangement provision of the NCA, foster increased socio-political participation in ceasefire and peace-related dialogues leading to political aspirations with regards to a deeper democratic transition and Federal Union, and promote the centrality of protection in civilian monitoring mechanism/s at community levels.

In the context of the UNDAF, the development, humanitarian and peacebuilding linkages are recognized as one of the key approaches for integrated programming. The relevance and importance of working across the nexus has been recognized by the UN Country Team and more broadly by the international donor community in Myanmar. To this end, the UNDAF will adopt the UNDAF key approaches for integrated programming to respond to the complex situation in a coherent manner.

Duties and Responsibilities

Against the backdrop of the above outlined, the objectives of this consultancy are two-fold and will include the following elements:

1) Produce an analysis assessing which geographical - and potentially sectoral area - lends itself to a joint UN initiative on an integrated approach to humanitarian, development and peacebuilding approaches. This analysis would: suggest conflict sensitive development and peacebuilding interventions in one conflict or post-conflict state/region integrating a human rights perspective; identifying the obstacles that may hinder development interventions in such context; assessing the differences in humanitarian-development and peacebuilding approaches with suggestions as to how these could be bridged; suggesting how the UN can take a 'leave no one behind" approach in the chosen geographical area; and suggest how to take a risk informed, do-no-harm approach. Based on this analysis, present recommendations on how the UN can pilot such integrated approach including how and where synergies can be strengthened as well as where joint ongoing planning/programming activities can be scaled up. Document lessons learned from previous contexts as part of this exercise.

2) As part of the UNDAF and the 2030 Agenda SDGs, suggest how the UN should approach the Nexus in line with the official UNDAF Guidance (2017). Draft the section of the UNDAF that pertains to the Nexus.

Cutting across the above two objectives, ensure relevant stakeholder participation of NG0s/ING0s, Civil Society, communities and local authorities, and consult with existing development, peace and humanitarian coordination structures. As part of the methodology, conduct consultations with relevant communities/groups/areas to identify the resilience and coping mechanisms needed for making targeted and meaningful interventions.

Deliverables

Produce an analysis assessing geographical scope where a joint UN initiative can be rolled out;
As part of this analysis, suggest conflict sensitive development and peacebuilding interventions in the identified conflict/post-conflict state/region integrating a human rights perspective;
Identifying the bottleneck and potential risks which may hinder development interventions in such context;
Assess the differences in humanitarian-development and peacebuilding approaches with suggestions as to how these could be bridged;
Suggest how the UN can take a 'leave no one behind" as well as a risk informed, do-no-harm approach in the chosen geographical area;
Present recommendations on how the UN can pilot such integrated approach including how and where synergies can be strengthened as well as where joint ongoing planning/programming activities can be scaled up;
Conduct stakeholder consultations with UN, INGOs, development partners, Government, CSOs, communities and potentially others.

Document lessons learned from previous contexts as part of this exercise.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment

- Self-development, initiative-taking

- Acting as a team player and facilitating team work

- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively

- Creating synergies through self-control

- Managing conflict

- Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.

- Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

The international consultant should possess the following competencies:

Master Degree in development studies, social sciences, public policy, economics or relevant fields;
At least 10 years' experience in positions dealing with humanitarian affairs, development, and implementation of development policies and strategies in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization context;
Proven knowledge and leadership in developing strategies and humanitarian coordination, and supporting development processes, including countries in transition by working with a variety of humanitarian and long-term development actors;
Knowledge of United Nations mandates and practices, as well as the programming mechanisms of the United Nations and its partners, particularly in crisis and post-conflict situations, as well as a functional understanding of the international development architecture;
Excellent communication and analytical skills (written, verbal, interpersonal and intercultural);
Outstanding research, analytical, response programming and report writing skills;
Familiarity with participatory facilitation methods and with data gathering, and UN five Programming Principles (HRBA, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, RBM and Capacity Development);
Ability to work efficiently and independently under pressure, handle multi-tasking situations with strong delivery orientation;
Fluent written and oral English;
Experience with working in Myanmar is an advantage.
Accountability and Reporting The UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) in conjunction with UN agencies will provide strategic direction to the process and will be responsible for the endorsement of the final documents. The consultant will work closely with and report to the RCO