Myanmar has embarked on a major transition towards democracy, market style economy and peace. Myanmar has low middle-income status (LMIC) and is committed to lifting itself out of Least Developed Country (LDC) status within the next seven years. Following the implementation of the first ever UNDP Country Programme during 2013-2017 and as a key development partner of the government of Myanmar, UNDP will implement a new UNDP Country Programme for the period 2018-2022, striving to deliver on a large and relevant programme portfolio that is responsive to the main development challenges facing the country.

The UNDP Myanmar Strategic Results, Partnerships and Innovation Team drives new ways of working through partnerships, innovation, communications, design and data visualization; coordinates quality assurance of monitoring and evaluation as well as continuous project monitoring through defined indicators; supports programme teams and CO senior management in planning and management of thematic country programme and project evaluation(s) and follow up in implementation of recommendations; and promotes evaluation standards, quality assurance/control and capacity development in the Country Office by facilitating knowledge building and management. The team strives to bring new methodologies, energy and insights into the work of the entire Country Office.

To ensure strong sub-national programming, UNDP has established three Field Offices in Rakhine, Mon and Mandalay as well as three Project Offices in the states of Chin, Shan and Kachin that engage with stakeholders at the state, regional and local levels, develop partnerships, and implement, support, monitor and report on UNDP programmes in their respective geographic areas. The Heads of UNDP’s Field and Project Offices, who are national officers, report directly to the Team Leader Strategic Results, Partnerships and Innovation as well as the Deputy Country Director through a matrix reporting arrangement.

The Team Leader - Strategic Results, Partnerships and Innovation reports to the Deputy Country Director and is responsible for the management of the Results, Partnerships and Innovation team. S/he will support UNDP Myanmar’s efforts to achieve results, build and maintain partnerships, encourage innovative practices and ways of working, communicate effectively with all stakeholders at all levels and ensure effective UNDP programme coverage in the country. As a member of the CO Management Integration Team (MIT), s/he will also help drive integration of work at all levels, from overall direction setting to ideas generation, design, implementation – and further on to reporting, partnerships and communication. In exercising these roles, s/he supervises a central unit comprised of international and national staff as well as the three field offices and three project offices.

The Team Leader will be initially based in Yangon, but with eventual relocation to Naypyidaw when conditions permit. The Team Leader will be expected to travel regularly to field/project offices, and will need to balance their time between Yangon and Naypyidaw offices until eventual transition full time to the Naypyidaw office. S/he will need to maintain a cohesive, integrated team working at decentralized levels throughout the country, and ensure strong collaboration with the Country Office.

UNDP Myanmar is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 

1)     Facilitates Delivery of Strategic Results

·         Ensures support to strategic planning and integrated business planning for the country office through facilitation of CO Integrated Work Planning process (IWP) and quality assurance as well as comprehensive country office pipeline management;

·         Ensures facilitation of results based management and results reporting, effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets, results monitoring, quality assurance of RBM products, ROAR reporting, collaboration with programme portfolio teams / projects and the integrated operations teams on the preparation of reports including donor reports and provision of internal advisory services and capacity building on reporting;

·         Ensures support to programme and project quality assurance including facilitation and guidance for submissions to pre-LPACs and LPACs; formulation of internal guidance on corporate programme quality standards; and facilitation of internal capacity building for programme and project quality;

·         Ensures coordination and quality assurance of project monitoring and evaluation through oversight, continuous monitoring, provision of technical advice, and by supporting programme teams and CO senior management in planning and managing thematic, country programme/project evaluation as well as follow up on implementation of evaluation recommendations.

·         Facilitates knowledge building and management and ensures subject area knowledge transfer, capacity building and learning in the country office.

2)     Facilitates Partnerships and Engagement

• Ensures articulation of UNDP’s value proposition and varied service offer in operational and partnership engagement terms
• Overseas and delivers technical support in contract negotiations, business development pitches, and proposals for UNDP’s value added in leveraging domestic resources for development, including direct support with IFI and private sector partnerships as well as innovative financing solutions.
• Ensures effective provision of communications, analytics and data visualization services to all country office and project units.
• Leads external engagement of non-traditional and/or emerging development actors and stakeholders including private sector and IFIs.
• Collaborates with Programme team leaders and CO senior management to continuously reflect on how UNDP engages with its partners and stakeholders to fulfill UNDP’s strategic position and value proposition
• Ensures internal collaboration to position UNDP vis-à-vis government counterparts and donors, including on government co – financing.

3)     Facilitates Innovation and Engagement

·         Ensures support and building of capacities of projects and programme teams to integrate organizational knowledge and innovation approaches into their work as well as identify innovations that can be used at the Country Office, regional and global level, during their external engagement initiatives and activities;

·         Manages the CO Innovation portfolio and resources to facilitate citizen-driven innovations in UNDP’s approach;

·         Facilitates knowledge building and management and ensures innovation and knowledge transfer in the country office, region and globally.

4)     Ensures cohesive engagement and programme presence and delivery in the field and manages development of strong and effective teams

• Ensures cohesive functioning of the field architecture through effective supervision of Heads of Field, good communication and timely identification of issues that need attention and senior level decision making through the MIT;
• Ensures that field input regarding political analysis, new developments, partnership opportunities, programme progress and other issues is used effectively by the country office to act upon opportunities, developments and risks in a timely manner working with the Programme Team Leaders and programme teams;
• Ensures monitoring and coherent use of the seed funding provided for the field, making sure that usage fits well within the overall strategy of UNDP and management of risk;
• Facilitates day-to-day functioning of the central team. Manages all central and field human and financial resources for achieving results.

5)     Ensures country office visibility and effective external communication at all levels

·         Ensures delivery of effective external communication at all levels by managing establishment of country office standards, building of staff capacities and supporting country office teams in all aspects of communications;

·         Ensures use of contemporary communication channels and platforms for stakeholder engagement, linking UNDP with stakeholders, experts, sponsors / champions, as well as traditional development actors;

·         Manages production of communication products, development and implementation of promotional and advocacy campaigns and engagement with the media for the country office, programme units and projects.

IV. Competencies and Selection Criteria

Description of Competency at Level Required

Core

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional

Strategic Planning

Ability to make decisions that align with strategy, vision, and mission

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Results-based Management

Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Quality Assurance

Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to insure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled

Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Collaboration and Partnership

Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside (Programmes/projects) or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.  Sets overall direction for the formation and management of strategic relationships contributing to the overall positioning of UNDP

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Innovation

Ability to manage organisational resources and deployment in pursuit of innovative approaches and initiatives

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Influencing and Agenda Setting

Ability to plan and deliver communication initiatives that make an impact,  persuades intended audiences, shapes perceptions of the UNDP and creates positive demand for UNDP's value propositions

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Knowledge Management

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

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Education:

Master's degree in business administration, management, development studies or a related area.

Experience:

·         A minimum of 7 years progressively responsible and relevant professional working experience in both the public and private sector

·         Proven track record in strategic planning and ability to use data and analytics to inform strategy  

·         Proven track record in partnership building and facilitating external communication

·         Proven track record in delivering and facilitating innovative approaches and solutions to development programming

·         Experience in resource mobilization

·         Proven management experience, preferably within UNDP or another UN agency, with sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of the project cycle

·         Prior experience of development work in South-East Asia and/or countries in transition would be an asset

·         Strong interpersonal and written and oral communication skills

·         Strong ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams

Language Requirements:

Excellent command of written and spoken English