Background

UNDP in Sri Lanka is reorganizing internally and moving to an integrated collaborative business model. Internally, an energetic and innovative team will converge around the planning, design, implementation and quality assurance of an integrated programme in a fast-paced environment. Fostering strategic partnership and alliances with different stakeholders will require a team which consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude and has a strong client orientation. Strong UN partnerships are valued for Delivering Together in a true spirit of collaboration and teamwork.
 

Post Context
This function’s primary focus lies on the quality assurance of programme activities, namely  A) providing support with quality assurance to the delivery of UNDP programmes, advisory services, and knowledge sharing activities, as well as B) Contributing to the design of development solutions, across all areas of UNDP programming and advisory services. These technical colleagues work in a ‘pool’ arrangement, facilitating shared learning, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, as well as efficient resource utilization.


Under the supervision and guidance of the Integrated Knowledge Team Leader, the Programme Quality/Design Analyst guides a team of analysts continuously assessing the work of the portfolio team.  Generating analytics and reviews that determine quality standards and identifying potential trouble areas and suggesting remedial solutions, the PQ/D Analyst is the necessary partner function to programme innovation. 


Analysis and advice are focused on design, delivery as well as systems, tools and work methodologies that impact quality and effectiveness of the country office.  The Programme Quality/Design Analyst is relied upon to systematically review new approaches for viability, act as a sounding board for both technical rigor and performance standards and promote quality as a mindset, not just a result.   
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Ideas & expertise:

  • Quality assure the technical value and operational integrity of UNDP supported projects and services.
  • Facilitate correct: project initiation including PAC management; finalization of contribution agreements; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory budget re-phasing exercises; and, closure of projects.
  • Provide technically rigorous analysis to resource management within team portfolio that strengthens strategic decisions and recommendations of managers as well as guides workplanning.
  • Conducts technical analysis and generates analytics and reports on programming and advisory services outcomes
  • Performs technical analysis components including viability assessment of new project and service proposals.    

Partnership engagement:

  • With subject matter leaders and clients, contributes to development of new methods and analytics aligned to and in support of new programme directions and approaches.
  • Identifies client technical capacities and needs and summarizes for team to adapt outputs and approaches.
  • Readily available to clients and collaborators as a reliable source for complex technical issues and provider of useful explanations facilitating and deepening partnerships.  
  • Advocates on behalf of clients to team for output adjustments. 

Team Collaboration:

  • Collaborate with team members and clients on identification and monitoring of indicators relevant to design objectives and client perspectives.
  • Continually identify opportunities for team improvement and adherence to internal programme and policy requirements. 
  • Model reliability of output, organization and analysis.     
  • Presents data analysis and procedural/policy recommendations with team
  • Diagnoses technical, data and procedural bottlenecks and recommends solutions

 

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 while exercising good judgement

Technical/Functional
Design Thinking
Knowledge of method (s) for practical, creative resolution of problems and creation of solutions, with the intent of an improved future result.

Research (General)
Knowledge of analytical tools, market research and methods for undertaking substantive research on various policy related issues

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

Data Management
Ability to develop and execute architectures, policies, practices and procedures in order to manage the information lifecycle needs of UNDP

Data Analysis and Visualization 
Ability to evaluate, transform and model data to derive relevant findings- undertake & provide analysis of data to assess Org performance and or global trends

 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  •  Master's or Bachelor’s Degree in social policy, public policy, politics, economics, development studies or a related area.

Experience: 

  •  Masters with 2 years of relevant experience or Bachelor’s with 4 years in programme management, work with quality assurance instruments and results based management models in an international development context.
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages,
  • Experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft (Atlas).

Language Requirements:

  •  Fluency in English and in the national language of the duty station. Knowledge of other UN official language is desirable