UNDP Jobs - 77338- Assistant Administrator & Director, Regional Burea

Assistant Administrator & Director, Regional Bureau for Africa

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

13-Apr-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

ASG

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

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

Applications for this vacancy MUST be submitted to the following email address: exo.cos@undp.org. ONLY applications received at this email address will be accepted. Include: detailed CV and academic credentials as supporting documentation and indicate this reference: # ASG- RBA.

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. UNDP works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. We support countries' efforts to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals, or Global Goals, which will guide global development priorities for the next 15 years.

Encompassing 46 countries, the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) is UNDP’s largest Regional Bureau. With its headquarters in New York, and one regional Service Centre in Addis Ababa, it covers almost one third of the countries in crisis or post-crisis situations.

To help Africa overcome its development challenges, UNDP is focusing its resources to support development efforts of countries in the region through:

Innovative region-wide strategic thinking, advocacy and partnerships;
Translation of corporate and regional strategies and goals into successful development results on the ground;
Enhancing RBA’s managerial and substantive effectiveness.

The Regional Director is the leader of UNDP in the region as well as a member of UNDP’s corporate leadership, and as such, serves as a role model for corporate values, behaviors and substantive skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

Applications for this vacancy MUST be submitted to the following email address : exo.cos@undp.org. ONLY applications received at this email address will be accepted. Include: detailed CV and academic credentials as supporting documentation and indicate this reference: # ASG- RBA.

The Director of Regional Bureau for Africa reports to the Administrator/Associate Administrator. He/She is a member of UNDP’s Executive Group and contributes to shaping and monitoring overall corporate strategic directions. He/She directs and manages the overall policy and ongoing regional programme and country office operations of the region to address priorities and achieve outcomes.

The following scope and principal functions of the position include:

Participation in UNDP’s highest level corporate decision-making body, the Executive Group (EG), helping to shape and implement strategic directions for the Organization as a whole;
Building strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to carry out UNDP’s mission and achieve results.

Manages the Regional Bureau for Africa and works collaboratively and collegiately across UNDP to achieve outcomes and results in line with UNDP’s Strategic Plan including by:

Providing overall leadership and shaping strategic thinking for UNDP’s engagement in the region;
Identifying existing and emerging development challenges and priorities in the region; defining the strategic programming priorities at the regional and country level, and implementing measures to improve the quality and effectiveness of programmes;
Providing intellectual guidance for region-specific knowledge products, including Regional Human Development Reports;
Guidance to the Resident Representatives and other senior managers in Country Offices, including playing a facilitating role with host Governments, donors and counterparts as needed;
Oversight of Country Office performance and timely action on problems and challenges;
Guiding the implementation of strategies for Bureau resource mobilization and delivery;
Builds and maintains strategic partnerships for UNDP in the Africa region, with a focus on knowledge sharing, joint development activities and resource mobilization and represents UNDP, as required, in high-level events and fora relating to the Africa region;
Represents UNDP in key policy, programme, management, and advocacy forums and conferences;
Leads the UN Development Group (UNDG) in the Africa region, representing the most active UNDG agencies in the region, for greater coherence and harmonization of UN Country Teams and a strengthened UN Resident Coordinator system;
Supports implementation of UN reform initiatives in the region, in line with corporate policies and guidance from the High Level Committees on Programme and Management of the Chief Executives Bard and from the UN Development Group.

The Regional Director:

Leads by example and encourages excellence, professionalism, competence, integrity and ethics and values enshrined in the UN Charter;
Guides, mentors and develops a team of senior managers in New York, Addis Ababa Regional Hub, and Country Offices;
Oversees and is responsible for the Bureau’s operations in financial, human resources, procurement and general administration.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Strategic Thinking:

A clear understanding of development challenges and priorities;
Demonstrated ability to identify high level strategic issues, opportunities and risks, develop organizational strategies to meet objectives, and generate and communicate organizational direction and expected outcomes to all stakeholders.

Leadership:

Proven track record of excellent management, leadership and representation skills;
Demonstrated effectiveness in establishing productive relationships and networks to achieve outcomes; strong people management skills; demonstrated competence for incorporating gender perspectives;
Demonstrated personal drive and commitment to organizational objectives;
Proven experience in leading change.

Results Focus:

Demonstrated ability to provide strategic direction;
Demonstrated excellence in successful management of a complex portfolio of responsibilities including translating goals in to practical implementation strategies, and allocating resources accordingly;
Proven ability to build organizational capability and responsiveness to achieve outcome;
Strong resource mobilization and partnership building skills; mature judgement and initiative.

Achieves Results:

Demonstrated ability to provide strategic direction;
Demonstrated excellence in successful management of a complex portfolio of responsibilities including translating goals into practical implementation strategies;
Proven ability to build organizational capability and responsiveness to achieve outcomes;
Mature judgment and initiative.

Communication:

Influential and confident oral and written communication skills;
Proven ability to negotiate persuasively and achieve objectives;
Proven ability to establish and maintain effective inter-personal relationships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Professionalism:

Ability to work collaboratively and collegiately with internal and external stakeholders to achieve corporate goals;•Capacity to anticipate and address difficult issues;
Demonstrated commitment to acting ethically and with integrity and commitment to the values enshrined in the UN Charter.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced University degree in development-related disciplines, Economics, Business Administration, Public Policy or other relevant Social Sciences.

Experience:

At least 15 years of progressively responsible, substantive experience and results achievement experience at the international level, including in development-related advisory services, managing complex development situations, interagency and international cooperation, negotiation of partnerships, mobilization of resources and management of programmes in development related areas with national, regional, international entities;
The candidate should have in-depth knowledge of the region and its development context, and of national, regional and intergovernmental institutions and other international entities.

Language:

Proficiency in English and French;
Knowledge of an additional UN language is an asset.

Applications for this vacancy MUST be submitted to the following email address : exo.cos@undp.org. ONLY applications received at this email address will be accepted. Include: detailed CV and academic credentials as supporting documentation and indicate this reference: # ASG- RBA