Background
The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.
In response to the situation, in 2016, UNDP has established a Project Office in eastern Ukraine with a view to consolidate and deliver the various recovery and governance projects through a comprehensive, area-based Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP) in five conflict-affected oblasts: Donetsk and Luhansk (Government Controlled Areas), as well as Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Kharkiv oblasts. RPP frames UNDP’s interventions in Eastern Ukraine to address the recovery needs of conflict affected population and communities. The Programme has three components focusing on: (1) economic recovery and restoration of critical infrastructure; (2) restoration of governance and support to decentralization reform; (3) strengthening community security and social cohesion.
UNDP Ukraine invites applications from highly qualified and experienced Ukrainian professionals for the post of the Local Governance Capacity Development Specialist, to provide capacity development support and technical assistance on restoration of major governance functions.
This position falls under the project “Good governance and citizens engagement for justice, security, environmental protection and social cohesion in eastern Ukraine” funded by the Swedish International Development Agency, Government of Denmark and the Swiss Development Cooperation.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator of the Local Governance and Decentralization Reform (LGDR) Component, the Local Governance Capacity Development Specialist, in close cooperation with Fiscal Decentralization Specialist, Social-Economic Development Specialist and Anti-Corruption Specialist of RPP will perform the following key tasks:
- Contribute to further strengthening of the institutional capacities of local authorities and communities in a participatory and conflict-sensitive manner;
- Establish a pool of dedicated experts to advise and train local self-governments and communities (including on data-driven decision making);
- Facilitate knowledge and expertise exchange with other regions of the country, sharing best practices in local governance capacity development;
- Provide substantive inputs to the development and testing of a budgeting and finance management programme, including the elaboration of expenditure standards for different types of services;
- Provide substantive inputs to the development of effective participatory mechanisms (taking into account existing mechanisms such as the civil society hubs supported by UNDP);
- Develop mechanisms for better public information sharing and feedback, raising awareness of local self-government bodies (LSGBs) and service providers on the importance of adequate citizen information and feedback mechanisms;
- Support local community dialogue and decision-making platforms, including Public Councils;
- Organize the process of guiding and coaching the newly established relevant platforms and the establishment of Public Councils and other consultation platforms in communities along the contact line to ensure wider public participation in local decision-making processes;
- Facilitate the creation of a small grants programme for the development of CABs/other providers networks in these areas through small grants;
- Contribute to the organization of trainings for representatives of local public councils (PCs) and Citizen’s Advice Bureaus (CABs) on human-rights and gender-responsive local social-economic development;
- Contribute to the implementation of participatory program-based and gender-responsive budgeting in pilot Hromadas in cooperation with RPP staff and consultants;
- Monitor, coordinate and supervise field activities and provide technical support to ensure the Project objectives are met;
- Contribute to the selection processes of Implementing Partners (IPs), Consultants or Contractors and regularly oversee, supervise and monitor their work and delivery of assignments (training, seminars/workshops, surveys, data collection, etc.), as well as coordinate their work in target Oblasts. Ensure that the budget allocated for relevant activities is efficiently and properly utilized.
MEASURABLE OUTPUTS OF THE WORK ASSIGNMENT:
- Full and appropriate implementation of the Local Governance Capacity Development activities within the assigned project of the RPP;
- Results, experiences and lessons learned during implementation of the Local Governance Capacity Development activities are disseminated at the national and regional levels;
- Reporting and quality monitoring activities completed.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EVALUATION OF RESULTS:
- Respective sections of the annual work plan are fully and timely implemented;
- Funds delivery allocated for fiscal decentralization support activities reached 100%;
- Programme and Component activities are carried out in strict accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Communication;
- Delivery;
- Innovation;
- Leadership;
- People Management;
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Functional Competencies:
- Knowledge Management and Learning;
- Development and Operational Effectiveness;
- Conflict Management;
- Result orientation;
- Teamwork;
- Self –management and emotional intelligence.
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:
- Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches.
Client Orientation:
- Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
- Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines.
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:
- Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
- Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches.
Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals:
- Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
- Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level.
OTHER:
- Ability to implement project/programmes components for results, including the ability to translate strategic aims into achievable annual work plans; and prepare inputs to project/programme reports in a timely manner;
- Ability to handle politically sensitive issues and establish partnership with government authorities and CSO’s and within UNDP;
- Sound judgment and maturity to foster a positive work environment;
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
- Familiarity with national legislation on recovery issues;
- Demonstrated strong analytical, coordination and facilitation skills;
- Excellent usage of computers and office software packages.
Required Skills and Experience
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s Degree or equivalent in Social or Political Sciences, Public Administration, Law, Economics, Finance or other relevant areas;
- At least 3 years of proven experience in analysis and research in the field of decentralization, local service delivery, public administration, territorial administrative reorganization or other relevant area;
- Sound knowledge of public sector reforms currently undertaken by the Ukrainian Government;
- Experience in delivering capacity development, advisory and advocacy services to the Government in the relevant fields would be a strong asset;
- Experience in working with international organizations, with relevant stakeholders from the governmental and non-governmental institutions involved into governance issues at the national and sub-national levels would be an asset;
- Fluency in Ukrainian, Russian is required, working level of English.
Application Instructions:
- Click on the "Apply now" button.
- Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. You can type in or paste your Resume into the last box.
- Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. On the next page, you will be asked to upload your Resume. Instead of uploading your Resume, please submit a fully completed and signed UNDP Personal History Form (P-11). When completing the Form and, even though not currently requested, please include email addresses for your Supervisors.
- Without the completed and signed P11 your application will not be considered. The UNDP Personal History Form can be downloaded at link. Failure to disclose prior employment or making false representations on this form will be grounds for withdrawal of further consideration of his/her application or termination, where the appointment or contract has been issued.
- Only short-listed candidates will be contacted and please ensure that copies of your educational qualifications are available when contacted.
This is a locally recruited position and no expatriation benefits will apply.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 16 November 2018.
UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest. Applications may only be submitted for specific vacancy. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.