UNDP Jobs - 86415- Special Assistant to the RBA Director

Special Assistant to the RBA Director

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

30-Jul-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One year with possibility for extension

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

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 support their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals. 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’s Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) is its largest regional bureau, covering 46 countries, ranging from high middle-income economies to least developed countries, as well as countries in crisis and post-crisis situations. UNDP works with its national counterparts in the Africa region to help them implement national development priorities and achieve their national development goals. Its work is guided by global and regional development and normative frameworks to which countries in Africa are signatories, including the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.

Achieving these core strategic goals requires UNDP to take action in a number of areas that conform its programme for the Africa region. These range from service delivery support in crisis and post-crisis settings, to national capacity development, the provision of innovative policy advice to national governments, or the convening of national and regional dialogues around key development issues.

Under the direct supervision and guidance of UNDP’s Director for Africa, the Special Assistant to the RBA Director assists the RBA Director in the director’s various functions as head of UNDP’s programme for the Africa region, providing high quality executive-level support. In doing so, the incumbent closely liaises with other colleagues in the RBA Directorate, as well as with RBA units in headquarters and its regional officers, and, where relevant, with UNDP country offices in the Africa region.

Duties and Responsibilities

1) Provides effective executive-level support to the RBA Director

Synthesizes and summarizes information for the Director to facilitate decision-making;
Prepares and/or coordinates preparation of, substantive policy briefs, speeches and detailed presentations and other materials as needed for the Director’s internal and external use;
Facilitates the flow of communication between teams, particularly between New York and regional Africa hubs to ensure establishment of efficient workflows;
Manages the communication linkages within the Bureau, including between the units and the Directorate;
Contributes to aligning business processes and the rationalization of workflows where needed;
Interacts with senior management at UNDP and other Agencies, government officials, donors, business leaders, media, NGOs, and others to identify issues of strategic, developmental and political interest for the Director;
Takes the lead on planning and coordination of annual RR Cluster Meetings in the region;
Supports the RBA Director in managing performance appraisals;
Assists the RBA Director in the director’s capacity as Chair of the Regional UNSDG Team.

2) Manages the flow of communication and data in and out of the RBA Directorate and the efficient and strategic use of the Director’s time

Serves as the chief aide and liaison to the RBA Director and as primary manager of the director’s daily agenda;
Acts as first line ‘information filter’, helping manage information flow to and from the RBA Director with the support of the Executive Associate;
Uses sound judgment to sort through issues requiring the RBA Director’s attention as well as other demands on the Director’s time, to prioritize decision-making by the RBA Director;
Develops and maintains a tracking system to assist the RBA Director in following up on assignments and confidential correspondence;
Liaises with Country and regional Offices and other relevant parties to ensure proper coordination of and preparation for the Director’s official missions and Country Office visits;
Prioritizes and coordinates travel plans for the Director and oversees meeting arrangements;
Drafts and/or assists in the drafting of correspondence at the request of the RBA Director for their clearance and signature;
Staffs key meetings with/in support of the Director and prepares relevant notes for file.

3) Supports the RBA Director’s relations with the Executive Office, other UNDP Bureaux and initiatives, the UN System and external partners

Prepares the Director for Executive Group meetings, and the Deputy Director for Operational Support Group meetings, by soliciting and compiling inputs and talking points;
Manages and coordinates the Director’s relations with other UNDP bureau and initiatives;
Represents RBA at meetings with the Executive Office and facilitates information flow between the two offices;
Manages the preparation of briefs, correspondence, and other documentation for the Administrator/Associate Administrator within the Bureau, ensuring quality control and timely submission;
Supports the planning and execution of the Administrator and Associate Administrator’s visits to Country Offices in the region, provides advice, and serves as the liaison among the Executive Office, RBA Directorate and the CO senior management;
In close collaboration with other RBA units, supports the RBA Director’s regular engagements with external partners, including Member States, UN entities and other external partners, serving as the key interlocutor for the RBA director on these matters;
Works closely with RBA’s Partnerships and Communications team to maximize synergies between the RBA’s director’s regular engagements with external partners and the bureau’s communications, partnerships for development and strategic positioning work;
Liaises with UNDP’s Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy to ensure full alignment with UNDP corporate partnerships and external relations policies and strategies;
Supports the Director in fulfilling corporate responsibilities related to new initiatives.

4) Strategic planning

In close collaboration with other units in RBA, contributes to the formulation and implementation of programmatic and operational strategies and policies for the bureau;
Formulates joint strategies, work plans and performance indicators in consultation with other units and bureaus for integrated and coordinated support to COs, and liaise with other HQ units in UNDP and the broader UN system as required;
Leads RBA’s headquarters internal work planning throughout the full cycle, ensuring full alignment with UNDP’s corporate priorities and RBA’s priorities areas of work and regularly monitoring work plan execution;
Initiates, plans and manages special assignments/projects for the Director and serves as his/her representative at meetings with other managers for planning and coordination purposes;
Lead the monitoring and supports the execution of RBA strategies to achieve maximum impact;
Supports the RBA Director in managing and guiding UNDP’s work at regional level liaising and coordinating with RBA’s regional hubs and platforms in the Africa region.

5) Knowledge development and management

Contributes to relevant UNDP’s communities of practice and practice networks, within UNDP and in the broader UN landscape;
Stimulates the use of blogs, social media, community of practice to ensure wide dissemination of positions, events, debates on the topics covered by the team;
Ensures the continuous collation of lessons learnt and best practices in the areas of partnerships and communications for development;
Supports the implementation of the corporate and regional knowledge strategy and systems.

Competencies

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

Client Orientation: Contributing to positive outcomes for the client.

Management support: Ability to provide executive-level management support.

Managing complexity: Ability to effectively manage work-related complex situations.

Brief and Speech Writing: Ability to prepare quality briefs and/or speeches.

External relations: Ability to maintain, grow and develop relations with external partners

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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in development studies, international relations, public administration, business administration, economics, law, social sciences or related field.

Experiences:

Minimum of seven years (7) of relevant work experience in international development or related fields;
Demonstrated experience providing management advisory support in the United Nations system, NGOs, or public-sector organizations;
Demonstrated strategic planning experience;
Experience in inter-agency work in UN coordination would be an asset;
Field or regional-level experience would be an asset.

Language:

Proficiency in English and French.
Working knowledge of other UN languages would be asset.