Background

Under the supervision of the manager of the UN Resident Coordinator Office (RCO), the Coordination Specialist will provide partnership and relationship building among UN agencies and other stakeholders on how best to effectively implement the UNDAF II and for the UN to “Deliver as One”. Furthermore, he will ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the UNDAF between and within agencies as well as with national counterparts, while identifying emerging challenges and recommendations.

Guided by the UN Reform, desire for sound programmatic activities and the principle of alignment between UN agencies’ policies, strategies and implementation structures, UNDAF II (2009-2012) was formulated by the UN system in Nigeria.

As a standard setter, policy adviser, capacity developer, development service supporter and coordination catalyst, the UNCT has a special contribution to make to the achievement of Nigeria’s development goals and aspirations.

Although UN agencies have their own policies, procedures and skills governing operational and programmatic activities at the country level, the UNCT intends to work together to provide a well coordinated, focused and coherent response to the country’s main development challenges. While appreciating that no single agency has the range of funds, skills, knowledge, and experience to tackle the multi-dimensional causes of poverty, indeed, a collaborative UNCT can provide advice and assistance on a wide range of issues. It can also ensure that the support provided by each agency is complementary, rather than duplicative, to produce synergistic results. In Nigeria, these principles of “Collective Work” and “Collective Responsibility”, if well managed, should translate into a consolidation process towards the “One UN” Reform.

Enhancing the prospects for such collaborative processes under the UN reform and while ensuring a successful implementation of UNDAF require a correspondingly strengthened coordination support capacity for the role of RC.

The positions as described in the TOR will be funded by DFID through its Policy Development Facility (PDF).  The contractors will be consultants assigned to UNDP and not UNDP consultants and will report to the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria. The contract will be with PDF, or the management agent’s designee.

The contract will be for an initial  period of one year,   The fee range for the position of Coordination Specialist will be between £3,000 and £3,300 per month depending on educational qualifications and directly relevant experience.

For individuals who are not Nigerians and are not already resident in Nigeria, benefits will include a housing allowance deemed by PDF to be sufficient to obtain a lease for a year on a furnished, serviced flat, and payment for two round trips to/from the consultant’s base location, including one trip for leave. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Head of the RCO:

• Ensure that UNDAF Annual Work Plans for each programmatic clusters are collectively implemented;
• Manage and coordinate the full process of preparing RC reports and annual reviews, contribute to drafting and ensure the participation and involvement of all Agencies in the process.
• Create strategic partnerships and mobilize resources for UN reform, joint programming, mainstreaming human rights and gender and engaging with civil society;
• Provide assistance to non-resident agencies to access national systems and processes, and for national counterparts to access non-resident agencies;
• Monitor the activities of the UN Theme Groups and ensure coherence with annual targets;
• Monitor and evaluate UNDAF results, impacts based on the UNDAF results matrix and the accompanying set of baselines, targets and indicators, and provide a basis for decision making on necessary amendments and improvements;
• Close coordination and communication for strategic information with M&E focal points within agencies as well as with national counterparts, and identify UNDAF coordination challenges and make recommendations;
• Consolidate a culture of lessons learning involving all project staff and allocate specific responsibilities.
• Coordinate the preparation of the M&E calendar (Surveys/studies, monitoring systems, evaluations, reviews).
• Facilitate, act as resource person in RCO, and join if required any external supervision and evaluation missions.
• Promote accountability for resource use during the UNDAF implementation;
• Document, provide feedback on, and disseminate lessons learned;
• Perform other functions as and if requested.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Functional Competencies:

• Shares knowledge and experience from within and outside the UN Country Team.
• Encourages UN staff to share knowledge 
• Develops deep understanding in UNDAF, UN System reform and MDGs

Coordination Effectiveness

• Ability to lead the design and implementation of UN programme activities, strengthening of strategic partnerships for UNDAF implementation.
• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with UN Agencies and main constituents, advocate effectively, communicate sensitively across different constituencies.

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result for the client
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills
• Establishes priorities for self and other members of the RC office; schedules activities to ensure optimum use of time and resources; monitors performance against development and other objectives and corrects deviations from the course
• In providing advice to the RC, has the capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations; evaluates information accurately and identifies key issues required to resolve problems
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors
• Manages conflict and stress, remaining composed and working as a mediator in crisis or antagonistic situations
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view
• Solicits feedback from staff about the impact of his/her own behavior

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Master degree in development, political science, economics, international development and/or management and coordination.

Experience: 

• Five years work experience in development. Good knowledge of UN system, procedures and activities for development. Conversant with the logical framework approach and other strategic planning and reporting approaches;
• Familiarity with UNDAF development/planning will be considered a plus

Language Requirements:

•  Excellent knowledge of English, including writing and oral skills.