UNDP Jobs - 35388- International Consultant

International Consultant - Programme and Partnerships, ART Initiative

Location :

Brussels, BELGIUM

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Apr-2013

Application Deadline :

08-Feb-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Nine (9) months

Languages Required :

English French Spanish

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Nine (9) months

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

Important: Application must include:

The candidate’s Technical and Financial proposal
C.V highlighting relevant qualifications and experience;

Background

UNDP is the global development network of the United Nations, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

Launched in 2005 and currently active in 19 countries, the UNDP ART Global Initiative (Articulation of Territorial Networks for Sustainable Human Development) is an entry point for all international cooperation actors interested in harmonizing their respective actions in support of national policies for sustainable and local human development. To this end, this UNDP-championed global initiative promotes a programmatic, operational and administrative framework for coordination and institution building. ART’s objective is to enhance the capacities of national and local institutions and actors working in a complementary way at the local level, thereby achieving the Millennium Development Goals and attaining inclusive, resilient and sustainable development.

ART offers an operational, administrative, and programming framework that facilitates the coordination and strengthened linkages (articulation) between different cooperation stakeholders in support of the countries’ human development processes. Such platforms, the ART Framework Programmes, seek to achieve local programme ownership, coherent local and national actions and the collaboration between partners in the North and the South.

The UNDP's Representation Office in Brussels partners with the institutions of the European Union. Together with the partners in the EU, its goal is to promote and advance the development agenda and international UN standards - both in EU policy discussions and in the external action of the European Union. It also supports the knowledge-sharing and policy dialogue between UNDP and the EU, and strive to have a solid understanding of each other's priorities and strategies. UNDP Brussels also works to promote greater coordination among the UN system, facilitate the UN's interaction with EU institutions and provide support to official UN-visits from headquarters and the field. UNDP's Representation Office in Brussels also represents UNDP towards Belgium and its governing institutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose and Scope of the Assignment

The Consultant will be supervised by the ART Brussels Programme Advisor:

Strengthen the ART - European Union strategy:

Overall support to the ART Brussels Programme Advisor on strengthening relations with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Committee of the Regions.
Follow the policy and programmatic developments of the European Commission in the field of development cooperation, mainly DG DEVCO.
Identify relevant European Commission DG and establish relations.
Strengthen the exchange of knowledge and lessons learnt of the ART Country Programs on EU relations, mainly through Teamworks.
Develop a training concept and organize training sessions to strengthen the capacity of local authorities in responding to EC calls for proposals (promote triangulation modality at sub-national level)
Liaise with and support the ART Framework Programmes to ensure that opportunities identified by the UNDP ART Brussels office result in concrete development initiatives at country level.
Ensure quality control of proposals presented to the EU by ART framework programmes.
Monitoring projects/initiatives based on agreements between the European Commission and the ART Framework Programmes at country level, e.g. reporting, etc.
Support the ART Programme Advisor in the Resource Mobilization and Fund Raising Initiatives
Support the ART Programme Advisor in the organization of Events such as EED, Assises of DC, Open Dayes, etc..
Support of ART Programme Advisor in accompanying and follow up ART Partners delegation in Brussels
Support of ART Programme in accompanying missions of European delegations in ART Countries

Deliverables

Proposal of joint collaboration ART – European Commission / DG DEVCO - drafted.
Number of European Commission DGs collaborating with ART increased.
EU Calls for Proposals shared with ART Country Programmes.
A number of European Parliamentarists informed and engaged with ART.
Teamworks space on the exchange of knowledge among ART Country Programmes on the EU relations further developed.
Plan for the exchange of experiences between local actors on the topic of migration drafted, jointly with JMDI.
Specific communication materials for the EU institutions produced, in collaboration with ART communications specialist.
Training sessions to local authorities organised and deleiverd (virtually and on site)
Resource Mobilization increased.
ART promotion and communication disseminated at European level.
Number of delegations in Brussels and European missions in ART countries increased.

Develop and strengthen relations with European partners present in Brussels

Overall support to the ART Brussels Programme Advisor to strengthen relations with European Union member states and European Decentralized Cooperation Networking.
Overall support to establish relationship with European regions, especially new partnerships.
Facilitate the pooling of knowledge and expertise of European Decentralized Cooperation partners and its sharing with counterparts at country-level.

Deliverables

ART presented to European governments.
European Decentralized Cooperation collaborating with ART increased.
Number of European regions partners of ART increased.
Number of Decentralized Cooperation partners working in articulation with the ART integrated platforms at country level increased.
Mapping plan and matching of European Decentralized Cooperation’s interests and ART countries priorities drafted.

International processes (post-2015, Global Partnership, ECOSOC DCF)

Facilitate synergies between ART and the European Commission’s work on development effectiveness at local level and with decentralized cooperation.
Support the sharing of information on post-2015 process among European Decentralized Cooperation partners.
Facilitate the participation of European Decentralized Cooperation partners in the post-2015 process.
Facilitate the engagement of European Decentralized Cooperation in the UN DESA work on Decentralized Cooperation.

Deliverables

Relation with the European Commission on development effectiveness at local level developed.
European Decentralized Cooperation partners’ knowledge and participation in the post-2015 process increased.
European Decentralized Cooperation good practices featured in the DESA study on Decentralized Cooperation and engaged in the Expert Group Meeting.

Competencies

Technical Competencies:

Ability to assist on issues related to decentralised cooperation and local development, including the implementation of the Paris/Accra declaration at local level;
Sound knowledge of Governance and MDG related concepts;
Sound knowledge of European Union institutions;
Thorough knowledge of global development cooperation debates (Global Partnership, ECOSOC DCF, post-2015);
Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills;
Communicates sensitively and effectively;
Demonstrates excellent ability to write and communicate orally with accuracy and professionalism;
Ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data;
Demonstrates strong written and oral communication skills;
Demonstrates strong IT skills;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree in relevant fields such as Social Sciences, Economics and/or Development Studies;

Experience:

Demonstrated strategic technical and intellectual skills in substantive areas;
Excellent writing skills;
Working experience in an international organisation is an advantage as is knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices;
At least 2 years of experience working in the field of development;
Experience in working with European Union institutions;
Full computer literacy.

Languages:

Fluency in English, French and Spanish (oral and written)