Background

As one of the original eight pilot countries for the UN Reform initiative Delivering as One, Tanzania is a global leader in advancing reforms of the UN system, with a view to support accelerated harmonization in implementation practices, coherence in programming, and alignment with national systems, intended to produce a reduction in transaction costs and enhanced development impact.

Deepening reform will require new and even more innovative ways for the UN agencies to work together. Programme planning, resource mobilization, evaluation, and review activities will be done collaboratively. There will be increased harmonization of UN policies, procedures and tools, possibly leading towards the establishment of a One UN Operations Team.

The Management Support Unit supports Programme and Operations with the daily operations of projects, including project management in Atlas e.g. budget revisions, review of FACE reports, preparing financial reports; approving e-requisitions, direct payments and non-PO vouchers, and also support the bidding and contracting processes under NIM when UNDP is a responsible party, e.g. review/advise on term of reference, technical specifications and bid documents, offers/proposals evaluation, and contract administration for development projects, ensuring transparency and capacity building in key processes. The functions are embedded with a virtual team across the thematic areas, Strategic and Operations, working closely with the Programme Finance and Procurement teams in order to fast-track processes and ensure that there are sufficient capacities to manage the workload at peak times.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Country Director for Programme and Deputy Country Director, Operations, the Programme Specialist is responsible for leading and coordinating the project management function of the UNDP programme. The Programme Specialist supervises and leads the Project Management Support Pool and Programme Finance units. The Programme Specialist also provides support to project formulation and monitoring with a focus on management aspects, and ensures project management in Atlas in support of the Programme and Operations Clusters.

The Programme Management Specialist works in close collaboration with the other teams within the CO, the Senior Advisors, Operations teams, programme staff in other UN Agencies, and Government officials, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDAP and UNDP programmes.

The Programme Management Specialist plays a central role in CO support to national implementation, helps build capacity of national implementing partners and fast-track processes to ensure timely delivery. The Programme Specialist produces management information for project oversight and participates in monitoring activities as applicable.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Management of the CO programme, administration of programme budgets, Project Audits and effective cost recovery;
• Supervision of the Programme Finance functions and responsible for the Administration and implementation of operational and financial management strategies;
• Management of procurement processes for NIM projects;
• Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy;
• Provision of top quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

Ensures effective management of the CO programme within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation of the country programme achieving the following results:

• Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results;
• Support the design and formulation of CO programme particularly within the management area, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones;
• Ensure the project initiation and closure functions in Atlas;
• Provision of high-quality management analysis and information/reports on the situation in programme, identification of operational and financial problems, proposal of solutions;
• Identification and implementation of strategies to improve the performance of nationally implemented projects and documentation of results and value for money of these;
• Accuracy verification of Combined Delivery Reports and follow-up on their signing by National Counterparts;
• Periodic monitoring of dashboards and exceptions, identification of the remedial actions in coordination with the supervisor;
• Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of NEX projects;
• Participation in audit processes as a management tool and follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported;
• Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.

Guides procurement processes for NIM projects focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Timely and duly preparation of procurement plans for projects and monitoring of their implementation;
• Contribution to and application of strategic procurement strategies to support national implementation under UNDAP;
• Working closely with the Procurement Team, ensure the timely organization of RFQ, ITB or RFP, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, and their evaluation. Support the negotiation of certain conditions of contracts in full compliance with UNDP rules and regulation;
• Management of procurement contracts and, upon delegation of responsibility, performing the functions of Manager Level 1 in Atlas for PO and Voucher approval.

Support the management of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy in cooperation with the Strategy and Partnerships Team focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Implementation of agreed partnership modalities under NEX;
• Dialogue with key national partners on strategies to enhance results achievement under nationally implemented projects;
• Identification of potential partnerships to enhance the quality and efficiency of programme delivery;
• Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the management area based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities;
• Contribution to the advancement of harmonization of UN implementation modalities in the context of DaO.

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Contribution to knowledge building in the UN system on national planning, procurement, and implementation processes in order to find ways of enhancing UN and UNDP support;
• Strengthened project management practices and application of UNDP’s rules, regulations, and policies as well as UN interagency agreements;
• Ensure and oversee the organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff and national counterparts on project management aspects – leadership in the organization of briefings and orientation on NEX process;
• Contribution to inter-agency knowledge management activities under Delivering as One, particularly as relating to management and national implementation;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice, particularly in the area of project management;
• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals.

Supervise the Programme Finance Unit and provide support to CO programme management focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Development and follow up on Programme Portfolio Pipeline and Project Tree in Atlas. Entry of data of new grants into Atlas in the form of Annual Work Plans (AWPs), monitoring of AWPs status;
• Provision of the information/reports on the situation in programme, identification of operational and financial problems, proposal of solutions;
• Vendors approval (if authorized by SM);
• Accuracy verification of Combined Delivery Reports and follow-up on their signing by National Counterparts;
• Regular monitoring of the CO delivery;
• Provision of advice on reporting;
• Preparation of reports including donor reports;
• Verification and reconciliation of various expenditures reports from the CO, HQ and Executing Agencies;
• Periodic monitoring of dashboards and exceptions, identification of the remedial actions in coordination with the supervisor;
• Provision of researched information for the audit of NEX projects, implementation of audit recommendations.

Ensures administration and implementation of operational and financial management strategies, adapts processes and procedures focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, and policies of financial activities, financial recording/reporting system and follow-up on audit recommendations; implementation of effective internal controls, proper functioning of a client-oriented financial resources management system;
• CO Finance business processes mapping and elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with office management;
• Implementation of cost sharing and trust fund agreements;
• Elaboration of conditions of contributions within the CO resource mobilization efforts.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Informed and transparent decision making.

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda;
• Results-Based Programme Development and Management;
• Building Strategic Partnerships;
• Innovation and Marketing New Approaches;
• Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations);
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing;
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise;
• Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals;
• Client Orientation;
• Good communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field;
• MBA, prior management training, and procurement certification desirable.

Experience:

• 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Kiswahili.