Myanmar has embarked on a major transition towards democracy, market style economy and peace. Myanmar has low middle-income status (LMIC) and is committed to lifting itself out of Least Developed Country (LDC) status within the next seven years. Following the implementation of the first ever UNDP Country Programme during 2013-2017 and as a key development partner of the government of Myanmar, UNDP will implement a new UNDP Country Programme for the period 2018-2022, striving to deliver on a large and relevant programme portfolio that is responsive to the main development challenges facing the country.

The UNDP Country Office in Myanmar is a key interlocutor and advisor to the union government on rule of law, civil service reform, parliamentary capacity and institution building, and expanding its programme at the state, region and township levels in order to ensure stronger institutions at all levels of government as well as broader civic engagement as part of the effort to build and sustain peace. 

The UNDP Myanmar Governance and Sustainable Peace Team anchors UNDP’s programme portfolio in these areas and provides thought leadership on cross-cutting development issues in Myanmar, and globally, to ensure that UNDP’s mandate of convening development partners in support of the national development agenda, informed by a commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, is amplified by internal knowledge, research, and stand-out policy advice. 

The new UNDP Myanmar Country Programme (2018-2022) is being finalized and a new structure to support a more integrated and collaborative way to help Myanmar achieve sustainable development and sustained peace will be implemented. The Country Office has aligned the new office structure with the new CPD and designed new ways of working that will facilitate more collaboration across the office, create the foundations for more sub-national level work and higher delivery, facilitate the transition of the country office from Yangon to Naypyidaw during the upcoming CPD period, and emphasize learning and support to national staff capacity development.

Within the new structure, the Social Cohesion and Conflict Prevention Specialist works under the overall guidance of the Deputy Country Director, and the direct supervision of the Programme Advisor - Governance and Sustainable Peace Chief of Unit. The Specialist provides day to day advisory and technical support to the programme teams and projects ensuring conflict sensitivity of all projects. Therefore the Specialist works in close collaboration with the other Programme Units/staff, the Programme Support, Strategic Planning and other teams, Project staff and other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs and Regional staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP programming in the area of social cohesion and conflict prevention. S/he provides top quality advice to the UNDP Country Office programme and project teams, Government and partners in the area of social cohesion and conflict prevention.

The Programme Specialist will be initially based in Yangon but with relocation to Naypyidaw when conditions permit. S/he will need to spend a balance of time between the Yangon and Naypyidaw offices until eventual full-time transition to the Naypyidaw office.

UNDP Myanmar is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

1) Ensures the strategic direction of the UNDP programme in the area of social cohesion and conflict prevention, focusing on achievement of following results:

·         Ensures social cohesion and conflict prevention approaches and strategies are mainstreamed in all UNDP country office programming and projects through technical inputs, design of interventions, monitoring of implementation, awareness-raising and training;

·         Identifies linkages and synergies across programme areas in area of work and that social cohesion and conflict prevention approach for CO in all programming and projects is harmonized;

·         Undertakes the collaborative preparation/revision of project documents, AWP and other documents in the area of work;

·         Ensures operationalization of CPD through results-based implementation of ongoing and new programmes;

·         Identifies, in collaboration with the main partners, strategic programme areas of cooperation;

·         Identifies opportunities for new programme/project development including joint programming with UN agencies in area of expertise;

·         Develops and revises programme strategies taking into consideration evolving context, the new programmatic focus, best practice and lessons learnt from implementation. Ensures contribution of results of the project portfolio to the programme results through ongoing monitoring and reporting;

·         Participates in and facilitates joint conflict analysis exercises;

·         Closely co-ordinates his/her analytical work with the one carried by the Peace and Development Adviser in the RC Office;

·         Develops social cohesion and conflict prevention indicators and continuously monitors and analyses the programme context and carries out timely readjustment of programme and projects.

2) Ensures effective advisory services and technical support to programme portfolio and project implementation with a focus on linkages/synergies across the UNDP portfolio and external partners:

·         Provides high quality analysis to UNDP management, programmes and projects, on national and sub-national peace and conflict trends, to determine strategic entry points, programme strategies as well as to manage and mitigate risks and crisis; 

·         Provides high level technical advisory services to the Country Office, including in design and development of new programming, on specific thematic topics, such as political transitions; peace infrastructures; women, peace and security; reconciliation; civic education; engaging youth in peacebuilding;  conflict and natural resource governance and others;

·         Provides day to day technical and advisory support to all projects operating within the UNDP portfolio including undertaking field-based monitoring and supporting field-based implementation as well as training of staff, counterparts and partners;

·         Efficiently and speedily formulates and finalizes formulation of new project activities within programme area translating UNDP country priorities into project interventions; Ensures that projects activities are formulated according to UNDP´s best practice on conflict prevention, social cohesion and conflict sensitivity and with full involvement of all relevant counterparts and partners in area of focus;

·         Ensures effective application of UNDP RBM tools. Establishes targets, indicators and monitors achievement of results and effective monitoring and evaluation of the inclusion of and application of social cohesion and conflict sensitivity in the programme and project portfolio;

·         Ensures and coordinates reporting and monitoring within the portfolio to provide country office with quarterly and annual reporting on social cohesion and conflict issues, risks, opportunities and achievements across the portfolio;

·         Ensures cross-programmatic results and implementation synergies through coordination of project conceptualization and planning with other programmes and projects;

·         Supports programme and project teams to identify social cohesion and conflict prevention linkages across programmes and to adjust programmes in ways that leverage on these linkages.

3) Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships in area of social cohesion and conflict prevention focusing on achievement of the following results:

·         Researches and analyses information on existing and new partners;

·         Develops ideas and concepts for possible areas of cooperation working with the programme teams;

·         Assists the Team Leader in helping build strategic alliances and partnerships for peace and development related interventions with government, non-state actors, donors, UN agencies and civil society;

·         Establishes close working relationships and creates programmatic linkages with relevant government agencies; non-state actors, UN Agencies, IFI’s, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society,

·         Determines programmatic areas of co-operation based on UNDP´s strategic goals, country needs and donor priorities;

·         Identifies funding opportunities for activities and interventions for ongoing and new projects;

·         Provides substantive inputs into resource mobilization documents;

·         Contributes to the establishment and formalization of partnerships, including drafting of agreements, consultations with partners and contributing to reporting;

·         Develops strategies for engaging with new actors, including private sector, in conflict prevention and social cohesion;

·         Represents UNDP in external meetings, working groups, trainings in area of subject matter;

·         Ensures coordination with the Peace and Development adviser and other peacebuilding specialists within UNCT.

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

·         Identifies sources of information related to policy-driven issues; identifies and synthesizes best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals;

·         Coordinates and ensures integration in project and activity design the development of policies, institutions and advocacy that will address the social cohesion and conflict prevention and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;

·         Supports the establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks. Implements relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns working with programme and project teams and with key partners;

·         Ensures that lessons learned in area of work are captured and recorded into the CO knowledge networks;

·         Ensures Programme Team´s contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;

·         Builds capacities of UNDP international and national staff and government partners in area of social cohesion and conflict prevention;

·         Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building;

·         Strengthens partnerships for information sharing with relevant partners.

IV. Competencies and Selection Criteria

Description of Competency at Level Required

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

Primary

Social Cohesion

Knowledge of methods and experience of supporting communities to achieve greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility.

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

Peacebuilding and Reconciliation

Ability to support peace processes to facilitate recovery and development

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

Infrastructures for Peace

Knowledge of mechanisms, methods to and the ability to contribute through dialogue and consultation in preventing conflict.

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

Partnerships

Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships

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

Project Management

Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals 

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

Knowledge Management

Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge

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

Secondary

Resource Mobilization

Ability to identify and organize programmes  and projects to implement solutions and generate resources (definition is unclear and not well linked to the stated competency)

Level 3: Apply & Adapt (Recognized contributor with demonstrated ability)

Education:

·         Master’s Degree or equivalent in Development Studies with focus on conflict and peace, or Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding, Human Rights or  related field.

Experience:

·         Minimum of 7 years of progressively advancing experience in social cohesion and conflict prevention programmes and project management in international development organizations and/or bilateral development agencies.

·         Experience with the UN system is an asset.

·         Experience in working at the country level and in countries in transition.

·         Proven ability to work in multi-cultural teams.

·         Sound understanding and capability to empower and develop the capacity of national staff.

·         Good understanding of change management in the context of programme.

·         Proven programmatic management experience with sound knowledge of all aspects of the project cycle (design, implementation, monitoring & evaluation).

·         Requisite skills in effective fundraising, resources mobilization and donor relations.

·         Proven experience in partnership building and networking.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English.