UNDP Jobs - 80286- EXTENDED DEADLINE - Capacity development and Inter

EXTENDED DEADLINE - Capacity development and Inter-Municipal Cooperation specialist

Location :

Skopje, with travel within the country, Republic of North Macedonia

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

26-Aug-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

12 months with possible 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 development arm of the United Nations system, with offices in 180 countries. Globally, the organization employs 17,000 people and manages a budget of USD 5 billion each year.

The UNDP office in Skopje employs a team of 65 and currently manages a portfolio of projects in environmental protection, good governance and social inclusion worth USD 15 million per year.

To support implementation, coordination and monitoring of project field activities, UNDP is currently seeking an experienced Capacity Development and Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC) specialist for its “Empowering Municipal Councils” project.

The project, which is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), runs until June 2020 and has a total budget of USD 3.3 million.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the role of municipal councils in the local governance system, so that they provide an effective counterbalance to Mayors and their municipal administrations. Municipal councillors will receive focused training and participate in networking programs designed to improve their ability and motivation to exercise their functions, particularly with respect to budget oversight. The project also includes a small grant program designed to encourage citizen participation in setting municipal priorities. Ultimately 24 different municipalities will be directly involved in project activities.

To support the effective implementation of the project “Empowering Municipal Councils”, UNDP is seeking now to hire a Capacity Development and IMC specialist. The Capacity Development and IMC specialist will be responsible for supporting the implementation of the above-mentioned activities in terms of administrative and substantive implementation, coordination and monitoring of activities.

In addition to these qualifications, the specialist will be expected to work with the project team to implement other core elements of the project and thus to have a general familiarity with policies and practices relevant to local government, decentralization, accountability and transparency, capacity development and training and citizens participation.

The incumbent will work under the supervision of the Project Manager and following the general guidance of the Head of Governance Unit / Democratic Governance Programme Analyst.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Coordinate and monitor implementation of project activities

Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the project work plans and activities and report on their timeliness and quality;
Serve as a link between the stakeholders and UNDP by undertaking regular visits to project sites to ensure that ongoing activities are in line with the agreed work plans;
Undertake field visits to spot-check progress in implementation of the activities;
Alert on any delays, problems and issues during project implementation and offer solutions;
Ensure active participation and interaction of various stakeholders in the UNDP activities as per the work plans and objectives;
As needed, assess the level of satisfaction of the project partners and beneficiaries and advise/ recommend improvements to achieve the planned objectives;
Prepare various project related reports, briefers, assessments;
Participate in meetings and events related to project activities or of importance to the unit/organization;
Participate in development of a comprehensive/detailed project work-plan including assessing role and responsibilities of the stakeholders and defining milestones;
Prepare and deliver presentations related to project activities.

2. Coordinate and provide technical support to partner institutions and organizations in implementation of the capacity development programme

Coordinate the process of implementation of the capacity development programme for municipal councilors including the administration of the e-knowledge platform;
Provide technical support, as needed, to the relevant central institutions, municipalities, NGOs, private firms as and where relevant and other partner institutions/organizations involved in implementation of the project activities;
Provide regular information and clarification about the objectives and procedures applicable to implementation of the project to the relevant actors and stakeholders at central and local level;
Establish and maintain regular communication with the authorities and other relevant central and local stakeholders and partner organizations;
Provide overall support to partner institutions, organizations and stakeholders in terms of ensuring smooth implementation of project activities, including in substantive, technical monitoring, administrative and operational issues.

3.Administrative support to the implementation of project activities

Organize, facilitate and ensure implementation of project-related administrative procedures and that project implementation partners fulfill their obligations regarding the project operational and administrative procedures;
Prepare agendas, brief notes and arrange field visits of UNDP staff, officials and other parties, organize appointments and meetings both internal and external related to project activities;
Organize and facilitate workshops and other capacity-building events, as needed;
Write minutes from meetings and prepare field visits/monitoring of the assigned activities;
Participate, if selected, in selection/evaluation committees related to implementation of project activities
Providing specialist services in relation to the work with the municipal bodies (councils/mayors) and the municipal administrations and modalities of cooperation among civil servants from local authorities, central level institutions, ZELS, and NGOs.

4.Governance Unit overall programme planning and implementation support

Provide inputs for the overall Governance Unit programme/projects work plans or its specific components, including operational and/or financial projections, based on the assessment of the field situation and consultations with the local stakeholders;
Provide recommendations and propose actions to improve the design and/or implementation procedures of project activities;
Ensure that gender equality and needs of vulnerable groups are mainstreamed throughout the project activities;
Perform other duties within the project mandate, if required.

Competencies

Values

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Management and leadership

Has strong planning and monitoring skills
Able to plan and implement multiple activities in multiple locations
Able to manage budgets and deliver results under tight deadlines
Able to lead/help lead diverse teams and recruit and manage consultants
Possesses strong negotiation and group facilitation skills
Demonstrates strong presentation, analysis, persuasion and advocacy skills
Works well under pressure

Substantive expertise

Has previous experience in implementation and coordination of complex projects
Has good knowledge of standard project management tools and approaches
Has good understanding of the policies, institutional frameworks and current practices relevant to local government, decentralization, accountability and transparency, capacity development and training and citizens participation.
Has previous first-hand experience in working with municipal authorities
Has a good awareness of mainstream schools of thought and EU standards on local governance

Partnership building and networking

Able to build strong partnerships with all institutions and individuals relevant to the project, including stakeholders in central/local government, donors, civil society and the private sector.

Communication skills

Has strong interpersonal, negotiation and networking skills;
Able to listen to others;
Respects difference of opinion;
Finds common ground to solve problems;
Gains trust of peers, partners and clients; and
Able to present complex, conceptual ideas in simple, persuasive terms

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Required: University degree in Public or Business Administration, Law, Economics, Social Sciences or another relevant field.
A Master’s degree is a strong asset.

Professional experience:

At least 5 years of professional experience in implementation, coordination and monitoring of development projects, or experience in performing tasks similar to the required job position;
Experience in working with local governments and national institutions;
Excellent computer literacy (MS Office; Windows, Internet); excellent communications, report writing and analytical skills;
Driving license B-category.

Language Requirements:

Language proficiency in both written and oral English and Macedonian.
Knowledge of Albanian or other relevant languages is an asset.

Other required qualifications:

Knowledge of policies and institutional frameworks relevant to the local/regional development and decentralization processes, service delivery, inter-municipal cooperation and comparative experiences/models, as well as capacity development at a local level;
Awareness and understanding of relevant EU policies and directives is an asset;
Knowledge of and sensitivity to local politics and culture; and
Excellent computer literacy (MS Office).