Jobs - 86184- Senior Coordination Advisor

Senior Coordination Advisor

Location :

Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Sep-2019

Application Deadline :

18-Jul-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

three months

Languages Required :

Arabic English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

As the designated Representative of the UN Secretary-General and team leader of the UN Country Team (UNCT), the UN Resident Coordinator (RC), in consultation with the UNCT, assumes overall responsibility for, and coordination of, the development activities carried out by the UN at country level. The work of the UNCT is guided by the UN Common Country Strategic Framework (UNCCSF) 2017-2021, which provides substantive and technical assistance to the Government in its efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the objectives and priorities of the Saudi Vision 2030, and the National Transformation Program (NTP2020).

Under the guidance of the RC, the Senior Coordination Advisor will lead efforts to strengthen the strategic capacity of the UNCT and provide support to the RC in coordinating support to national priorities, in line with the SDGs, the Saudi Vision 2030, and the NTP 2020. The Senior Coordination Advisor will be responsible for undertaking analysis of political, social and economic trends, facilitating common country programming, leading the development UNCT programming products including UNCT work plans and reports, providing assistance to development and implementation of joint programmes, and facilitating the engagement of non-resident agencies in the work of the UNCT.

S/he will report to the RC, and will oversee the functioning of the RCO, including the supervision of RCO staff. S/he will lead the coordination of activities, setting priorities, and ensuring follow-up and feedback; and identifying and recommending proposals and actions for enhancing coordination in line with UN reform objectives, the simplification and harmonization of procedures and, as appropriate, initiating actions for implementation. S/he will assist the RC in building partnership with the government and partners to successfully position UN system, and will be responsible for ensuring appropriate policy, administrative and financial liaison with the Development Coordination Office.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator the Senior Coordination Advisor will support the following substantive processes:

Support effective collaboration of the UNCT and partners on coordination for development:
- Coordinate monthly meetings of the Heads of Agency
- Support the draft of the RC’s vision on strengthening partnerships with national counterparts, initiate and coordinate periodic meetings between the RC, the UNCT and Government counterparts
- Support other regular meetings of in-country Working Groups
- Coordinate meetings by the UNCT to present joint 2019 results to Government counterparts.
- Support the Resident Coordinator, as required, in security management to enable her to fulfill the role of Designated Official

Support effective collaboration of the UN system through the UNCCSF :
- Coordinate UNCT, government and joint meetings, providing policy, strategic and analytical advise and assist by revieing draft conclusions, minutes and follow-through of decisions, also producing related reports and analysis
- Lead a team in the formulation of the RC’s vision on the Midterm review of the UN Common Country Strategic Framework
- Support the establishment and functioning of the Programme Mangement Team and Results Group
- Support the coordination of meetings of the Operations Management Team
- Support the Resident Coordinator to fulfill her responsibilities as Chair of the UNCCSF

Coordinates UN system-wide support to Government in its efforts to achieve the SDGs:
- Coordinate the UNCT’s annual retreat, monitor related budget and expenditure, in partnership with the Programme Management Team, develop a strategic leadership agenda to promote collaboration, drafting documents, reports and contributing to overall analysis;
- Support and enable the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in implementing its mandate, ensuring that Human-Rights Upfront remains at the frontline of UN agencies programming, responses and initiatives;
- Support the RC and the UNCT by contributing to, and coordinating, joint initiatives, missions and advocacy that promotes child-sensitive, gender-aware, human-rights based and people-centered approaches.

Support strategic communication that advances UN system efforts and collective results to promote the 2030 Agenda, including for national goals and priorities for sustainable development to generate positive public support and ownership:
- Support monthly meetings of the UN Communications Groups (UNCG) and enable/facilitate the completion of key internal and external communications products. Assist in the drafting of related monthly reports, covering the performance of the UNCG.
- Support agencies to commemorate UN Days of Observance of the rights of women, children, disability, mental health, disarmament, marginalized communities including International Women’s Day and others.
- Support advocacy for UN joint activities.
Support UNCT to collaboratively advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:
- Provide substantive inputs to support the RC and UNCT in repositioning the UN system to deliver effectively and jointly on the 2030 agenda; support analysis and prioritization of joint programming by UN agencies, programmes, funds and offices in response to national priorities - in line with the UNCCSF and the 2030 Agenda.

Support the Roll-out of the UNDS Reform in Support of the 2030 Agenda:
- Delineate, in consultation with the RC, an advocacy strategy and key messages for Government, partners and UNCT on the UNDS reform;
- Elaborate a plan of key actions in support of the RC’s vision for rolling out the reform in 2019;
- Support the RC in increasing communication on core advocacy issues relevant to the UNCT and placing greater emphasis on representational functions for the RC for the UN as a whole
- Seek ways to increase RC/RCO engagement with UNCT programmes, particularly joint programming
- Support the mapping of UN Agencies´ programming and presence in Saudi Arabia
- Support in the establishment of the RCO, including through recruitment and onboarding of RCO staff, consultants and interns; development of 2019 RCO workplan and support coordination of RCO activities and personnel.
- Provide other support as required by the RC

Advance Partnership and Resource Mobilization:
- In cooperation with UN development system agencies, engage, convene and develop strategic partnerships at national and sub-national levels including civil society, trade unions and employers’ organizations, networks of young people, the private sector, parliamentarians, academia, media and think tanks, and the broader development community, around UN’s collective support to the 2030 Agenda;
- Facilitate access to national, regional and global resources to advance new avenues and pathways to innovation around, but not limited to, financing and new technologies for sustainable development;
- Provide other support and analysis as required by the RC.
Enable Business Innovation:
- Promote business innovation to support greater joint programming for the UNCCSF and UNCT;
- Take proactive action to enable joint work and generate greater efficiencies, synergies and coherence, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 71/243.
Support capacity development and knowledge management:
- Support agencies to coordinate peer learning sessions on sustainable development and UN competencies
- Promote and nurture staff learning and the implementation of staff rules and policies, including on prevention of sexual abuse and harassment, and gender parity;

KEY DELIVERABLES:
- In addition to the deliverable specifically listed above, produces monthly reports on results, coordinate the formulation of a report on additional partnerships with government counterparts and a report on the process and completion of the UNCCF Midterm review.

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems.
Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.
Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Partnership Management: Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues.
Innovation: Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Client Orientation: Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion.
Commitment to Continuous Learning: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.
Team Work: Acts as a team player and facilitates team work; works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Integrity: Demonstrates integrity, models ethical behavior for colleagues and subordinates, safeguards confidential information, abides by the human rights principals of the United Nations.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, development planning, sustainable development, social sciences, education or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Years of experience:

A minimum of fifteen years progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, sustainable development policy, project/programme management, resource mobilization or advocacy in the context of development coordination. Minimum two years experience of the UN RC system in an RCO is critical. Knowledge of the subregion is an advantage.

Language:

Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English is required. Arabic desirable.