The UNDP recruits 01 Head Special Delivery Facility

The UNDP recruits 01 Head Special Delivery Facility

Background

The security situation in the Sahel, and especially the Liptako Gourma and Lake Chad Basin regions, continues to present a significant challenge. Despite significant investments into security, peace building, recovery and development during the past 7 years, the conflict continues to expand into new areas. It is increasingly recognized that the unfolding security crisis essentially is caused by weak or absent governance systems, perceptions of exclusion and marginalization, and an ensuing broken social contract between communities and the state. Despite these multiple factors of instability, the Liptako Gourma(LGA) and Lake Chad Basin(LCB) sub-regions has strong potential and assets to address existing risks and vulnerabilities. The region is endowed with richness in natural resources and the existence of common socio-cultural dynamics, as well as institutional cooperation frameworks across the borders between the three countries. Furthermore, community-based conflict resolution mechanisms have traditionally been used and could be further promoted to serve as a basis for peacebuilding and equitable natural resource management.

In response to this situation, the heads of state and government of the G5 and international partners from the Sahel Coalition have called for a “civilian surge” during their recent meeting on the 16th of February in N’djamena. To support the call for civilian surge, in discussion with international partners, UNDP has developed a facility to support stabilisation in the LGA region. The project is time bound, builds of the proof of concept in the LCB RSF, integrated programme of activities in areas cleared and held through military action intended to create confidence in, and provide support to an ongoing peace process internationally recognised through a Security Council mandate while laying the building blocks for longer-term peace building and recovery by delivering a peace dividend to local communities and seeking to extend legitimate political authority.

The present project will bring to scale the existing stabilisation facility established to support interventions in the Liptako Gourma and Lake Chad Basin region. It builds on the inception work achieved through the currently ongoing stabilisation initiation project funded by the German government. The overall objective of the facility is to reduce the risk of violence in target areas, thus to enabling the delivery of longer-term peacebuilding, recovery and development programmes. It seeks to contribute to ending the spiral of insecurity, forced displacement and conflict, and to contribute to strengthening social cohesion. Where possible, vulnerable populations such as IDPs, refugees and marginalized socio-ethnic groups will be integrated in the provision of support by the facility.

The coordination role of the strengthened Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Liptako-Gourma Authority (LGA) and the leadership role of national governments in redeploying their officials and guarantee security in target areas is critical for the success of the proposed facility. The present project has therefore been subject to extensive technical review and subsequent approval of the governments of Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad, Mali and Niger, facilitated by the LCBC and LGA.

The approach of the Stabilisation Facility (in Liptako Gourma and Lake Chad Basin) aligns with the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS), with P3S/Pillar 3 of the Coalition for the Sahel and existing national strategic emergency frameworks. It complements development interventions in the fragile areas implemented within the Sahel Alliance framework.

The overall objective of the Facility is to reduce the risk of violence in target areas, return of Civilian, thus enabling the delivery of longer-term peacebuilding, recovery and development programmes. It seeks to contribute to ending the spiral of insecurity, forced displacement and conflict, and to contribute to strengthening social cohesion. As much as possible, vulnerable populations such as IDPs, refugees and marginalized socio-ethnic groups will be integrated in the provision of support by the facility.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the global development network of the United Nations, connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, supporting countries to reach their own development objectives and internationally agreed development goals, building and sharing solutions in the areas of Sustainable Development, Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding and Climate and Disaster Resilience. UNDP supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they help shape global sustainable development for the next decade. UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) is its largest regional bureau, covering 46 countries, ranging from high middle-income economies to least developed countries, as well as countries in crisis and post-crisis situations. UNDP works with its national counterparts in the Africa region to help them implement national development priorities and achieve their national development goals. Its work is guided by global and regional development and normative frameworks to which countries in Africa are signatories, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

To make this possible, UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa counts with a core capacity of highly qualified professionals

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the direct supervision of the Manager of the Sub-regional Hub for West and Central Africa-Dakar, Senegal, and working closely with UNDP Country Offices, the Head of Special Delivery Facility for Stabilization in Liptakou-Gourma (based in Dakar Hub) will be responsible for initiating and managing the effective implementation of the Stabilization Facility in the three targeted countries, and for ensuring continuous donor liaison as well as the gradual expansion of the Facility and portfolio. The Head of LGSF will perform the following functions:

Leadership and overall management of the LGSF

• Lead the work of the LGSF, providing strategic guidance and vision, positioning the facility as a centre of excellence for stabilization in the sub-region and ensuring it provides quality support to UNDP country offices in the LGA region
• Oversee the overall management of the LGSF, including human resources and financial management, to ensure adherence to policies and procedures, as well as to the Accountability Framework.
• Define the LGSF’s annual work plans and set objectives, performance measurements, standards, and expected results in close collaboration with the Hub Manager.
• Guide the preparation of the budget proposal for financial, human, and other required resources, to ensure the efficient operation of the LGSF.
• Supervise and assess work in progress to ensure delivery of results according to performance standards, overall objectives, and the Accountability Framework, providing leadership and technical guidance, and taking timely necessary decisions to meet objectives.
• Promote teamwork to facilitate harmonization, linkages, collaboration, synergies, information flow, guidance, and support to the workforce to ensure excellent performance and delivery of results, aligned to organizational and professional standards of efficiency, accountability, and integrity
• Provide strategic advice, direction and direct technical input to the Manager of Dakar Hub and RRs in the three Country Offices on stabilization-related issues in the sub-region, while keeping them informed of emerging issues
• Programme Management – Financial, Administrative and Human Resources:
• Represent LGSF in regional and international development fora and engage partners and stakeholders to foster increased commitment, resources and collaboration for advancing the Stabilization strategic agenda.
• Lead the design and roll-out of the Facility, including the establishment of the architecture for operations & programme delivery, preparation of respective TORs and recruitment; the establishment of communications and M&E structures and functions, including for baseline data collection, and staffing of respective functions; and the establishment of project management and M&E formats and procedures;
• Lead the project team, including staff and consultants, in both substantive and operational issues ensuring optimization of human and financial resources and nurturing a culture of results with highest performance standards;
• Undertake day-to-day management of the programme, including effective programme implementation and documents progress towards the achievement of outputs;
• Manage the programme budget and facilitate budget approvals and revision processes as per UNDP policies and procedures, including approval of requisitions, and follow up on purchase orders and payment requests in UNDP ATLAS and other relevant systems, as appropriate.
• Ensure programme assessments are undertaken and relevant baseline data collected to allow for programme monitoring and evaluation to take place;
• Oversee the establishment of the monitoring and evaluation plan of the Programme and ensure its implementation;
• Ensure a management information system is established, which allows the efficient and effective collection, storage and analysis of data throughout the programme, including sex and age-disaggregated data where relevant; 

Managing people

• Manage the team in compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies.
• Ensure the optimal staffing of the LGSF.
• Support the LGSF workforce in their learning and development.
• Support the LGSF workforce in maintaining their health and well-being, safety and security.
• Knowledge development and management
• Actively support knowledge building and sharing in the region. Ensure regular reporting on the implementation of the strategy.
• Support the development of stabilization knowledge sharing spaces in support of RRs, leveraging existing capacities, lessons learned, and best practices in the sub-region.
• Facilitate sub-regional exchanges amongst RRs on issues of common interest to stabilization; organize thematic/mini clusters to discuss and develop UNDP’s sub regional stabilization response.
• Access UNDP’s worldwide and regional knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned, distill best practices and ensure their dissemination for organizational and stakeholders’ learning and sharing, including through the Regional Service Center for Africa.
• Introduce innovation and best practices, access to knowledge and expertise and promote its application. 

Advocacy, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

• Establish and maintain partnerships with relevant stakeholders (governments, regional initiatives, UN agencies, implementing partners, etc.);
• Ensure continuous donor liaison;
• Coordinate with and support the RRs in the three Country Offices to build and maintain political momentum and communications channels;
• Lead efforts to mobilize resources for the expansion of the Facility and the portfolio, including through the preparation of strategies, programme briefs and project documents, and the organization of regular donor meetings, as appropriate;
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Competencies

Core:

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work
• Level 7: Promotes stakeholder-centered design and appropriate risk-taking approaches for office / programme / division

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow
• Level 7: Positions the organization as a center of expertise and influence Inspires others to reach new heights

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
• Level 7: Empowers team managers to act independently and takes people management decisions

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Level 7: Reconciles contrasting positions and ambiguous circumstances by communicating a clear path for resolution and progress

Delivery

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
• Level 7: Sets strategic goals and builds the means to achieve optimal service delivery and organizational excellence

Technical/Functional :

Partnerships

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships
• Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Strategic planning

• Ability to make decisions that align with strategy, vision, and mission
• Level 7:Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Results based management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results
• Level 7:Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Other competencies 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

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations
• Considerable knowledge of and exposure to recovery, durable solutions and post-crisis issues

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Proven networking, teambuilding, organizational and communication skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University degree (Masters or PhD) preferably in Economics, Political or social Sciences, International relations, Development, Project Management, or other related areas or professional experience equivalent to the required level.

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in recovery, governance and development areas, crisis response and prevention or any other similar experience.
• Experience in Africa and/or in stabilization programmes would be a strong asset.
• Proven ability to oversee field work, collaborate with NGOs or other development organizations;
• Sound knowledge of UNDP processes or other UN agencies is required;
• Leadership and policy advisory skills required;
• Previous experience in managing UNDP programme and projects is required
• Task management skills to plan and prioritize work activities to meet organizational goals;
• A good understanding comprehension of conflict and peace building issues;
• Knowledge of Results Based Management methodologies is required;
• Strong ability for coordination of multiagency working groups or cluster;
• Experience in project design, implementation and evaluation/impact analysis;
• Capacity for responsible problem-solving and troubleshooting;
• Good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to recovery & development, and a good knowledge of the United Nations System and the multi/bilateral cooperation;
• Solid written and oral skills including the ability to write reports and efficiently communicate and formulate clear ideas.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and French (oral and written).

Closing date : 03 January 2022.Postuler