Economic Resilience Officer

Office/Unit/Project Description:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) derives its mandate from United Nations General Assembly Resolution 33/147 of 20 December 1978. Called upon by United Nations Member States in that year, UNDP was requested “to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people by identifying their social and economic needs and by establishing concrete projects to that end”.

UNDP’s Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2023-2025 sets out a vision of “a world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free society”.  The PPF is centred around the concept of “Transformative Resilience” and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership. Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian national development plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas:  i) democratic governance and quality services; ii) inclusive economic opportunities; iii) sustainable natural resources management.

The overarching objective of IPR is to enhance the socio-economic resilience of marginalized Palestinian communities, including greater self-reliance, enhanced ownership and leadership and cohesive identity, with a specific focus on women’s empowerment and gender equality at the community level (impact). To do so, the programme has embedded community engagement throughout the life cycle of the project, thus building leadership and ownership of the community. In its first three phases, IPR addressed community needs through: enabling the health sector to respond to COVID-19 and strengthening local service delivery and enhancing social cohesion in marginalized communities (phase 1); expanding its investments in community infrastructure linked to stronger community resilience (phase 2); and further expanding the community infrastructure component, strengthening access to socio-economic services and enhancing social engagement in marginalized and disadvantaged communities (phase 3). In its fourth phase, IPR is integrating a gender focus as a means to further advance its work and contribution to community resilience. Overall, IPR IV seeks to ensure inclusive and more resilient access to gender-responsive and, whenever possible, gender-transformative socio-economic opportunities, supported by community engagement and addressing environmental sustainability. A key strategic approach of IPR is the engagement of men as allies for women’s socio-economic empowerment and gender equality.

Scope of Work 

The selected incumbent will the undertake the following key functions: 

1.Design women-inclusive economic resilience interventions:

• Prepare the work plan for the economic resilience component according to the programme document.
• Facilitate mobilizing goods and services to support project activities, including Call for Proposals, drafting TORs and works/product requirements and specifications.
• Assist in setting up internal systems and processes to efficiently manage selection process and implementation of economic resilience interventions

2. Lead the implementation of women-inclusive economic resilience interventions:

• Coordinate and follow-up on the implementation of respective activities on a day-to day basis with the programme team and partners, including, overseeing consultants and implementing partners.
• Support the team in preparing agreements and respective workplans with the implementing partners, in-line with the overall programme document and expected results
• Strive to enhance the outreach to under the radar, vulnerable groups and communities by working closely with the partners on developing and implementing an outreach strategy on economic resilience interventions.
• Build synergies and coordinate with the wider programme team on the implementation of cross-component interventions in support of the holistic programme approach for resilience and maximized outcomes.
• Identify capacity building needs and support partners through technical assistance, mentoring, training and capacity development initiatives, as needed.
• Attend relevant programme meetings and reflect on implementation progress and any changes needed to improve the quality of implementation and results 

3. Strengthen existing collaborations and establish new partnership with local and international organizations working in the economic resilience sector 

• Engage and coordinate relationships with local partners to support the implementation of the economic resilience interventions including relevant governmental, non-governmental institutions and grassroots CSOs.
• Ensure coordination and collaboration between the network of partners supporting the implementation of the economic resilience component and propose practical solutions to challenges encountered in communication and coordination, if any 
• Explore new partnerships to maximize implementation efficiency and effectiveness and provide input on resource mobilization strategies

4. Conduct monitoring, reporting, and learning activities for the economic resilience interventions 

• Monitor the implementation of activities and the expenditure of funds against the programme and partners’ workplans.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits and quality assurance visits, prepare relevant field visit reports/ notes and communicate any challenges and potential solutions to programme management team for action.
• In collaboration with the programme M&E and UNDP/PAPP Results-Based Management (RBM) team, collect and compile all data needed for monitoring and reporting on the project progress and results against the programme M&E plan.
• Coordinate the submission of implementing partner’s financial and narrative reports.
• Support the team in preparing quarterly and annual programme reports by drafting and/or providing inputs on the economic resilience component, in addition to any other internal and external briefing documents.
• Record and maintain documents on relevant programme activities, issues, and risks.
• Support the sharing and dissemination of knowledge products with IPR team and external stakeholders and partners.
• Document lessons learnt and best practices from past experience and comparative initiatives; incorporate learnings into the ongoing work and suggest ways to improve the processes based on this review.
• Support internal/ external reviews and /or evaluation on the economic resilience interventions as part of overall programme review and evaluation. 

5. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance of the IPR Programme Manager, and the direct supervision of the IPR Area Manager (West Bank and East Jerusalem), the Economic Resilience Officer will undertake the assigned duties and functions. 

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 

Act with Determination: 

LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 

People Management: N/A

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Management

Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
• Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns

Entrepreneurial Thinking

Ability to create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs based on UNDP’s

organizational priorities and mandate

2030 Agenda: prosperity

Inclusive Growth

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Economics, Development Studies, Planning, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or a relevant field. OR

A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Up to 2 years (with master’s degree) or minimum 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in the implementation of development projects, including programmatic, financial, human resources, as well as quality management.

• Proven experience working on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment initiatives.
• Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven experience working with local governments, NGOs, bilateral and multilateral donors.

• Proven experience working in marginalized communities on economic resilience, technical support to MSMEs projects is an asset.
• Prior experience working in project/programme coordination or management positions in the field of local economic development is an asset.
• Experience in managing or coordinating projects co-implemented by government and non-government partners is an asset.
• Experience with UNDP, other UN agencies or INGOs is an asset.