Programme Specialist

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the pledge to leave no one behind reflect the interconnectedness of health and sustainable development issues such as the widening economic and social inequalities, the climate crisis, rapid urbanisation, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis, COVID.19), the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the emergence of health threats. The scope and scale of delivering health and well-being for all demands innovative partnerships and financing.

UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund (GF), in line with UNDP’s HIV and Health Strategy 2022-2025: ‘Connecting the Dots’, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the pledge to leave no one behind.   When requested, UNDP acts as interim Principal Recipient (PR), working with national partners and the Global Fund to ensure management, implementation, and oversight of GF grants, while simultaneously strengthening health institutions and systems for national entities to assume the PR role over time.

As a trusted, long-term partner of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund, GF), UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance in over 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach and providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies, and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement, and supply chain management. Within the HIV and Health Group, the Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (GFPHST) is a dedicated team providing support to UNDP Country Offices implementing health and development programmes. 

UNDP has been identified by the GF as the interim PR for the Congo HIV and TB grant for the implementation period 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2023. For effective implementation of the Global Fund resources, UNDP Congo has established a Program Management Unit (PMU), which is responsible for the day-to-day overall programme management, risk management, policy guidance, financial accountability, procurement of goods, including health products and services, strengthening of the national systems. The GF resources are implemented in accordance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures, the grant confirmation, corporate agreements with the GF and in close coordination with the national stakeholders, Common Management Unit, Sub-recipients (SRs), NGOs, CSOs, communities, technical partners, UN entities and the Global Fund (Local Fund Agent) and Country Coordinating Mechanism. 

UNDP Congo is seeking the services of Programme Specialist, who will deputize for the Programme Coordinator. The Programme Specialist will promote a collaborative, client-oriented approach, ensuring integration across functional areas within the PMU and support the integration of capacity building and health system strengthening activities.  

Position Purpose

Under the overall supervision of the Programme Coordinator, the Programme Specialist will be responsible for supporting the effective implementation of the program activities and monitoring/evaluation activities. S/he will be responsible for managing the programme and M&E teams to ensure timely implementation of activities, quality supervision, and the provision of technical and policy advisory support to achieve a high level of programme performance and quality services. The Programme Specialist will lead and supervise the monitoring and evaluation activities and ensure that the capacities of partners in this technical area are strengthened and s/he will lead on the oversight of programme activities and timely and quality reporting to the Country Office, GF, CCN and other reporting requirements (e.g., Sub-recipients, service providers) including partnerships and knowledge management activities. This will be done in accordance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures, the grant agreement and corporate agreements with the GF, and working in partnership with national stakeholders, and in coordination with the Global Fund (including Local Fund Agent), technical partners and UN entities, the GFPHST and other UNDP business units and programmes. 

1. Leads on the programmatic and M&E activities for UNDP and Sub-recipients including the development of reprogramming requests, annual and quarterly workplans and budgets to ensure timely achievement of agreed results, budget compliance in accordance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures and Grant Agreement with the Fund (e.g., Performance Framework);
2. Oversees Sub-recipient management for regular, quality reporting to UNDP on programmatic progress (e.g., implementation of activities, and reporting of indicators in accordance with the grant M&E frameworks), including the regular tracking and reporting against an SR Risk Management Index; 
3. Supports the timely implementation of studies to be carried out, including the finalization of study protocols and their detailed budgets for consideration by the GF; and
4. Under the guidance of the Project Coordinator, in the areas of programme and M&E leads on supporting programme audits (including Sub-recipients) and investigations and in coordination with the Regional Bureau, Office of Audit and Investigations, GFPHST and ensures timely follow up on management actions and recovery actions.  

Provides capacity building in grant management and monitoring and evaluation for the achievement of the following results:

1. Provides technical support to implementing partners to strengthen their management and implementation of activities, as well as their M&E systems and develops risk mitigation and management plans and establish and tracking system to monitor the implementation of the risk matrix and management plans.
2. Oversees a regular programme management and review process to improve the performance of SR partners and UNDP performance against grant goals and the implementation plan.
3. Proactively anticipates implementation bottlenecks and identifies innovative ways to resolve the same to strengthen programme implementation and oversight, M&E reporting skills of the Sub-recipients. 
4. Supports development and implementation of capacity development plans and mechanisms.
5. Ensures the implementation of improvements to the HMIS based on recommendations and consultations already commissioned.
6. Supports UNDP’s contribution to the national strategic planning process for the programmes based on evidence gained during implementation of the programmes; and
7. Leads the design and delivery of programmatic and M&E and health information system training and/or capacity building, together with implementing partners involved in the implementation of the grants.

Ensures maintenance of strategic partnerships with key national actors and supports resource mobilization efforts focusing on achievement of the following results: 

1. In coordination with the Programme Coordinator, builds strategic partnerships and maintains strong working relationships with the CCN, TB and AIDS national programs, communities, UN and other technical partners, to ensure transparent and effective management, quality services and oversight of the programmes;
2. Supports the Project Coordinator to develop support technical assistance and representation of the UNDP in the process of Global Fund grant development

Facilitation of knowledge building and sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

1. Identifies and assesses the implications of UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures in the functional areas of programme management and monitoring and evaluation on the implementation of GF programmes in coordination with GFPHST and other UNDP units (e.g., BMS) and reports to the Country Office on changes to GF rules that impact on the programme;
2. Provides high quality programme briefs, write ups and inputs to UNDP reports including, ROAR, Annual Reports, Briefing Notes and any other request for information and represents UNDP at the request of the Programme Coordinator
3. Identifies and supports development of communications (e.g., print, video) highlighting key programme achievements, best practices, and lessons learnt and contributes to information sharing partners, the Global Fund, Regional Bureau and GFPHST; and
4. Actively participates in UNDP and other relevant external networks to promote the programmes and UNDP’s health and development work (e.g., conferences, community of practice, Yammer) and represents UNDP in relevant technical meetings, working groups at country, regional and global level and gathers lessons learnt to apply to the programmes.

1. Oversees the management of the Programme and Monitoring and Evaluation Teams providing supportive supervision and mentoring.
2. Ensures regular feed-back and performance evaluations of direct reports, and timely contract renewals; and
3. Tracks professional development goals of team members and oversees the implementation of a realistic training and support plan for teams and staff.

Other tasks assigned by the Programme Coordinator

 

• Business Direction and Strategy-Negotiate and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create ‘win-win’ situations
• Business Development-Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
• Business Management-Project Management: Ability to plan, organise, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Business Management-Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment
• Business Direction & Strategy-System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
• Health-HIV, Health and Development: Understanding and practical experience of social determinants of health and the ability to apply them to strategic and/or practical situations
• 2030 Agenda: People-Health: Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM)