Programme Specialist - P3

Port Moresby

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Port Moresby
Grade: Mid level - P-3, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
- Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: Closed

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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.

Papua New Guinea was the first Pacific country to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), doing so in 2004 and 2007, respectively. However, public trust in the states' ability to combat corruption remains low at both national and sub-national levels. Civil society in Papua New Guinea is fragmented. NGOs have struggled to speak with one voice on issues of national interest.

As part of its efforts to relaunch a national anti-corruption drive in 2020, the national Government endorsed the current National Anti-Corruption Plan of Action 2020 - 2025 (NACPA). The NACPA identifies fifteen Programmes of Work (POWs) to deliver core anti-corruption priorities, identify key activities and allocate responsibilities to stakeholders. The Action to develop the NACPA has been developed by different entities of the Government, civil society, the private sector and development partners.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has played an important role in supporting the implementation of the NACPA. In 2021, UNDP and UNODC with support from the European Union, began implementing initiatives to support the Government of Papua New Guinea and key stakeholders progress national anti-corruption priorities. Much of this has been delivered under the Project on Preventing and Countering Corruption in Papua New Guinea (the ‘Project’). Under this initiative, UNDP is partnering with key national institutions, civil society, and communities to strengthen their capacities to address corruption. Specifically, the project aims to strengthen the Papua New Guinea’s national integrity system by supporting core anti-corruption institutions and processes in close partnership with key government and non-government bodies.

Building on its anti-corruption work, UNDP is expanding its support to strengthen the capacity of civil society to engage in a more substantive and unified manner on matters of good governance, transparency, and advocacy. The first step in this emerging body of work, funded by the European Union, is being delivered under the Transparency and Accountability in Papua New Guinea Project or ‘TAP in PNG Project.’ This project aims to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations, women organizations, journalists, youth and active citizens to demand integrity, transparency and accountability systems and practices, in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and National Anti-Corruption Plan of Action (2020 – 2025) Power of Work 10: Engagement and support to Non-State Actors. The Project is being implemented at the national level and on pilot level in Bougainville.

UNDP is now seeking a highly motivated Programme Specialist to provide a range of management, operational and oversight services to this growing portfolio of work. The Programme Specialist will report to the Chief Technical Adviser (Anti-Corruption) and work closely with other project team members, the UNDP country Office, and external partners.

Position Purpose

Under the supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor (Anti-Corruption), the Programme Specialist will be responsible for the day-to-day management of UNDP’s anti-corruption portfolio in Papua New Guinea. The Programme Specialist will further provide technical advice related to advocacy and strengthening the civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, and other non-state actors as appropriate. The incumbent will be based at the UNDP Papua New Guinea Country Office in Port Moresby, with frequent travel to project locations across the country.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide managerial expertise to the portfolio’s team in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reporting on project activities in accordance with the Project documents and in line with UNDP’s programme and operations policy and procedures:

Providing inputs to the development of annual work plans, and programme schedules to ensure activities and initiatives are delivered on time, on budget within scope.
Monitoring the implementation of respective Project results and resources frameworks.
Contributing to corporate planning, evaluation and results reporting (UNPS, CCA, SRPD, Regional Programme Document, ROARs, IWPs, Regional Project Boards, donors, etc.).
Manage day-to-day Project requirements in Quantum in line with UNDP policies and procedures.
Supporting procurement and human resource recruitment activities in close consultation with Chief Technical Advisor (Anti-Corruption) and the Country Office Operations team. This includes drafting Terms of Reference, requests for tender and other supporting material.
Effective application of RBM tools, establishing management targets (BSC) and monitoring the achievement of programmatic results consistent with project documents, designs, UNDP’s Country Programme Document for Papua New Guinea and the associated United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
Assess project-specific M&E frameworks and ensure that the monitoring and reporting requirements for the Project are met consistent with UNDP’s POPP, including on planned evaluations in collaboration with IRMU and UNODC as appropriate.

Develop strategic partnerships and resource mobilization.

Substantively contribute to the harnessing of effective partnerships and lead the identification and onboarding process for implementing partners.
Cultivate and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing anddevelopment partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national and regional stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support and ensure accurate interpretation of projects objectives and promote inclusive project implementation.
Substantively contribute to project communications and visibility efforts. Make recommendations to the management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.
Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.

Provide technical expertise and high-quality advisory services.

Developing and implementing strategies to support the Government, CSO networks, Media, youth, private sector and community groups to strengthen their collective role and action in anti-corruption, integrity, transparency, and accountability-related processes.
Designing, planning, and implementing civic engagement and inclusion activities in close collaboration with other Country Office programmes and external partners.
Preparing and conducting training on various matters for programme counterparts.
Preparing training evaluation forms (pretest, posttest, evaluation), analyzing evaluation forms and developing training reports.
Facilitating co-ordination and information-sharing amongst partners and other implementers, building synergies where appropriate to expand the reach of programme activities.
Support the monitoring of activities in the field at both national and sub-national levels.
Facilitates resource mobilization efforts including the drafting of concept notes, project designs and policy notes.
Provide reports on activities to inform the team’s progress reports, donor updates and communications efforts. The latter will be delivered in close consultation with the Country Office Communications unit.

Advising, facilitating in strengthening public education and civic awareness on matters of transparency, integrity and anti-corruption drawing on research, cross-sectoral analysis and strategic assessment

Undertaking assessments that inform the development of a strategy for public awareness and inclusive civic education. This includes providing technical support to the Government and Non-State actors on the planning and delivery of such initiatives.
Facilitating research as appropriate and consistent with annual work plans and possible ad hoc requests.
Facilitating and supporting consultations between Government, CSOs and other non-state actors.
Conducting CSOs and public awareness information sessions/workshops and training as required.
Facilitating coordination and information-sharing amongst partners and other implementers, building synergies where appropriate.
Provide background papers, briefing notes and concept notes to inform decision-makers to engage in a comprehensive, long-term approach to UNDP anti-corruption, integrity, transparency and accountability development in Papua New Guinea.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic areas.

Facilitating team members in their knowledge-building and awareness raising activities.
Reviewing evaluations of activities, including lessons learnt for continued improvement.
Support and participate in lessons-learning exercises to inform strategic programmatic decisions that might be made by the Country Office Senior Management Team.
Contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge products highlighting issues of national importance within the programmes scope and demonstrating the results achieved by UNDP.
Supporting the organization of workshops, training and other capacity-building-related activities, as well as local and international travel of the portfolio’s team and stakeholders as appropriate.
Liaising and collaborating with key development, and implementing partners as needed in portfolio’s activities and the programmes broader success in close collaboration with Chief Technical Adviser (Anti-Corruption).

The incumbent will perform other duties within his/her functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The incumbent will supervise project staff and consultants as and when assigned by the Chief Technical Advisor (Anti-Corruption).

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Cross Functional and Technical Competencies:

Business Management - Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at impro􀁙ed performance and demonstrable results.

Business Direction and 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.

Partnership management - Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements..

Business Management - Customer Satisfaction /Client Management:

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.

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.

Finance - Financial planning and budgeting: Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.

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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

An advanced university (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Policy, Law, Public Policy, Politics, Development Studies or a related area is required.
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the above-mentioned field of study, with an additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree..

Experience:

Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible work experience in programme and project management, strategic planning, sustainable development policy, and/or resource mobilization in the development context is required.
Proven project management experience, preferably within UNDP, or another UN agency, with sound knowledge and experience in all aspects of project cycle (design, implementation, reporting, monitoring & evaluation) is desirable.
Demonstrated understanding of governance issues, especially anti-corruption, transparency and accountability, with proven experience in integrating cross-cutting issues such as gender, access to justice, and human rights is desirable.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience of working in developing country, operationally difficult and/or fragile contexts is highly desirable.
Proven experience in inter-agency joint programming and/or joint programme management and collaboration is desirable.
Experience and excellent knowledge of donor policies and funding modalities is desirable.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English Language is required.
Working knowledge of other UN languages is desired.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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This vacancy is now closed.