By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Policy Analyst - Governance and human rights

New York City

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: New York City
  • Grade: Junior level - P-2, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Political Affairs
    • Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
    • International Relations
    • Legal - Broad
    • Human Rights
    • Democratic Governance
    • Public Policy and Administration
    • Governance and Peacebuilding
    • PARLIAMENTARY DEVELOPMENT, INCLUSIVE POLITICAL PROCESSES
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and committed to the principles of   universality, equality and leaving no one behind, the UNDP vision for the Strategic Plan, 2018-2021 is to help countries achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shocks. One of signature solutions UNDP will provide to achieve its vision is to strengthen effective, inclusive and accountable governance. Inclusive and accountable governance systems and processes are recognized as crucial to sustainable development and human security. Strengthening inclusive political processes and parliamentary processes and institutions strengthened to promote inclusion, transparency and accountability is an essential part of this work.

UNDP is also the largest provider of technical assistance to parliaments worldwide. In 2015, Parliaments in 70 countries were strengthened, which means assistance was provided to around one in three of the world’s national parliaments.  UNDP parliamentary development support is responding to the 2030 Agenda, by focusing  on helping parliaments and parliamentarians ensure that they are ‘fit for purpose’ to play their role in implementing Agenda 2030. UNDP parliamentary development support to national partners through the COs includes help to modernize processes and build capacities for parliaments to carry out their core functions more effectively as the inclusive and representative entities to which government must be accountable for its activities. It embraces support for law-making, oversight, and representation, as well as strengthening budget processes, mainstreaming gender, sustaining peace, and other key cross-cutting priorities. UNDP also provides global thought leadership and knowledge sharing on the nexus between parliamentary good practice and development, and generates specific policies, guidance and tools for parliamentary assistance. This includes hosting ‘AGORA’—a one stop online knowledge sharing platform on parliamentary development. Through BPPS support, UNDP works with organizations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and the Club de Madrid.

The Policy Analyst will be a part of the Inclusive Political Processes Team in the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster of the Bureau for Programme and Policy Support.

UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support came into existence in October 2014, delivering its first annual programme of support in 2015. It holds the corporate responsibility for UNDP policy on global development issues and for guiding the implementation of UNDP’s programmes on the ground—in particular for the organization’s contributions to the 2030 Agenda. BPPS is the think tank of UNDP, the policy hub for inter-agency engagement on development issues and the substantive support team to field programmes. The Bureau helps UNDP Country Offices (COs) achieve quality development results by providing technical advice and assistance across all substantive areas of the Strategic Plan, promoting results-based management (RBM), and evidence-based reporting. BPPS advocates UNDP’s corporate messages; leads in development thinking; and represents UNDP in multi-stakeholder forums, including in dialogue with government, civil society, the private sector, and in South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSC/TrC) initiatives.

The UNDP Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme:

The UNDP JPO Programme equips outstanding young leaders with the skills and experience required to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and make a positive difference in the world. As a pathway into the world of development, the programme offers young professionals excellent exposure to multilateral cooperation and sustainable development while providing a valuable entry point into the UN system.

During their assignments, JPOs benefit from the guidance of experienced UNDP staff members and are actively involved in supporting the design and implementation of UNDP’s programs within UNDP’s headquarters, regional or country offices.

Job Purpose:

The purpose of the particular job is to contribute to UNDP’s global parliamentary development work.

Reporting structure and partners

The Policy Analyst will report to the Team Leader of the Inclusive Political Processes Team, in the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster of the Bureau for Programme and Policy Support. Key internal partners will include other clusters and teams in the Bureau for Programme and Policy Support as well as UNDP Regional Bureaux and Hubs and Country Offices. Key external partners include the UN Secretariat and other UN Agencies, Members States and parliamentary associations and organizations.

Content and methodology of supervision:

Title of Supervisor: Team Leader, Inclusive Political Processes

As part of the UNDP JPO programme overall framework, the JPO will benefit from the following supervision modalities:

  • Structured guidance provided by the supervisor, especially in the beginning of the assignment, with the purpose of gradually increasing the responsibilities of the JPO
  • Establishment of a work plan, with clear key results
  • Effective supervision through knowledge sharing and performance/development feedback throughout the assignment
  • Easy access to the supervisor
  • Participation in Unit/Team/Office meetings to ensure integration and operational effectiveness
  • Guidance and advice in relation to learning and training opportunities within the field of expertise
  • Completion of the yearly UNDP Performance Management Document (PMD)
  • If more than one supervisor; clear agreement of the roles and responsibilities between the relevant parties

Practical information concerning the selection process

  • Selected applicants will be expected to partake in face-to-face Interviews planned to take place in Copenhagen in first week of June 2018
  • Applicants will need to shoulder travel cost should he/she be travelling to Denmark for the interviews
  • Selected candidates are expected to participate in an induction course conducted by DANIDA at Danish MFA premises planned for the last week in July/first week in Aug18.
  • Assumptions of duty will be expected Aug-Sept. 2018 at the latest

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Policy development and analysis

  • Support policy development and analysis in the area of parliamentary development as a part of UNDP’s inclusive political processes work, which may also occasionally encompass political dialogue, constitutional reform processes, elections, civic engagement and women’s political participation and decision-making work;
  • Support the development and implementation of global programming on parliamentary development and the 2030 Agenda, including development of reporting tools and a resource mobilization and partnership materials;
  • Assist in development and design of advocacy and communication materials, including contributing to / drafting power-point presentations, speeches, and press releases as well as developing advocacy strategies for disseminating and raising awareness of specific parliamentary development issues;

2. Research and knowledge management

  • Contribute to analysis of data, case evidence and research findings to distil relevant lessons learned on parliamentary development;
  • Support the research, development and dissemination of knowledge-based tools on parliamentary development, such as UNDP and UN-wide guidance notes for the use of UNDP Country Offices/UN Country Teams;
  • Assist in the development and updating of databases of UNDP worldwide projects and initiatives in parliamentary development;
  • Draft project reports, minutes of meetings and terms of reference as required.

3. Programming support

  • Support the development / monitoring of global and regional initiatives in the area of parliamentary development with particular focus on parliaments and the 2030 Agenda;
  • Support to the provision of advisory services on parliamentary development, as well as the provision of technical guidance to and substantive collaboration with regional focal points;
  • Develop and maintain a system for monitoring demand and response in the area of work of the parliamentary development;
  • Support the operational and financial management of parliamentary development activities. 

4. Management of global parliamentary development community of practice and partnerships

  • Support the development and strengthening of the parliamentary development professional community, through partnership building, communications, and outreach to other teams and clusters, Regional Bureau focal points, UN partners and other relevant organizations;
  • Support the development, organization and coordination of global and regional parliamentary development events and activities;
  • Assist in the maintenance of a roster of experts, including monitoring client feedback;
  • Assist in the maintenance of a database of institutional partners, including parliamentary development organizations and philanthropy, and mapping of potential donors and partners;
  • Support the development of targeted funding proposals on parliamentary development.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Innovation - Ability to make new and useful ideas work 

Level 4: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully

Leadership - Ability to persuade others to follow             

Level 3: Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others

People Management - Ability to improve performance and satisfaction 

Level 3: Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making

Communication - Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform           

Level 4: Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis

Delivery - Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement     

Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services

Technical/Functional Competencies

Job knowledge/technical expertise - Knowledge of parliamentary institutions, processes and support and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations          

Level 4: Apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Knowledge management - Ability to promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the team and the wider parliamentary community of practice

Level 4: Apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Policy/advocacy - Ability to develop policies, provide policy advice and advocate for UNDP focus areas in parliamentary development.  

Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

Development and operation effectiveness - Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management, monitoring and reporting.  

Level 4: apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Partnerships and resource mobilization - Ability to establish and develop relationships with partners and resource mobilization plans       

Level 4: Apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Required Skills and Experience

Education:        

  • Master’s Degree or equivalent Advanced Degree in a related field of expertise such as law, political science, public administration, international relations or development studies.

Experience:       

  • Minimum of least 2 years and max 4 years of relevant and remunerated work experience - Preferably experience from UN system or other international development assistance in the area of democratic governance and inclusive political processes;
  • Working experience with parliamentary affairs, preferably from a national parliament;
  • Working experience in international affairs and/or international development corporation, preferably from a developing country.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in Danish and English both oral and written

Other desirable education, languages and work experience:      

  • Working knowledge of any other official UN language than English is an asset;
  • Working knowledge of gender and women’s political participation and leadership is an asset.

Nationality:

  • This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of Denmark and is addressed exclusively to Nationals of Denmark.
  • For further details on the eligibility, please visit: http://www.jposc.undp.org/content/jposc/en/home/

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: