Fiscal Decentralization Specialist (Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme)

Background

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.In response to the situation, in 2016, UNDP has established a Project Office in eastern Ukraine with a view to consolidate and deliver the various recovery and governance projects through a comprehensive, area-based Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP) in five conflict-affected oblasts: Donetsk and Luhansk (Government Controlled Areas), as well as Zaporizhzhya, Dnipro, and Kharkiv oblasts. RPP frames UNDP’s interventions in Eastern Ukraine to address the recovery needs of conflict affected population and communities. The Programme Component has three components focusing on: (1) economic recovery and restoration of critical infrastructure; (2) restoration of governance and support to decentralization reform; (3) strengthening community security and social cohesion.UNDP Ukraine invites applications from highly qualified and experienced Ukrainian professionals for the post of the Fiscal Decentralization Specialist, to provide capacity development support and technical assistance on fiscal decentralization to newly amalgamated communities, rayons and the regional civil-military administrations of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. This position falls under the second component of the RPP – i.e., Local Governance and Decentralization Reform (LGDR).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator of the Local Governance and Decentralization Reform (LGDR) Component, the Fiscal Decentralization Specialists in close cooperation with Administrative Decentralization Specialist and Territorial Amalgamation Specialists, will perform the following key tasks:

• Provide expertise and support to local authorities and communities from target cities and towns as well as to the administrative centres of the newly amalgamated hromadas in various fields including: financial management and transparent budgeting and procurement, gender-responsive budgeting, key general administration functions etc.;
• Contribute to  elaboration and development of a model of public finances management at hromadas level, including special purpose funding, conditions for establishment of local taxes and fees administrations and respective registers at local level;
• Provide technical assistance and support to the implementation of electronic financial services at local level;
• Ensure control over the developing and piloting of the specialized software for creation and filling in the database of objects taxation at amalgamated hromadas;
• Ensure implementation of respective activities of the Local Governance and Decentralization Reform component of RPP and delivery of results in accordance with the programme document, work plans and other joint agreements between the Government and UNDP;
• Contribute to preparation of annual, quarterly, and detailed implementation work plans, and other related documents for timely commencement and implementation of the component activities;
• Collect and analyse data and relevant studies on fiscal decentralization, local budgets and finance, interbudgetary relations, financing of local services and shared services (education, health, and social services);
• Initiate and design analytical and technical products, including budget analysis necessary to determine the budgetary sustainability and conditions of the future Hromadas (their revenues and necessary expenditures);
• Lead trainings and piloting of program budgeting and finance management including elaboration of expenditure standards for different services for target communities and partners;
• Jointly with UN Women initiate and facilitate training program on participatory human rights-based and gender analysis for oblast/hromada planning and budgeting process;
• Contribute to capacity building of men and women community groups (established during the Phase 1 of the Project);
• Scrutinize the local budgets from the prospective of human rights and gender equality ensuring; analyze their needs and provide effective advocation in frames of every planning and budgeting cycle;
• Provide analytical and management consulting support to Rayon Councils to establish the Executive Offices of Rayons, particularly concerning the intergovernmental fiscal relations aspects, their budgets and financing of competencies (and services) devolved to them;
• Provide and coordinate technical support to target Oblast, Rayon and local governments on fiscal decentralization of key services (education, social services, health, and administrative services) in terms of clarification of functions, roles, competencies and required financial resources, strategic budget allocations for gender equality and increasing responsiveness of essential public services critical for women and girls well-being. Coordinate this process with the Administrative Decentralization Specialist to facilitate the implementation of the new arrangements.
• Provide support for implementation of the participatory program-based and gender-responsive budgeting in the pilot Hromadas in cooperation with UNWOMEN staff and consultants;
• Provide and coordinate the training and technical support to beneficiary institutions for efficient local financial management and transparent budgeting and procurement.
• Monitor, coordinate and supervise field activities and provide technical support to ensure the Component objectives are met;
• Contribute to the selection processes of Implementing Partners (IPs), Consultants or Contractors and regularly oversee, supervise and monitor their work and delivery of assignments (training, seminars/workshops, surveys, data collection, etc.), as well as coordinate their work in target Oblasts. Ensure that the budget allocated for relevant activities is efficiently and properly utilized;
• Ensure that all activities are implemented in line with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Facilitate programme monitoring and evaluation, as well as audit activities;
• Prepare sections of the Programme/Component reports, including progress and annual reports, as well as any ad-hoc technical reports;
• Perform other activities as requested by Programme Coordinator and UNDP Project Office Management.

MEASURABLE OUTPUTS OF THE WORK ASSIGNMENT:

• Full and appropriate implementation of the respective administrative decentralization activities within Local Governance and Decentralization Reform component of RPP;
• Results, experiences and lessons learned during implementation of the Local Governance and Decentralization Reform component of RPP disseminated at the national and regional levels;
• Reporting and quality monitoring activities completed.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EVALUATION OF RESULTS:

• Respective sections of the annual work plan for the Local Governance and Decentralization Reform component of RPP is fully and timely implemented;
• Funds delivery allocated for fiscal decentralization support activities reached 100%;
• Programme and Component activities are carried out in strict accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Communication;
• Delivery;
• Innovation;
• Leadership;
• People Management;
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge Management and Learning;
• Development and Operational Effectiveness;
• Conflict Management;
• Result orientation;
• Teamwork;
• Self –management and emotional intelligence.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches.

Client Orientation:

• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

• Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals

• Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
• Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level. 

OTHER:

• Ability to implement project/programmes components for results, including the ability to translate strategic aims into achievable annual work plans; and prepare inputs to project/programme reports in a timely manner;
• Good interpersonal communication skills;
• Ability to handle politically sensitive issues and establish partnership with government authorities and CSO’s and within UNDP;
• Sound judgment and maturity to foster a positive work environment;
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• Familiarity with national legislation on recovery issues;
• Demonstrated strong analytical, coordination and facilitation skills;
• Excellent usage of computers and office software packages. 

Required Skills and Experience

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Public Administration, Political Sciences, Law, Economics, Finance, Social Sciences, or other relevant areas;
• At least 3 years of proven experience in analysis and research in the field of decentralization, public finance, inter-governmental fiscal relations, local service delivery, public administration, territorial administrative reorganization or other relevant area;
• Experience in delivering capacity development, advisory and advocacy services to the Government in the relevant fields would be a strong asset;
• Sound knowledge of public sector reforms and in particular of the public finance/fiscal reforms currently undertaken by the Ukrainian Government;
• Experience of working with international organizations, with relevant stakeholders from the governmental and non-governmental institutions involved into governance issues at the national and sub-national levels would be an asset;
• Working level in English is required. Fluency in English will be considered as a distant advantage;
• Fluency in Ukrainian and Russian is required.

Application Instructions:

• Click on the "Apply now" button.
• Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. You can type in or paste your Resume into the last box.
• Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. On the next page, you will be asked to upload your Resume. Instead of uploading your Resume, please submit a fully completed and signed UNDP Personal History Form (P-11). When completing the Form and, even though not currently requested, please include email addresses for your Supervisors.
• Without the completed and signed P11 your application will not be considered. The UNDP Personal History Form can be downloaded at link. Failure to disclose prior employment or making false representations on this form will be grounds for withdrawal of further consideration of his/her application or termination, where the appointment or contract has been issued.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted and please ensure that copies of your educational qualifications are available when contacted.

This is a locally recruited position and no expatriation benefits will apply.DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 31 MAY 2018UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest. Applications may only be submitted for specific vacancy. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.