Technical Officer – Economic Development and Livelihoods - Daraa

Close to eight years into the crisis, the scale, severity, and complexity of needs across Syria remain deep and far-reaching. Over half of the country’s population have fled their homes: 5.5 million people have sought refuge in the region and beyond, and 6.1 million people are internally displaced. 13.1 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance. Of these, 5.6 million people face acute humanitarian needs. Millions of people have fallen into poverty, forced to resort to harmful coping strategies and faced with increasing protection risks. If hostilities continue in some parts of the country, humanitarian needs are expected to deepen in these areas during 2019.  In 2019 with no end to the conflict in sight, humanitarian needs are expected to continue to grow in scale, severity, and complexity.  Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the successor arrangement to the UNSF is expected to play a role in strengthening the Humanitarian-Development-Peacebuilding Nexus by strengthening Resilience of the affected population in Syria.  The role of Resilience is expected to grow in the given situation on the ground to accelerate the transition from immediate Humanitarian assistance to IDPs and affected population to more sustainable and recovery-oriented support, including support to potential returns of IDPs as well as refugees. 

The priorities of UNDP Syria are, as stipulated in the Country Programme Document 2016-2017 (extended till the end of 2019), to enhance the resilience and socio-economic stabilization of individuals and communities through restoring the disrupted livelihoods of the affected communities; and restoring, rehabilitating and maintaining sustainable basic services and infrastructure in damaged areas and host communities. Embedded in each priority is an institutional crisis response capacity development component for key national and local partners. Mindful of the scale of the crisis, the scaled-up, targeted, and rapidly responsive interventions of UNDP Syria would strive to mitigate displacement and movement of refugees, including forced, illegal, and unsafe migration and the trafficking of refugees, and to support potential returns of the IDPs.

UNDP Syria is scaling up its capacity to expand the scope of work through short-term, mid-term and sustainable economic opportunities for the most vulnerable communities in Syria through four key thematic areas of i) agricultural livelihoods; ii) active labour market; iii) MSME development and growth; and iv) persons with disability and social protection. 

Under the technical supervision of -  Economic Development and Livelihoods, Economic Development and Livelihoods and administrative supervision of the Area Manager, Technical Officer provides support services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. 

Technical Officer – Economic Development and Livelihoods, under technical guidance of the Team Leader for Economic Development and Livelihoods, and administrative supervision of the Area Manager, the technical project officer will deliver the following tasks:

Planning support: 

• Collect and review existing studies, assessment and data related to livelihoods and economic recovery at the local level;
• Support the Area Manager in conducting community-based needs assessment, including mapping and assessment of key stakeholders, assessing risks and resources;
• Identifying key entry points for UNDP’s livelihoods and economic recovery initiatives in four thematic areas; 
• Support in developing the proposals for livelihoods and economic recovery initiatives;
• Keep abreast of ongoing economic recovery in the target area and provide inputs to the Team Leader for Economic Development and Livelihoods in developing and updating the UNDP Syria’s strategy;
• Identify CBOs and other institutions as potential implementing partners in the target area and facilitate the development of the initiatives that will ensure sustainable impacts.

Implementation and monitoring support:

• Support in developing annual workplans and implementation plans of the economic development and livelihoods and economic recovery initiatives in the target areas;
• Support in developing TOR for livelihoods and economic recovery initiatives;
• Support in developing monitoring indicators;
• Undertake technical monitoring and evaluation of the initiatives;
• Update the progress against the goals and upload the progress into the information management system;
• Prepare progress reports, donor reports and financial reports as required;
• Support in conducting various market assessments to ensure sustainability of UNDP’s livelihoods initiatives; and
• Support the Area Manager in key operational procedures including the preparation of grant and partnership agreements; preparation and processing the payment requests; and other actions as required.

Knowledge management and networking:

• Establish working relationships with key stakeholders at the governorate and municipal levels;
• Liaise and coordinate with UN agencies working around livelihoods for planning and implementation of joint-initiatives;
• Compile and document lessons learnt and best practices and promote innovation;
• Support the Team Leader for Livelihoods and Economic Recovery in developing communication materials including human interest stories, audio-visual products, as well as key messages reflecting the implementation on the ground;
• Support the Area Manger in developing and holding key events and communication campaigns on livelihoods and economic recovery initiatives.

Core:

Innovation:

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership:

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management:

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication:

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Delivery:

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Technical/Functional:

Operational Efficiency:

• Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency.

Jobs  and Livelihoods:

• Knowledge of Employment Creation, Income Generation, emergency employment and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Project Management:

• Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Education:

• Bachelor degree in Economy, Engineering, Development studies, or other related fields.

Experience:

• 2 years of operational relevant experience;
• Experience in the field of socio-economic recovery is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of Arabic and English in both oral and written.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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