Expert on Municipal Sectoral Services

The “Women and Youth for Innovative Local Development” project (the Project) is part of four-year strategic partnership framework between GIZ, UNDP and CoE within “Improvement of the local self-governance system in Armenia” programme, which has a goal to improve the accountability, effectiveness and inclusiveness of local self-government in Armenia in regionally and socially balanced manner. The Project is implemented in partnership with RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and is the continuation of earlier “Women in Local Democracy 2” project. It supports the enlarged municipalities with coherent and interrelated programmatic intervention, which contributes to the further democratization and development of communities. The project will be implemented in 52 enlarged municipalities of Armenia.

UNDP’s project will: (i) pilot three innovative municipal services which will be co-designed and monitored by citizens, including vulnerable/marginalized groups; (ii) further advance youth leadership; and (iii) continue to empower women at the local level through building on and upscaling the results achieved during the past years.

The municipal service component aims at supporting the Territorial and Administrative Reform in Armenia and the delivery of quality, fair and effective services by the communities to local citizens, companies and non-formal groups, also contributing to stronger economic development at the local level. User-centric and design thinking approaches will be applied by UNDP for the public service design and delivery at local level, in particular through youth empowerment and engagement. The initiative will include design and pilot of adapted innovative models of selected public services (including incentive schemes for collaboration of citizens and key stakeholders) in enlarged municipalities based on UNDP extensive experience of citizen-driven, user-centric approaches of community engagement and participation at local level. In addition, UNDP will develop and pilot new mechanisms for community monitoring of service delivery and quality, as well as citizen feedback loops on satisfaction with public services. The major activities to be implemented under that component include:

1. Access the resources, capacities and needs in the sector of public services in the target communities. 
2. Design innovative models adapted for selected service delivery, including incentive schemes for collaboration of citizens and key stakeholders
3. Pilot selected innovative service delivery models, including through establishment of management systems and respective infrastructure
4. Develop and pilot new mechanisms for community monitoring of service delivery and quality, as well as citizen feedback loops on satisfaction with public services

To ensure successful implementation of the municipal service component, UNDP seeks a qualified candidate to for the position of Expert on Municipal Sectoral Services (the Expert) who will be responsibility to provide technical support and guidance for the effective implementation of the component.

Scope of work:

The overall scope of the work of the Expert will include day to day planning, implementation and monitoring of the innovative municipal services component. The Expert will work closely with the municipalities and all relevant organizations/institutions to ensure consultation and technical support while the municipal services implementation phase will start.

The Expert will:

• Provide technical and expert support to
  • the researchers’ teams at the stage of the needs’ assessment and resource mapping phase
  • the institutions/organizations engaged in the design and/or implementation of sectoral municipal services
  • the municipalities while implementing the municipal sectoral services and
  • residents’ groups responsible for monitoring of the service provision in the community.
• Develop methodological guides based on the piloted sectoral municipal services.
• Develop M&E tools to ensure smooth implementation of the service component.
• Support the Technical Task Leader with the preparation of reports, project logs, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Socio-Economic Development Programme Analyst and direct supervision of the Technical Task Leader, the incumbent is responsible for providing top-notch technical advice for effective delivery of the inputs and outputs of Component 1 on municipal services.

To support the implementation of the Project outputs the Expert will:

• Provide thought leadership and technical advice to the Project team, implementing partners and beneficiaries on:
• methodologies, tools, and good practices related to municipal sectoral services and citizen engagement
• localization of generic methodological instruments;
• most effective practices of identification and engagement of beneficiaries into the Project activities;
• modalities, content, and priority topics for the capacity building activities of the Project in sectoral municipal services and citizen engagement;
• development and application of sustainable exit strategies and institutionalization of results.
• While developing approaches and methodologies ensure synergies between all three components of the project: (i) municipal services, (ii) youth and (iii) women empowerment.
• Contribute in drafting of respective workplans and Project logs and in monitoring of the Project results. 
• Contribute in development of technical documentation including Terms of References, specifications for procurement of services, and Calls for Proposals. Serve as an evaluation panel member for the Project’s procurement, recruitment and other assessment-related processes.
• Review and provide comments to documents received from third parties for quality assurance and verification of achieved milestones.
• Ensure heads-up communication on the Project’s implementation bottlenecks and challenges. Propose possible solutions. Ensure proactive stance and follow up for the successful delivery of the Project outputs.
• Provide, when required, information on the Project’s progress including reporting against indicators.
• Contribute in codification of the Project’s results into the knowledge products. Promote broadly the Project results via knowledge sharing networks and social media tools in compliance with the UNDP visibility policies.
• Serve as a facilitator and one of the key resource persons at the Project’s events, roundtables, and workshops. If need be, contribute to capacity development of the Project team and knowledge transfer in particular areas of expertise.
• Liaise with counterparts on national, regional and local level as well as with regional and global networks abroad for efficient transfer of knowledge, including through the innovative modes and via all relevant information hubs.
• Perform other duties as required.

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks related to Results Management, including support to design, planning and implementation of programme, managing data, reporting.
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system, including new IT based systems.

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains positive and composed even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Education:

Advanced University Degree in political or social sciences, economics, public administration, law or other relevant fields.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of cross-cutting experience at the national or international level in providing technical/advisory services on such areas as local self-government, participatory policies, innovative services and the related fields;
• Proven record of experience in facilitation and delivery of trainings;
• Proven record of public presentation skills;
• Hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects is an asset;
• Experience in negotiating with government bodies, international donors, and professional organizations is an asset.   

Skills:

• Excellent knowledge of sectoral municipal services, social innovation and citizen engagement, respective frameworks and targets especially at local development level;
• Good knowledge of local-self-government system in Armenia, current local development processes and local context;
• Knowledge of main principles of capacity development;
• Ability to analyse problems, make recommendations and present proposals for improvement or change in policies and procedures;
• Excellent communication skills, ability to express ideas clearly and consistently both orally and in writing;
• Capacity to analyze problems, make recommendations and present proposals for improvement or change in policies and procedures;
• Demonstrated initiative, tact and high sense of responsibility and discretion.
• Result oriented, ability to work under pressure;
• Excellent networking and partnering competencies. Demonstrated good negotiating skills and teamwork approach;
• Understanding of the UNDP rules and regulations is a strong asset.

Compute Skills:

• Computer literacy and proficiency in MS Office (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and in handling of web-based management systems.

Languages: 

• Proficiency in written and spoken Armenian and English, Russian is a strong asset.

Important applicant information

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

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.