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

Field Manager - Hotspots

Lilongwe

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Lilongwe
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Democratic Governance
    • Civil Society and Local governance
    • Governance and Peacebuilding
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Local Governance and Service Delivery
 
In the context of the deepening decentralization agenda, district authorities need to be better equipped to track, coordinate, prioritize, and monitor the performance of social services.  Fragmented governance of local service delivery impedes the delivery of public goods and services and the generation and sharing of information to improve feedback loops between service users and providers. The SDGs Hotspots Management Platform will support the systematic collection of data on community access to services and perceptions on provision, while supporting local government to improve their ability to aggregate and use data for planning, prioritization, monitoring and coordination, leading to improved service delivery and ultimately, acceleration of the attainment of sustainable development goals at the local level:
  • An interactive geo-referenced map of key Unified Beneficiary Registry (UBR) and 2018 Housing and Population Census data for the target District(s), which can be used as a tool for dissemination, measurement and analysis of key development outcomes such as household resilience.
  • District level authorities  are provided with an integrated and inclusive SDG management tool to monitor multi-sector service delivery in real-time at the household, area and village levels – with a geo-referenced dashboard that layers needs and responses-to-needs in a user-friendly format.
  • District-level data and management capabilities are strengthened to support the use of evidence to propel service improvements that target communities and households most in need of accelerating critical and coordinated action on the SDGs
  • District authorities are able to design and implement “SDG Hotspot service responses”, based on analysis of data in the Hotspots system
Under the overall guidance and the supervision of the Hotspots Project Manager, the Field Manager will be based in the Phalombe District Office and will provide coordination support to the District Commissioner’s office and to the SHAI team in Lilongwe.  
 
The Field Manager (FM), with support from the Field Officer, will ensure regular coordination in the Phalombe District between the District Commissioner’s Office (DC), the service delivery providers and other stakeholders working on local governance service delivery issues on the ground.  The FM analyzes the political, social and economic trends in the District and provides regular updates on the evolving situation on the ground. He/she provides field intelligence to the HQ Hotspots team that need to be factored into project implementation and with discussions being held with all project stakeholders.
 
The FM will play a key part in ensuring that the SDG dashboard is being nourished with quality and verified data and will provide updates on all relevant stakeholder meetings that may impact the direction of the Hotspots. The FM will ensure sound reporting and recording of key meetings held and decisions made at the field level and will coordinate random spot checks on both the data elements of the initiative as well as the service delivery response. 
 
The FM will advise the Project Manager of potential implementation bottle-necks and will provide some possible solutions to resolve those. The FM will be regularly advising the Hotspots team on potential improvements to the data gathering, the information that is being captures, how the data is being analyzed and responded to by the service providers. 
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide oversight and support to the project at the field level. Provide inputs to decision making processes and to all project reporting. More specifically, the Field Manager will:
  • Ensure coordination and advisory among the various local stakeholders;
  • Support the organisation of Phalombe-based Hotspots events and activities
  • Support the organisation of local stakeholder coordination meetings
  • Ensure project management compliance to UNDP Regulations and Rules at the field level
Ensure a close quality control on the data gathering and service delivery aspects of the initiative through systemic monitoring and random sampling to verify UBR data and reports from service delivery providers. This might involve:
  • Random spot-checks.
  • Regular consultations with village heads that are beneficiaries of the initiative.
  • Ensure that the project implementation on the ground is in compliance with the project document and with UNDP Regulations and Rules.
Ensures effective management of Hotspots achieving the following results:
  • Effective field application of RBM tools,.
  • Inputs into the evolving design of the database, what data and how it is being captures and support on the cleaning and verification of the data.
  • Provision of regular (monthly) substantive and financial report from the field that will feed into over-arching Hotspots reporting to UNDP global and to the donors. 
  • Ensure on-the-ground follow up on Technical Committee recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
  • Provide supervision on the activities of the Field Officer
Provides guidance and advice on the creation of strategic partnerships at the field level, including:
  • Development of partnerships in the Phalombe District as relevant with other UN Agencies, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society to better leverage the results of the initiative. 
  • Provide inputs to the Project Manager that will contribute to the mobilization of further resources in order to meet the overall resource requirements of the initiative of the 4 years. 
Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management to the DC office and to service delivery providers:
  • Identification of sources of information related to data-gathering and analysis. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt from the field, directly linked to SDG Hotspots that needs to be institutionally recorded by the DC office
  • Sound contributions to the Project Manager who can, in turn, get the initiative included in knowledge networks and communities of practice with particular attention to best practices published in social networks such as Teamworks, Fusion, Twitter etc relating the SDG Hotspots.
  • Provide facilitation for the organization of trainings for field and other support staff around the initiative.
 

Competencies

Functional Competencies:   
 
Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda
Preparing information for advocacy
  • Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating the innovative approaches within Hotspots.
Results-Based Programme Development and Management
Contributes into results through primary research and analysis
  • Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
  • Researches linkages across project activities to identify critical points of integration
  • Monitors specific stages of project implementation
  • Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development
  • Participates in the formulation of project sub-activities and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches 
Building Strategic Partnerships 
Maintaining a network of contacts
  • Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
  • Establishes and nurtures positive communication with partners 
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
Basic research and analysis
  • Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things within the confines of the Prodoc
  • Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches as they emerge from the initiative
  • Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
Fundamental knowledge of own discipline
  • Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
  • Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks 
  • Analyzes the requirements and synthesizes proposals
  • Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
  • Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
Promoting Organizational Change and Development
Basic research and analysis
  • Researches and documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system 
  • Demonstrates ability to diagnose problems and identifies and communicates processes to support change initiatives 
  • Gathers and analyses feedback from staff
Design And Implementation of Management Systems
Research and analysis and making recommendations on management systems
  • Maintains information/databases on system design features
  • Develops simple system components
Client Orientation
Establishing effective client relationships
  • 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
  • Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
  • Actively supports the interests of the client by making choices and setting priorities to meet their needs
  • Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly
Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management
Basic monitoring
  • Gathers, analyses and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems
Core Competencies:
  • Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity  
  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment 
  • Self-development, initiative-taking 
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work 
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively 
  • Creating synergies through self-control
  • Managing conflict
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member. 
  • Informed and transparent decision making
  • UNDP Certification programmes Prince2, RMG
 

Required Skills and Experience

  • Master’s Degree or equivalent in International Law, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field.
  • At least 2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management and substantive advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects preferably those related to the strengthening of Local Governance, decentralization and municipal/local Service Delivery.
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems and social knowledge networks.
  • English proficiency is required; working knowledge of other UN official language or other language at the duty station is an asset.
 

Disclaimer

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.

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