Manager, Regional Office (East & Southern Africa)

UNV Regional Offices (RO) ensure UNV strategic positioning in the region, represent UNV and bring its services and solutions closer to its partners from UN entities. This RO oversees and guides UNV Field Units and Focal Points in East and Southern Africa and is accountable for the placement of UN Volunteers mobilized for UN Peacekeeping Operations, Special Political Missions, Agencies, Funds, and Programmes focused on peace, development and humanitarian needs. Furthermore, the RO develop strategic partnerships with governments, civil society and private sector in the region and lead in delivering UNV advisory services offer on volunteerism in the context of 2030 Agenda.

Reporting to the Deputy Executive Coordinator, the Regional Manager is responsible for the oversight and management of the UNV presence in the region.  She/he assumes the overall responsibility and accountability for the work and expected deliverables of the RO and the Field Units in the region.  She/he contributes to the development and implementation of UNV Strategic Framework, annual work plans and volunteer mobilization strategies and targets in the region. At the regional level, he/she advocates for UNV, builds strategic partnerships with key regional stakeholders, engages them in relationship management and promotes knowledge creation and sharing. He/she coordinates closely with the UNV Headquarters on the provision of advisory services on volunteerism and the SDGs and on other tasks pertaining to the RO mandate.

Volunteer mobilization and portfolio management oversight

• Oversee the regional- and country-level assessments and analyses of trends on development issues that facilitate the integration and mobilization of volunteers;
• Lead the development of strategies and approaches to drive volunteer mobilization across the UN system and promote volunteerism on a regional level, promote UNV service offer and knowledge and manage relevant regional-level relationships;
• Ensure the RO team provides technical advice in the identification of strategic opportunities that maximise potential of volunteer mobilization, including substantive guidance to UNV Field Units in their engagement with UN agencies through the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks , country programme documents and other planning tools;
• Lead effective response to the UN system’s current and anticipated needs for volunteer solutions and ensure continued focus on strategic and optimal volunteer mobilization to achieve corporate targets;
• Supervise UNV’s country portfolios in the region and promote knowledge sharing, provide guidance and drive issues resolution;
• Drive the production of region-specific communication materials to support volunteer mobilization for peace, development and humanitarian action, and the promotion of volunteerism.

Partnerships building and representation

• Actively promote and advocate for UNV’s contributions to development particularly in the areas of volunteerism and SDGs infrastructure and youth as well as in humanitarian, peace building and peacekeeping activities with clients and partners;
• Lead the development of sustainable partnerships at the regional level with UN agencies, government entities, regional organizations, private sector, foundations, civil society / volunteer involving organizations and donors to increase the mobilization of UN Volunteers and the integration of volunteerism into development planning;
• Represent and lead UNV corporate engagement with the headquarters of UN Environment and UN Habitat, and, in collaboration with the UNV Regional Office for West and Central Africa, develop strategic collaboration with UNECA and AUC;
• Represent UNV, as delegated , in UN system and inter-governmental fora and special events, showcasing UNV’s impact interventions for positioning its relevance in the region.

Volunteer advisory services

• Position UNV as a policy and knowledge organisation and hub on volunteerism and the SDGs in the region with UN partners, national and local governments, regional organisations, volunteer involving organisations, civil society and the private sector and oversee the provision of of volunteer advisory services to the counterparts;
• In collaboration with implementing UN partners and the UNV Headquarters, establish appropriate delivery mechanisms for advisory services and ensure quality technical advice and relevant programmatic, operational, and financial performance of UNV components with special emphasis on delivery of targets, managerial efficiency, compliance and financial sustainability;
• Ensure the knowledge creation and management, including the development of communities of practice and collection of best practices, knowledge and evidence on the contribution of all types of volunteerism to Agenda 2030 and the SDGs within the region, and contribute to the global knowledge sharing platforms and initiatives of UNV.

Management

• Manage and provide leadership to the RO staff and Field Units including supervision, performance assessment and capacity development;
• Provide intellectual leadership and technical guidance,  to the RO team and the field Units to ensure coordinated and effective delivery of services
• Assist and advice the Executive Office with reporting requirements, monitor and report of the RO’s delivery on the implementation of the UNV Strategic Framework, annual work plan and other corporate strategic documents, lead the Regional Office’s work and resource planning, implementation of results-based management;
• Establish and monitor implementation of the RO annual work plan and set performance indicators including for positions out-posted to the RO and positions in the Field Units;
• Develop and manage the RO operating budget;
• Monitor follow up actions in response to audits, assess risks and mitigation/escalation plans using enterprise risk framework. Make recommendations for addressing deficiencies in close consultation with senior management;
• Coordinate and monitor conceptualization of technical briefs to ensure quality and timely submission, based on comprehensive and accurate data, liaising with relevant units at Headquarters and the field. 

Core copetencies

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 competencies

Sustainable Development

• Knowledge of sustainable development concepts, principles and issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, covering the economic, social and environmental dimensions

Representation

• Ability to productively share UNV knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues)

Development Planning and Monitoring

• Ability to develop business and planning processes at the national and local level and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

Partnerships

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships

Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results

Strategic thinking/ Visioning

• Ability to analyse the organization’s value proposition and shape visionary/long term plans.  Use insight to identify target audiences and partners and to inform communication objectives, messages and solutions.

Education

• Master’s degree in social sciences, political science, public or business administration, economics or related fields.

Experience

• 10 years of relevant professional experience in managing and implementing development, peacebuilding or humanitarian programmes at headquarters and/or in the field;
• 3-4 years of experience should be in an international organization, preferably regional and/or country level;
• Established record building new and innovative partnerships;
• Experience managing and guiding teams;
• Experience working in the region is highly desirable;
• Experience in managing volunteer programmes and/or in a development context involving volunteers is desirable strong asset.
• Experience in providing and/or managing technical advisory services to government is an asset.

Language

• Fluency in English.
• French proficiency highly desirable.
• Proficiency in an additional official UN language is an asset.