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2099 Portfolio Manager for Inclusive Political Processes (IPP)

Belgrade

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Belgrade
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Social Affairs
    • International Relations
    • Political Affairs
    • Banking and Finance
    • Democratic Governance
    • Governance and Peacebuilding
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Managerial positions
    • Disability Rights
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Purpose
 
To manage the “Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy and Inclusive Political Dialogue” project and to provide support to the Programme Analyst for Good Governance with resource mobilization and knowledge codification within the portfolio.
 
Objective
 
To ensure result-oriented, effective, efficient and accountable implementation of the assigned projects and portfolio activities and achievement of envisaged results.
 
Background Information
 
UNDP supports more than 60 parliaments around the world in their efforts to:
  • Promote and monitor implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals;
  • Strengthen parliamentary management, and relationships with the executive and judiciary branches of government and with civil society;
  • Build the capacity of parliamentarians and technical staff on core parliamentary functions of representation, law making and oversight;
  • Enhance equal participation and effective decision-making of women members of parliament.
In Serbia, UNDP has been supporting the National Assembly since 2004 continuously and is set out to continue so, under the present Country Program Document (http://www.rs.undp.org/content/serbia/en/home/about-us/legal-framework.html). 
Inclusive Political Processes Portfolio is designed to respond to the National Assembly’s need for strengthening its representative and legislative scrutiny functions, support its transparency and efficiency, as well as the oversight role of local assemblies, by transferring the good practice from national to local level in terms of parliamentary oversight and outreach to citizens. At the local level, the Portfolio helps local assemblies to engage citizens and ensure more inclusive political processes, though capacity development, amendments to Rules of Procedure, political briefs, strategies for communications and social media, innovating website features and other forms of communication with citizens, focus groups and other demand-driven activities.
 
In the past 7 years, the support was provided through two phases of “Strengthening the Oversight Function and Transparency of the Parliament” Project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)/Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO).
The First Project Phase 2012-2015 had a three-fold purpose: to develop the capacity of scrutiny teams; to improve the Parliament’s outreach to citizens, especially at the local level, with emphasis on oversight/scrutiny mechanisms and to pilot successful outreach mechanism in local assemblies; to develop a system for real-time tracking of the State budget expenditure in the Parliament. 
 
The Second Project Phase 2015-2019 responded to the needs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and a selected number of local assemblies to enhance their representative and oversight functions among other. The goal was to bring MPs and local assemblies closer to their electorate and strengthen their roles on both national and local levels. 
 
The Third Phase 2020-2023 named “Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy and Inclusive Political Dialogue” is the continuation of previous support to the National Assembly and local assemblies in Serbia. The project focuses on political dialogue, transparency and gender equality. The project will have three outputs that will address the key interventions: (i) The National Assembly in Serbia fosters a culture and implements systems that ensure routine dialogue (cross-party dialogue between MPs and with civil society and citizens) and access to information in order to ensure better and more inclusive policy-making processes; (ii) Local assemblies are transparent in providing information to citizens and civil society and empowered to better fulfil their democratic role and respond to citizen’s needs; and (iii) Citizens and civil society organizations, especially women, engage more actively with parliaments at the central and local level as conveners of inclusive dialogue and by providing inputs to law and policy-making. 
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Overall responsibilities: 
  • Management of the projects and implementation of activities to achieve the desired outputs, in accordance with the adaptive management approach and UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures and the UNDP Serbia Standard Operating Procedures; 
  • Monitoring of project progress, risks management, ensuring that issues are identified and addressed;
  • Progress and results reporting; 
  • Support partnerships and advocacy activities at the project level; 
  • Ensure implementation of knowledge management activities.
Specific responsibilities will include the following:
 
Management of the projects and implementing activities to achieve the desired outputs:
  • Day-to-day management and decision-making related to “Strengthening the Oversight Function and Transparency of the Parliament (3rd Phase)” project; implementation of activities (e.g. procuring goods and services, brokering partnerships, manage project budget etc.) in accordance with the adaptive management approach and UNDP POPP and UNDP Serbia SOP;
  • Prepare annual workplans and procurement plan as well as the other regular and demand driven plans;
  • Coordinate and supervise the work of the project team;
  • Ensure effective and efficient implementation of workplan activities;
  • Monitor progress against the approved work plan; 
  • Identify issues and agree management responses with UNDP office and Project Board; 
  • Draft terms of reference and work specifications and oversee contractors’ work; 
  • Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, through advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures); 
  • Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports; ensue preparation of budget revisions as necessary; follow up with UNDP programme associate and finance staff on issues. 
  • Prepare and coordinate an exit strategy at least 6 months ahead of the project closure date; ensure closure of the project is done according to the established procedures.
Monitoring of progress and risks, ensuring that changes are controlled, and problems addressed:
  • Reporting on progress including measures to address challenges and opportunities;
  • Monitor events as determined in the project monitoring schedule plan, and update the plan (in Atlas and off-Atlas) as required; 
  • Capture, manage and monitor the project risks; escalate emerging risks to the project board for consideration and advice or decision on management response; maintain the project risks log;
  • Preparing propositions for adequate adaptation of the initially planned activities and responses, in coordination with the Advisory Board;
  • Organize regular Project Board meetings and perform regular progress reporting to the Project Board;
  • Support to the Advisory Board’ meetings and to its regular strategic advising to the Project Board;
  • Prepare progress reports, in compliance with UNDP reporting requirements, and submit them for supervisor’s review and approval; share the approved report with the project board.
  • Prepare donor reports in compliance with donor reporting requirements;
  • Support the preparation of reviews and evaluations as defined in the project document;
  • Prepare final project report and lessons learned report;
  • Support partnerships, resource mobilization and advocacy activities at project level: 
  • Coordinate activities with other projects in the governance sector/area, with focus on parliamentary development and inclusive political processes; 
  • Coordinate the work and activities of the responsible parties on the Project;
  • Support the partnerships building and advocacy activities pursued by the UNDP office in the governance area/sector, with focus on parliamentary development and inclusive political processes;
  • Provide support for Programme Analyst for Good Governance in program design in parliamentary development, inclusive political processes more generally, and other emerging areas;
Ensure implementation of knowledge management activities: 
  • Regular exchange of information/experience with other projects, cross-learning and sharing results and good practices;
  • Ensure that projects have communication plan; share with UNDP Communication Officer all relevant information and materials;
  • Ensure that briefs, talking points, scene setters and other relevant communication materials are prepared on time;
  • Capture lessons learnt during project implementation for operationalization of the adaptive management;
  • Actively participate in programme meetings; 
  • Participate in training events, communities of practice, codifying and sharing knowledge;
  • Facilitate and organize trainings for project staff. 
Performance indicators and means of verification for evaluation of results:
  • Project outputs delivered in accordance with expected quality, time and cost; 
  • Regular exchange of information and dialogue with representatives of national and local assemblies, relevant ministries, other stakeholders and beneficiaries; 
  • Reports and Annual Workplans developed on time in line with quality standards;
  • Project administered in UNDP Software ATLAS;
  • Resource mobilization support to Programme Analyst for Good Governance provided;
  • Lessons learnt compiled and knowledge codified;
  • Effective management of the Project Team.

Competencies

  • Good application of Results-Based Management;
  • Good communication, coordination and facilitation skills;
  • Consistently ensures timeliness and quality of portfolio work; 
  • Establishes lasting relationships and substantive dialogue with clients;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills; 
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling ethical standards;
  • Demonstrated political neutrality.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master’s degree or equivalent in organizational sciences, economics, law, political and other social sciences or other relevant fields. 
Work experience:
  • Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in multilateral development context;
  • Experience in managing teams and complex projects/processes that included extensive communication, coordination and facilitation requirements;
  • Experience in partnership building at international, national, regional and local level;
  • The following specific experiences will be considered as an asset: experience working in the UN system or other international organizations; experience in managing project in the field of parliamentary development; experience in managing projects in the field of good governance in general.
Knowledge:
  • Excellent understanding of Serbia's political and socio-economic situation; 
  • Understanding of current policies and legislation relevant for the fields of parliamentary development and inclusive political processes;
  • Familiarity with the EU accession process; 
  • Knowledge in the use of computers and office software packages and handling of web-based management systems.
Personal qualifications; 
  • Ability to organize and motivate team, deliver when working under pressure and within changing circumstances;
  • Excellent writing/reporting and presentation skills;
  • Excellent interpersonal, networking and team building skills.
Language:
  • Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Serbian and English.
Special consideration:

As this position is under Service Contract modality, only applicants with Serbian nationality or valid working permit in Serbia will be considered for the vacancy. The selected candidate will be subject to a Government security check prior to signature of contract.

 

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

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

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This vacancy is now closed.
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