Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

  • Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
  • Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
  • Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
  • Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

 Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP Bangladesh’s Democratic Governance programming aims to accelerate effective governance so that all citizens can openly and peacefully contribute to Bangladesh’s development story. It focuses on making the country inclusive, capable, rule-based accountable, and transparent by 1) strengthening effective and accountable governance that responds to the need of people in addressing equitable and improved access to justice and rule of law, 2) strengthening civil society and promoting participatory governance to ensure that the voice of all citizens are heard, and 3) enhancing civic, political and economic empowerment of women and youth.

The Government of Bangladesh, through its 8th Five Year Plan (2021–2025), prioritizes enhancing access to justice under Key Area 2a: Justice and the Rule of Law. The Plan commits to strengthening NLASO’s capacity to reach poor and marginalized groups, fostering partnerships with NGOs and CSOs for broader legal aid coverage, and conducting diagnostic assessments to inform innovative, needs-based legal aid delivery. These efforts aim to reduce case backlogs and ensure inclusive, equitable justice.

As the formal courts in Bangladesh are slow, expensive and overburdened, with a backlog of around 3.8 million cases,  it pushes most people to manage petty disputes through informal means, such as shalish. These informal solutions are often biased especially against women and minorities, they are not transparent and often ineffective as they lack enforcement powers. The Village Courts (VCs) were established by the Village Courts Ordinance, 1976 to allow petty disputes to be dealt with by Union Parishads, the lowest tier of local government in rural areas. As the law was not fully implemented, later the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) enacted the Village Court Act, 2006 repealing the Village Court Ordinance, 1976. The Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh Project (AVCB) began in 2009 as a  pilot project aiming to activate VCs in 351 Union Parishads (UPs) and the second phase (AVCB-II) started in 2016, targeting a further 1,080 Ups which  was completed in June 2022. The final phase  for five years (2022-2027) has been implemented by the Local Government Divisions of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (MoLGRD&C). 

The project intervention is going on  across all UPs in Bangladesh, excluding CHT (amounting to 4,457 UPs) reflecting the GoB commitment for a national scale-up. It has  three components: first to activate Village Courts in 3,041 Union Parishads in Bangladesh; second to maintain the performance of the 1,416 courts activated under AVCB-I and AVCB-II; and third to ensure the Government has the capacity, resources and ownership to take over the management and oversight of VC services so that the project gains are sustained. 

The project’s Overall Objective is: Increased Access to Justice and Social Harmony for People In Rural Areas of Bangladesh, Especially Women and Disadvantaged Groups.

Specific Objective/Outcome 1:  Duty bearers in Bangladesh provide sustainable, fair and effective resolution for minor disputes in rural areas

Specific Objective/Outcome 2: People living in rural areas, especially women, the poor and other disadvantaged groups are empowered to access Village Courts to resolve minor disputes

There are 5 technical components in the project named Project Coordination, Capacity Development, Advocacy & Communication, Legal Review and Gender and Planning, M&E and Knowledge Management. In addition, there are two more components – Operations and Finance. Involving national institutions like NILG (National Institute of Local Government), BPATC (Bangladesh Public Administration Training Center), JATI (Judicial Administration Training Institute), BPA (Bangladesh Police Academy), etc. the project has a plan to build up the capacity of the institutional stakeholders on village courts. Besides, as a part of implementation strategy NGOs/CSOs are also included to help LGD for grassroots level capacity building, social mobilization and eventually activating village courts under the technical support and supervision of Project Management Unit. To manage and assist the capacity building  efforts of  the project, project management requires to recruit a staff under this position for the interim period.

Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Develop training materials for effective implementation of capacity development program of the project
  2. Ensure sustainable capacity development initiatives for different stakeholders of Village Court
  3. Provide administrative support for successful implementation capacity development program of the project
  4. Coordination, Communication , Monitoring & Reporting 

The Project Associate (Training) will have the following specific duties and responsibilities 

a. Develop training materials for effective implementation of capacity development program of the project 

  • Assist to develop capacity building plan on village court issues and other training related issues in field level;
  • Work in a group to develop and dessiminate training curriculum, manuals, modules and relevant guidelines, develop training and learning materials;
  • Asist to develop course outline/schedule of different trainings, workshops, seminer            ( Training on Village Courts for AACO, UP Chair, UP Member) etc. 

b. Ensure sustainable capacity development initiatives for different stakeholders of Village Court 

  • Assist to prepare plan and budget for field level training on VC for different stakeholders;
  • Contribute to organize and conduct training for elected UP representatives and administrative staff on the role and function of village court in collaboration with NILG; 
  • Conduct on the job training for improving VCs performance at field;
  • Assist to local organizations, VC officials and stakeholders through capacity building knowledge; 
  • Assist to develop the capacity to strengthen respective Ministry and Department on VC including develop learning materials on VC; 
  • Assist to ensure the full utilization of all training facilities, processes, resources, equipment and materials in different level of capacity building initiatives;
  • Assist to conduct Post Training Utilization (PTU) in coordination with NILG.

c. Provide administrative support for successful implementation capacity development program of the project 

  • Maintain training files and manage day-to- day routine administration of the project's training component concerning personnel and logistic support;
  • Initiate file to release fund at district level in connection with the training and other relevant cost and monitor the adjustment and compliance of the expenditure as per applicable rules; 
  • Assist with technical inputs in preparing training plan and budget;
  • Prepare routine correspondence and general reference documents, organize data and information, maintain records and documents to facilitate monitoring of all training activities; 
  • Assist to organize all sorts of training events e.g. circulating invitations, follow up with organizers, participants, selecting venues, organizing required logistics, producing necessary documents /materials, folders etc.
  • Draft concept note, note sheet for different events/programs
  • Provide logistics support and others to develop the capacity in different training and workshop on village courts issues;
  • Assist to print and distribute FAQ on VC, Learning Flow Chart on VC process, Training module on Gender and VC, including draft the file and letters.

d. Coordination, Communication, Monitoring & Reporting 

  • Coordinate with different units of AVCB-III Project, NGOs, and local administration to ensure smooth implementation of capacity building initiatives; 
  • Assist to monitor all district and upazila level capacity development inetiarives to be conducted and managed by local administration in effective manner; 
  • Effective communication with other Unit/Component of the project along with field staff on capacity development aspect;
  • Ensure conduction of pre-post assessment of training events and collect all report of the pre-post assessment; 
  • Update training database in GEMS with field coordination;
  • Assist in preparing training and progress report of Capacity Development Unit (EU report, Querterly Progress report, GoB fiscal year report etc.);
  • Any other relevant tasks that may emerge as important in the course of this assignment, and which deems to be appropriate for the Component/National Project Coordinator/Project Director to undertake. 

4. Institutional Arrangement

The Project Associate (Training) will report to the National Project Coordinator and work under the overall guidance of Senior Capacity Development Analyst. S/he will be responsible  to assist for implementing capacity development program of the project in the efficient and effective manner. In carrying out her/his responsibilities, S/he will provide working and technical support to develop the necessary capacity development and learning materials. S/he will advocate and promote the work of UNDP in Bangladesh, Government officials, non-government and civil society organizations. 

Competencies

a. Core Competencies
Achieve Results:    LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively:    LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
Learn Continuously:    LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility:    LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
Act with Determination:     LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner:    LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:    LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

b.    Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 
Thematic Area    Name    Definition
Business Development    Knowledge Greneration    Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context or responsive to a stated need.
    Knowledge Greneration    Ability to animate individuals and communititries of contributors to participate ans share, particularly externally
    UNDP Representation     Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, it’s values, mission and work with various constituencies 
Programme and policy    Effetiveness    Performance and Data analysis sharing lessons
2030 Agenda: Peace    Governance    Public Administration and local Governance
Business Direction & Strategy    System Thinking    Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
2030 Agenda: People    Gender
    Gender Mainstreaming
 

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education :

•    Secondary education is required, or 
•    Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Social Welfare, Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, International Relations. Law or any other relevant subject with additional work experience 
Min. years of relevant Work experience and required skill:

•    A minimum of 7 years (with high school diploma) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in proven track record and exposure to capacity development intervention.


Required skills :

•    Proven professional, intensive experience and hands on knowledge on training issues, local justice and other relevant areas;
•    Proven experience of conducting Training of Trainer (TOT), training needs assessment along with facilitations skills and ability to independently prepare training report;
•    Experience on monitoring and evaluation of training programme; 
•    Relevant experience of working with Union Parishad (UP), local justice. 
 

Desired additional skills and competencies    

    Ability to develop variety of written materials (Reports, success story, meeting minutes, etc.) for audiences with different levels of understanding; 
    Experience of organizing capacity development related events; 
    Experience in documenting lessons learned and best practices;
    Good knowledge and understanding of information and communications technology including typing skills with good speed in Bangla is essential.
    Working experience in UN agencies, development partners, or large-scale donor-funded projects is an asset.
Required Language (s):    Fluency in written and spoken English is required
 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

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