Regional Advisor

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The Regional Advisor leads and manages one of the Sub-Regional Cluster teams, which provide regional strategic oversight and coordinated support to CO positioning and representation at HQ. A lead advisor to the Regional Bureau and Country Offices, s/he provides overall technical support for the alignment of regional and country programmes with UNDP’s Strategic Plan and UNDP’s Africa Offer, and analyzes constraints to attainment of programming goals and objectives in the region and identifies opportunities to strengthen UNDP positioning. S/He conducts regular analysis, forecasting and horizon scanning on strategic, emerging and/or topical issues in the region to inform UNDP positioning. Through oversight of Country Programming processes, contribute to the translation of such analyses into UNDP’s programmatic response. S/he works closely with various Regional Bureau teams as well as Central Bureaux to ensure timely provision of policy, advisory and operational support services to the region and adequate response to crisis management and complex development situations.  S/He contributes to the oversight of the region’s programmatic performance against corporate goals and delivery targets, and oversees CO’s translation of UNDP positioning in programmes and initiatives. S/He serves as liaison and representation of country offices and UNDP vis-à-vis other UN partners (DPO, DPPA, PBSO etc.). S/He quality assures and ensures completeness of external and internal briefings, position options and corporate internal papers.

S/He reports to Chief of the Country Oversight and Support Team and manages Regional Specialists and a Regional Associate. S/He also manages, jointly with the Heads of the Regional Service Center and Regional Hub, the respective Sub-regional oversight and support team (Addis Ababa, Dakar).

Ensures regional strategic performance oversight by:

• Leading the Team’s analysis of economic, political, security, social and humanitarian trends and perspectives in the sub-region, and provide strategic advice on their implications for the Bureau’s work and for the formulation and implementation of corporate policies and organisational strategies, working closely with the Strategy and Analysis Team;
• Aggregating, analyzing and evaluating the Bureau’s overall portfolio, including the sub-region’s performance against programmatic and operational targets, and providing feedback to CO Support Team to strengthen the quality, relevance and complementarity of regional and country programmes and projects to ensure their alignment with corporate and regional strategies;
• Providing substantive analytical support throughout the process of the formulation and implementation of sub-regional initiatives to ensure a coherent portfolio of regional projects and to ensure regional cooperation and integration.
• Undertake results-based monitoring for regional and sub-regional portfolios, in close collaboration with the Regional Programme and CO Support teams. Advise and liaise with the Country Support and Oversight Team in the region, in analyzing and reporting regional results, including synthesis of RBM performance;
• Overseeing consistency of country programme interventions with UNDP’s policies to develop capacity for strengthened accountability and results in key areas. Make recommendations for relevant actions to the Bureau’s leadership;
• Assess impact of audit and evaluation recommendations, in close interaction with the COs, the Country Support and the Management Support teams. Propose changes and remedial actions to address deficiencies and manage and mitigate risks in consultation with the Regional Bureau leadership and
• Advising the Supervisor/Director and Deputy Director on programme implementation performance at aggregate level and alert on possible risks or deviations. Advise the Bureau Directorate on strategic and critical issues requiring action and/or intervention.

Ensure targeted and effective representation & coordination by:

• Developing UNDP positioning on CO and sub-region portfolio, drawing on analysis and forecasting and consulting with and sharing knowledge and insights with the Strategy and Analysis Team and CO Support Team;
• Advising the Bureau leadership on crisis preparedness and response coordination mechanisms with UN partners, DPPA, DPO, external missions and other stakeholders, including the Integrated Task Force (ITF) and Crisis Management Teams for Level 2 and 3 crises. Establishing active and effective communication with the Country Support and Oversight Team in the region, throughout crisis coordination processes, conducting preparatory and follow-up activities, including technical level consultations, coordination of and input to strategic briefs on crisis/complex development challenges, and follow-up on agreed action plans;
• Advising the Bureau leadership on issues impacting the region by providing ad-hoc briefings on political, sensitive and crisis issues in close partnership with the Chief, Strategic and Analysis Team, proposing options for regional positioning. Support senior management to represent the region in relevant meetings in HQ, and Ensuring the quality and completeness of internal briefings, position options and corporate internal papers based on inputs from HQ and regional teams, providing a feedback loop/mechanism. Initiate dialogue with key stakeholders and participate in relevant internal UNDP interfacing/coordination activities, including on crisis response, advocating regional priorities. 

Enhance external partnerships and relations:

• Establishing partnerships, in particular at the global level, to collaborate and engage on common objectives.
• Support the Regional Bureau and COs in partnership building and contribute to resource mobilization efforts and initiatives by identifying target organisations, developing proposals and participating in meetings with key regional inter-governmental organisations in line with the Bureau’s partnership and resource mobilization strategy;
• Contributing to UNDP-led crisis and recovery-related resource mobilization efforts in close coordination with relevant units by providing focused briefs on improved performance and compliance in implementing donor-funded programmes; 
• Liaising with governance bodies and key stakeholders on budget/programme performance or substantive programmatic issues as appropriate. Participate in and represent UNDP in inter-agency meetings to harmonize and inform the development and monitoring of joint initiatives and programmes.

Ensures integrity and effectiveness in the management of the Sub-Regional Cluster Team by:

• Providing strategic guidance and oversee the management of the team to ensure adherence to policies and procedures and the accountability framework;
• Establishing the team’s annual work plans and set objectives, performance measurements, standards and expected results in collaboration and discussion with team members;
• Supervising and assessing work in progress to ensure delivery of results according to performance standards, overall objectives and accountability framework. Provide intellectual leadership and technical guidance and timely take decisions to meet objectives, and
• Promoting teamwork to facilitate harmonization, linkages, collaboration, and synergy in order to ensure that staff members are provided sufficient information, guidance and support to perform and deliver results according to organizational and professional standards of efficiency, accountability and integrity.

Enhance the creation, capture and dissemination of knowledge by:

• Contributing to the development and review of knowledge products in close coordination with the regional teams by analyzing and sharing lessons learnt and programme evaluation results as well as targeted interventions in crisis countries. Ensure that these are incorporated into knowledge management initiatives and in evidence-based policy dialogue, and
• Identifying best practices for recording and dissemination, based on assessment of programme implementation in the region including recovery interventions.

Core     

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.           

Technical/Functional     

Primary

UN System

• Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations .

Representation

Ability to productively share UNDP knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues).

Relationship Management / Partnerships

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

Brief and Speech Writing

• Ability to prepare quality briefs and/or speeches.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Knowledge of methodologies, tools, systems and apply practical experience in planning, monitoring, evaluating and reporting and ability to apply to practical situations.

Secondary         

Quality Assurance

• Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled.

Results-based Management

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

Negotiation

• Ability to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue

Crisis Assessment

• Ability to use methods and tools to determine impact of various elements for crisis and post crisis situations.

Crisis Governance

• Knowledge of Crisis Governance concepts and principles and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

Education:

• Advanced university degree economics, business administration, social sciences or related disciplines.

Experience:

• At least ten years of progressively responsible development experience in development cooperation at the international level.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and French, both written and oral.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

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