Conflict Prevention & Peace Specialist

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work is carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, and forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains.

 Within the GPN, the Crisis Bureau guides UNDP’s corporate crisis-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery. The Bureau has the responsibility for support to prevention, crisis response, resilience and recovery work under the auspices of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. Crisis Bureau staff provide global strategic advice to UNDP management and technical advice to regional hubs and Country Offices; advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. As part of the Global Policy Network (GPN), the Crisis Bureau works in an integrated manner with UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) ensuring that issues are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes.

The Regional Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Specialist (Asia-Pacific) will work under the matrix supervision of the Peacebuilding Advisor at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) and the UNDP Philippines Resident Representative. S/he will also closely advise the Crisis Bureau’s Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions (CPPRI) Head, and in collaboration with other specialists in Regional Hubs, HQ, Country Offices and the Oslo Governance Global Policy Center, the Programme Specialist is responsible for contributing substantive policy and programme advisory services to multiple Asia-Pacific Country Offices and applying products and tools relevant to the thematic area. Working to ensure quality and coherent policy and programme advisory services, he/she advances the credibility and recognition of the organization’s programmes in this thematic area.  Key areas of focus include sustaining peace, peacebuilding, working in situations of protracted conflict, dealing with the past and promoting social cohesion, conflict and gender-sensitivity, preventing violent extremism and supporting institutional development.

Summary of Key Functions

• Programme Support and Policy Advice;
• Support Policy Development;
• Resource Mobilization;
• Partnerships, Representation and Advocacy;
• Knowledge Management.

Programme Support and Policy Advice

• Under the coordination of the Team Leader, collaborate closely with the RBAP country support team in the Bangkok Regional Hub, the Pacific Office and HQ;
• Provide regional programme support in the thematic area of Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding and Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) in the Bangkok Regional Hub to Country Offices, helping them to ensure relevance of the services provided to country and regional context including crisis situations;
• Provide support to the Global Project on Preventing Violent Extremism, Strengthening Resilience to Violence and Extremism in Asia (Strive Asia, 2019-2022);
• Deliver technical policy advice and regional programme support, in collaboration with other teams in the Regional Hubs and HQ, that responds to country office needs, including through the provision of capacity building and backstopping;
• Actively support and collaborate with Peace and Development Advisers deployed in the Asia and Pacific region, coordinating closely with UNDP-DPPA Joint Programme on Supporting National Capacities for Conflict Prevention and its stakeholders and colleagues;
• Identify and recommend to management new opportunities for policy advisory directions and roles;
• Identify critical roles for thematic area in crisis and conflict responses and, provide timely technical policy and programme advice for crisis situations in response to requests;
• Liaise with the Crisis Bureau to provide related contributions to UNDP SURGE for country offices.

Support Policy Development

• Under the guidance of the Team Leader, integrate UNDP’s work in the Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding and PVE thematic areas within the region into a coherent policy and programming framework in support of the implementation of the UNDP Strategic Plan, and contribute to the Global Policy Network (GPN) where needed;
• Provide advisory support and feedback to the Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions Team Leader in NY on policy gaps and opportunities for development of overall team priorities and workplans from the regional perspective, including in such areas as preventing violent extremism (PVE) among others;
• Contribute to the design policy initiatives for relevant contexts on emerging policy agendas, collaborating with policy teams in HQ and communicating and representing perspectives and knowledge from Country Offices and the regions;
• Critically assess and measure policy services in the designated area and recommend to COs, HQ and Hub Management new policy and strategic alignment options;
• Provide Quality Assurance to ensure alignment with global development policies, norms and standards; and
• Foster policy innovation in the specific thematic area to enhance programme delivery.

Partnerships, Representation, Advocacy and Resource Mobilization

Under the guidance of the Governance and Peacebuilding Team Leader, mobilize, foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with UN entities and other relevant regional bodies and provide substantive inputs to those partnerships in support of UNDP initiatives;

• Support the Team Leader and as required the Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions Global Team to engage with partners and in resource mobilization, including through preparation of funding proposals, donor briefings, timely corporate and donor reporting, advocacy and information-sharing requirements;
• Contribute to UNDP engagement in UN interagency coordination as well as in other fora with the aim to advance UNDP’s strategic agenda in the thematic area;
• Advocate policy and positioning of this thematic area in various fora and through programme efforts, including academia and civil society.

Knowledge Management

• Coordinate knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned in the specific thematic areas, ensuring that knowledge sharing, and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools;
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice; and
• Coordinate cross-regional exchange of knowledge by collaborating with policy teams in HQ and Regional Hubs to research, develop and share knowledge-based tools and guidance to help influence/advance policy dialogue in the thematic area and present such material at various fora.

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            

Primary

Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

• Translates substantive expertise in conflict prevention concepts and principles and ability into corporate strategy and programmes 

Preventing Violent Extremism

• Translates expertise in PVE concepts, principles and abilities into corporate strategy and programmes             

Representation

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

Resource Mobilization

• Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.              

Partnerships

• Ability to engage with others and forge productive working relationships                .

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree) in political science, sociology, international relations, international economics, law, public administration, or other related social sciences. In lieu of an Advanced degree, a Bachelor university degree with additional years of experience.

Experience:

• At least 7 to years of progressively responsible experience in conflict analysis, policy, and strategy development, development and/or conflict prevention in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization;
• At least 9 years of relevant experience would be required if only in possession of a Bachelor’s Degree.
• A proven policy, advisory and advocacy experience and track record of engagement with senior levels of government, United Nations, and donors;
• Experience in national and community-level conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives and programming;
• Demonstrable experience in at least two of the following areas: Social Cohesion, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation, Conflict- and Gender-Sensitive Programming, Preventing Violent Extremism, Political Economy Analysis;
• Extensive experience in research and project development;
• Sound knowledge of and experience in the Asia and Pacific region, including in dialogue, conflict prevention and PVE initiatives, is an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English, both written and oral;
• Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

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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