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Specialist, Policy and Aid Effectiveness

Addis Ababa

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Addis Ababa
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Political Affairs
    • Legal - Broad
    • Other
    • Capacity Development
    • AID EFFECTIVENESS
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

The Development Partners Group (DPG) was established to coordinate donor support to the preparation, monitoring and evaluation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) process and, more recently Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The DPG secretariat is housed in UNDP and provides support to the work of the DPG and its sub-structures including the High Level Forum (HLF), DPG Technical Working Groups (TWGs), Aid effectiveness Task Force, and the DPG Executive Committee (Ex-com). It follows up on the ongoing development agenda as well as new initiatives as they are launched by the DPG. The DPG Secretariat also builds partnerships and liaises closely with stakeholders, including Government, civil society, the private sector, the UN and donor agencies. 
 
The Policy and Aid Effectiveness Specialist (Policy and Aid Effectiveness - DPG Secretariat) will be based in the UNDP Policy Advisory Unit (PAU) and works under the overall guidance of the UNDP Resident Representative and the direct supervision of the PAU head. The Policy and Aid Effectiveness Specialist leads the work of the DPG Secretariat to ensure successful programme implementation. He/she shall liaise with UNDP HQs staff to resolve complex programme-related issues to enhance the aid effectiveness and policy support provided to the DPG.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:
  1. Policy and technical advisory support to the DPG as well as Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) Aid Effectiveness Task Force;
  2. Advisory and Technical Support to Ministry of Finance (MoF);
  3. Advisory Support for aid management and effectiveness portfolio;
  4. Strengthen UNDP Senior Management’s understanding and support to aid effectiveness under the UN Delivering as One Reform in the context of DPG’s partnership and aid effectiveness agenda;
  5. Contribute to UNDP’s work on aid coordination and effectiveness matters;
  6. Contribute to aid effectiveness knowledge creation and management.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 
1.Policy and technical advisory support to DPG:
  • Provide advisory, analytical and technical support to DPG, including the Aid Effectiveness Taskforce, on issues related to aid coordination and effectiveness as well as to the strengthening of development partnership in Ethiopia;
  • Provide technical and analytical support to work relating to aid coordination, management and effectiveness, strategic partnerships and resource mobilization to strengthen UNDP’s coordination support function to DPG;
  • Provide technical and advisory support to DPG structures to facilitate effective policy dialogue on a number of overarching development policy issues through, among others, DPG dialogue meetings and discussions on issues of development aid issues as agreed upon with GoE;
  • In partnership with staff of the MoF, act as a member of the joint secretariat for the in-country dialogue structure. This includes advisory and technical support to the High Level Forum (HLF) Secretariat and Annual Progress Review (APR) meetings of the national development plan of Ethiopia. 
  • Produce high quality and regular policy advisory briefs or papers on aid coordination, management and effectiveness to support national processes and development policy discourse in this area; 
  • Provide technical support to OECD-DAC country-level activities, including coordination of in-country case studies, evaluations, and surveys among others;
  • Provide technical support to the Aid Effectiveness Task Force.
2.Advisory and Technical Support to MoF:
  • Advise MoF on the development and implementation of appropriate strategies and interventions for enhancing aid effectiveness and strengthening Government capacities for effective aid management; 
  • Provide strategic advisory support to the MoF on the implementation and possible development of Ethiopia’s aid policy, including providing advice on the process and content in the development of an ODA manual, and strengthening and roll-out of the Aid Management Platform (AMP);
  • Provide professional technical advice to both GoE and DPG on the implementation of mechanisms and approaches aimed at promoting mutual accountability in aid relations;
  • Provide advisory support to the MoF to enhance its capacity and leadership in OECD-DAC related activities;
  • Procure and coordinate on behalf of DPG the provision of other technical support as needed.
3.Advisory Support for the Aid Management and Effectiveness Programme portfolio:
  • Provide advisory and management support on programme implementation with specific focus on aid coordination, harmonization, alignment and effectiveness; 
  • As Policy and Aid Effectiveness Specialist for the DPG Secretariat, meet project oversight and management responsibilities for the strengthening of the DPG Secretariat project and manage day-to-day functions of the DPG Secretariat, including leading the work planning process. 
  • Supervise staff reporting directly to the Policy and Aid Effectiveness Specialist;
  • Provide advisory support to the Aid Management and Effectiveness Programme portfolio.
4.Provide advisory support to UNDP Senior Management on aid effectiveness in the context of the UN Delivering as One reforms:
  • Analytical support the UN Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team in ensuring strategic engagement of DPG with the UN;
  • Assist with coordinating the contributions of UN agencies under Delivering as One to support the aid effectiveness agenda in Ethiopia.
5.Contribution to UNDP’s work on aid coordination and effectiveness matters:
  • Support UNDP’s capacity and positioning in terms of donor coordination and the aid effectiveness agenda; 
  • Provide strategic advisory support to UNDP on aid effectiveness issues;
  • Deliver effective development partnership and incrementally higher levels of aid effectiveness for Ethiopia;
  • Foster higher levels of understanding and deeper knowledge among Development Partners; (including UN agencies) of the aid architecture in Ethiopia.
6.Contribution to aid effectiveness knowledge creation and management:
  • Regularly contribute to aid effectiveness knowledge platforms, including teamworks and communities of practice, by sharing best practices and results;
  • Generate and manage local aid effectiveness documents and actively support their publication and dissemination.

Competencies

Core Competencies:
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Promotes ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
  • Builds support and political acumen;
  • Builds staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
  • Builds and promotes effective teams;
  • Creates and promotes an enabling environment for open communication;
  • Creates an emotionally intelligent organization;
  • Leverages conflict in the interests of setting standards;
  • Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
  • Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking;
  • Prince2 training and certification, RMG.
Functional Competencies:   
 
Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:
  • Creates effective advocacy strategies;
  • Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses.
Results-Based Programme Development and Management:
  • Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration;
  • Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
  • Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps draft proposals;
  • Participates in the formulation of project proposals.
Building Strategic Partnerships:
  • Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to strategic donor coordination  agendas;
  • Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners.
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:
  • Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
  • Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
  • Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
  • Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.
Resource Mobilization:
  • Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend strategic approaches;
  • Identifies and compiles lessons learned;
  • Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level.
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:
  • Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
  • Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:
  • Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
  • Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
  • Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
  • Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.
Global Leadership and Advocacy:
  • Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
  • Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level.  
Client Orientation:
  • Anticipates client needs;
  • Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
  • Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
  • Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master’s Degree or equivalent in International Development, International Relations, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field.
Experience:
  • A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in development cooperation in governmental, multilateral or civil society organizations in a multicultural setting;
  • 3 or more years of senior-level management responsibilities of similar size and complexity;
  • In-depth understanding of global developments and best practices in the area of aid effectiveness, combined with demonstrated experience in supporting aid coordination and management at the programme country level; 
  • Prior work experience with UN agencies or other international organizations will be an asset;
  • Knowledge of the mandate and role of the UNDP in aid coordination and relevant experience in developing countries will be an asset.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English is required. Fluency in additional UN languages (French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese) is desirable.

Disclaimer

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

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