Programme Officer - Integrated Governance Programme

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges.

In the programme countries, UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in in partnership with the host governments, the United Nations system, the development partners and other partners to help the country to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shock. 

UNDP has been a trusted development partner of the Maldives for more than 40 years, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, reduction of inequalities and exclusion in areas such governance, environment protection, climate change mitigation and adaptation. In each of its thematic areas of work, UNDP at the request of its national partners provides relevant policy advisory support, technical assistance, advocacy, and knowledge to help Maldives achieve its global commitment on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). With Maldives’s transition to Middle Income Country Status, Official Development Assistance from traditional donor sources has been on the continuous decline. UNDP is therefore working with its national partners to identify and tap into alternative and innovative financing mechanisms for development. This process involves broadening outreach and forging wide-ranging partnerships with stakeholders - including other UN agencies, the government, the private sector, philanthropic Foundations, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and International Finance Institutions to advance the country’s development strategies and objectives.

You are invited to join a team of dedicated development professionals whose primary role is to support the Maldives to achieve the 2030 Agenda.  As part of the UNDP team your focus will be to work with multiple stakeholders to find the country specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and to ensure no one is left behind - and we reach those furthest behind first. 

 

UNDP is looking for individuals who have the communication, analytical, planning and implementation capacities that can address links, choices and connections across many issues and sectors.  We seek individuals who can apply global best practice to national contexts. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic, motivated, and committed to making a positive contribution to Development in the Maldives. 

 

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Programme Manager/Analyst, the Programme Officer ensures effective delivery of Integrated Governance Programme (IGP) by supporting and coordinating the implementation of the programme activities. The Programme Officer works in close collaboration with both the programme and operations team, programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UNDP programme implementation.

 

He/She will have demonstrated knowledge of government institutions both at national and sub-national level and will have demonstrated substantial experience in partnering with the private sector / civil society and other key stakeholders such as youth, women, and marginalized groups. 

 

 

Background of the project

 

UNDP Maldives’ Integrated  Governance Programme described herein aims to advance democratic consolidation, strengthen people-centered governance and promotion of justice and human rights, in an evolving sociopolitical context, through the two result areas:

1.Increased voice and citizen participation for strengthened governance systems 

2.Enhanced access to justice and protection of human rights

 

The Programme Officer will contribute to the implementation of the Governance Programme. A multi-pronged strategy will be undertaken towards addressing the issues of lack of engagement and representation of women in public and political life, increasing dialogue among multiple stakeholders, building leadership, consensus-building, and fostering civic space with a variety of actors. 

 

The Programme will also focus on strengthening access to justice and protection of rights, especially in a context where legal aid system needs to be developed and awareness of legal and human rights needs to be increased. Gender-based violence and women’s access to justice and rights will be prioritized, given the prevalence of violence and continued impunity as well as the threat to women’s equality.

 

The Programme Officer would also provide support to applying lessons learnt and building on results of UNDP supported projects, support to knowledge generating and evidence-based decision making and building relevant capacities. In addition, the Programme Officer will work with the Peace and Development Adviser to support his/her mandate and to build capacity for social cohesion and conflict sensitive programming.

 

1.Implementation of programme results:

 

•Day-to-day management of project activities;

•Coordinate with relevant Government implementing partners and UNDP to ensure that expected outputs are delivered in a timely manner;

•Ensure project is implemented in compliance with UNDP and Government’s Procurement and Human Resources Guidelines, and financial requirements;

•Ensure that project is executed according to work plans and within established budgets;

•Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures); 

•Put in place and facilitate results-based implementation of programme activities; and,

•Performance of other duties as required in support of project implementation

•Prepares background analytical papers and reports as required.

 

2.Implementation of reporting, monitoring and evaluation policies and strategies: 

 

•Effective monitoring for ensuring implementation of project activities;

•Assess the programmatic impact and oversee the appropriateness and the accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results;

•Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified, submit new risks to the Project Technical Team for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log; 

•Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log; 

•Prepare the Project Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Management Team;

•Ensure timely submission of quarterly financial and activity progress reports to UNDP as well as adequate financial management of allocated resources;

•Oversee timely preparation of reports for UNDP to donors and other stakeholders;

•Prepare presentations to donor partners, government and other stakeholders as required.

 

3.Liasion, partnerships and Coordination with external and internal partners:

 

•Create strategic partnerships with government, non-government, and private sector stakeholders and beneficiaries;

•Actively support the  resource mobilization efforts and the implementation of the resource mobilization strategy and maintain close relationships with donor partners; 

•Closely liaise with the teams for programme results 1 and 2 to ensure coherence and synergy among all governance project activites of UNDP Maldives;

•Support the Peace and Development Advisor in key functions and capacity building;

•Build relationships with other UN agencies and build upon common activities to ensure maximum impact of project activities especially when targeting vulnerable groups such as children, youth and women;and,

•Advise team members and management on new developments regarding key partners and stakeholders.

•Analyses the socio-political and governance ecosystem and maintains continuous dialogue with partners to provide development support services, identifying areas for UNDP support.

 

4.Knowledge Building and management:

 

•Provide quality advisory services to the CO and RPs/IPs and  facilitation of knowledge building and management

•Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned 

•Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories; and, 

•Contribute to the design and implementation of appropriate learning strategies for stakeholders. 

•Provides inputs into the Country Programme Document (2022-2026)

 

 

Impact of Results

 

The key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets of the Integrated Governance Programme of UNDP Maldives.. Contributions will directly aid the achievement of the governance outcomes of the country programme, including; citizen expectations for voice, sustainable development, and the rule of law and accountability met by stronger systems of democratic governance. 

 

Core Competencies 

•Innovation - Ability to make new and useful ideas work. Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully

•Leadership -Ability to persuade others to follow. Generates commitment, excitement, and excellence in others.

•People Management -Ability to improve performance and satisfaction. Models independent thinking and action 

•Communication -Ability to listen, adapt, persuade, and transform. Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis.

•Delivery -Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement. Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services.

 

Technical/Functional

 

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

•Project Management -Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals. 

•Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) -Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

•Justice Sector-Knowledge of access to justice, the justice sector and institutions, justice sector reform agenda of the Maldives and strategic action plan of the Maldives, and ability to apply to make strategic decisions.

•Human Rights -Knowledge of human rights, international human rights mechanisms and instruments, human rights in the Maldives and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

•Operational Efficiency -Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency.

•Knowledge Facilitation -Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share.

•Team building -Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals.

 

Education

•Master’s Degree or equivalent in political or social science, human rights, law, or any other related Social Sciences with at least one year of relevant experience. 

•Or in lieu of Master’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree in political or social science, human rights, law, or any other related social sciences fields with at three years of related experience.

 

Experience:

•Good knowledge of, the functioning of the justice sector, access to justice, gender and human rights issues, function of civil society and experience in coordinating or implementing activities in/related to the justice sector, on human rights issues, civil society empowerment and coordinating activities focused on capacity building and dialogue.

•Good working knowledge of information technology. 

•Experience in project management including co-ordination, financial management, risk management and partnership management.

•Experience in working in/with Justice Sector Agencies is highly desirable.

•Experience in working the area of development (national and/or international) would be an advantage.

 

Language Requirements:

•Strong Communication skills, verbal and written; and good command of English and Dhivehi both written and spoken Dhivehi and English.