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

The UNDP Sierra Leone’s Country Programme Document (CPD), 2025-2030, represents UNDP contributions to the National Development Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. Developed through extensive consultations and guided by independent evaluations, the CPD seeks to reduce multidimensional poverty and enhance justice, peace, social cohesion, and resilience. One of the two pillars focuses on Inclusive governance, peace, and prosperity, embodying harmonious development, effective resource management, and equitable governance aligned with UNDP signature solutions. UNDP has recently developed its Inclusive Governance Peace and Prosperity Portfolio for 2025 -2030 around four main pillars: Pillar I – Fostering Peaceful, Credible and Inclusive Elections; Pillar 2 – Rule of Law and Human Right; Pillar 3 – Strengthening Democratic Institutions; and Pillar 4 – Strengthening Security, Peace and Social Cohesion.

These pillars seek to support an inclusive constitutional review process; promote social accountability and transparency; enhance capacities of oversight institutions, EMBs and CSOs to deliver inclusive, transparent, and peaceful elections; and equip media entities to manage mis- and disinformation. It supports legal, policy and regulatory reforms; gender equality, women’s empowerment and SGBV reduction initiatives; and empower women and youth to assert their political and economic rights and participation. The country office also seeks to improve national capacities to anticipate and respond to threats to peace, security, and stability at community, national and cross-border levels; support justice and security sector reform; and enhance access to justice and the protection of human rights.

Position Purpose

The Portfolio has outlined the goals under peacebuilding and social cohesion for which UNDP seeks to strengthen the infrastructure for peace, social cohesion, conflict prevention, mediation, and reconciliation, addressing inequalities, promoting economic transformation, and emphasizing women, youth, peace, and security. Under the Portfolio, UNDP provides support to improve capacities to anticipate and respond to threats to peace and stability at the national, community, and cross-border levels and promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment for effective peacebuilding.

In achieving these goals, UNDP is channeling resources from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, the Government of Japan, and other critical partners, with aim to promote and social cohesion in collaboration with a wide range of partners.

Based in the Sierra Leone country office, and under the direct supervision of the Inclusive Governance Peace and Prosperity Portfolio Team Leader, the Programme Analyst will provide support for the Country Office’s work on peace and security under the UNDP CPD 2025-2030. The incumbent will work across portfolio programmes, support programme integration, and ensure the development and implementation of quality projects working closely with the RCO, UN agencies, national actors, and other relevant partners.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1.) Ensure effective planning and implementation of projects and initiatives in the field of peace and security

  • Provide strategic advice and propose courses of action to the Team Lead and Senior management on peace and social cohesion issues
  • Support the planning, execution and monitoring of the country office’s peace and security projects and initiatives
  • Ensure activities are aligned with national priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework
  • Collaborate with government counterparts, civil society organizations, private sector actors and local and community actors among others
  • Support joint projects and programmes with other UN agencies in the field of peace and social cohesion, including the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund-funded project
  • Provide technical support and capacity-building to partners to enhance their contribution to peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and social cohesion initiatives
  • Monitor emerging trends, risks, and opportunities in the peace and social cohesion landscape

Conduct peace and conflict analysis to inform programme design, project implementation and other work of the country office

  • Mainstream gender equality and human rights-based approaches throughout peace and security programming
  • Support additional portfolio priorities and initiatives as assigned, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness to emerging needs

2.) Building strategic partnerships and resource mobilization

  • Support the country office’s resource mobilization efforts by contributing to proposal development, identifying funding and collaboration opportunities, exploring synergies with ongoing initiatives, and engaging with relevant stakeholders
  • Support the drafting of concept notes, project proposals and project documents in the area of peace and security in collaboration with the country office colleagues and other partners
  • Support the country office’s engagement with development partners, national counterparts and civil society organizations among other partners
  • Proactively identify and cultivate new strategic partnerships with bilateral and multilateral partners, foundations, and private sector actors among others
  • Prepare briefing notes, statements and talking points and other written inputs as required by senior management
  • Facilitating linkages between United Nations Peacebuilding Fund-funded initiatives and other UNDP programmes to maximize synergies

3. ) Facilitate knowledge management and communications

  • Prepare, compile and support reporting on the country office’s peace and social cohesion projects and initiatives and other projects and initiatives under the portfolio
  • In collaboration with the country office’s communications team, support efforts to raise visibility of the country office’s support and the contributions from donors
  • Document and package good practices, lessons learned, and human-interest stories that demonstrate programme impact at community, local and national levels
  • Contribute to the development of other knowledge products of the country office

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None

Competencies

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

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

  • 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
  • Business Management — Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management
  • Business Management — Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
  • Business Management — Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
  • Partnership management — Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
  • 2030 Agenda: Peace — Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Relations, Political and Social Sciences, Peace and Conflict Studies, International Development Studies or related field is required. Or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in political affairs, peacebuilding, diplomacy, project management or related field is required.
  • Demonstrated experience in conflict prevention and social cohesion is required.
  • Experience with project design and development, partnership building and resource mobilization is desirable.
  • Experience in working on peacebuilding programming, especially funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, will be an added advantage.
  • Experience in supporting dialogues, capacity-building and organization of meetings, events and workshops in relation to peace and security is desirable.
  • Experience in coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including international organizations, national government and civil society organizations is desired.
  • Experience working with the UN Common System or other comparable international organizations is desirable.

Language:

  • Fluency in English is required
  • Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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