Community Engagement Specialist (non-key expert)

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Please note that the person selected for this position will be offered a contract with UNDP under its National Personnel Services Agreement modality (N-PSA 8); the UNDP Service Contract modality is phasing out over the coming year. More information about the N-PSA is available here.

The ongoing armed conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. Recognising the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the armed conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager/Team Leader, the Community Engagement Specialist (non-key expert) will:

• Carry out social/environmental screening of subprojects and activities, and help to prepare subproject or activity specific Social/Environmental Management Plans;
• Design and deliver capacity building inputs for ensuring the implementation of community engagement within the entire UERP based on the work and experience done in the pilot phase by International Renaissance Foundation; 
• Deliver training seminars in each of the target regions to community-based stakeholders, including NGOs; 
• Along with Stakeholders engagement expert design training modules to cover illustratively the following thematic areas: 1) understanding and implementing the SMP and SEP; and Introduction to EIB Social Standards; 2) Strategic Planning and Results-based Project Management; Risk Analysis and Conflict Sensitivity Assessment; and Conflict Management; 3) Effective Communication; Grievance Redress Mechanism; and Accountability Instruments; and 4) Participation and Community Development tools; Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation; and TPM. The list of topics would be further refined while UERP implementation in cooperation with the MRD and other implementation partners, and adjusted to meet the identified capacity-building needs of participating communities and CSOs;
• Organize experience sharing events semi-annually for relevant communities;
• Organize annual experience-sharing, networking and learning conference to bring together the sub-project UERP implementers and relevant communities to present selected projects and share learning;
• Uphold establishment of informal collaborative entities, provisionally called “Sub-project Implementing Council” within each of the sub-project communities. 
• Partner up with local NGOs that are involved in implementation of the sub-projects for the operation of the “Councils”;
• Support the local communities and CSOs in organizing stakeholder consultations and, based on their information needs, developing and implementing communication plans;
• Produce and present the local implementers’ annual reports and the public presentation of the final report on community engagement within the UERP; 
• Prepare quarterly reports to the EIB and MRD duly reflecting results, lessons and recommendations from the component implementation
• Scale up and strengthen the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), based on the Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals” and the EIB Standard 10;
• Organize independent (third-party) evaluation at the regional and national level, and for local clusters of major sub-projects;
• Support a monitoring working group, aiming at organizing regular (quarterly) monitoring visits to cover selected sub-projects. Participants of the monitoring group to include representatives of the project team, and the community-based stakeholders;
• Produce report in a manner understood by non-technical people for effective dissemination purpose;
• Issue recommendations on areas of concern, or areas for improvement in current and future sub-projects;
• Participate in relevant working group meetings and share information with local partners;
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in community engagement practices;
• Promote skills for achieving the gender equality agenda with partners and beneficiaries;
• Ensure mainstreaming of gender equality considerations in the field of expertise, promotion of a safe and enabling environment free of any kind of discrimination and abusive behaviour, and gender-responsive communications based on corporate principles;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Project Manager (EIB-TA project)/Team Leader and/or UNDP management.

• Full and appropriate implementation of the Social Management Plan (SMP) and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the Ukraine Early Recovery (ERP) Programme by ensuring local community engagement to fulfil UNDP/EIB/GOU Social/Environment Safeguards Policies and Procedures and UNDP Standard Operating Procedures;
• Full and appropriate implementation of the TA Project deliverables, including capacity building in various stages of a project cycle by various focus groups, and efficient use of Project funds;
• Reporting, quality monitoring and closure activities completed. 

• Annual work plan for the TA is fully and timely implemented;
• UNDP TA Project operational requirements are carried out in strict accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.

• Leadership
• People Management
• Delivery
• Communication
• Innovation
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

• Conflict Management
• Result orientation
• Teamwork
• Self–management and emotional intelligence
• Gender mainstreaming
• Knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues and ability to apply it to strategic and/or practical situations, e.g. integrating into the project/programme cycle, including design, planning, and implementation
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:
  • Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
  • Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
• Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise, Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures
• Client Orientation:
  • Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
  • Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in International Development, Social Sciences, Project Management, or another related field;
• Relevant Bachelor’s degree with additional two years of extensive progressively responsible relevant experience is accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.

• Candidates in possession of a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent require up to 2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in working with municipal and social infrastructure projects. Candidates in possession of a relevant Bachelor’s degree require minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience.
• Experience working with IFIs funding projects would be an asset.
• Demonstrated inclination and skill to utilize innovative approaches to training and communication.
• Experience in capacity building and training in the areas of planning, preparation and implementation of social and/or infrastructure projects would be an asset.
• Experience in civil society development and civic activism would be an advantage.
• Experience with participatory decision-making, facilitation of consultations and engagement with various stakeholders and participatory needs assessment, substantial experience in monitoring and evaluation of Projects involving various infrastructure sectors are advantage.
• Familiarity with Social Standards of International Financial Institutions.
• Experience with EIB environmental and social standards would be an advantage.

• Fluent Ukrainian, Russian and English languages.

Important applicant information

All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

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