EU Contributions Management Specialist

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development network, promoting its global authority and thought leadership on sustainable development and the interconnected issues of poverty, inequality, and climate change. BERA leads and supports UNDP in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential to achieving its mission. Creating strong political and financial backing for UNDP by providing partners and supporters with a clear understanding of what UNDP does and how our mission, capabilities and flagship services relate to them. The Bureau leads UNDP’s work on innovative and diversified partnerships and ways of financing the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It is also responsible for global campaigns on critical development issues, which aim to inform government policies and build partnerships around high-impact solutions. BERA coordinates and sets corporate standards across the functions of partnerships, marketing and communications within UNDP and leads on internal communications.

The Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy is positioned around three service lines; Public Partnership; Advocacy, Marketing and Communications; and Private and Finance Partners, all working in close collaboration and coordination under the guidance of the Directorate and with the support of the Management Support Unit and Strategic Analysis and Engagement team.

BERA has a robust network of Representation Offices (Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo and Washington D.C.) and Regional Teams in five hubs (Africa, Arab States, Asia Pacific, Europe and CIS, and Latin American and the Caribbean) co-led with Regional Bureaux, all of which play a critical role in audience centric communications and management and strengthening of relationships with Public and Private Partners to help build a strong brand for UNDP within the local ecosystem.

The EU Contributions Management Specialist leads a small team which supports UNDP in the EC contribution management cycle by providing advice to Country Offices and the organization at large on initial engagement, implementation, reporting, visibility, monitoring and evaluation, verification and training on the same. Furthermore, the team facilitates the clearance of all EC contribution agreements and supports overall UN FAFA coordination through close coordination with the UN Controller’s office.

• Provide critical support on developing more tailored communications, outreach, resource mobilization and other strategies to deepen and broaden UNDP’s existing partnership with key EU interlocutors. Identifying funding opportunities, calls for proposals by scanning relevant EU websites, information gathering etc;
• Lead and coordinate administrative contract management activities in the Representation Office (RO);
• Analyse donor trends and funding landscape and provide input into RO policy recommendations and corporate strategies tailored to specific donors;
• Provide wholistic programme and project management guidance and support services to HQ, Country Offices and the Regional Hubs on the execution of EU funded programmes and projects in accordance with applicable contractual frameworks and established regulations, as well as, verification, monitoring and reporting activities, problem solving and risk and reputation management;
• Networking and building constructive relations with EC counterparts involved in programming and contractual matters;
• Facilitation of knowledge building and sharing on contractual aspects of the UNDP-EU partnerships, implementation modalities and contractual requirements, through dissemination of information, preparation and conduction of briefings, presentations and trainings.

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 while exercising good judgement

Technical/Functional  

Advocacy and Activations

• Ability to design and implement strategic short/long term campaigns and carry out customized activations to highlight UNDP's position and support issue-based advocacy.

Results-Based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results

Collaboration and Partnerships

• Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside (Programmes/projects) or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.  Sets overall direction for the formation and management of strategic relationships contributing to the overall positioning of UNDP

Innovation Outreach and Partnerships

• Ability to communicate within and at large, participate in peer communities and engage substantively

Knowledge Management

• Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge

Relationship Management

• Ability to engage and foster strategic partnerships with other parties, Inter-Agency Coordination and forge productive working relationships

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Public Administration, Law, European studies, Political Sciences or related field.

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services;
• Familiarity with the UN/UNDP system and UNDP-EU partnership an asset;
• Knowledge of the EU’s policies and implementation modalities for external development and humanitarian assistance, including of the existing UN-EU contractual frameworks;
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages and handling of web-based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and French languages, is required;
• Working knowledge of other official UN language is desirable