Local Convergence Experiment Coordinator

Background

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic has not only caused prolonged vulnerability to Filipinos but also dealt the worst economic recession in the country since 1984. This crisis is expected to bring millions of families into poverty and is feared to endanger the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, the landmark Supreme Court decision on Mandanas vs. Ochoa in 2018 is expected to bring a windfall of resources to local government units (LGUs). By 2022, the national tax allocation of LGUs will reach almost PHP 1 trillion (about US$20 billion), increasing by about 38% from 2021.

These place a greater onus on socioeconomic recovery upon LGUs. How might we tap into the convergence of local stakeholders to accelerate development and to manage risks to attaining the SDGs?

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines has a long track record in localizing the SDGs and participatory governance. It has been working with various LGUs to ingrain the SDGs and participatory innovation in local development: from scaling a local disaster risk mapping tool into a whole-of-SDGs local monitoring platform, to boosting social innovation and digital technology in Bangsamoro local governance. UNDP has likewise supported civil society efforts to engage local planning and budgeting processes: from convening multi-sectoral Governance Hubs to help provinces localize the SDGs, to developing a mobile app for local project monitoring.

Building on these, UNDP Philippines’ Accelerator Lab (ALab PH) is implementing various experiments that aim to find, test, and scale new ways of pursuing SDG localization under the new normal. These initiatives fall under the Lab’s ongoing work in (i) nurturing Pasig City and other highly urban areas as #NextGenCities; (ii) collaborating with the Zero Extreme Poverty (ZEP) Philippines 2030 to scale its local convergences; and (iii) promoting Anticipatory, Agile, and Adaptable (AAA) governance for COVID19 recovery in 15 LGUs.

UNDP ALab PH requires the services of a coordinator to manage the work of this growing portfolio of local innovations, engaging a broad range of stakeholders and overseeing the outputs of service providers, and deriving learnings and produce knowledge products from experiments.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Ensure strategic management of the project and provide day-to-day financial and administrative management for the delivery of the project’s activities focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the experiment design, including background research, organizing and facilitating meetings and activities to co-design experiments, project planning, etc.
• Manage the implementation of experiments, including tracking of tasks and deliverables, coordination within UNDP and with external stakeholders for required inputs and resources, contracting of and coordination with third-party service providers, etc.
• Monitor and evaluate the results of experiments, including the conduct of exploratory data analysis, field observation, interviews, and focus group discussions, etc.
• Ensure complete documentation of the experiments from planning to closure, including but not limited to filling out forms in the UNDP PH Knowledge and Innovation (KAI) Portal.
• Provide support in drafting terms of reference and support recruitment and management of a team of national and international consultants and subject matter experts;
• Support the project for creating specifications/ evaluation criteria etc. related to procurement, subcontracting, and outsourcing of services etc.
• Assist partners in preparing their progress and financial reports for the project activities.

2. Develop and maintain effective working relationships and coordination with key counterparts to ensure the strategic positioning of UNDP, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Help ensure full alignment with UNDP PH Programme Teams by, among others, mapping existing programmes, projects, and activities that may be relevant to the experiments and ensure the relevant programme and project teams’ participation.
• Identify relevant external stakeholders (national and local government, development partners, civil society, private sector, academic partners, etc.) and map their various initiatives which may help inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of experiments.
• Identify potential opportunities, entry points, points of convergence with stakeholders, and other openings for scaling up of experiments in the future.
• Provide inputs and insights on strategy for consolidated offer to cities

3. Efficient support to tasks related to advocacy, programming, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Ensure the implementation of the communications and advocacy plan for the project;
• Establish suitable monitoring mechanisms and undertake regular monitoring and reporting on project progress, risks and constraints; updates the implementation plan as required;
• Promote accountability through effective programme results reporting (monthly, quarter, and annual progress and financial reports), to the UNDP, government counterparts and the Project Board; and
• Monitoring, reporting and evaluation of outputs and accomplishments towards the achievement of project intended outputs.

4. Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Maintain effective network with development partners and Government at regional level co-develop with ALab and other UNDP personnel at least one (1) knowledge product on Participatory Local Governance for Risk Management which consolidates lessons learned from the various parallel experiments, particularly the participatory recovery planning exercise. The report shall emphasize how decentralization and participatory governance are crucial to promoting risk-informed development. This knowledge product shall be produced by end-2021. The consultant may be asked to present findings in a national or regional platform as necessary
• Ensure that relevant forms and attachments of the UNDP PH Knowledge and Innovation (KAI) Portal are filled out or uploaded.
• Review, analyze, and index related literature, including policies, academic research, data and other materials, and as needed translate or condense these into digestible formats.
• Help understand the evolving policy terrain on localization and urbanization by mapping issuances and pronouncements from UNDP and other relevant UN bodies, national and local government, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with ALab PH and other UNDP CO colleagues in drafting policy notes or briefs, blog posts, presentations, communication materials, and other materials.
• Maintain strategy notes, partner directories, partnership agreements, contracts, and other such important documents in ALab PH’s file system under the corporate Sharepoint of UNDP.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the country office’s Local Government Engagement Strategy, including provision of inputs and other ad-hoc related tasks. 

Competencies

1. Project Management (Level 4): Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals

2. Delivery (Level 4):  Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

3. Data Analysis (Level 4): Ability to set goals and indicators and to interpret and synthesize results into usable information to inform policy, strategy, and/or action.

4. Collaboration and Partnerships (Level 4):  Ability to engage with other agencies, and other development stakeholders inside or outside the organizations and forge productive working relationships.

Desired additional skills and competencies

1. Experience with the UN or international organizations is an advantage

2. With preference to those who have taken similar positions.

3. At least 1 year experience in the use of social innovation tools and developing knowledge products, narrative content, designs, and other communication outputs in various platforms.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

Proficiency in spoken and written English and Filipino is required.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Academic Education

Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, sociology, development economics, community development, public administration, management, communication, innovation, design or other related fields; or

Advance university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) social sciences, sociology, development economics, community development, public administration, management, communication, innovation, design, or other related fields is an advantage

Minimum years of relevant work experience

Minimum of four (4)years work experience for Bachelors degree holder and two (2) years work experience for Masters degree holder, in the field of designing, planning, implementing, coordinating, managing, monitoring, and/or evaluating development programs and projects