Policy Officer

The Joint UNDP-DPPA Programme on building national capacities for conflict prevention has made a ground-breaking contribution in bridging the gap between political engagement and development assistance in pursuit of preventing conflict and sustaining peace. In its new phase (2019-2023), the Joint UNDP-DPPA Programme will further strengthen the analytical capacities of national stakeholders and the UN system in support of Member States’ efforts to advance policy and programmatic coherence on conflict prevention and support strategies for sustaining peace.

The deployment of national Policy Officers (thereafter PO) has been one of the instruments of the Joint Programme to support Resident Coordinators (RC) and UN Country Teams (UNCTs) in their efforts to work with national partners on human right, rule of law, conflict prevention and sustaining peace. In an effort to ensure that Policy Specialists are better equipped and empowered to deliver on their mandates, the Joint Programme has established in a number of contexts small ‘Peace and Development teams’ where a national Policy Officer provides reinforced capacity to the Policy Specialists engaged in support of the RCOs and UNCTs in early warning and risk management measures, and ensure that UN assessments (e.g. Common Country Assessment), frameworks (mainly UN Cooperation Frameworks), strategies and programmes are conflict-sensitive and informed by high quality analysis. There are currently 56 PDA/policy specialist positions across the globe, including 31 national Policy Officers.  As a new approach, the Joint Programme is now also deploying national Policy Officer positions in countries where there are no PDAs.

Since 22 February 2019, Algeria has been engaged in a process of groundbreaking political transformation made possible by an unprecedented civic mobilization (Hirak).  Massive protests forced former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign. An extensive anti-corruption campaign targeting several officials and personalities close to the former regime was also carried out.

Elected in December 2019, President Abdelmajid Tebboun has initiated a process of political and institutional reform. A broad constitutional revision approved by referendum was finalized on 1 November 2020. After the dissolution of parliament and the overhaul of the electoral law in March 2021, legislative elections were organized in June 2021 followed by local elections (municipal and regional) in November 2021 and senatorial elections in February 2022. Despite some improvement in turnout for the local elections, voters' mobilization remained low. The representation of women in elected assemblies also declined significantly. .

In addition and confronted with a difficult economic situation marked by the fluctuating oil price and the impact of COVID 19 pandemic, several structural socio-economic reforms have been announced, notably in relation to economic diversification, energy transition and reform of the subsidy system.  

Given the ongoing challenges, capacities for analysis and advice to the UNCT will be especially sought after and the need for a good understanding of dynamics is crucial to help the UN set programming and advocacy in a politically-savvy and context-sensitive manner. The national PO will play an essential role in contributing and supporting the PDA/Policy Specialist in: (i) elaborating context developments and trends, (ii) assisting the RC and UNCT with research, analysis, and coordinating initiatives around human right, rule of law, social cohesion, dialogue and consensus building, conflict prevention, sustaining peace, women and youth engagement (iii) supporting coordination and partnerships with national counterparts and institutions The PO will be located in the Resident Coordinators’ office, with an overall guidance of the RC but a direct reporting line to the Policy Specialist/PDA in the RCO and a secondary reporting line to the UNDP Team Leader Governance and DPPA-DPO regional divisions.

The Policy Officer works under the overall guidance of the RC and the direct supervision by the Policy Specialist in the RCO and secondary reporting line to the UNDP Team Leader Governance and DPPA-DPO regional division at HQ, to provide substantive contribution in three main areas of activity, including:

1. Conduct analysis and research efforts with specific focus on supporting and promoting conflict analysis, social cohesion and conflict prevention;
2. Identify programmatic entry-points and support inclusive and conflict-sensitive approaches in efforts to build national capacities for human rights, rule of law, conflict prevention, particularly with regard to civil society, women and youth;
3. Provide technical support for programming and partnership-building on issues related to the 2030 Sustainable Development and Sustaining Peace agenda.

1. Conduct analysis and research efforts with specific focus on supporting and promoting conflict analysis, social cohesion and conflict prevention.

• Under the guidance of the Policy Specialist/PDA in the RCO contribute to political economy and/or conflict analysis;
• Ensure under the guidance of the Policy Specialist specific briefings on the country situation with risk-informed analysis to the RC, the broader UN Country Team, as well as UN Headquarters (and regional level as relevant) with advice on political and socioeconomic developments and conflict dynamics;
• Gather and process data and information relevant to the UN’s role and activities in Algeria and the sub-region as relevant, with specific focus on supporting and promoting inclusive governance, social cohesion, and sustainable development in UN’s agencies programming
• Contribute under the guidance of the Policy Specialist and RC to the regular update of the Common Country Assessment (CCA), which informs the design and implementation of the UN Cooperation Framework, including supporting the conflict analysis part of the CCA;
• Carry out and coordinate research on particular issues or thematic areas, including through engagement with academia and think tanks, civil society organizations, experts, trade unions and employers' organizations.

2.)  Identify programming entry-points and support inclusive and conflict-sensitive approaches in efforts to build national capacities for human rights, rule of law, conflict prevention, particularly with regard to civil society, women and youth.

• Assist the Policy Specialist in identifying areas of programmatic engagement with national stakeholders and provide technical contributions with the formulation of initiatives such as social cohesion, mediation, rule of law, consensus building and conflict prevention;
• Contribute under the Guidance of the Policy Specialist and UNDP Programme Team Leader Governance to UN engagement with national and local stakeholders, focusing particularly on engaging with civil society actors, academia, to inform and support efforts to build national and local capacity for rule of law, mediation and social cohesion;  
• Under the guidance of the Policy Specialist, contribute to  identifying entry points for mainstreaming conflict prevention and conflict sensitivity in the work of the UNCT programming and support capacity-building of UN Country Team staff and key national partners on conflict analysis, conflict prevention and/or conflict-sensitive development.

3.)  Provide technical support for programming and partnership-building related to the 2030 Sustainable Development and Sustaining Peace Agenda

• Contribute to liaison and sustaining partnerships between stakeholders, particularly civil society, academia, think tanks, women’s and youth networks and the private sector, as well as when required with government partners and the international community, on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, national SDG plans, rule of law and sustaining peace agenda;
• In close collaboration with the Policy Specialist and the Joint Programme Secretariat, support monitoring and evaluation function, including collecting, processing and analyzing data in the framework of peace and development team workplan;
• Under the guidance of the Policy Specialist in the RCO/RC, maintain close contact with relevant staff in UN Headquarters as well at the regional level including relevant focal points at UNDP, DPPA-DPO, DCO and work closely with the regional programme specialists based in the region.

Achieve Results LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by the deadline

Think Innovatively LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem-solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuousls 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, be aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Business Development Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need

Business Management Partnership Management

Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UN strategy and policies

Business Management Communication

Ability to 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

Agenda 2030: People Gender

Women, Peace, and Security

Agenda 2030: Peace Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive

Conflict Analysis and conflict sensitivity 

Agenda 2030: Peace Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive 
Dialogue, Mediation, and Reconciliation 

Agenda 2030: Peace Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive

Social Cohesion 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree) in political science, conflict resolution, peace studies, sociology, international relations, international economics, law, public administration, or other related social sciences. In lieu of an Advanced degree, a Bachelor university degree with additional years of experience.

• Minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible experience in conflict analysis, development and/or conflict prevention in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization;
• Extensive experience in analysis, research and sound drafting skills;
• Experience in project/programme development, management;
• Experience in national and community-level conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives and programming;
• In-depth knowledge of and extensive experience in Algeria, including in dialogue and conflict prevention initiatives; and awareness and familiarity of key actors and stakeholders across the political, economic, and development spheres alongside knowledge of government, civil society, and other non-state actors.