Deputy Project Coordinator/National Youth Specialist (NPSA9)

The Peace Building Support Office (PBSO) approved in December 2021 a joint PBF project titled “Bridging traditional governance and rule of law through youths’ participation as agents of peace and change in Rennel and Bellona” to be implemented by UNDP and WVSI in support to the Solomon Islands National and Provincial governments’ efforts to support youth empowerment as agents of change in their communities.

This project led by UNDP in partnership with WVI, will have the core objective that young women and young men in Rennel and Bellona are empowered as agents of change through the recognition of their traditional role in conflict resolution and their participation in the identification of innovative locally- owned solutions for the sustainable management of communal land, bridging traditional governance and statutory system.

More specifically, this project will provide a range of critical supports to create an enabling environment for youth participation as agents of change in building local peace and dialogue and in facilitating inter and intra-generational transmission of knowledge. Recognizing the traditional peace-making role played by youth and women during inter and intra tribal conflicts, the project will make particular efforts to empower young women in the decision-making process on communal land management.

The project will endeavour to ensure that youth as current and future landowners participate in the decision-making process on the management of land and natural resources in their community. Young women and young men will be agents of changeable to challenge gender bias custom norms and lead positive changes in their society and to more inclusive management of land and natural resources. The engagement of men including traditional and church leaders is a critical component of creating a safe and enabling environment for young women and young men’s participation and considerable investment will be made to ensure a high level of rigor and monitoring to maximize sustainable impact.

The focus on youths as agents of change will help bridge the gap between traditional governance and the statutory system enhancing the national dialogue with a catalytic effect on the whole country.

To support the implementation of this project, UNDP is recruiting a Deputy Project Coordinator/National Youth Specialist who will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the PBF project’s activities within the thematic areas/sectoral areas assigned. The incumbent will directly report to the UNDP Project Coordinator. He/She will receive overall oversight from the Governance Specialist and work in close collaboration with the other UNDP portfolios included in the programme units and operation teams, with the national counterparts from the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), National Youth Congress, Provincial Youth Council, local communities, district representatives, NGOs, CSOs, etc. as well as with the Project Board Members to ensure its coherence and all the partners involved in the programme process. He/She will also facilitate consultation with local youth organizations and youth individuals, to contribute to the delivery of the project’s outputs, when need be.

Deputy Project Coordinator/National Youth Specialist will be reporting directly to the Project Coordinator. The specific duties and responsibilities during the assignment will include, but not be limited to, the following:

Project Management Support:

• Support the implementation of UNDP PBF programme/project strategies focusing on the achievement of the following results
• Support implementation of UNDP components of the PBF projects and programmes within the framework of the Priority Plan of peacebuilding financed by the PBF;
• Facilitate the strengthening of the organizational capacities of the existing local security committees by organizing and leading them in the different intervention zones;
• Facilitate and coordinate the work of implementing partners identified in the programme document ensuring services provided by IPs meet the technical standards and expectations of the project results;
• Organize and facilitate discussion workshops and make diagnoses with the main key actors of the project and with youth organizations in order to identify consensual solutions likely to create a peaceful environment for the consolidation of peace;
• Facilitate the operationalization and implementation of the project’s activities, in synergy with the other projects/programmes partners involved

Capacity Building:

• Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management;
• Ensure the development of joint work plans and an implementation plan for all Youth related activities of projects and programmes, in complementarity and synergy with other PBF programmes and partners intervening in the consolidation of peace and in close collaboration with the focal points of the UN agencies participating in the programme as well as the national partners;
• Ensure the planning, implementation and monitoring of the project in the area of Youth interventions in alignment with the country office programme and the PBF portfolio;
• Promote synergies with other UNDP programmes; UN Agencies’ programmes and exchanges with other key players in the project by bringing together other partners involved in the areas of intervention;
• Facilitate the visibility of the results of the project in close collaboration with the UNDP Communication Specialist and the communication officer within the PBF Technical Secretariat;
• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals;
• Contribute to the evaluation of the project impact. Monitoring and analysis of the project environment, timely readjustments in portfolio;
• Participate in trainings, workshops, meetings and other activities and take part in steering committee meetings, forums and sectoral groups relating to actions of projects and programmes;
• Undertake field missions in the areas of the project’s activities at the local level.

Partnership and Advocacy:

• Participate in effective quality control within the project’s cycle:
• Facilitate tracking and identification of youth emerging issues for consideration next stages of the PBF project implementation cycle;
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation system to measure progress towards results, and readjust project activities, as necessary;
• Prepare and participate in joint field missions, evaluation and external audit missions and disseminate the results;
• Prepare all the documents necessary for the establishment of partnerships and the mobilization of additional resources;
• Periodically assess the achievements in the field and the progress of activities and ensure the documentation of knowledge (best practices, lessons learned and case studies) resulting from the implementation of projects and programmes in the intervention areas;
• Ensure compliance with procedures for the management of project funds and provide advice and recommendations on the use of project resources;
• Write periodic progress reports (quarterly, half-yearly, annual) as well as consolidated reports to be submitted to the PBF and to UNDP management;
• Contribute to knowledge sharing on the rules and procedures in force within UNDP;
• Conduct financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the project’s activities, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions;
• Participate in the project’s audit.

Knowledge Management, Dissemination and Use of Information

• Ensures efficient Knowledge Management, Dissemination and Use of Information
• Design and disseminate monitoring and evaluation resource materials, templates, and guidance documentation
• Coordinate the collection and use of monitoring data, as well as evaluation and reporting.
• Perform field visits to ensure the quality and accuracy of collected or reported data.
• Document progress of a project against project implementation plans, results in matrix, milestones and targets.
• Support the identification of good practices and lessons learned and share findings with the project manager
• Lead in designing thematic activities and knowledge-sharing forums and encourages others

Other

• Perform any other tasks, in connection with the programme, which may be entrusted to it by the UNDP country office.

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

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

Business Management 

• Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests; Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Audit &Investigation     

• Procurement concepts, processes and management: Knowledge of procurement processes and management

Operations: Administration, Finance, HR, Procurement, IT and Security

• Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Peacebuilding or related field; or
• A Bachelors’ degree with additional 2 years of relevant work experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

• Minimum 2 years (with Master’s) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s) of relevant experience in implementing and supporting the management of post-crisis and peacebuilding projects and programmes;
• Demonstrated knowledge of youth empowerment, youth- inclusive public policies, youth activism;
• Demonstrated work experience on youth development interventions/projects in the UN, UNDP, government entities or CSOs/youth organizations, movements and networks;
• Experience in multi-partner coordination, participating in inter-agency processes, and working in partnership with a wide range of organizations;
• Understanding of the context of youth dynamics Sierra Leone;
• Knowledge of Youth, Peace and Security and the Sustainable Development Goals;
• Understanding of UNDP’s policy and programme approaches;
• Understanding of youth meaningful participation and inclusion;
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Research, analytical and writing abilities;
• Ability to work in teams and under pressure and time constraints;
• Experience in the usage of computers and relevant office software packages;
• Ability to engage in team-based management, experience of leading workshops and being a resource person;
• Ability to think clearly and analytically;
• Ability to plan own work, setting priorities and completing it under pressure or when faced with competing demands;
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written);
• Ability to use Microsoft Office for reporting, and presentation;
• A strong commitment to gender-sensitive, inclusive and pro-poor development works;
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team;
• Consultative and empowering working style and willingness to learn from others;
• Willingness to travel as required.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Pidgin are required