Programme Specialist

BACKGROUND

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.

The insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin, including Northeast of Nigeria has been longstanding and has caused undesirable consequences in terms of loss of lives, created multi-tiered intergenerational grievances, destroyed socio-cultural and socio-economic systems, and remains a threat to immediate, medium and long-term transformation of the affected territories in Nigeria, including Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. Borno has seen a significantly higher impact and the insurgency there has gone through a variety of phases and is marked by cycles that are connected with several factors.

By 2021 and into 2022, the insurgency in Northeast of Nigeria had taken an unprecedented turn leading to large number of individuals exiting the conflict and presenting themselves to security authorities, largely in Borno State, but also in neighboring countries. Moreover, sustaining this momentum of exits presents challenges to effective process of their handling and in treatment of the individuals as is led by government authorities and in ensuring their reintegration into communities amidst an ongoing conflict, an internal displacement situation and significant intergenerational grievances stemming from the longstanding conflict.

As a response to the mass exits, in November 2021, the State Government of Borno, passed a “Policy on Community-Based Reconciliation and Reintegration” premised on the Vision for long term transformation of the State to contribute to peace and stability. Additionally, the Borno State Government has developed and is implementing the ‘Borno Model’. This is a state-led programme for integrated management of those that have exited the insurgency and includes key community level interventions aligned with the CBRR approach on a community-oriented reintegration process while at the same time incorporating targeted reconciliation, healing and long-term transformation perspectives. It is also aligned with the regional priorities under the Regional Stabilization Strategy for the Lake Chad Basin.

UNDP is supporting the Federal and State Government to make operational these approaches as aligned with implementation of the Regional Stabilisation Facility – Nigeria window, which is operating in some of the locations that have been identified for reintegration. This at the same time supporting alignment with the national/international principles and UNDP policy orientations for effective implementation of community-based reconciliation and reintegration.

Against the above background, UNDP seeks to recruit a Programme Specialist to provide programmatic and technical oversight, budgetary direction and component management under the Regional Stabilisation Facility (RSF) – Nigeria Window and portfolio of UNDP Nigeria’s support to reconciliation and reintegration in general.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Sub Office, the Programme Specialist provides strategic direction and leadership in the programme area of Reconciliation and Reintegration:

• Provides an overall strategic vision for Reconciliation and Reintegration with a view to build national capacities for the handling and treatment of formerly associated insurgents of Boko Haram and conflict-affected persons within the framework of Borno State Policy for Community Based Reconciliation and Reintegration and to support the overarching peace building objective of the UN. 
• Leads formulation efforts to ensure a programme which is relevant, in line with UNDP practice areas UNDP Nigeria’s Country Programme, the Joint UN Planned response for the Borno Policy, and responsive to changes in the country context. 
• Ensures the effective application of RBM tools for programme effectiveness and achievement of results; 
• Ensures regular monitoring and intermittent evaluation of the projects, including but not limited to regular field visits and the participation in Project Board and/or Steering Committee meetings; 
• As direct supervisor, provides effective leadership to Project Staff in the programme area and ensures the promotion and application of the UNDP drivers of development effectiveness (promotes national ownership and the development of national capacities; fosters policies and partnerships and promotes gender equality) for enhanced programmatic results, and other development standards as per UNDP’s corporate multi-year strategy; 
• Ensures that all programming is founded on the Human Rights Based approach and that programme resources are used in a balanced way and are “conflict sensitive”, ensures adherence to the Do-No-Harm principle and any joint UN operating principles in Nigeria, relevant to the programme area; 
• Promotes cross-unit teamwork and the professional development of the team members, through coaching and mentoring. Promotes coordination among the various components of programme cluster and with the other UNDP programmes. 

The Programme Specialist heads the Reconciliation and Reintegration portfolio of work and will be held accountable for adherence to the corporate and CO standards

• In close consultation with the Senior Programme Management Team, overseeing the elaboration of coherent work plans and budgets for all activities in the programme portfolio and the continuous monitoring of project work plans;
• Ensures timely and adequate reporting against plans in consultation with Senior Programme Management Team; 
• Preparation of high quality project documents and proposals, and encouraging adequate peer review of the same through established mechanisms;
• Integrity of financial and administrative operations in the programme area by oversight of financial and budgetary aspects of the projects, under advice of the Operations staff; 
• Strict and consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations and ensuring the implementation of clear accountability mechanisms throughout the programme portfolio;
• Cost recovery for services provided by the CO to projects, in collaboration with the Programme Management Support Team; 
• Participates in internal control mechanisms for adherence UNDP rules and regulations in contracts, assets, procurement, recruitment, etc. as required; 
• Approval of financial transactions for the Reintegration programme in Quantum, up to the designated level. 

The Programme Specialist also supports partnership building and resource mobilization for UNDP in the programme area:

• Supports resource mobilization for the programme in close consultation with Senior Management and is responsible for reaching the yearly fund mobilization and delivery targets; 
• Advocates for UNDP with government counterparts, donor community, international financial institutions and the UN; 
• Liaises continually with and forges close linkages with other UN offices, programmes, agencies and entities, and other international and national stakeholders concerned with or providing assistance on Reconciliation and Reintegration issues to Nigeria;
• Promotes joint programming and UN reform, and collaborates effectively in established frameworks for UN and other international coordination;
• Contributes to the harnessing of effective partnerships and competitive selection of partners for implementation of UNDP projects. 

The Programme Specialist promotes UNDP mandate and corporate policy and provides senior high level policy advice to government and other partners:

• Promotes results of the Reconciliation and Reintegration cluster, ensuring maximum and appropriate levels of visibility and public awareness on results and ongoing activities.
• Provides high level senior policy advice to UNDP senior management, Government counterparts, donors and other partners on issues related to Reintegration. 
• Represents UNDP as requested by Senior Managers or Resident Representative;
• Manage sensitive issues with great tact and positions UNDP as a neutral actor with high quality policy advice, in particular the handling and treatment of project beneficiaries.

The Programme Specialist ensures knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Promotes identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the programme area for organizational sharing and learning as well as external information; 
• Actively participates in the knowledge networks and takes advantage of best practices and lessons learned that are available in the region and globally, and encourages staff in the programme area to do so by creating a culture of knowledge and learning; 
• Promotes the participation of UNDP Nigeria in regional programmes and regional activities related to the programme area as appropriate; 
• Supports capacity- and knowledge building of national counterparts; 
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the CO and, in particular, within the Early Recovery, Stabilisation and Support to Reintegration (S2R) programmes. 

COMPETENCIES

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management Competencies

The Programme Specialist supervises project staff determined under the component’s programme portfolio. People Management is required competency for this assignment. The incumbent should aspire to create an enabling workplace, manage performance and ensure accountability, building capability of the team, motivating and directing the team to work towards a common vision and goal that is shared by the Country office and other related components of the suboffice work.

Show Managerial Courage

• Ability to work in a team and, if necessary, to lead teams working on specific issues and / or multi-sectorial
• Ability to identify and develop practical approaches to strengthening the capacity of public institutions, civil society and the private sector
• Excellent writing skills and oral communication skills in French
• Communication skills and ability to produce advisory reports and other high-quality products
• Ability to interact with senior government officials and a credible influence with key national policy makers, with UN agencies and with other international development agencies
• Highly geared towards achieving results actions
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills and the provision of advice
• Demonstrate experience in translating policy principles into operational and effective measures in the areas of social cohesion, resilience and peace building
• Good understanding of UNDP programming modalities, particularly in crisis and post-conflict settings.

Demonstrate Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
• Good knowledge/understanding of UNDP/UN rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and practices

Motivate and Direct

• Create and communicate a compelling vision and purpose
• Align people and resources with organizational vision, strategy, objectives
• Understand and proactively builds the team/organization culture

Build an Enabling Workplace

• Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment.
• Excellent supervisory, team building, diplomatic and interpersonal skills
• Resourcefulness, initiative, and maturity of judgment.
• Recruit and promotes individuals based upon objective measures and meritocracy; acknowledge and utilize the talent of others Encourage collective action and integration

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction & Strategy: Effective Decision Making

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

Business Management: Risk Management

• Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends, to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management: Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus to improved performance and demonstrable results

Business Direction and Strategy: Systems Thinking

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Partnership: Strategic engagement

• Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives

Partnership: Resource Mobilization

• Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent preferably in Political Science, Management Studies, International Studies, Development Studies, or any other related field is required
• Bachelor's Degree with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be considered in lieu of Master's Degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• Minimum of 7 years (Master’s degree) or 9 years (Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in development in multi-cultural setting and/or post-conflict setting. 
• Knowledge of M&E systems, and results and performance-based management and reporting in conflict/post conflict context.
• Prove excellent analytical and drafting skills.
• Demonstrable experience working with community-based reconciliation and reintegration processes including in fragile contexts is desirable.
• Extensive experience coordinating activities in either social cohesion, reconciliation, peacebuilding, conflict resolution and management, consensus-building, dialogue processes, collaborative decision-making, and leadership is desirable.
• Experience in mainstreaming gender into programme and project implementation is desirable.
• Experience managing grants for CSO’s, or other relevant stakeholders for effective community-based reconciliation and reintegration is desirable.
• Experience in special development situations in Africa would be an asset, as well as previous experience working in the Lake Chad region.

Language Requirements:

• Proficiency in oral and written English.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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