Programme Specialist, Democratic Governance, Human Rights and Justice

** This position is open to Ethiopia nationals ONLY

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 Government of Ethiopia (GoE) has committed itself to transform the country into a lower-middle income status by 2025 that includes significant investments in promoting issues of good governance, voice and participation, justice and the rule of law, transparency and accountability. It has in this regard articulated a clear development agenda through its 10 Year Perspective Plan for which good governance and justice are amongst its key pillars. The governance reform initiatives in particular stress on consolidating the democratic systems, enhancing the capacity of democratic institutions, strengthening accountability and integrity systems, ensuring the rule of law and access to justice, and transforming the public sector. In recent years, the government has underlined its commitment to advancing democratic reforms, deepening citizens’ participation, transparency and accountability, effective service delivery, peacebuilding/conflict transformation, national dialogue and consensus building, and media strengthening, all through specific interventions supported by the government itself and through its development partners, UNDP being at the center. 

Globally, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also provide opportunities and programme entry points to work on governance. Goal 16 of the SDG aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. As stipulated in its Strategic Plan 2021 - 2025, one of the signature solutions that UNDP committed itself to provide is strengthening effective, inclusive and accountable governance. The Strategic Plan re-affirms that ‘inclusive and accountable governance systems and processes are crucial to sustainable development and human security.

UNDP in Ethiopia has been supporting governance structures and systems for several years, and it is expected to stay the course, seek to further strengthen and consolidate its engagement. In its Country Programme Document  for Ethiopia (2020 – 2025), which is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework (UNSDCF) covering the same period, UNDP commits to enhancing the capacities of federal, regional, and sub-regional institutions and systems for an open and inclusive democratic governance,  reconciliation, prevention, and peaceful management of conflicts,  to expand access to justice/rule of law, and to promote and protect human rights, with emphasis on bringing  about tangible benefits for women and other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. By investing in this, UNDP wishes to bring about a step change in the advancement of a more inclusive, responsive, transparent, and accountable governance. In view of this, UNDP would like to recruit a competent Programme Specialist who would join the Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding Unit within the Country Office and assist the team in effectively delivering the Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding Portfolio.

Position Purpose

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Team Leader of Democratic Governance and Peace Building, the Programme Specialist is responsible for ensuring effective management of UNDP’s Democratic Governance and Justice programmes and projects, providing substantive strategic and operational support to their design, implementation and monitoring and reporting. The position holder is also expected to assist in the interface between UNDP and its implementing partners in the democratic governance and rule of law/justice sector. As such, the incumbent would be required to support the conduct of the requisite analytical and assessment to inform programme design and understand trends and patterns that impact on UNDP’s programming in the governance portfolio. He/she provides policy and technical advisory services to government counterparts as well as UNDP. The Programme Specialist also promotes and advocates for UNDP’s global mandates and priorities related to the thematic issues.

The Programme Specialist is expected to work independently, with minimal supervision but in close collaboration with the programme colleagues within the Unit and across the CO portfolio, including operations to actively engage with government partners, development partners, civil society, programme staff in other UN agencies, UNDP HQs staff and technical advisors ensuring successful CO programme management, effective resource mobilization and optimal harmonization and alignment.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

• Implementation of UNDP corporate and UNDP Ethiopia’s strategies in the governance and peacebuilding sector
• Provision of top-quality policy/technical advice services internally within UNDP CO and externally to Government and non-governmental counterparts
• Management of the Country Office (CO) programmes and projects in the areas assigned
• Supporting strategic partnerships and resource mobilization efforts of the CO   
• Facilitation of knowledge building and management

Ensure implementation of UNDP corporate and UNDP Ethiopia’s programme strategies in the governance and peacebuilding sector, focusing on achievement of the following results

• Thorough analysis and research of the political and governance situation in the country on a continuous basis with a particular focus of areas that have impacts on UNDP’s programmes/projects, feeding into the UNCSDF, SP and CPD,
• Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned based on the above analysis, as well as UNDP’s corporate priorities and comparative advantages, 
• Keeping abreast of policy changes and trends regarding public sector management, justice and human rights, parliament and democratic institutions, local governance and civil society, analyze them and inform Senior Management,
• Develop concept papers, briefing notes, issues papers and analytical pieces to inform UNDP policy-making and programming;
• Regular monitoring and analysis of assigned programmes and projects, and suggest timely readjustments in portfolio as and when necessary

Ensures effective management of the CO programme within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned focusing on quality assurance from formulation to implementation to monitoring and evaluation achieving the following results

• Effective application of RBM tools, monitoring achievement of results and contribution to team and office-wide initiatives and activities (e.g., contribution to formulation of CO SP/CPD, formulation of UNSDCF, development of Result Framework including introduction of performance indicators, targets and milestones),
• Identify programmatic entry points through gap assessments and actively contribute to formulation of new programmes/projects within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions,
• Presentation of new projects to LPAC, including facilitation of launching of new initiatives,
• Determination of required revisions/adjustments, and coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises,
• Coordination of programme/project implementation with implementing partners according to agreed-upon priorities, Annual Work Plans, and available resources,
• Financial and substantive monitoring of projects, analysis of the programme/project environment, identification of operational and financial challenges and propose timely adjustments and/solutions,
• Facilitate evaluation of the programmes and projects, and facilitate smooth closure of projects,
• Facilitation of NEX audit process, arrangements for the management response to audit recommendations and for the recommendations to be timely carried out,
• Regular field monitoring visits, reporting back on findings and recommendations, follow-up to ensure timely implementation of the recommendations to build the capacity of the implementing partners,
• Compilation of project/programme progress reports, distilling lessons learnt, contribution to ROAR and other corporate requirements,

• Perform functions of Project Manager in Atlas for POs and Vouchers approval,
• Participates in recruitment and appraisal processes for projects,

Supporting strategic partnerships and resource mobilization efforts of the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and partner’s priorities,
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects,
• Preparation of briefing notes, statements, talking points and speeches for Senior Management related to programmes and projects under custody,
• Maintenance of project briefs and activity information for bilateral donors, civil society, academia, private sector and other stakeholders to support UNDP’s visibility activities

Provision of top-quality policy/technical advisory services internally and externally to Government and non-governmental partners, including donors and civil society, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• 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 objectives and priorities,
• Represent UNDP at various technical fora as requested by the Team Leader, such as UNCT Inter-agency technical working groups, donor technical working groups, etc.
• Perform other activities as assigned by the Team Leader

Facilitate knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Sound contribution to knowledge building, networks and communities of practice,
• Systematic recording of best practices and lessons learnt in the areas assigned,
• Coordination of internal and external reviews and evaluations and facilitation of application of lessons in future programming,
• Organization of trainings for implementing partners, operations/projects staff on programme issues, 

Requirements:

Education

• Master's degree in Governance Studies, Human Rights, Law, Public Policy Study, Political Science, Sociology or Development Studies

 Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at national or international level in project management and provision of technical advisory services,
• Hands-on experience in the design, monitoring and evaluation of governance projects and programmes,
• Demonstrated experience in governance and/public policy analysis and capacity development,
• Deep understanding of the Ethiopian political and governance context,
• Working level experience with Democratic and Oversight/Accountability, as well as Public Sector and Justice institutions,
• Experience in the usage of advanced computers and office software packages, including in handling of web-based management systems,

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and official language of the duty station - Amharic. Knowledge of one more UN official language is desirable.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction & Strategy System 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

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

Business Management  Project Management Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Partnerships 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 UNDP strategy, policies and priorities

Risk Management Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Working with Evidence and Data Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making

2030 Agenda: Peace Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Development of Institutions in Justice Sector

2030 Agenda: Peace Governance Parliamentary Institutions

2030 Agenda: Peace Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Human Rights Institutions/compliance

2030 Agenda: Peace Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Transitional Justice

Impact of Results

The results to be delivered by the Programme Specialist will ensure effective implementation of UNDP democratic governance/human rights/justice projects and programmes. Further, it will enhance CO capacity to ensure key corporate compliance requirements are met, thus enabling the Country Office deliver on its commitments to partners – government, donors and protect communities. The results will also facilitate a new paradigm by applying portfolio approach in programming that ensures alignment and complementarity, shared learning and value for money.

UNDP’s stakeholders and partners are increasingly requiring that we demonstrate greater development results and harmonization by ensuring implementation of programmes and projects in a more integrated and coherent manner, and by adapting a results-based project management, ultimately ensuring sustainability of development results. This capacity would allow UNDP to offer to partners – government and donors, implementation of sound projects and programmes that are evidence-based, relevant and effective.

Finally, the results delivered by the Programme Specialist also aim to ensure continued and diversified funding and strengthened reputation of UNDP as a leader in democratic governance, peacebuilding and justice sector.

MPORTANT NOTE:

Candidates selected pursuant to this vacancy may be subject to UNDP’s policy on Probation upon assignment.

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