Area Office Coordinator

The ongoing crisis in Myanmar is a complex mix of political and economic crises that is exacerbating, and escalating humanitarian and human development needs and has already placed basic needs of the people at risk. After a decade of strong economic growth, the recent political setbacks coupled with the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, threaten Myanmar’s chances of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A recent UNDP report (April 2021) warns that up to 25 million people (48.2% of the population) may end up below the poverty line by early 2022. These estimates were further confirmed in UNDP’s latest survey that shows that urban poverty will triple, and rural poverty increase by a third. Furthermore, after a period of relative peace, contested ethnic areas— in particular Chin, Kayah, Kachin and Shan states and Sagaing region—have witnessed a resumption in armed conflict. The formal peace process is considered stalled, and 295,000 people have been displaced by insecurity since February 2021, adding to the 370,000 people already displaced by conflict before 2021 (UNOCHA Myanmar Humanitarian Snapshot, December 2021). The consequences of these trends are catastrophic. Major gains over the past 10 years on good governance and economic inclusion are at risk. This context, and the uncertain political situation in Myanmar is driving a simultaneous humanitarian and development crisis that threatens hard-won socio-economic gains.

While meeting critical and immediate humanitarian needs where they appear is vital, these actions must be underpinned by simultaneous efforts to address rapidly growing multi-dimensional vulnerabilities, enhance resilience to shocks, protect development gains and invest in local capacities of civil society as an important agent of change in sustainable development. Furthermore, urgent efforts are needed to protect basic human rights like education, health, work, housing and food, to address exclusion, intergenerational poverty that will further exacerbate the crises. In response to the current context and challenges UNDP has launched a number of initiatives under the “Community First Programme” that aims to enhance resilience of vulnerable communities by working directly at the community level.   

The new UNDP Myanmar Country Programme (2018-2022) has a stronger emphasis on sub-national programming at the state, region and township levels to ensure stronger institutions at all levels of government as well as broader civic engagement as part of the effort to support Myanmar’s democratic transition, build and sustain peace and promote more inclusive and sustainable development. It also incorporates a new CO structure, which includes an expanded presence at sub-national level, and three Project Offices in Kachin, Chin, Shan.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR), the Area Office Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day management of the PO, and all UNDP programme and project activities within its designated geographic area of responsibility.

The Area Office Coordinator has formal delegated authority from the CD (in writing) to represent the UNDP country programme at the state, region and local levels and to perform all relevant management functions. The Area Office Coordinator manages and supervises all PO staff and project staff working in the geographic area of responsibility of the PO, ensuring cross-unit cooperation and coordination. S/he ensures a client-oriented approach and consistency with UNDP rules and regulations in conformity with the UNDP Internal Control Framework and good management practice. S/he advises the country office senior management on the political/development context, government relations, general programme management and operational issues, and any responses to emerging complex challenges in the PO geographic area of responsibility.

The incumbent will work closely with internal and external counterparts, including state/region government, national institutions, development partners, civil society, and the private sector etc to successfully deliver the UNDP country programme at the state, region and local levels in the PO geographic area of responsibility.

1. Ensures strategic programme planning, coordination and implementation in the geographic area of responsibility of the Field Office.
2. Responsible for effective Office management
3. Responsible for Representation and Coordination in the area
4. Promotes communication flow in the field office
5. Fosters partnership building

Ensures strategic programme planning, coordination and implementation in the geographic area of responsibility of the Field Office

• Analyses the socio-economic, political and development situation and trends in the PO geographic area of responsibility and identifies opportunities and entry points for UNDP programming and partnerships, providing monthly reports to senior management and the Integrated Management Team.
• Provides guidance and manages the overall PO programme development and implementation including planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring.
• Ensures overall efficient coordination of programmes/projects including planning processes and timely delivery of results taking into consideration agreed upon work plans with the UNDP country office and consistency with UNDAF/ CPD priorities.
• Ensures identification, development and promotion of joint programming working with other UN entities and/or other partnerships and planning opportunities. May support management of small, activities within the geographic area of responsibility.
• Identifies and develops new programme and project opportunities.
• Supports capacity building of national counterparts.
• Monitors project implementation, contributing to monitoring of results. Ensures effective application of RBM tools, management of scorecard targets and other benchmarks.
• Coordinates and follows through on decentralized local evaluations.
• Ensures full compliance with audit requirements and timely follow-up to audit recommendations.
• Promotes and documents through regular reporting identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning.

Responsible for effective Office management

• Ensures smooth day-to-day management of the Field Office, builds an effective PO team, promotes team work and an environment that is conducive to delivering results. 
• Ensures full responsibility for the appropriate use and management of resources attributed to the Field Office by tracking use of financial resources, ensuring the integrity of financial systems and consistent application of the Internal Control Framework and/or rules and regulations. Continually find ways to systematically identify and integrate efficiency gains and cost reductions in all operations of the Field Office.
• Approves contracts and ATLAS transactions under written delegated authority from the Country Director. Has Atlas manager rights as delegated. Responsible for the management of the Field Office staff, monitors their performance, completing performance assessments where necessary.
• Ensures timely and regular reporting.
• In collaboration with the Programme Support Team Leader, ensures that the security needs of office and projects are met. Under the supervision of the DCD and in collaboration with the Security Advisor ensures enforcement of security procedures and MOSS/MORSS requirements in the Field Office.
• Mitigates possible risks and impacts associated with the Field Office operations (e.g. logistical, security etc) by proactively designing reduction measures in collaboration with the Security Advisor.
• Builds capacity of the PO staff by identifying capacity needs and establishing relevant training/learning programmes.

Responsible for Representation and Coordination in the area

• Represents UNDP with government counterparts at the state/region/local levels.
• Represents UNDP with UNCT, donors, and other partners at the state/region/local levels.
• Provides strong coordination support to UN Agencies, national authorities and other organizations through the establishment and management of local consultation/coordination mechanisms. Keeps project and CO teams updated through regular reporting.
• Ensures proper coordination and inputs to Interagency initiatives within the geographic area of responsibility by actively engaging and leading coordination
• Maintains collaboration and coordination with the other Heads of UNDP Field Offices to ensure programmatic integration and sharing of best practices.

Promotes communication flow in the field office

• Maximizes communication between the various units and projects in the PO and ensures that stakeholders (development partners, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, civil society, UN agencies and Government agencies) have one consistent UNDP counterpart.
• Ensures internal communication and coordination at PO level and effective and proactive communication between relevant CO units (both programme and operations units) and the PO.
• Monitors the perception of UNDP at the local level and suggests media activities that position UNDP more strategically and effectively as a partner for sustainable development at state/region/local levels.
• Enhances local visibility for UNDP in development effectiveness, particularly with donors and/or development partners
• Ensures that PO local development results are effectively communicated in collaboration with the Communication Team in the country office.

Fosters partnership building

• Contributes to the development of the CO Partnership and Resource Mobilization (PRM) strategy, including planning tools to implement the strategy.
• Identifies new partnerships and strengthens existing ones at the PO level through innovative approaches to partnership development.
• Encourages ways of increasing the Field Office funding base such as engaging in resource mobilization efforts in consultation with local government counterparts (e.g. government cost-sharing) and following-up with donors on local funding opportunities.
• Provides logistical and other support for CO donor visits in the PO area of geographic responsibility

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

• Ensures maintenance of the proper performance management and staff development systems;
• Reviews training needs, develops a training plan and makes recommendations to Management for its implementation taking into consideration resources available

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

• 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 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 Direction & Strategy - Negotiation and Influence
  • Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates in-in situations
• Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation
  • Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
• Business Development - UNDP Representation
  • Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies
• Business Management - Results-based Management
  • Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
• Business Management - Resource Management
  • Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical a in line with principles of accountability and integrity

• Master’s or Bachelor degree in Development Studies, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Economics, Law or a related field.
• Professional experience in Risk Management, Project Management with international/governmental organization is desirable.

• A minimum of 2 years with Master’s degree or 4 years with Bachelor degree of progressively responsible experience in development in government, or an international/bilateral development organization
• 1-2 years of proven management experience in an organization of similar size and complexity
• Experience of working with UNDP or another UN agency would be an asset
• Proven ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams
• Sound understanding and capability to empower and develop the capacity of national staff
• Strong interpersonal and written and oral communication skills

Language:

• Fluency in English and Myanmar language

Important: