Regional Area Manager

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BACKGROUND

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its flagship crisis response programme, ABADEI (Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives), as part of the ongoing UN-led response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the breakdown of Afghanistan’s economy following the August 2021 shift in power.

The ABADEI Strategy is a tailored area-based integrated programming approach to support basic human needs, complementing short-term humanitarian life-saving assistance with the safeguarding of livelihoods and the strengthening of community resilience. It is centered around addressing worsening poverty and vulnerability, supporting community resilience and social cohesion, addressing climatic vulnerability, and enabling the rehabilitation of small-scale infrastructure vital for basic human needs. It supports the creation of immediate sources of income through vocational skills training, cash-for-work, cash for market, small businesses, and livelihood opportunities with particular focus on agri-business and regenerative agriculture infrastructure and services (critical for food security) that are under threat. It is sensitive to the chronic and newly emerging vulnerabilities of Afghan women and girls and aims at providing them assistance in a manner that does not exacerbate their susceptibility to violence and deprivation of opportunities and rights..

Position Purpose:

In this context, the Area Manager will represent UNDP in Interagency forums, in Kunduz region. Implementation and management of day-to-day office activities, strategies, and processes. Ensure effective and efficient UNDP’s knowledge management, partnerships, and communication and align the programmes with UNDP values and priorities.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Represent UNDP in the regional inter agency forums:

• Effectively represent UNDP in the Regional Humanitarian Team meetings
• Advocate for the inclusion of resilience focus in the inter-agency regional planning

Implementation and management of day-to-day office activities, strategies, and processes:

• Ensure synergy and harmonization among the various UNDP Projects in the region.
• Perform the Assurance function on behalf of the Country Office for effective management of the projects by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the programme progress through monitoring, evaluation and reporting as required.
• Ensure adherence of programme activities to the existing financial, procurement and administrative processes that are in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations and, at the same time, observing the project timelines.
• Report to the DRR-P on the achievement of outputs within the covered region, as well as challenges in implementation, and flag emerging risks in a timely and pro-active manner
• Manage a team of other project staff, consultants and experts with a view to achieving programme results, nurturing a culture of results with highest performance standards.

Ensure effective and efficient UNDP’s knowledge management, partnerships, and communication:

• Prepare progress reports (progress against planned activities, update on risks issues, expenditures…) and ensuring timely submission of the reports to the relevant instances, such as the project boards and relevant donors.
• Maintain regular communication on relevant issues with the local and international counterparties, consultants, and experts and ensure quality and timely delivery of all agreed outputs.
• Ensure effective communications and partnerships activities of the Regional and Country Offices
• Identifying opportunities for deepening the cooperation and recommending adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information on all relevant stakeholders gathered during projects’ implementation.

Align the project with UNDP values and priorities:

• Ensure the principles of gender equality, democratic governance, social inclusion and disaster resilience are effectively reflected in all project activities.
• Ensure that gender equality is pursued in all project activities and reflected in work plans, budgets, reports, research, and analyses.
• Consult regularly with UNDP projects and programs on related activities where synergies are possible.
• Strive to engage groups and communities in project activities that affect them.
• Communicate project goals and activities clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public.

Perform other duties within your functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

• The incumbent will work across UNDP’s ABADEI program to lead the communications activities through developing, implementing and monitoring the ABADEI communications strategy and overseeing communications activities across the regional offices. S/he will also work under the direct supervision of ABADEI Programme Manager, with a second reporting line to the Programme Management Specialist. The Area Manager will supervise the Regional Office personnel, projects and will represent UNDP in inter agency Forums.

RECRUITMENT QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in development studies or related field

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of post-master’s relevant experience at the national or international level in projects implementation, development projects and establishing relationships among partners
• Minimum 2 Years Proven experience in managing project office.
• Extensive experience in people management
• Proven experience on integrated risk and compliance management in fragile and crisis context
• Minimum 2 years of experience in working at the country level in a post-conflict environment and in community recovery and resilience-building efforts and peace building.
• Strong analytical ability and experience in representing an organization.
• Demonstrated team player in an international team environment.
• Experience from previous UN assignments and/or multilateral and bi-lateral aid organizations would be an asset.
• Good knowledge of humanitarian response, prior experience in challenging and complex humanitarian response is desirable.

Language Requirements

• Proficiency in oral and written English.
• Proficiency in Pashto/Dari is desirable but not essential.

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

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.

Business Direction & Strategy - Business Acumen: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome.

Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks

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 - Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

Business Management - Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment

Communications - Advocacy strategy and implementation: Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change

Partnership management - Relationship management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

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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