Partnership and Mobilization Support Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

UNDP has been working in Azerbaijan for close to 3 decades. It opened its office in the country in the fall of 1992 soon after Azerbaijan gained independence and joined the United Nations. The UNDP activities in Azerbaijan initially focused on the provision of early recovery programme, especially to those affected by the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Over time, UNDP’s role in Azerbaijan has shifted toward longer-term socio-economic development in line with the country’s evolving needs. In Azerbaijan, UNDP brings the best development models of the world in order to maximize the use of “black gold” derived from the oil wealth, to strengthen its “human gold”, to enlarge people’s choices and reduce inequalities. The main programming framework for all UN activities in Azerbaijan is the UN-Azerbaijan Partnership Framework (UNAPF) signed between UN and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy in 2016. The UNAPF is the United Nations’ strategic response to development needs in Azerbaijan as enshrined in the Vision 2020 and the 2030 agenda. The Framework is effective from 2016 through 2020. UNDP’s work focuses on poverty reduction, good governance and peace-building, climate change and disaster management, as well as economic development. UNDP provides support to governments to integrate the SDGs into their national development plans and policies. This work is already underway, as we support many countries in accelerating progress already achieved under the Millennium Development Goals. In Azerbaijan, UNDP’s programme of work is outlined in its “Country Programme Document 2016-2020” and is a result of close consultation with the Government. The current UNDP Country Programme Document contributes to three out of five UNAPF outcomes and is aligned with the Vision 2020 National Development Concept and the SDGs.

Context

The UNV Regional Office for Europe and CIS provides oversight and strategic guidance to the UNV Field Units in the region and is accountable for the placement of UN Volunteers mobilized for UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes focused on peace, development and humanitarian needs. The UNV Regional Office represents and strategically positions UNV and bring UNV’s services and solutions closer to its partners from governments, UN entities, civil society, and private sector. UNV’s services and solutions in Europe and CIS are covered on unv.org website and social media. To increase awareness of these initiatives among key audiences and to enhance co-operation with the UN and external partners in the region is one of the main priorities of the UNV Regional Office for Europe and CIS, related to diversification of informational content, design of visual materials and speed of news flows. The NUNV Expert Partnership and Mobilization Support Officer will provide strategic direction to ensure volunteers mobilization and ensure volunteers growth in Azerbaijan.

Task description

Under the general guidance of the UNV Regional Manager and immediate supervision of the Regional Portfolio Analyst, the Partnership and Mobilization support officer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Business development for volunteer mobilization and placement to support the emergency response (40%) i. Liaise with targeted UN agency WHO in Azerbaijan involved in the WHO Special initiative to ensure an understanding of UNV’s mandate, key offers and the added value that UN Volunteer assignments bring in support to the achievement of their respective mandates; ii. Identify volunteer placement opportunities and present UNV value proposition and volunteer modalities with the objective of maximizing international and national volunteer presence, including collaboration in the preparation of descriptions of assignment, with partner agencies and other partners in Azerbaijan; iii. Ensure UNV positioning in relevant project/programme solutions, Response planning processes, regional and country response strategic documents, country emergency task forces and assessments to identify opportunities for volunteers and volunteers placement; iv. Leverage the value added of UNV’s impact on development through its products and services, to identify niches for UNV’s positioning; v. Ensure quality and accuracy of comprehensive UN Volunteer data, including analysis of political and socio-economic issues and trends in Azerbaijan and its neighboring countries; vi. Manage a portfolio of countries as defined by the Regional Manager in accurate forecasting and demand generation, monitoring of assignments and contract extension negotiation (securing funding), mediation in volunteer management cases and compliance with workplans and delegated authority. 2. Advocacy, Partnership building and demand generation in the emergency response (30%) i. Support UNV ROECIS team to develop, strengthen and monitor relationships with the UN partners as well as with VSOs, CSOs, NGOs, universities, community organizations and other partners to better respond to the WHO Special Initiative; ii. Assist the Regional Portfolio to develop and sustain ways of working in countries without UNV Field Units to support volunteer mobilization in Azerbaijan; iii. In coordination with UNV Sections, assist the Regional Office in building partnerships with UN organizations including regional entities and field-based organizations to identify opportunities and promote UNV and volunteer mobilization; iv. Participate, as requested, in relevant fora and inter-agency meetings and events in Azerbaijan and its neighboring countries to seize opportunities for volunteer mobilization; v. Participate in the development and inclusion of volunteer solutions for UN partners and other stakeholders’ initiatives. 3. Emergency response/Special Initiatives coordination at corporate level (30%) i. In liaison with UNV Sections, support the Regional Manager and Portfolio team in the emergency response and projects/programmes for special initiatives’ coordination efforts with UNV HQ; ii. Develop and implement UNV emergency response plan in line with HQ and ROECIS priorities; iii. Analyze and propose strategic solutions in the implementation of emergency responses and project/programme special initiatives; iv. Gather daily updates, response developments from UN entities interventions in targeted countries and share relevant updates to ROECIS and HQ; v. Support the ROECIS Regional Manager and the Portfolio Team in responding to high priority actions/requests from HQ senior management on the humanitarian response to Azerbaijan with volunteer mobilization targets, timely and quality delivery of outputs and accuracy and quality of reporting to senior management. Expected Results · At least 100 UN Volunteers (online and onsite combined) are mobilized within one calendar year in the assigned country Azerbaijan; · Partnerships with targeted UN entity (WHO) are strengthened; · Recommendations on partners engagement and are clearly elaborated and shared with relevant sections at HQ and with top management; · Updates, developments on UNV response are shared with HQ senior management as per the set deadlines; · UNV solutions are reflected in the regional, country response offers to Azerbaijan; · Strategies on volunteer mobilization and lessons learned in emergency response are properly documented and archived.