Research Assistant (Re- Advertising)

UNDP India’s current Country Programme, 2018-2022, is in its final year of implementation. Our new Country Programme (2023-2027), which comes into effect in 2023, builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:

• Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs
• Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized
• Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability

South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions,  strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.

You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.

1. Office/Unit/Project Description

The Government of India has accorded high priority and adopted multifaceted development strategies to promote socio-economic growth of Scheduled Tribes (STs) constituting 8.6% of India’s total population as their human development indicators with regards to health, education, gender, and other indices are well below the national average.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) being the nodal Ministry for overall policy, planning and coordination of programme for development of STs, has been pursuing the agenda of inclusive growth with Central and State governments to address the critical gaps in development of STs.

UNDP is supporting establishment of the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. CPMU will have a team of highly qualified experts who will be tasked to promote a holisitic approachto tribal development. As an integral member of the CPMU, the Research Associate will be expected to bring the highest degree of quality, work ethic, and consistency to deliver tasks which will include providing research support on various projects to the CPMU.

2. Job Purpose and Scope of Work

A) Main Purpose:

UNDP proposes to hire Research Assistants who will be responsible to provide support to office operations performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work for the CPMU. The Research Assistants will work in close collaboration with the other team members of the CPMU to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery. S/He will ensure engagement of all direct stakeholders and delivery of project objectives, in coordination with the Ministryof Tribal Affairswhen needed.

B) Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform strategic diagnostic research to identify income and human poverty traps for tribals and specific policy interventions
• Performing background research(qualitative and quantitative) on project activities.
• Provision of technical support and strategic advice on key project interventions, which includes overseeing the research processes of different division of MOTA
• Provision of research assistance activities for the different divisions of MOTA
• She/he will write and present high-quality evidence-led policy briefs, reports and summary documents that will be shared both internally and externally, including to key donors and government counterparts.
• Provision of support on preparation of different types of executive documents /policy note
   

Institutional Arrangement

Direct Reporting To1: Project Lead - CPMU, NPSA9

Overall Reporting To2: Chief Advisor, NOD

Reportees to this position: NA
 

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline 

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback 

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident 

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships 

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Direction and Strategy- Strategic thinking   
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 Management- Evaluation   
Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks -Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concern

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

Business Development- Knowledge Generation   
Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

Digital & Innovation- Data analysis   Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making

 

Min. Education requirements   

•   High School Education or Bachelor’s degree, in social science, rural development, Arts, Science or any other relevant field
 

Min. years of relevant work experience   

•   At least 5 years of work experience, with High School Education (2 Years
for candidates with bachelor’s degree.)
 

Required skills   
•   Experience of working with the Central/State Government would be an added advantage
 

Desired skills 
•   High-level of IT/computing skills (minimum: Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
•   Experience in handling of web-based management systems
 

Required Language(s)   
•   Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English is essential.
Knowledge of Hindi is desirable.

Professional Certificates  : N/A