Programme Specialist/Effective Governance Cluster Lead

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Description

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Position Purpose

Under the guidance of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, the Program Specialist serves as an advisor to Senior Management and manages the UNDP programme portfolio in the area of Effective Governance covering thematic sub-areas of effective and accountable institutions, rule of law, justice, human rights, gender equality, institutional capacity development, public administration reform, electoral support and social cohesion. 

Programme management responsibilities include heading and supervising the programme team in strategic planning, identifying new programme areas and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities, monitoring and guiding programme implementation to ensure consistency with UNDP Country Program Document 2023-2027 priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provides UNDP leadership in policy development and provision of high-quality technical and policy advisory services relevant to Effective Governance focus areas to the Government, UN system and other key stakeholders, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Serves as the UNDP focal point for the provision of overall technical and policy advisory support to the government on thematic matters and strategies for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to governance areas including effective and accountable institutions, rule of law, justice, human rights, gender equality, public administration reform, electoral support and social cohesion. 
• As appropriate, connects governance initiatives with climate change, environment, economic or social inclusion efforts in the country, with an aim to promote and advance inclusion of and human rights of vulnerable groups of population.
• Provides top quality technical and policy advisory support to relevant Government institutions and counterparts with focus on strengthening institutional capacity for policy, strategies and programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting. 
• Ensures mainstreaming of governance, human rights-based approach, gender, and social cohesion considerations into all aspects of the CO’s programmatic interventions. 
• Develops tools for thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs to UNDP Country Program Document, UN Common Country Assessment and other analytical and research studies as relevant. 
• Identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation to address development challenges and opportunities through formulating portfolios of projects.
• Operationalization of the UNDP Country Program Document in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identification of possibilities for joint programming. 
• Analysis and presentation of UNDP Effective Governance policies and their implementation in the UNDP Country Office. 
• CO business processes mapping and establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management, control of the workflows in the Effective Governance Cluster. 

Ensures effective management and implementation of Effective Governance country programme portfolio and management of the Effective Governance Cluster team, focusing on the following results: 

• Design and formulation of country programme within thematic areas of responsibility, translating UNDP corporate priorities into local interventions. Coordination of country programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of the programmatic performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones. 
• Effective monitoring of results and impact of the country programme and evaluation. Constant monitoring and analysis of the country programme environment, timely re-adjustment of programme. 
• Mainstreaming of a gender perspective across all functional units in UNDP Country Office. 
• Lead and provide management oversight of the Effective Governance Cluster team, including Project Managers and project staff, as well as substantive backstopping to senior management as required with a view to achieve high performing team.
• Engage in collaborative policy discussions and initiatives with the entire Effective Governance Cluster team to ascertain emerging needs and opportunities in the thematic area and sub-areas, to capitalize on new or innovative programme strategies and approaches and to ensure coherence of UNDP country programme.
• Review of individual and teams’ performance and provision of required coaching, guidance, mentoring and empowerment.
• Clearance of donor reports prepared by Effective Governance Cluster team members. 
• Organization of cost-recovery system for the services provided by UNDP CO to projects in close collaboration with the Operations Manager. 
• Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets and monitoring achievement of results. 
• Management of initiation of a project, presentation to PAC, Atlas finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review. Programme Specialist performs the functions of Manager Level 2 in UNDP ERP system for development projects transactions approval, participates as Hiring Manager in the recruitment processes for Effective Governance Cluster projects. 
• Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of nationally implemented projects and follow up on audit and evaluation recommendations. Tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. 

Ensures strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Actively develop strong partnerships with national and international partners (government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, IFIs, private sector, civil society), thus contributing to raising the profile and credibility of UNDP in the area of effective governance, gender equality and social cohesion.
• Creation and coordination of collaboration with Government, public institutions, UN Agencies, IFI’s, DFIs, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society, etc. 
• Development of close interaction and substantive dialogue with donors, identification of partnership and resource mobilization opportunities, including government cost sharing, and lead for the materialization of those opportunities.
• Ensuring UN and UNDP active role among the development partner community by leading and/or actively engaging in thematic coordination groups in the Effective Governance Area, and leading relevant thematic UN coordination groups. 
• Preparation and analyses of donor intelligence, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing. Active representation of UNDP and substantive participation in Effective Governance, Gender equality and Social cohesion fora and thematic groups involving Government, civil society and development partners.  

Provides top-quality policy advice to the Government and facilitates knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identify and document risks, issues, challenges, lessons learned, and good practices linked to governance and social transformation, draft analysis, report, and policy papers.
• Coordination of development of policies and institutions that will address the country development challenges and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners. Provision of policy advice to senior national stakeholders and institutions. 
• Develop communication products such as op-eds, press releases, case studies, and blogs.
• Establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks. Relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns are implemented with key partners. 
• Strengthen UNDP’s visibility with potential stakeholders through conventional media as well as digital and social media channels and provide efficient communication to all partners in relation to governance and social transformation interventions.
• Contribution to trainings for the operations and projects staff on programmatic issues. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization. 

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision and performance management of the Country Office Effective Governance Cluster Team 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Economics, Law, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is required, or 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree 

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience, including with leading the teams, at the national and/or international level. 
• An international exposure desirable in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing inter-relationships among an international organization and national governments. 
• Proven experience in developing and leading programmatic portfolios in the areas of public administration, electoral assistance, anticorruption, rule of law and digitalization of public administration processes/services;
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies, development partners and donors . 
• People management experience is required. 
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP is required.

Language:

• Fluency in English, Romanian and Russian is required.
• Working knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Ukrainian or sign language would be an asset. 

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/17409

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