Area Programme Manager

In this context, under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, the Area Programme Manager will lead the implementation and management of day-to-day office activities, strategies, and processes in the respective area. S/he will ensure effective and efficient knowledge management, partnerships, and communication and alignment of the programmes with UNDP values and priorities.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

The incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Lead Implementation and management of day-to-day office activities, strategies, and processes
• Ensure effective and efficient UNDP’s knowledge management, partnerships, and communication
• Align the programmes with UNDP priorities

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

• Provide leadership to the project team, ensuring clarity over project plans and priorities, encouraging effective team work and inclusiveness, and building a team spirit through regular meetings and team events.
• Ensure UNDP policies and procedures are understood by the project team and implemented.
• Coordinates and facilitates technical decisions on programme and/or project administration and implementation with the aim to promote convergence and integration of the UNDP supported programs. Coordinates the major studies, assessments and evaluation exercises as well as monitoring of UNDP project activities.
• Ensure synergy and harmonization among the various UNDP Projects in the region/area.
• Perform the Assurance function on behalf of the Multi-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.
• Facilitate monitoring of the MCPD including the UNSDCF Country Implementation Plans and Annual Programme Reviews, and projects with project staff, to review project progress, review beneficiary feedback, identify corrective actions required, and capture learning.
• Report to the DRR 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.
• Coordinate project personnel, consultants and experts with a view to achieving programme results, nurturing a culture of results with highest performance standards.
• Serve as the security focal point for the area.

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

• Prepare regular situation brief on political, social, economic and environmental issues to help inform pipeline development and programme priorities.
• Ensures that use of UNDP’s resources is optimized through cross-sectoral planning, implementation and monitoring. All financial inputs are in line with UNDP’s policies and procedures as well as agreed programme strategies; Programme implementation is regularly monitored and progress, where applicable, evaluated to ensure achievement of the planned results and objectives.
• Review the quality of progress reports (progress against planned activities, update on risks issues, expenditures, and others as requested) and ensure 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.
• Maintain effective internal communication and coordination at field level and effective and proactive communication with relevant MCO units.
• Support and contribute substantively in preparation of the programme and briefing notes for the field missions to the country by the MCO senior management, global/regional programme advisors, donors as appropriate.
• Enhance local visibility for UNDP in development effectiveness, particularly with donors and/or development partners.
• Ensure that local development results are effectively communicated in collaboration with the Communication Team in the country office.
• Identifying opportunities for deepening the cooperation and recommending adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information on all relevant stakeholders gathered during area programme implementation.
• Provide logistical and other support for MCO donor visits in the geographic area of responsibility.
• Coordinate activities with other UN Agencies for the UN Joint programmes and other development partners, regional organizations and/or CSOs acting in the same geographic and thematic area.
• Represent UNDP in inter agency fora.

Align the area programme with UNDP priorities:

• Ensure the principles of gender equality, democratic governance, social inclusion and disaster resilience are effectively reflected in all area programme activities.
• Ensure that gender equality is pursued in all project activities and reflected in work plans, budgets, reports, research, and analyses.
• Facilitate synergies with UNDP projects and programmes on related activities where possible.
• Strive to engage groups and communities in project activities that affect them through participatory processes.
• Communicate project goals and activities clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public.
• Contribute to the whole-of-office corporate annual planning and the end-of-year reporting with the data and key results achieved in the area.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree or equivalent in development studies or related field with a focus and preferably certification in Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the above-mentioned fields with additional 2 years relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s Degree

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• Minimum of two (2) years (Master’s Degree) or four (4) years (Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in projects implementation, development projects and establishing relationships among partners.
• Experience in programme and/or project management desired.
• Strong coordination and interpersonal skills.
• 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 climate change adaptation and mitigation, effective governance and inclusive growth an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in English is a requirement, local language is an added advantage.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/17894