Area Programme Manager (Nationals Only)

Background and Organizational Context 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 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. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives.

UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others.  The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team that provides strategic guidance on  results Management  and compliance entrusted with the corporate alignment, programme finance management and quality assurance,  and strategic communications  team that provides knowledge management and communication support to all programme interventions.

Within the Pacific Office Multi-Country Office (MCO), the Programme team has a responsibility of developing, providing oversight and ensuring adherence to the quality standards of UNDP’s projects and programmes in full alignment with the priorities set out in the MCPD and CF, during the design, implementation, and closure of projects and programme. Programme Staff high level advice to all PICs supported by UNDP on programming, technical issues covered under the MCPD, advocate for UNDP Corporate messages and engage partners including governments, private sector, development partners, civil society organizations, UNDP corporate bodies including regional and Headquarters to coordinate and catalyze knowledge, lessons learning and partnerships to design effective and innovative programmes. Programme team further oversees effective implementation of the multi-country programme and its outcomes and strategic direction of UNDP, contribution to UN cooperation framework. It also plays important role in strategic planning in close consultation with the Management and oversight unit, target-setting, and results monitoring/reporting. The team further ensures that quality principles as per the UNDP policies and guidelines are adhered to during the entire cycle of programming and across management of portfolios. Strategic partnerships support resource mobilization and identify strategic programme areas of cooperation for new initiatives, including joint programming opportunities. Programme team is responsible to maintain effective partnerships with relevant development partners and government, UN Agencies, IFIs, government institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, and civil society in the designated support areas.

Position Purpose: 

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

 1.) 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.

2.) 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.

3.)  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.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities

The Area Programme Manager will provide secondary matrix supervision to project personnel as appropriate.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results:  LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process 

Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion  LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making  

People Management Competencies:

Manage Performance and Ensure Accountability through day to day supervision of support staff.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

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

Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

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

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

Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

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

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

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.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• Candidates selected pursuant to this vacancy may be subject to UNDP’s policy on Probation upon assignment.

Note: Please upload copies of your academic qualifications and 3 latest Performance Evaluations (if applicable)

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience, and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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