Background
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The Pacific region is facing considerable economic and social development challenges due to the increasing impact of climate change and geo-hazards. At the same time, development in these countries is potentially increasing this vulnerability to climate change and disasters. The Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (FRDP), endorsed in 2016 by Pacific leaders, demonstrates a clear recognition that managing climate change and disaster related risk must be undertaken in the context of economic development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Governance for Resilient Development in the Pacific (Gov4Res) Project works with Pacific governments to ensure that countries adapt their decision making and governance systems towards more resilient development. The projects theory of change rests on a core assumption that Pacific Island people will be more resilient to the impacts of climate change and disasters if countries manage all development through a risk informed approach.
The Gov4Res Project, now in Phase 2, works across six Pacific countries and programs two interconnected but distinct outcomes for its work:
- Outcome 1: PIC governance systems enable gender and socially inclusive resilient development.
- Outcome 2: PICs weave learning to advocate for and communicate gender and socially inclusive resilient development.
UNDP is partnering with a range of partners to deliver this project across the Pacific including Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UK FCDO).
Under overall guidance and direct supervision of the Gov4Res Project Manager based in UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, the Project Capacity Development Specialist will work in close coordination with the Gov4Res Resilience Officers (country-based) and the Strategy, Learning and Innovation Specialist (Suva based), to help translate learning and innovation into action and results on the ground. They will provide overarching technical input, GESDI advisory and support to the core Gov4Res implementing team.
The Capacity Development Specialist will work under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Governance for Resilient Development (Gov4Res) Project Manager.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Working under the direction of the Governance for Resilience Project Manager, the Capacity Development Specialist will be responsible for the following:
Lead design and regular update of capacity development strategy and approach.
- Design an approach to undertake capacity assessment and associated capacity development for the Gov4Res project team and partners (including Government partners) to support Pacific-led approaches to resilient development.
- Initiate strategic engagement and discussions and contribute to the understanding of the approach to capacity development for the Gov4Res project team.
- Advise and support the sensitization, ownership and implementation of the capacity development approach with the Gov4Res Resilience Officers.
- Input into the Gov4Res Strategic Design and Learning Strategy, and its regular revision.
- Work closely day to day with the Strategic Learning team to translate research and learning into practice with the core implementation team.
- Coordinate with on the ground development partners to ensure collective understanding, coordinated progress and avoidance of overlap in support to government partners.
- Provide policy advice and technical guidance to country partners on approaches to risk informing development and Pacific-led resilient development.
Lead training and capacity development for project staff and partners.
- Provide coaching and mentoring to Gov4Res Resilience Officers and other partners to support the capacity development process,
- Continually track the Resilience Officer capacity and needs, and act as a day-to-day focal point for activity implementation and progress.
- Organize and implement training activities for the Gov4Res Resilience Officers and partners, in partnership with Gov4Res technical advisers.
- Work closely with the Strategy, Innovation and Learning Specialist, to identify opportunities within implementing countries, to build into learning and advocacy pieces of work.
Facilitate knowledge management and sharing:
- Identify best practices and lessons learned to build capacity and knowledge, through case studies, guidance notes and other relevant media, and disseminate these in partnership with the communications team.
- Develop and review existing training materials and make improvements and updates in consultation with key staff to ensure effective transfer of knowledge.
- Coordinate the development, review and updating of risk informed development training modules, in partnership with module leads, suggest improvements and updates as needed.
- Assist in drafting sections of reports and studies, including annual reporting, preparation of assessments or other background research activities and studies.
- Facilitate knowledge management and sharing, incorporating Gender Equality Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), from Gov4Res capacity development work.
Provide strategic advice to the project team on approach to risk informed development:
- Work with project team to identify entry points for risk informing planning and budgeting, particularly partnering with ministries responsible for finance and planning.
- Provide technical assistance and advice to national counterparts and their institutions on risk informing development in relation to strategic planning, legal and regulatory frameworks, planning and budgeting, sub-national planning, public financial management and sectoral activities to support realization of risk informed development.
- Work with Resilience Officers to identify strategic local partnerships that support institutional change and strengthened learning for Government partners.
- Input into annual reporting, monitoring and evaluation framework, approaches to learning, and communications for development strategy.
- Coordinate across Resilience Officers to identify and flag project risks and work closely with the Deputy Project Manager where needed on identified operational and financial components managed by Resilience Officers
Perform other duties within your functional duties assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the project/UNDP Programme.
Competencies:
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
2030 Agenda: Peace
- Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: National and sub-national capacities for planning, financing, coordination and crisis management
- Governance: Institutional capacity to implement and coordinate SDGs; Inclusion and participation
2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness
- Effectiveness: Programmatic learning; System-wide approaches to strategic planning and results
Business Direction and Strategy
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Partnership management
- Strategic engagement: Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives.
Required Skills and Experience:
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Development Practice, Climate Change, Political Sciences, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or related field is required.
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, 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 progressively responsible relevant experience at the national or international level in providing hands-on experience in GEDSI informed design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, and/or leading and managing projects.
- Experience at the national or subnational level in working with government partners on climate change or disaster risk management, governance strengthening or risk informed development.
- Demonstrated experience in managing people.
- Demonstrated experience in facilitating climate change and disaster mainstreaming, or risk informing development, for Pacific audiences.
- At least 5 years of demonstrated work experience in the Pacific region is desired.
- Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines in prior employments is desired.
- Experience working within multilateral agencies, UN agencies or Pacific regional organizations would be an asset.
Required Languages:
- Fluency of English language is required, both written and verbal.
- Working Knowledge of Pacific Island languages would be an asset.
- Working knowledge of another UN language is desired.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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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