National Expert in Local Administration and RBM

Le PNUD s’engage à recruter un personnel divers en termes de genre, de nationalité et de culture. Nous encourageons de même les personnes issues des minorités ethniques, des communautés autochtones ou handicapées à postuler. Toutes les candidatures seront traitées dans la plus stricte confidentialité. 

Le PNUD ne tolère pas l’exploitation et / ou les atteintes sexuelles, ni aucune forme de harcèlement, y compris le harcèlement sexuel, et / ou toutes formes de discrimination. Tous/tes les candidats/tes sélectectionnés /ées devront ainsi se soumettre à de rigoureuses vérifications relatives aux références fournies ainsi qu’à leurs antécédents.
 

 Cabo Verde has experienced a positive path towards sustainable development for more than two decades. It has been ranking within the top 11 African countries in human development and classified among medium income countries since 2008. 

However, the country remains vulnerable to external shocks owing to its dependency on tourism. In the past couple of years, multiple crises have challenged the country’s development progress: COVID-19, with a socio-economic impact amongst the highest in the world, led to a decrease of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 14.8%, public revenues by 25%. Climate change impacts on biodiversity and food security as changing weather patterns (especially droughts) influence agricultural production and ocean warming with decreasing fish stocks. Also, the current war in Ukraine is having a negative impact on the economy that is heavily relying on fossil fuels and where 80% of food stocks are imported. 

Vulnerable groups are the most affected: 32% of the population are still living under the poverty line with 13% being extremely poor. But not all islands and communities are equally affected. There are significant territorial differences. 

Cabo Verde adopted a decentralization reform with the aim to promote national cohesion by reducing regional asymmetries, improving effectiveness of public policies, and aiming at fulfilment of rights by all citizens. The new National Strategic Development Plan (PEDS II 2022-2026) stipulates that: “by 2026, 100% of municipalities have adopted results-based planning and budgeting instruments”. The new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027, as well as the new Common Country Program Document of UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF for the cycle 2023-2027, is aligned to that vision, with one of the three strategic areas, “Transformative governance and strengthened territorial cohesion”, tackling the problem of territorial inequality. 

Significant progress has been achieved concerning decentralization during the last five years. Each municipality has defined its agenda for local sustainable development through Municipal Strategic Sustainable Development Plans (PEMDS), established participation mechanisms (‘Local Platforms’) and built the capacity of local actors.

This new Joint Programme (JP) builds upon these achievements to accelerate local development by tackling some of the main issues that persist, including in particular the limited capacity of local authorities to generate own-source revenues, to manage effectively and efficiently existing resources (including natural resources), to effectively engage local populations in local development agenda as well as to allow them to better access basic services, economic infrastructures and assets.

The Joint Programme implementation will be overseen by a Steering Committee and led by a Joint Programme Management Team. On the United Nations side, the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) will lead the steering process while the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) will collaboratively implement the Joint Programme activities.

UNDP has been a key partner in the country supporting local development and decentralization. The recent implementation of the Programa “Plataformas locais” (local Platforms) and the “Fundo de Descentralização” programmes showed the importance of the territorial approach in supporting sustainable development based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country, achieving profound transformations and impacts on territorial capacities and local development. UN-Habitat is the United Nations (UN) agency mandated to promote inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities and communities. In Cabo Verde, it has supported national and local governments in several normative and operational processes, including the establishment of the National Urban and Housing Policies, Local Housing Plans, and participatory upgrading of informal settlements.

The Joint Programme will support local governments, local and community development actors, national entities, especially the newly created Ministry of Territorial Cohesion (MCT), and also entail significant engagement with the National Association of Municipalities (ANMCV) and other city associations in organizing fora related to experience sharing, at national level and with international partners. It will support the production of guidelines, handbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and templates to standardize and sustain all good practices consensually agreed. 
 

• Ensure proper planning and programming of Outcome 2 activities and their implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Provide the necessary advisory support to the beneficiaries of the program to enable them to adopt relevant methodology and tools related to Results-Based Management (RBM).
• Improve capacity of national and local actors to drive local development and empower local actors, including municipality officials, private sector, and civil society, in project management and oversight.
• Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and sharing, guidance to all stakeholders on RBM issues, with a focus on achievements.
• Ensure timely and quality implementation and reporting of activities.

1. Promote effective project planning and implementation of the joint programme.

• Contribute to the adaptation of municipal management procedures across the 22 municipalities in Cabo Verde in line with RBM principles.
• Reinforce technical and management capacities of the local administrations.
• Facilitate the establishment of a sustainable mechanism for strengthening the capacity of current and future elected municipal officials (municipal council and municipal assembly) to better fulfil their respective roles.
• Advise in the reinforcement of the capacity of the members of Municipal Concertation Councils (CCMs), and the civil society, with regards to local development processes and project formulation and management.
• Support the development of a public platform for financial and results-based reporting of local authorities.
• Strengthening of the National Association of Municipalities (ANMCV), as well as intermunicipal associations.
• Reinforce mechanisms, frameworks, and capacities of the Court of Auditors for better and regular assessment of municipal management.
• Reinforce the capacities of the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, and other national entities, to better support and promote local development.
• Develop training programs and appropriate follow-up tools.

 2. Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set.

• Participate in regular internal meetings with other portfolios in the Joint office.
• Support the preparation of the annual project work plan.
• Participate in the operational planning and technical reporting (semi-annual, annual, final reports, etc.) of the program.
• Support continuous monitoring of progress achieved.
• Review the results framework and update the indicators, baselines, and targets of the assigned project. Develop clear strategies and an effective system for data collection, means of verification, and information sharing and reporting.
• Monitor implementation and progress in achieving goals and targets in accordance with the established quality criteria and UNDP rules, regulations, and standards. Identify, analyze, and take adequate measures to manage emerging issues, problems, and risks. Conduct field visits to project location sites.

3. Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s). 

• Support the organization of training events, communities of practice, codification and sharing of knowledge.
• ·Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders,
• Maintain regular exchange of information/experience with other projects, cross-learning and sharing of results and best practices.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

4.   Institutional arrangements 

 Under the guidance and supervision of the Team leader of the Joint UNDP UN Habitat Promoting Local Development in Cabo Verde programme, the National expert in local administration and RBM will carry out the assigned tasks in accordance with the ToR. He/she will work with the other experts, namely the national senior project manager (Outcome 1) (85% of dedication, based in Cabo Verde); a national expert in local economic development (Outcome 3) (100% dedication, based in Cabo Verde), to ensure consistency in implementation. In addition, the National Expert in Local Administration and RBM will have the support from); three national experts in local finances and local development (based in Cabo Verde, regionally). The national expert in local administration and RBM will promote a client-oriented approach, in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
 

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 (insert up to 7 competencies) 
Thematic Area    Name    Definition
Business Management    Results-based Management    •    Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
Business Management    Project Management    •    Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Business Management    Monitoring    •    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
Business Management    Working with Evidence and Data    •    Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
Business Direction & 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
2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness    Effectiveness     •    Project Quality Assurance

Min. years of relevant Work experience     

A minimum two (2) years (with Masters’ degree), or, four (4) years (with Bachelors’ degree) of relevant experience at the national, local and/or international level in project/program formulation, management is required.

Required skills and competencies  

  •    Demonstrated experience in RBM and the functioning of the local administration.
•    Proven experience in local government reform, local public finance, decentralization, and local governance.
•    Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired additional skills and competencies    

•    Experience and knowledge of UNDP working methods and procedures.
•    Experience and knowledge of UNDP Quantum 
•    Demonstrated experience in strategic analysis and planning; Ability to create a logical framework and define measurable objectives and strong understanding of indicators and outcome measurement.
•    Experience and knowledge of performance indicators and how to use them to assess progress.
•    Experience and knowledge of the local government and working procedures.
•    Experience in leading strategic planning, results-based management and reporting.
Required Language(s) (at working level)    •    Fluency English and/or French is required.
•    Fluency in the national language of the duty station is required for local staff (Portuguese or Kriol). 
•    Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Travel: 

Official travel is expected to take place within Project implementation associated to his/her Project functions.  

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

• Personal CV, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations, the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) of the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
• A motivation letter (maximum length 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him/-herself to be suitable for the position.
• Academic Certificates/Diplomas and any other relevant certificates