Programme Manager

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with Governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The 2030 Agenda for SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind reflect the interconnectedness of health and sustainable development, including widening economic and social inequalities, the climate crisis, rapid urbanization, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis), the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the emergence of health threats. The scope and scale of delivering health and well-being for all demands innovative partnerships and financing. As affirmed in the Political Declaration of the 2019 High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and others are critical partners for delivering on the health-related goals of the 2030 Agenda. Stronger Collaboration, Better Health: Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All outlines how a dozen multilateral health, development and humanitarian agencies, including UNDP, the Global Fund, Gavi and others will collaborate to be more efficient and effective in supporting countries to deliver UHC and achieve the health-related SDG targets.

• UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), in line with UNDP’s HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2022-2025: Connecting the Dots, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind.
• As a long-standing partner of the Global Fund, UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance to Global Fund grants in 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of the integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach in supporting countries with significant national capacity constraints to manage large-scale health programmes. By providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement and supply chain management, UNDP is able to deliver results whilst sustainably transitioning to national entities. UNDP’s track record as interim PR over the last 20 years and capacity to deliver in challenging operating environments has been critical for strengthening its positioning as a health implementation support partner.
• As a trusted, long-term partner of GF, UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach and providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement and supply chain management. Within the HHD Group the Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (GFPHST) is a dedicated team providing support to UNDP Country Offices implementing health and development programmes. 
• UNDP has been appointed as the non-governmental Principal Recipient (PR) by the CCM (Instance de Coordination Nationale) to implement the GF GC7 HIV-TB grant, with the main objective of contributing to the strengthening of the national response to HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, while strengthening the health system in DRC.
• To provide strategic planning, programmatic and operational management and oversight to the GF portfolio to achieve the defined programme goals, targets and effective delivery, a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) has been established.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Under the direction of the Resident Representative, the Programme Manager will be responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary team to achieve a high level of programme performance, coordinating and building strategic partnerships with key national and international actors, and providing policy and technical guidance while engaging with relevant national and technical all partners to strengthen national systems and health institutions for the transition of the programmes. This will be done in accordance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures, the grant agreements and corporate agreements with the GF, and working in partnership with national stakeholders, and close coordination with the GF (including Local Fund Agent), ICN (Instance de Coordination Nationale) technical partners and UN entities, the GFPHST and other UNDP business units and programmes. The Programme Manager will promote a collaborative, client-oriented approach, ensuring integration across functional areas within the PMU and support the integration of capacity building activities.
• UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across  interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions,  teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Key Duties and Accountabilities include:

Ensures strategic leadership, programme planning and effective management and oversight of Global Fund programmes, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Leads on the strategic planning, oversight and management of the programmes in compliance with UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures, the grant agreements and corporate agreements with the Global Fund ensuring integration of the functional areas;
• Leads on the coordination, management, supervision and oversight of the PMU across all functional areas (including programme, finance, PSM, monitoring and evaluation) to achieve programme goals, provide quality services and ensures programme delivery with full utilization of GF allocation and strong achievement of programme targets;
• Leads on assessing the programmatic impact and substantive monitoring of programme delivery and evaluation of the programmes’ performance and proactively leads on reviews with national and implementing partners, Sub-recipients for underperformance, bottlenecks and ensures the accountability for the timely implementation of corrective action(s).
• Develops and maintains an organizational structure to ensure UNDP is resourced to deliver its commitments, leads on the recruitment of PMU staff, fostering diversity, equity and inclusion and builds the technical, management and leadership capacity of staff for promotion of organizational excellence.
• Ensures strong collaboration with UNDP regional and headquarters, GFPHST on all areas of strategic planning, management, oversight implementation and donor communication; and
• Promotes a healthy work environment through adequate coordination, coaching and supervision of staff for the purpose of overall achievement of results;

Leads creation of strategic partnerships with key national and international actors and support the implementation of the resource mobilization focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Leads on the coordination, building strategic partnerships and maintains strong working relationships with the Ministry of Health, programme implementers, national stakeholders, the “Instance de Coordination Nationale” (ICN), technical partners, and UN entities to ensure transparent and effective management and oversight of the programmes.
• Leads on strategic communication on grant implement toward the Ministry of Health, the ICN and all relevant partners.
• Advise and support the national strategic planning processes for the programmes based on evidence gained during implementation of the programmes.
• Leads on advising the Resident Representative on the range of value-added services that UNDP can provide to governments in the implementation of GF programmes and cost-recovery mechanisms including General Management Services (GMS) and Direct Project costs.
• Maintains close coordination between the programmes and other health and development initiatives in the country, to promote partnership building and avoid duplication of programmatic activities and to exchange critical and technical information and resolve implementation issues.
• Leads on the engagement with the GF Fund Portfolio Manager and develops a strong professional relationship based upon mutual trust and respect and supports during missions.
• Leads on developing funding requests to complement UNDP’s PR role with other health and development activities and the development of project documents and initiation of the programmes.

Ensures proactive financial, asset and health product management and oversight and controls are met and proactively performs risk assessments focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Leads on preparation of programme documents required by the donor, including work plans, budgets, monitoring and evaluation plans, and procurement and supply management plans and leads the negotiation of grant agreements, timely reprogramming requests and identification of cost savings.
• Ensures UNDP’s financial, asset and health product (including quality control, insurance) management policies, procedures, and SOPs are followed and validated by internal reviews.
• Leads on timely preparation and quality submissions of financial and programmatic donor reports and responses to management actions, compliance with grant conditions and revisions to the grant agreements.
• Leads on performing risk assessments, develops and implements risk management matrix/plan with the PMU staff and implementing partners, Sub-recipients and ensures adequate oversight and support is provided, with timely incident reporting.
• Ensures compliance of procedures and systems to ensure safety and security of staff, assets and health products in line with UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures.
• Supervises and ensures accountability for Service Providers, Sub-recipient (SR) assessments, contracting, monitoring, with SRs work plan and budgets implemented in compliance with UNDP’s SR grant agreements, while ensuring quality of the programmes and achievement of goals of the programmes.
• Leads on programme audits (including Sub-recipients) and investigations under the guidance of the Resident Representative and in coordination with the Regional Bureau, Office of Audit and Investigations, GFPHST and ensures timely follow up on management actions.
• Develops good collaboration and communication with the Local Fund Agent (LFA) and facilitates LFA’s spot checks;

Ensures provision of strategic policy advice and technical guidance focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Ensures harmonization and integration of the programmes into the national strategic documents on disease programmes.
• Provides strategic policy and technical advice to the national stakeholders, implementing partners and supports work on programme adjustments as necessary.
• Participates in meetings and technical committees of the CCM and other national health and development committees, as required.
• Advise and support implementation of interventions and policy guidance related to the removal of human rights and gender related barriers to the access to and uptake of services; and
• Coordinates planned studies and programme review(s) with the national programmes, in collaboration with the implementing partners, CCM, financial and technical partners, UN entities, and the GF.

Actively leads on the development of a capacity building and transition plan to allow for a national principal recipient to take over the grants and facilitation of knowledge building and sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Engages with the Ministry of Health, implementing partners, NGOs, UN entities, financial and technical partners to strengthen national systems and health institutions, across functional areas including, procurement and supply chain management, financial management and oversight, SR management, risk management, project implementation and monitoring.
• Leads on the engagement with all relevant national and international partners and oversees the development of capacity development and transition strategies and mechanisms to support national entities to implement and assume the PR role, ensuring access to appropriate tools and resources.
• Identifies and assesses the implications of UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures on the implementation of GF programmes in coordination with GF/HIST and other UNDP units (e.g., BMS) and reports to the Country Offices on changes to GF rules that impact on the programmes.
• Identifies and supports development of communications (print, video) highlighting key programme achievements, best practices, and lessons learnt and contributes to information sharing with the Ministry of Health, implementing partners, CSOs, UN entities, financial and technical partners, the GF and the CCM; and
• Actively participates in UNDP and other relevant external networks to promote the programmes and UNDP’s health and development work (e.g., conferences, community of practice, Yammer) and represents UNDP in relevant technical meetings, working groups at country, regional and global level and gathers lessons learnt to apply to the programmes.

Other Duties:

• 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: 

• The Programme manage and supervise the Programme & MEAL Specialist,  PSM Specialist and Finance Specialist.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Health, International Development, Business Administration, Social Sciences or related field is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills: 

• Minimum 10 years (with master’s degree) or 12 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in the management of health and development programmes is required.
• Being a Medical Doctor is an asset.
• Prior experience and knowledge/understanding of UN or UNDP rules, policies and procedures are an asset.
• Proven records of having strong knowledge of Global Fund’s rules, policies and procedures (in managing Global Fund Grants either at national, UN or other entity level) is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in building the capacity of national entities in the context of health and development programmes is desirable.
• Experience in supervising and managing a team is strongly desired.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing effective partnerships with government, development partners and civil society organizations in the area of health and development programmes is desired.
• Experience in the management of communicable disease programmes is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in oral and written French and English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/21118