Programme Officer

The UXO sector in Lao PDR consists of the National Regulatory Authority (NRA), Lao national Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao), humanitarian operators (INGOs), several accredited commercial companies providing UXO services, and humanitarian clearance teams within the Lao People’s Army. The overall coordination / lead from the Government side is mandated to rest with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Minister is also the Chairperson of the unexploded ordnance (UXO) Sector Working Group and NRA Board.

UNDP is the leading development partner in supporting the UXO sector in Lao PDR, since mid-1990s. UNDP with other partners have helped create the two key state institutions in UXO sector – UXO Lao and the NRA and have been supporting the capacity development of these institutions from the beginning. UNDP serves as Co-Chair of the UXO Sector Working Group, together with the MoFA and the United States. The Government of Lao PDR with support from UNDP has developed the 10-Year Sector Strategy (Safe Path Forward III for 2021-2030) and associated implementation/work plan. The Government of Lao PDR and UNDP have also developed a new UXO Programme for 2022-2026, Supporting Effectiveness and Efficiency in the UXO Sector to contribute to the achievement of SDG 18 and Safe Path Forward III (SPFIII) that will provide the programmatic and technical support necessary for the national institutions within the UXO sector (NRA and UXO Lao) to pursue the targets set out in the Sector Strategy (SPFIII), 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (9th NSEDP) and Sustainable Development Goal 18, Lives Safe from UXO. 

Under the guidance of the UXO Portfolio Manager, the Programme Officer of UXO Unit will support the management and oversight of all aspects of the UXO programme. The key role is to ensure daily monitoring of the implementation of the UXO programme document in partnership with the Implementing Partners, including cash transfers, results monitoring and all other aspects of the annual work plans and UXO programme document. The Programme Officer will provide substantial support function to the Portfolio Manager in strategic planning and identification of new programme directions, as well as creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities, while ensuring the Programme is consistent with priorities in the global UNDP Strategic Plan, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) in Lao PDR and the UNDP Country Programme Document. 

The Programme Officer will work closely with all the other members of the UXO Unit and will work in collaboration with other Programme and Operations teams in the Country Office (CO), Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society and as needed UNDP Head Quarters staff and Programme staff in other UN Agencies, to successfully implement the UNDP programme.

This Programme Officer will be under the direct supervision of UXO Portfolio Manager, UNDP Lao PDR.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Ensure Effective Programme Development:

Provides advice on the strategic direction of the new UXO programme and supports the implementation of the current programme phase focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Advise and support the study and analysis of the challenges and opportunities in Lao PDR in pursuing poverty reduction through UXO clearance and explore opportunities to establish closer linkages with the development agenda in Lao PDR, especially in regard to poverty reduction – at the policy level as well as at operational levels.
• Advocate for the role and contribution of UXO Sector to socio-economic development through corporate planning tools such as the Country Analysis, UNSDCF Action Plan, Country Programme Document (CPD), etc.
• Advise and support liaison between UNDP and the Government of Lao PDR with respect to major programme issues and provide solutions in seeking consensus.
• Contribute to the identification, design and formulation of new programme/project documents which reflect the priorities of the country and fall within the strategic directions of UNDP programme through support to the UXO Sector, including the establishment of monitoring mechanisms, the introduction of performance indicators/success criteria, targets and milestones, and assessing the counterparts’ implementation and support capacity. This includes preparation of project concepts/briefs, proposals and project documents and engagement of necessary consultants and experts and to manage and review their work.
• Contribute to the UNDP’s effort to substantially improve effectiveness of the UXO Sector Working Group, which UNDP co-chairs with the Government.
• Contribute in the strategic planning aimed at an expansion of the UXO programme managed by UNDP.

Ensure Effective Programme Management:

Ensure effective management of the UXO programme and supervision of the Programme team focusing on quality enhancement of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation achieving the following results:

• Provide the CO’s oversight efforts of UNDP’s UXO programme, under close guidance and consultation with the supervisor and in line with UNDP’s programming guideline (Results Management Guide).
• Regular on-the-sight monitoring of the progress of project implementation and ensure proper programme work planning and programme management and review processes (such as development/review of Annual Work Plans, the convening of Project Boards meeting, etc.) are undertaken in a timely and quality manner by the Programme Managers.
• Review of various project reports and capturing of results and lessons learned through initiating programme evaluations and corporate results-based reporting processes.
• Provide support and guidance to efforts of consultants, programme/project personnel, donors and local institutions towards achievement of programme objectives. 
• Coordinate and participate in programme/project evaluation activities and follow up.
• Support in work planning, financial management and other forms of oversight of the UXO programme and other funds managed by the Unit. 
• Provide financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, and development of solutions.
• Support the implementation of the UXO programme quality assurance activities especially the audit, spot check and lead the follow-ups.

Build Strategic Partnership and Resource Mobilization.

Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships and supports the resource mobilization in cooperation with the Portfolio Manager focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the supervisor in ensuring strategic partnerships with donors, UN and non-UN system organizations and NGOs in order to ensure effective management and expansion and re-orientation of the UXO programme.
• Contribute to the development of new tools to ensure donor agreement management/tracking. Ensure timely utilization of donor funds in accordance with the donor agreements. Undertake timely actions on underutilized donor funds. 
• Provide advice and support in preparation of funding proposals and briefing documents for donors, and organize donor briefings, and mobilize funding from multi and bilateral agencies in cooperation with the Government counterparts and advisors.
• Ensure that high quality donor reporting is completed in a timely manner.
• Support the organization of visiting donors, NGOs, journalists, UN missions and researchers and represent UNDP when requested.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building. 

• 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.
• Mobilize 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, and UNDP communications staff. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

 Competencies:                    

Core competencies:

• 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:

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.

Business Development           

• Collective Intelligence Design: Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.

Business Management           

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• 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
• Customer Satisfaction/ Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.; Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.; Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests; Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Partnership management     

• Resource mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/ projects/ initiatives) with funding opportunities and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, 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 of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (With bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments. 
• Familiar with virtual communication e.g. MS Word, Excel, Zoom, Skype, TEAMS, etc.
• Hands on experience in Programme/Project Financial Management funded by multiple donors and its substantive operational knowledge is an advantage. 
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is an asset.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Lao is required.