Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
As part of UNDP’s integrator role, UNDP Malawi under the Governance Portfolio works with different stakeholders within the country to ensure the fulfilment of the SDG goals. In promotion of the principle to build democratic societies that are just, participatory and sustainable peace, UNDP Malawi works with the government as well as civil society to improve access to justice, promote human rights and enhance rule of law, all of which align towards the achievement of SDG goals 5,10,16 and 17 among others.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance of the Portfolio Manager, Governance and in close collaboration with the Oversight Mechanisms Pillar III lead, the Programme Officer – Human Rights and Rule of Law will be responsible for providing programmatic and technical support for, Access to Justice, Rule of Law and Human Rights programming, as well as administrative and financial intervention in the following activities:
- Technical and programmatic support for a broad range of human rights, access to justice and rule of law issues, including (but not limited to) treaty body reporting mechanisms, monitoring and investigation of human rights violations, CMS, reduction of case backlog, and SGBV crimes / crimes against vulnerable victims;
- Coherent engagement of national and local actors, including the Malawi Human Rights Commission, Office of the Ombudsman, Ministry of Justice, Judiciary, Legal Aid Bureau, Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and other CSOs;
- Prepare of regular project internal, donor and partner reports as needed;
- Prepare of project documents, work plans, budgets, and proposals on implementation arrangements;
- Ensure coherent implementation of human rights and rule of law programming, in line with annual work plans;
- Lead the financial and substantive monitoring and review of programming, including effective application of RBM tools, establishment of project targets and monitoring and achievement of results;
- Track and report on mobilized resources;
- Liaise with donors and partners on the implementation of common initiatives and projects and represent UNDP at all delegated meetings;
- Any other duties as assigned.
Institutional Arrangement
The Programme Officer – Human Rights and Rule of Law will be stationed at Country Office in Lilongwe and will report to the Portfolio Manager, Governance.
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 and/or /maintain coalitions/partnership.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
Functional/Technical competencies
Business Management: Monitoring and Evaluation
- 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.
- Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks – Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic thinking
- Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDPs objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground and creating tangible solutions.
- Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends, to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.
Business Management
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Business Management
- Resource Management: Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity.
Business Management
- Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
2030 Agenda: Peace
- Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights: Access to justice.
2030 Agenda: Peace
- Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights: Safeguarding human rights and protecting vulnerable groups.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced University degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Law or relevant related field is required.
- A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) with additional 2 years’ of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of advanced university degree.
Experience:
- A minimum of 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in litigation and research in one of the areas related to justice sector reform, rule of law consolidation and/or the promotion of Human Rights and related themes, including access to justice for women (and victims of GBV) and vulnerable populations.
Required skills:
- Ability/experience to conduct conceptual and strategic analysis and to make sound recommendations, write reports and make presentations;
- Ability/experience to draft legal opinions and briefs.
Desired skills:
- Admitted to the Bar of Malawi and be able to practice law in all the courts of Malawi;
- Ability/experience to work in an institutional setting with high-level officials as well as with civil society organizations;
- Demonstrated experience in the United Nations;
- Demonstrate experience, adaptability and sensitivity to differences in culture, gender, religion, race, nationality and age.
Language:
- Fluency in English and Chichewa is required.
Professional Certificates:
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.
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