Project Electoral Specialist

The Vanuatu Electoral Environment Project (VEEP) was approved and signed off by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji and the Vanuatu Electoral Office (VEO) in August 2017. VEEP was the first systematic effort to provide international electoral assistance in the country. The project eventually included four outputs – 1) strengthening of the electoral administration, 2) enhancing the integrity of the voter register, 3) supporting voter education and information and 4) supporting the political reform efforts through the development of the legal and operational framework regarding political parties’ registration. UNDP/VEEP thus provided technical and operational support to elections held during this period, supported a countrywide joint civil & voter registration process in the run-up to the General Elections 2020, as well as comprehensive voter information and public awareness campaigns – along with supporting adaptation to COVID-19 and TC Harold challenges. Looking at the voter turnout in Vanuatu from independence in 1980 to 2020 there has been a continuous increase in the total number of votes cast since 1983, and it is noteworthy that the total votes cast in 2020 was the highest ever in the Vanuatu electoral history despite COVID-19 and TC Harold challenges and restrictions.

This project successfully ran from 2017-2020, and from 1 January 2021, VEEP phase II started up to continue the work that VEEP phase I had started. 

VEEP accordingly continues to aim at contributing to the democratic development in Vanuatu. It will do so through the continued strengthening of the institutional and operational capacities of the electoral authorities, both the Electoral Commission (EC), the policymaking, oversight body, and the Vanuatu Electoral Office (VEO), the corresponding executive, operational arm. The project will support the electoral authorities to fulfil its mandate to conduct all direct elections in the country and improve its capacity to manage the political change process through credible and genuine electoral processes. VEEP II will further support the successful transition to the future voter registration model, where the electoral authorities will derive the voter register from the civil registry database, and use National ID for voting identification, with the aim of increasing the integrity and accuracy of the voter register, as well as increasing participation, reducing certain irregularities, and strengthening public confidence. The project will continue to support improvement of institutional capacities to maintain longer-term voter education efforts and to strengthen the capacity of the electoral authorities to plan, implement and evaluate voter information and awareness efforts. Finally, the project will support electoral reform initiatives, including the capacity of the electoral authorities in developing and presenting viable changes and providing technical advice on the possible options to manage reforms dealing with complex aspects of the electoral processes, including civil and voter registration.

The specific outputs for VEEP Phase II are: 

• Output 1: Institutional Capacities of the Electoral Authorities Strengthened
• Output 2: Integrity and Accuracy of the Voter Register Enhanced
• Output 3: Ability to Conduct Voter Education and Raise Public Awareness strengthened.
• Output 4: Legal Electoral Framework Improved and Capacity Building on Electoral Reform to Key Stakeholders provided.

VEEP II will run till June 2024, to allow for the continuity of progress made under the UNDP/VEEP Phase I and a smooth transition of the initiatives to mainstream practices within the Vanuatu electoral authorities and the Civil Registry and Identity Management  department.

The Project Electoral Specialist will report to CTA/Project Manager of VEEP Project. 

Advice and assist electoral authorities:

• Build the capacities of Vanuatu electoral and civil registration authorities in line with international standards. 
• Provide high quality advice and technical assistance to electoral authorities and other key stakeholders based on research and analysis on governance and elections. 
• Conduct thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in Vanuatu to inform ongoing and future interventions of UNDP. 
• Support electoral authorities in implementation of interventions to introduce the electoral and democractic reform in line with international standards. 
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities 
• Be updated on emerging electoral and democratic governance issues for input into UNDP programming and as needed, facilitating research, collecting, generating, maintaining, analyzing and regular updating of country-level indicators (quantitative and qualitative), highlight political governance issues in general and those specifically related to UNDP programme priority areas, and prepare feedback reports as inputs into country-level situational monitoring and reporting. 

Support the reform of electoral legal framework and electoral operations:

• Work closely with and assist the Electoral Commission and Vanuatu Electoral Office to improve electoral legal framework in line with international standards. 
• Assist electoral authorities in implementation of electoral legal reform by providing support in drafting and finalizing secondary legislation, Standard Operating Procedures and other documents. 
• Assist electoral authorities in development of operational plans, options papers on various electoral matters and tracking of progress against the plans. 

Implements gender, civic engagement and inclusion programs:

• Work with national stakeholders to promote gender inclusive electoral processes, including technical assistance for enhancing women’s participation in parliament. 
• Develop and implement strategies to make the electoral processes inclusive of gender, disability and youth.
• Design, plan and implement civic engagement and inclusion activities in close collaboration with other team members, electoral authorities and civil society.
• Support the development curriculum and other training materials on gender and inclusion. 
• Facilitate co-ordination and information-sharing amongst electoral authorities and partners building synergies where appropriate.
• Support the monitoring of activities in the field.

Project Management, Implementation and Design:

As a full-time member of the project team, the Electoral Specialist will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Project Manager in successful conclusion of remaining phase of the VEEP-II and preparation of the next phase. The Electoral Specialist will mainly support the consolidation of achievements of ongoing phase of the VEEP-II.  Major responsibilities will involve the following:

• Assist CTA/Project Manager in completion of current phase of the project with successful implementation of all outstanding activities. 
• Assist CTA in formulation and development of next phase of the project with support to formulation mission and Programme Document development. 
• Supervise project support staff as assigned by the CTA/Project Manager. 
• Assist CTA/Project Manager in donor relations, meetings of the Project Board and other stakeholder management tasks. 
• Assist CT/Project Manager in providing strategic direction and decision making related to project implementation, ensuring they are made in a participatory and collective manner.
• Contribute to setting of strategic direction of the VEEP based on the findings of evaluation and formulation missions. 
• Undertake Project Management activities based on UNDP’s newly introduced Quantum platform. 
• Oversee and quality assure various deliverables of the project being delivered by Individual Consultants. 
• Prepare Monitoring and Evaluation Reports based on information obtained from monitoring results from different. 
• Prepare work plans (Annual and Quarterly Work Plans).
• Draft policy advisory papers and briefing notes including research and analysis of data. 
• Initiate and administer mobilization of project inputs in collaboration with the CTA/Project Manager.
• Assist the Finance/Admin Officer in raising payment requests and facilitating IC consultancy delivery paperwork.
• Assist the CTA/Project Manager in procurement planning/PROMPT records/procurement coordination with local stakeholders and vendors.
• Ensure regular support, follow-up and monitoring of the planning, development and implementation of project activities with special consideration for gender and vulnerability issues.
• Coordinating agenda preparation, implementation and logistics support related to a corresponding output. 
• Maintain the project archive.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Guide and streamline monitoring and evaluation requirements of the project in line with UNDP’s policies and procedures. 
• Assist the CTA/Project Manager with monitoring and evaluation of the project implementation.
• Design and deliver programme strategies focusing on achievement of results, including grant management and reporting.
• Organize documentation for external evaluation, audit and other corporate requirements. 
• Undertake result-based management using UNDP’s Quantum platform. 
• Contribute to developing data collection methods, data analysis, empirical research design. 
• Support the implementation of various types of instruments for data collection, pilot and finalize those instruments in order to carry out research.
• Support analysis of quantitative and qualitative data using appropriate analytical tools and produce reports.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

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:

Business Direction & Strategy             

• Effective decision making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.
• 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 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.
• Evaluation: Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.; Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns

Ethics  

• Ethics education and training: Ability to provide education and training on ethics, values, and standards and promote staff awareness of ethical behaviour and ethical decision making.

Procurement  

• Contract Management: Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations.

2030 Agenda: Peace  

• Governance: Electoral Cycle Support