Project Management Analyst – P2

BACKGROUND

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Since the end of the regime of Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, Sudan has been in an important yet tumultuous stage in its peacebuilding trajectory. On 17th August 2019, the Transitional Military Council and the Forces for Freedom and Change signed a Constitutional Declaration agreeing on arrangements for a proposed 39-month transitional period. This was followed by the landmark launching of a broader Sudanese peace process with the signature, on 3 October 2020, of the Juba Peace Agreement. However, on 25 October 2021, these and other significant peacebuilding gains were significantly threatened when security forces detained the Prime Minister and several civilian ministers, declared a state of emergency, and suspended key articles of the 2019 Constitutional Declaration. 2022 saw an alarming escalation of violence, including sexual violence against women, particularly in Darfur but also in South Kordofan and in the Blue Nile. Deadly conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on 15 April 2023, which has inflicted unimaginable suffering on the Sudanese people, caused a nationwide humanitarian catastrophe and has dramatically worsened Sudan’s human development outlook.

In September 2019, then-Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok requested that Sudan be declared eligible for the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund. On 16th October, the Secretary-General in his response declared Sudan eligible to the PBF for a period of five years. As of 2022, the PBF has approved over $45 million in peacebuilding funding in Sudan across 15 projects.

In January 2021, a Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat was established under the auspices of the DSRSG/RC/HC to provide assistance to the coordination, monitoring, evaluation, and communications of PBF-funded projects. In 2017, a Multi Partner Trust Fund Secretariat was also established under the auspices of the DSRSG/RC/HC to provide assistance to the MPTF project. To improve coherence and complementarity, as well as increase impact, coordination and cost efficiency, a decision was taken to merge the two secretariats into one Joint PBF-MPTF Secretariat. With drawdown and closure of UNITAMS as of 29 February, 2024 both funds will function under the oversight of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.

These terms of reference are to support the recruitment of a P2 Project Management Analyst in recognition of the increased demands for robust capacities to support the new Joint PBF-MPTF Secretariat as part of the Resident Coordinator Office in Sudan.

The position is for Sudan County Office and the role will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall supervision of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) for Sudan and reporting directly to the Head of the Joint Secretariat, the Project Management Analyst of the Joint PBF-MPTF Secretariat will oversee the day-to-day management of the PBF and MPTF portfolios and the development and implementation of comprehensive monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems, while providing strategic and technical peacebuilding support to the joint portfolio.

Key Duties and Accountabilities include:

Management and coordination of PBF and MPTF portfolios:

• Support the Head of the Joint Secretariat with the day-to-day management of PBF and MPTF portfolios, including monitoring progress and results of investments, and ensuring compliance with donor requirements.
• Facilitate coordination between the different PBF and MPTF projects, including participating in regular coordination meetings at project and portfolio level, and ensuring synergies at strategic and technical levels.
• Identify capacity gaps and implementation challenges of PBF and MPTF projects and provide timely solutions and support.
• Support recipient organizations to develop and continuously update inter-agency workplans, to be updated bi-annually as part of PBF project reporting process.
• Represent PBF and MPTF at relevant meetings with key stakeholders including fund steering committees and national counterparts.
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices in project management.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Project design and strategic planning:

• Design and manage calls for proposals and other project development processes.
• Provide guidance and support to UN agencies and I/NGOs during the development of new PBF and MPTF projects, and while submitting project amendment requests.
• Review and provide feedback on project concept notes and proposals submitted to PBF Secretariat, with a focus on project M&E plans, theories of change, results frameworks, and outcome and output level indicators.
• Provide substantive review and quality assurance for PBF and MPTF project proposals to ensure they meet donor requirements, are relevant and technically sound, incorporate lessons learned from previous investments, are informed by rigorous data and evidence, and are aligned with the overall strategic vision articulated by the Joint MPTF-PBF Strategic Results Framework (SRF).
• Organize Technical Review Committees for proposal review and selection.
• Facilitate project approval process with PBF and MPTF headquarters in New York.
• Support organization of and participate in project kick-off meetings for all new investments.

Project monitoring and evaluation:

• Support recipients organizations to develop project-level monitoring plans that align with the SRF, including appropriate outcome/output-level indicators and data collection plans;
• Conduct routine follow-ups of project M&E plans to ensure continued feasibility and evaluability of project results, working with relevant colleagues to adjust and revise plans as necessary.
• Participate in field visits and joint monitoring missions to project implementation sites as and when the security situation permits, preparing detailed mission reports after each visit.
• Support recipient organizations to collect project-level data, including overseeing baseline and end-line surveys, ongoing project monitoring, and other data collection activities.
• Develop mechanisms to aggregate, analyze and communicate project data from across the two portfolios, including through data visualizations and reports.
• Lead coordination and submission bi-annual reporting processes, including reviewing and providing quality control on reports submitted from fund recipients.
• Support recipient organizations to develop and continuously update inter-agency workplans, to be updated bi-annually as part of project reporting process.
• Oversee all project-level and portfolio-level evaluations of MPTF and PBF investments in Sudan.
• Provide oversight and guidance to all phases of independent final evaluation processes, including drafting terms of reference, recruiting consultants, developing research methodologies and questionnaires, coordinating field missions, and reviewing final reports.
• Participate in and chair, where necessary, evaluation reference groups to review all submitted evaluation deliverables.
• Ensure dissemination of key findings and recommendations from evaluations and support fund recipients to draft management responses.

Ensure Communications of the PBF-MPTF to support the secretariat:

• Manage work of Communications and External Relations UNV, including the development of a Joint Communications Strategy for MPTF and PBF projects
• Oversee preparation of communications and visibility materials on MPTF- and PBF-funded projects, including success stories, press releases, infographics, newsletters and other relevant visibility products.
• Oversee preparation of briefings for donors, government counterparts, and other stakeholders to the Funds, communicating key project peacebuilding results in an accessible format
• Oversee production of a consolidated MPTF Sudan portfolio report.

Provide strategic and technical peacebuilding expertise:

• Support research and analysis to inform strategic priority setting and programmatic approaches, in coordination with the RCO Peace and Development Unit.
• Provide peacebuilding expertise to strategic documents, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to the work of the PBF and MPTF.
• Ensure that cross-cutting issues, such as gender and youth issues, are integrated into PBF and MPTF project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Perform other duties that may be required to support the Head of the Joint MPTF-PBF Secretariat with the day-to-day management, administration and financial management of the Funds.

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 Project Management Analyst will supervise the work of the Communication Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in peace and development, management, social sciences, or related area is required; OR
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• Minimum 2 years (Masters’ degree) or 4 years (Bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in at least two of the following areas: programme coordination, project development, strategic planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation in conflict and post-conflict or transitional context.
• Experience working on peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity is highly desired.
• Experience liaising with governmental and diplomatic authorities, UN agencies, and national and international institutions and communicating results to these stakeholders is highly desired
• Understanding of gender and youth issues in peace and conflict settings is desirable.
• Experience in a United Nations agency, fund, programme or mission is an asset.
• Previous experience in Sudan and/or understanding of the Sudanese context is an asset.
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills are required.
• Proficiency in computer software (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) is required.

Languages:

• Proficiency in oral and written English required.

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/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management Competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Management: Monitoring & Evaluation

• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management: Portfolio management

• Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization’s programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Business direction & strategy: System thinkings

• 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: Communication

• Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Business Management: Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Partnership Management: Relationship Management

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Data: Data Analysis

• Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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