Regional Hub Director – D1

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.

The Regional Bureau for the Arab States (RBAS) consists of its presence across 16 Country Offices, the Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP), the Amman Regional Hub, and its Headquarters at RBAS New York. 
RBAS New York is responsible for the overall strategic vision and direction, strategic, substantive, and support to UNDP Country Offices in the Arab States region, including partnerships and communications, and oversight of performance. The Bureau delivers on average $900 million in development assistance through Country Offices and regional initiatives and contributes to thought leadership through research, analysis, and publications. 
RBAS New York provides the Bureau’s executive leadership and representation, including in corporate leadership mechanisms such as the Executive Group (EG) and the Organizational Performance Group (OPG). It provides guidance, and overall quality assurance related to country and regional-level programming and operations, partnerships, advocacy, thought leadership, strategic initiatives, oversight, and accountability. It ensures quality and coherence of synergies across the Regional Bureau’s functions and geographic locations, including through internal communications.
UNDP’s Regional Hub in Amman provides dedicated, real-time support to Country Offices in the region and close integration and cooperation with partners at the regional level. The Hub provides the following key functions:

• Supports UNDP’s work in strengthening development results and the achievement of the SDGs in the region in line with the Strategic Plan,
• Provides UNDP Country Offices in RBAS with high-quality policy and technical advisory services,
• Manages and implements RBAS’s regional programme and funds,
• Serves as a thought leader and knowledge broker in the region by effectively advancing experiences and lessons learned within the region.

The Hub is host to personnel from the Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) and outposted personnel from other Regional and Central Bureaus operating under a matrix management system including from the Bureau of Programme and Policy Support, External Relations and Partnerships, Audit, and some other corporate functions.

The Hub Director, under the delegated authority of the Deputy Regional Director, is responsible for the oversight and management of the Regional Hub. S/he assumes the overall responsibility and accountability for, and coordination of, the operational and programmatic activities in the Regional Hub in line with the programming, implementation, and quality standards of the organization. As such, s/he serves as the primary supervisor of the Hub Team Leaders, ensuring the delivery of policy advisory services and the effective leveraging of knowledge for development solutions. S/he has delegated financial authority as well as management and internal controls responsibilities. 

S/he is responsible for the implementation of the Bureau’s regional programme and coordinates with BPPS the mainstreaming of key thematic areas into programmes and projects as well as the seamless support to the Regional Hub, and COs in the region. S/he ensures cross-team cooperation and coordination through results-oriented work planning, guidance, and performance assessment to leverage the Bureau’s position and the quality of programmatic interventions. S/he contributes to the development and implementation of UNDP’s Strategic Plan, regional priorities, annual work plans and resource mobilization strategies.

At the regional level, s/he serves as a thought leader and knowledge broker, advocates for UNDP and the Bureau, and builds strategic partnerships with key regional partners to enhance UNDP’s role and contributions to the region’s development. In addition, s/he facilitates the implementation of institutional linkages with other regional UN entities as may be required under UNDS reform.
The Hub Director’s role is intrinsic to ensuring a coherent and coordinated approach to service and programme delivery in the Hub.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of the interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The functions will fall into the broad categories below:

• Thought Leadership and Innovation.
• Effective leadership and management of the Regional Hub.
• Regional Programme co-ordination and implementation.
• Integrated policy support to SDGs, UNDP Strategic Plan and regional and national priorities.
• Advocacy, communication, partnerships, and resource mobilization.
• Knowledge management and innovation.

 

Thought Leadership and Innovation

• Support the Regional Bureau for Arab States in setting and implementing UNDP’s socio-economic recovery agenda for the region and lead the GPN teams on policy and research, and strategic thinking in the areas such as Governance, Environment and Energy, Youth, Gender and Inclusion.
• Enhance UNDP’s position as a regional thought leader and leverage the Amman’s Hub communication, analytics, and project development skills to generate innovative solutions and strategies that support Governments in the acceleration of the SDGs in the region.
• Position UNDP in the region as a thought leader on relevant topics such as green energy transition, financial resilience, digital inclusion, care economy, gender-based violence, and innovative financing instruments.
• Oversee and guide the GPN teams to ensure the provision of high-quality, actionable research and stay abreast of regional trends that may impact new and existing UNDP work in the region.
• Encourage knowledge creation and management, including the development of communities of practice and development solutions teams.
• Promote effective interface and information sharing between the Regional Bureau and COs by establishing mechanisms and tools to facilitate fluent interaction and best practices analysis and dissemination.
• Establish and maintain knowledge and innovation partnerships, including scanning the horizon for and partnering with outside organizations to tap into external knowledge and bring those insights into UNDP for achieving a greater development impact.

 

Expected results: The Amman hub leads successfully on thought leadership, knowledge creation and innovation across the region.

 

Effective leadership and management of the Regional Hub:

• Manage policy and programme units in the Hub through results-oriented work planning, guidance, direction, supervision, and performance assessment, promoting a work environment conducive to producing the outputs and delivering the services required in the results framework. Promote teamwork across all teams and units to facilitate harmonization, linkages, collaboration, and synergy to ensure that staff members are provided with sufficient information and support to perform and deliver results according to organizational and professional standards of efficiency, accountability and integrity.
• Establish annual work plans and set objectives, performance measurements, standards and expected results in collaboration and discussion with the team leaders and team members.
• Guide the preparation and submission of the annual Regional Hub budget for the approval of the Deputy Regional Bureau Director. Within the approved budget framework manages financial, human and other required resources to ensure the Hub operates efficiently. Ensure the optimum and appropriate allocation and management of resources and the integrity of financial transactions.
• Monitors follow-up actions in response to audits, assesses risks and mitigation/escalation plans using enterprise risk framework. Make recommendations for addressing deficiencies in close consultation with the RBEC Senior Leadership.
• Lead the operational, and administrative management of the Hub including human resources, ICT, finance, security, administration, and procurement, to ensure timely and quality services to UNDP staff and UN staff from agencies, funds and programmes operating inside the Hub.
• Assist the Deputy Regional Director with the Regional Bureau’s annual reporting.
• Coordinate and oversee the conceptualization of technical briefs for senior management and governing bodies, to ensure quality and comprehensiveness of accurate data, liaising with the teams at the Regional Hub, and relevant units at Headquarters.

 

Expected results: RBAS Amman Regional Hub is managed effectively and aligned with UNDP Strategic Plan and RBAS priorities.

Regional Programme co-ordination and implementation:

• Oversee the regional programme implementation, focusing on its operational, programmatic, and financial performance with special emphasis on delivery targets, managerial efficiency, compliance and financial sustainability. Ensure evaluation and audit recommendations are incorporated in the regional programme management and adequate mechanisms are put in place to strengthen accountability and risk mitigation.
• Identify program opportunities, approaches, and modalities for intervention to leverage the quality and scope of regional program strategies and plans in accordance with global policies, priorities and goals and in harmony with regional, sub-regional and national development agendas, capacities and interests.
• Ensure the coherence of all programme activities integrated to the regional programme and alignment with results-based management mechanisms. Ensure systematic liaison and information sharing with the Planning, Coordination and Oversight team for continued alignment of the regional programme with corporate strategies and policies.
• Monitor regular reporting requirements to inform the planning exercise and develop strategic briefs for the Bureau’s leadership and submission to governing bodies.

Expected results: Implementation of RBAS Regional Programme in accordance with EB-Approved RPD framework and in line with UNDP corporate performance and accountability standards and requirements.

Integrated policy support to SDGs, UNDP Strategic Plan and regional and national priorities:

Through the matrix management arrangements with BPPS HQ: 

• Enable the effective functioning of the Global Policy Network (GPN) within the scope and mandate of the Regional Hub.
• Facilitate a client-based approach towards coordinated and coherent advisory services delivery in the region.
• Ensure policy coherence, alignment, and integration across the regional programme. Contribute to the formulation of new policy interventions based on the region’s priorities and evolving needs.

Expected results: Effective GPN established in the region and delivers policy advice to country offices, national counterparts, projects, and programmes that are aligned with their needs, priorities and strategic opportunities. 

 

Advocacy, communication, partnerships, and resource mobilization:

• Advocate for and contribute to the development and implementation of a regional partnerships/communications strategy, in close consultation and collaboration with RBAS Partnership and Communication Team, and in coordination with BERA, GPN and SFH. Leverage as appropriate corporate partnerships and communications tools as well as existing policy expertise for the Hub and COs.
• Liaise with a wide array of partners including the private sector, academia, civil society and non-governmental organizations, economic commissions, development banks, governments, and donors (DAC and NSP) to position RBAS’s programme and initiatives in the region, and ensure Hub based Team Leaders’ close coordination and collaboration with RBAS Partnership and Communication Team.
• Lead the development of the regional programme resource mobilization and communications strategy, and its implementation, in close coordination with CO partnerships/resource mobilization initiatives and in alignment with the corporate resource mobilization strategy.
• Represent the Bureau in consultation with the Deputy Director in meetings and working groups on corporate/regional policy and management issues.

Expected results: Regional Hub advocates and contributes to the development and implementation of RBAS Partnership and Communication strategy. The regional programme is strategically positioned vis-à-vis partners and its resource mobilization and communications strategy is successfully implemented in close coordination with CO partnerships/resource mobilization initiatives.

Knowledge management and innovation:

• Encourage knowledge creation and management, including the development of communities of practice and development solutions teams.
• Promote effective interface and information sharing between the Regional Bureau and COs by establishing mechanisms and tools to facilitate fluent interaction and best practices analysis and dissemination.
• Establish and maintain knowledge and innovation partnerships, including scanning the horizon for and partnering with outside organizations to tap into external knowledge and bring those insights into UNDP for achieving a greater development impact.

Expected results: The Amman hub leads successfully on knowledge creation and dissemination across the region. 

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

Competencies

Core Competencies – UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.

• Achieve Results – Level 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, and drive scalable results/strategic impact.
• Think Innovatively – Level 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, and have foresight.
• Learn Continuously – Level 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all.
• Adapt with Agility – Level 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, and champion new systems/processes.
• Act with Determination – Level 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations and inspire confidence.
• Engage and Partner – Level 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high-stakes situations and foster co-creation.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion – Level 4: Create an ethical culture and identify/address barriers to inclusion.

People Management Competencies – UNDP People Management Competencies can be found here.

Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies

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.

Business Management –    

• UNDP Representation: Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies.

Business Direction and Strategy –

• Systems 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 – 

• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment

Business Development – 

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Communication –

• Marketing: Ability to communicate the value of a product or service.

Finance – 

• Development Finance Expertise: Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Masters, or equivalent) in Management, Economics, Business Administration or other related social sciences with a strong knowledge of economics and quantitative analysis is required.Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above areas, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Ph.D. in Management, Economics, Business Administration or other related social sciences with a strong knowledge of economics and quantitative analysis is desired.

Experience:

• A minimum of 15 years (with a master’s degree) or 17 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of experience in leadership positions within Government and/or recognized aid development cooperation institutions or organizations.
• Proven leadership experience in the UN System and/or Government institutions related to development and experience working at the country level and leading diverse teams is highly desired.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience in providing policy advice and developing programmatic solutions, tools, and methodology to support countries and governments across the region in their implementation of the SDGs is an asset.
• An in-depth understanding of and experience in designing interdisciplinary regional programmes and advisory services within the UN system and/or member countries is desired.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Arabic (both written and oral) is required.

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

Disclaimer
 

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders) 
 

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional-level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship. Therefore, applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
 

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 descriptions, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination
 

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
 

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
 

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