Technical Specialist to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs

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Information on the project

Lesotho’s macroeconomic position has been deteriorating since 2015 with the economy remaining in recession since 2017 worsened by the widening of public spending that has peaked at 65% of GDP in the 2023/2024 financial year. The national capital budget is 27% of the total budget, compared to 73% incurred under the recurrent budget. Eighty-Six percent of Lesotho’s national budget is absorbed by government consumption, particularly public wages which are estimated at 32% of the GDP. Public procurement, which accounts for 35 percent of GDP, although key in determining the effectiveness of government in delivering essential services, programs, and projects; faces numerous management challenges. The government’s revenues particularly from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), declined by 22% of GDP in the 2022/23 financial year. In spite of the high spending in the public sector, and worrying revenue trends, this has not translated into satisfactory performance and high productivity in the public sector.  The above shortcomings notwithstanding The Government of Lesotho is keen on creating a conducive environment to spur inclusive growth and development.

Upon assumption of office, the Government reassured Basotho its commitment, to deliver public goods and services, and to enable the realization of the fundamental human rights of every Mosotho. The Government underscored the importance of expediting ongoing National Reforms by acknowledging improvements the relative peace, political stability, and tolerance following the Luanda Angola, 2018 Double Troika Summit resolution of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In this regard, the Government promised to fix the imbalances to achieve macroeconomic stability, reform the public service to make it more efficient, transparent, accountable, and effective, address corruption, and, introduce a rigorous system of monitoring and evaluation to counter poor performance. Equally important is the pledge to increase accountability in the public sector, and social engagement in performance. These shall be achieved through: i) enhancing inclusive and sustainable economic growth and private sector job creation; ii) Strengthening the human capital; iii) Building an enabling infrastructure; iv) Strengthening national governance and accountability systems for improved service delivery; v) Strengthen climate risk management resilience and adaptation; and vi). Strengthen public financial management.

Consequently, the UN initiated a Joint UN Programme on Improved Governance for Optimized Service Delivery to augment and complement the Government’s efforts to address the pervasive impediments to effective governance and public service delivery in Lesotho. At the core of the initiative is effective public service delivery to all Basotho people through:

1. Promote effective leadership and management of the public sector through Senior level leadership training and Executive Coaching Platforms (Cabinet and Principal Secretaries), capacity development, and Institutional strengthening;
2. Enhance efficient and informed resource allocation and utilization by, strengthening public financial accountability for efficiency and informed resource allocation as well as development assistance coordination and effectiveness and; building capacity of district and community councils on public financial management increased
3. Establishment of e-governance for enhanced accessibility to government services by establishing One-Stop e-government centres for public services, coordination and standardization of e-government initiatives, and creation of an enabling legal and policy framework for e-governance;
4. Institutionalize a national accountability mechanism through measurements as well as, adoption, and implementation of Decentralization Policy, Mobile and digital platforms for citizen feedback and, strengthening horizontal and vertical inter/intra governmental linkages and accountabilities; Institutionalization of community accountability mechanism through performance-based climate resilient grants in local authorities.
5. Augment coordinated implementation of strategic public service reforms through operationalization of public sector performance-based management structures, systems, and processes; strengthening structures and capabilities for coordinated implementation of public sector reforms.

The Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs are key to the delivery of the Government’s promise as it holds the responsible for the coordination of Government functions including leading the Government Business in the legislature. To bolster the Office’s capacity to deliver, the Government seeks to recruit a Technical Specialist to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

Lesotho’s macroeconomic position has been deteriorating since 2015 with the economy remaining in recession since 2017 worsened by the widening of public spending that has peaked at 65% of GDP in the 2023/2024 financial year. The national capital budget is 27% of the total budget, compared to 73% incurred under the recurrent budget. Eighty-Six percent of Lesotho’s national budget is absorbed by government consumption, particularly public wages which are estimated at 32% of the GDP. Public procurement, which accounts for 35 percent of GDP, although key in determining the effectiveness of government in delivering essential services, programs, and projects; faces numerous management challenges. The government’s revenues particularly from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), declined by 22% of GDP in the 2022/23 financial year. In spite of the high spending in the public sector, and worrying revenue trends, this has not translated into satisfactory performance and high productivity in the public sector. The above shortcomings notwithstanding The Government of Lesotho is keen on creating a conducive environment to spur inclusive growth and development.

Upon assumption of office, the Government reassured Basotho its commitment, to deliver public goods and services, and to enable the realization of the fundamental human rights of every Mosotho. The Government underscored the importance of expediting ongoing National Reforms by acknowledging improvements the relative peace, political stability, and tolerance following the Luanda Angola, 2018 Double Troika Summit resolution of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In this regard, the Government promised to fix the imbalances to achieve macroeconomic stability, reform the public service to make it more efficient, transparent, accountable, and effective, address corruption, and, introduce a rigorous system of monitoring and evaluation to counter poor performance. Equally important is the pledge to increase accountability in the public sector, and social engagement in performance. These shall be achieved through: i) enhancing inclusive and sustainable economic growth and private sector job creation; ii) Strengthening the human capital; iii) Building an enabling infrastructure; iv) Strengthening national governance and accountability systems for improved service delivery; v) Strengthen climate risk management resilience and adaptation; and vi). Strengthen public financial management.

Consequently, the UN initiated a Joint UN Programme on Improved Governance for Optimized Service Delivery to augment and complement the Government’s efforts to address the pervasive impediments to effective governance and public service delivery in Lesotho. At the core of the initiative is effective public service delivery to all Basotho people through:

1. Promote effective leadership and management of the public sector through Senior level leadership training and Executive Coaching Platforms (Cabinet and Principal Secretaries), capacity development, and Institutional strengthening;
2. Enhance efficient and informed resource allocation and utilization by, strengthening public financial accountability for efficiency and informed resource allocation as well as development assistance coordination and effectiveness and; building capacity of district and community councils on public financial management increased;
3. Establishment of e-governance for enhanced accessibility to government services by establishing One-Stop e-government centres for public services, coordination and standardization of e-government initiatives, and creation of an enabling legal and policy framework for e-governance;
4. Institutionalize a national accountability mechanism through measurements as well as, adoption, and implementation of Decentralization Policy, Mobile and digital platforms for citizen feedback and, strengthening horizontal and vertical inter/intra governmental linkages and accountabilities; Institutionalization of community accountability mechanism through performance-based climate resilient grants in local authorities;
5. Augment coordinated implementation of strategic public service reforms through operationalization of public sector performance-based management structures, systems, and processes; strengthening structures and capabilities for coordinated implementation of public sector reforms.

Specific roles shall entail:

The Technical Specialist to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairsshall inter alia,

1. Provide advice and ongoing policy issues, Identify emerging issues/risks and their implications, propose solutions, and advise the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs on decision-making;
2. Lead assigned areas of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs operations, policy, and project work and provide support to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, and the broader work team;
3. The Technical Specialist , ensures high-quality support and sound advice is provided to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, internal and external stakeholders, and effective coordination of consultation and management of stakeholders across the department, cluster and government sector;
4. Lead support arrangements for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and, if required, related Senior Officer Groups in accordance with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs practice, including the coordination of proposal and forward agenda processes, preparation of meeting agendas and decisions, scheduling of meetings, and the collation and delivery of Cabinet papers and folders within specified timeframes;
5. Critically analyze Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs proposals, review submissions to Cabinet, Parliament or proposed initiatives and related advice to ensure adherence to guidelines and compliance with required standards, soundness and feasibility and to coordinate and/or provide high-quality advice for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in relation to Cabinet documents, processes and practice within specified timeframes;
6. Develop and maintain effective working relationships and communications with internal and external stakeholders, including advising and consulting those participating in Cabinet processes to ensure their contribution to the effective functioning of office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs;
7. Undertake research and high-quality analysis in assigned portfolio areas and prepare briefs and reports to support Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in meeting commitments in respect to the Government’s public policy program, delivery on state significant projects or service delivery reform;
8. Deliver presentations and training in relation to the office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs practice;
9. Support the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in promoting compliance with relevant Cabinet conventions, including confidentiality, oversight, and archiving of meeting papers, receiving returns of Cabinet documents, and use of appropriate protocol/s for destruction.

The Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs are key to the delivery of the Government’s promise as it holds the responsible for the coordination of Government functions including leading the Government Business in the legislature. To bolster the Office’s capacity to deliver, the Government seeks to recruit a Technical Specialist to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The Technical Specialist works under the general supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative  and collaborates closely with the Deputy Prime Minister on day to day activities.

Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s 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 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: Knowledge Facilitation

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

2030 Agenda: Peace, Planet Governance

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

Business Management: Communication

• Ability to 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

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

• Practical experience of an advisory role to a cabinet minister or equivalent  level;
• A proven track record of leadership and management in high-level settings, including coordination of interdisciplinary teams.

Language Requirement

• Fluency in English Language and Sesotho (and/or any other local language) is  required.