The Area-Based Community First Programme, or CFP II, is UNDP’s second iteration (2024-2025) of its medium-term strategy to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities, building on the gains from CFP I.  UNDP aims to do so by adopting an area-based approach where community structures are strengthened, and based on the community’s own prioritization, support is provided to meet critical immediate needs, basic services, livelihoods, and village-level infrastructure.  Protection of human rights, strengthening of social cohesion, and preserving democratic space, to the extent possible, continue to be core approaches that underpin the area-based interventions.

The Enabling Community Recovery and Resilience (ENCORE) Project is a critical component of CFP II.   ENCORE aims to empower the most vulnerable communities to move from crisis to recovery and then to long-term development and resilience through a range of short-term, intermediate, and long-term interventions.  ENCORE is designed as a modified community-driven development (CDD) project given the highly volatile operating conditions in Myanmar.  The project adapts a phased approach to make it responsive to the actual situation and needs at each project site.

Training and Capacity Building (TCB) is a key component of the ENCORE project design, and supports achievement of project objectives and results by identifying, building, and enhancing the competencies of both project staff and communities to lead, facilitate, and support implementation of project activities. More than one hundred and ten thousand (110,000) learners are estimated to be reached by ENCORE TCB activities at various levels and in varying degrees, of which around 108,000 will be CVs directly participating in project activities and who will be provided with TCB interventions.  In addition, other community members are also anticipated to benefit indirectly from TCB inputs as they participate in the different ENCORE village-level activities across phases.

The TCB Specialist will directly report to the Chief Technical Advisor – ENCORE, on the technical components of the TOR and the Project Manager, ENCORE for the day to day implementation of activities.  The TCB Specialist is also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under http://dss.un.org. The TCB Specialist will be given access to relevant information and administrative support necessary for executing the tasks under this assignment.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR) and the CDD Technical Adviser, and in close collaboration with the ENCORE Project Manager, the TCB Specialist shall be responsible for:

Training of Field Implementers.  The TCB Specialist shall support the implementation of the ENCORE project by (i) leading the identification of training needs of field staff, and specifically Township Coordinators (TC) and Community Facilitators (CF), (ii) determining, developing, and continually adjusting the training strategies and approaches to suit the project’s continually evolving operational context and priorities, (iii) developing and continually enhancing the training design and materials, and (iv) leading the actual delivery of the training inputs, in collaboration with the UNDP Field Offices (FO) and Area Offices (AO), the Township Coordinators (TCs), and  Community Facilitators (CFs). This includes ensuring that training inputs are modular and easily customizable to meet the specific and often rapidly evolving operating conditions in each project site, as necessary.

Capacity Building of Community Volunteers (CV), Community Development Committees (CDC), and Community Social Structures (CSS).  In line with ENCORE implementation strategies, the TCB Specialist shall support organising the capacity building of community volunteers and CDCs, as well as members of community social structures that will take the lead in the implementation of UNDP approved projects and activities in the villages and village tracts.  These community structures may include the self-reliance groups (SRGs) organised under the UNDP HDI where they are present, the village/VT development support committees (V/VTDSCs) organised in former NCDDP areas, or newly organised committees in areas where there are no CBOs to reactivate.  This includes (i) developing modular training packages for community volunteers, and (ii) conducting training of trainers (TOT) to train TCs and CFs in the use of these community volunteer training (CVT) to train CVs.  The TCB Specialist shall lead in developing, refining, and continually enhancing the CVT and TOT training design and materials for the TCs and CFs, lead the conduct of TOTs for field staff, support the actual conduct of the CVTs, and regularly monitor the CF’s facilitation of the community processes, identify gaps, and design training and mentoring inputs to improve their performance.

Overall Planning for Training and Capacity Building for ENCORE.  In parallel with the above functions and making use of the various lessons gained from the implementation of ENCORE and other CFP II community-based programs and global good practices, the TCB Specialist shall prepare and periodically review and refine the Overall Capacity Building Plan and Manual for ENCORE.  The Capacity Building Manual will be used as the main basis for implementing training and capacity building inputs during the full rollout of the ENCORE Project in the target 52 townships.

Training and Capacity Building Systems.  The TCB Specialist shall support the establishment and continuous refinement of the ENCORE TCB systems in line with the overall ENCORE TCB Plan and evolving conditions.  In close collaboration with the CTA, key ENCORE specialists, and relevant units of the UNDP, the TCB shall support in developing the mechanisms, processes, and procedures to support analysis of TCB needs, and the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of TCB packages, interventions, and activities.

Support the development of the ENCORE’s implementation strategies, policies, and procedures.  In collaboration with the CTA, the ENCORE Project Manager, the various implementing units of ENCORE, and the relevant UNDP units, the TCB Specialist shall support the development and continuing refinement of ENCORE’s implementation strategies, policies, and procedures.  S/he will be particularly working in close collaboration with and support the UNDP Myanmar’s Civil Society Unit (to ensure strong involvement and partnerships with CSOs when implementing CDD approaches) and UNDP Myanmar’s Development Observatory (to ensure programming is evidence-based and relies on strong data and analysis to identify the most vulnerable communities and track the impact of CDD interventions). S/he will ensure liaising with UNDP’s Risk Management and Quality Assurance Unit, private sector and digital democracy work for all matters concerning the rollout of the CDD approach.

Training of Field Implementers.

• Establish familiarity with (a) the CFP II and its area-based projects and participate in activities related to its ongoing development, and (b) the ENCORE design, implementation guidelines, implementation arrangements, and the relevant UNDP policies and procedures.
• In collaboration with the CTA, PMU technical specialists and the UNDP ENCORE FO/AO, design and implement a training and learning needs assessment (T/LNA) of the UNDP Field Teams, especially the TCs and CFs, focusing on the required knowledge and skills for facilitating the ENCORE processes, procedures, and activities in the target villages.
• Assess training and learning needs, focusing on the needs that are critical for enabling field teams, TCs, and CFs to facilitate and implement ENCORE process and activities in the project sites.
• Develop the training design and materials in collaboration with the FO/AO, carefully considering the nuances of project implementation conditions and priorities and evolving operational realities and constraints at the project sites.
• In collaboration with the CTA, the ENCORE PM, and the technical specialists, plan, prepare for, and conduct of training activities for field implementers. Coordinate the administrative and logistical requirements of the training and lead the actual implementation of the approved training plan.
• Monitor and evaluate training activities and prepare progress reports regarding the training plan.
• Based on monitoring activities and the results of the completed TCB interventions, provide recommendations for the improvement of the ENCORE policies and procedures.
• Provide regular updates and reports on the conduct of training activities for field implementers.

Capacity Building of Community Volunteers (CV), Community Development Committees (CDC), and Community Social Structures (CSS).

• In collaboration with the CTA, PMU technical specialists and the UNDP ENCORE FO/AO, identify key areas and topics for training community volunteer (CV), community development committees (CDC), and community social structures to effectively engage in the different community-level activities across the different phases of ENCORE.
• Prepare modular CVT packages based on the identified training areas/topics, for use by TCs and CFs in training community volunteers, CDCs, and CSS.
• Design and conduct design Training of Trainers (TOT) aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of field implementers in developing the capacities of CVs, CDCs, and CSS to engage in, and eventually lead implementation of project activities in the target communities.
• Monitor and support the FO/AO in conducting CVT activities.  Monitor the performance of field implementers in conducting CVT interventions, facilitate participatory evaluation of training activities, identify gaps and further training and capacity building needs of field staff related to CVT, and design and implement follow-up training and skills enhancement inputs as necessary.
• Provide regular updates and reports on the conduct of the CVT-related TCB activities for CVs, CDCs, CBOs and other community social structures.

Overall Planning for Training and Capacity Building for ENCORE.

• Compile training designs, materials, training evaluation, reports, best practices, and other relevant documents on the overall training and capacity building requirements for ENCORE
• Undertake analysis of the compiled documentation and follow-up consultations with ENCORE implementation units and use the results to develop the Overall Capacity Building Manual for ENCORE
• In collaboration with the CTA and ENCORE Project Manager, undertake validation sessions and/or collect feedback from relevant UNDP units, donors and other stakeholders on the Capacity Building Plan and Manual and finalise the manual based on the feedback and recommendations gathered.
• Incorporate the Capacity Building Plan and Manual with the other guidelines of ENCORE to be operationalised during the full project rollout.

Training and Capacity Building Systems.

• Support the formation, establishment, and development of (i) the ENCORE Training Team, (ii) Trainers Pool, and (iii) Technical Resource Pool, in accordance with the ENCORE TCB Plan. In close collaboration with the ENCORE Project Manager and the CTA, prepare Terms of References (TOR) for the Training Team, Trainers Pool, and Technical Resource Pool, including their composition and specific tasks.
• Working closely with the ENCORE Project Manager and CTA, assess needs and requirements around TCB management, provide recommendation on how to address the same, and collaborate with the ENCORE PM and CTA in establishing necessary processes and procedures, and tools to ensure effective management, supervision, and monitoring of TCB interventions.
• Periodically review TCB systems, identify gaps and areas for improvement, and design and implement interventions to improve/enhance TCB operations, as needed.

Support the development and continuing refinement of ENCORE’s implementation strategies, policies, and procedures.

• Review the ENCORE implementation guidelines and other related documents and provide recommendations to improve their effectiveness
• Based on the feedback and results of training activities, training evaluation, and monitoring of project activities, provide recommendations to improve the effectiveness of ENCORE’s processes and procedures
• Provide support to other UNDP units in training their teams for harmonising their approaches with those of ENCORE.

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:

Digital & Innovation

• Innovation capacity building: Ability to define and create the conditions for trying out new ways of working or introducing new problem-solving approaches to an organization.; Ability to develop, manage and evaluate a learning curriculum that raises awareness, builds confidence, strengthens innovation capabilities around a certain method, tool or technique; or helps develop an innovation mindset. ; Ability to create the authorizing environment (mandate, incentives) to embed and spread new ways of working.; In-depth knowledge of one or more innovation methods, broad knowledge of innovation processes and innovation management.; Ability to align a learning and development strategy with broader innovation strategy.

Business Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.

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.