Project Analyst - Inclusive Governance Initiative (Open to Tier 3 applicants)

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is committed to supporting  Zambia in achieving its development goals aligned with the national priorities and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s country programme focuses on critical areas, including inclusive growth; nature, climate, environment; and democratic governance, with an emphasis on promoting good governance, human rights, and gender equality.

UNDP Zambia works to address the socio-economic determinants of health while ensuring that marginalized and vulnerable groups have access to essential services. The country programme prioritizes supporting State decision-makers in understanding and addressing the needs and rights of sexual and gender minorities, HIV/AIDS-related key populations, and other marginalised groups. This includes strengthening the capacity of these populations to influence public policy and laws, and facilitating their active participation in governance processes.

The “leave no one behind” approach is at the core of UNDP’s values. The organization strives to ensure that all individuals, especially those from underserved populations, are empowered to benefit from and contribute to sustainable development. In line with this approach, UNDP encourages applications from people who identify as belonging to marginalized groups, and is committed to ensuring fairness, inclusion, and equity in its work environment.

UNDP’s work in Zambia is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027), the 8^th National Development  Plan 2022-2026, and the UNDP Strategic Plan (2022-2025). Human rights, gender equality and social inclusion are cross-cutting themes, woven into all key priority programmes. These efforts include supporting the national response to HIV/AIDS, mainstreaming gender and strengthening institutions for gender mainstreaming and accountability in governance. Through its work, UNDP aims to foster inclusive participation, ensuring equal opportunities for all, particularly for women, youth, indigenous populations, and other marginalized groups.

In this context, the UNDP Zambia  country office is recruiting a Project Analyst-Inclusive Governance Initiative  to support these initiatives and contribute to advancing the organization’s goals in gender equality, social inclusion, and democratic governance. 

Scope of Work    

The Project Analyst-IGI will support the implementation of key UNDP priorities in Zambia, with a primary focus on  sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and social inclusion for sexual and gender minorities and young key populations disproportionately affected by HIV. The Analyst will also serve as the Zambia focal point for UNDP’s regional “Inclusive Governance Initiative” (IGI), which advances SRHR and social inclusion for all Africans, including LGBTI+ individuals.   This role will contribute to the advancement of inclusive data, policies, better laws, and more responsive public services that address the needs and rights of marginalized groups. The incumbent will assist state entities in becoming accountable and inclusive of these populations, ultimately fostering social norms that support their perspectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Coordinate effective Inclusive Governance Initiative project planning and implementation.

• Develop project planning process and ensure the work plan and a fully costed budget are prepared based on sound capacity assessments and in accordance with UNDP POPP/PPM Guidelines;
• Coordinate / manage the day-to-day activities of the IGI project and the overall implementation process, including planning and monitoring in order to optimize the use of resources and to ensure the successful achievement of project objectives and results specified in project document; 
• Provide IGI stakeholders with technical advice and support  on gender and sexual minorities and ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget and specified constraints, and to high-quality standards;
• Facilitate establishment of interactive and inclusive platforms for IGI project implementation and collaborate with other programme units and project teams to ensure integration of critical development issues in the project activities and expected project outputs;
• Ensure implementation of IGI activities are in alignment with UNDP policy and programme management procedures and all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows.

Establish partnerships and open channels of communication.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support key objectives and ensure inclusive implementation and participation of key stakeholders in the IGI project;
• Develop and maintain IGI stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify stakeholder needs and how best to leverage their participation and/or strengthen their engagement;
• Prepare substantive briefs on IGI project’s possible areas of cooperation and opportunities for joint initiatives;
• Make recommendations to the management team on IGI activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies;
• Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the IGI partners;
• Support CO resource mobilization efforts and project development.

Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set.

• Review the IGI results framework and update the indicators, baselines, and targets of the assigned portfolio; 
• Monitor implementation and progress in achieving goals and targets in accordance with the established quality criteria and UNDP rules, regulations, and standards.;
• Identify, analyze, and take adequate measures to manage emerging issues, problems, and risks. Conduct field visits to project location sites;
• Liaise with the Finance team to ensure administrative requirements, budgets and use of financial resources are managed and executed in a timely and appropriate manner and within UNDP and donor rules and regulations;
• Prepare corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s).

• Organize IGI training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia;
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners;
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues;
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff;
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to address these challenges, with personnel expected to work across issues, units, and projects to maximize impact and enhance horizontal collaboration.

Institutional Arrangements

The Project Analyst - IGI will work under the direct supervision of the Head-Governance and Gender, with a secondary reporting line to the Manager: Inclusive Governance Initiative at UNDP’s hub on LGBTI+ and key populations in Pretoria South Africa.  Additional technical supervision will be provided by the Advisor-Health, Energy and Climate Change. 

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

Functional/Technical competencies

Communications 

• Advocacy strategy and implementation: Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change. 

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. 

Partnership management 

• Strategic engagement: Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives. 

2030 Agenda: People 

• Health: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right. 

2030 Agenda: People

• Health: Sustainable financing for HIV and health. 

2030 Agenda: Peace

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Public Health, Law, Social Sciences or a related field of expertise is required;
• 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:

• Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level with HIV/AIDS, key populations and marginalized communities, human rights related issues in developing countries.

Required Skills

• At least two years of direct work experience with sexual and gender minorities and key populations in Zambia, including extensive interactions with relevant civil society organizations.;
• Experience in strategy development, work-planning and project management;
• Experience in monitoring, evaluation or research related to HIV key populations and/or sexual and gender minorities programming; 
• Demonstrated ability to function credibly with a range of audiences, from civil society leaders to national government and regional bilateral  entities. 

Desired Skills

• Familiarity with the work of the United Nations Development system;
• Demonstrated professional experience interacting or working with development partners and donors;
• Demonstrated professional experience interacting or working with relevant public sector entities in Zambia, such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Commission or similar entities.  
• Training in project management and/or monitoring and evaluation;
• Proven track record pf Strong written communication skills including documenting and disseminating project results. 

Language Requirements

• Fluency with strong working knowledge of English is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

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 description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

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