Programme Specialist [Open to all applicants]

Background

The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in support of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. It was launched in September 2017 by the UN Secretary General and the EU High Representative and Vice President as a model for partnerships with donors, civil society, and the UN to deliver on SDGs in a comprehensive manner. SDG 5 and the achievement of gender equality are placed at the center of efforts (alongside Goal 16) with the aim to provide an enabling environment for the implementation of all goals. Within the UN, the Initiative helps operationalize the UN development system reforms and model a new way of delivering on SDGs in an integrated way, leveraging stakeholders’ diverse comparative expertise and collaborative advantages.

In Liberia, the Spotlight Initiative ran from 2019 to 2023, focusing on addressing the root causes of sexual and gender-based violence, harmful practices, and violations of women's rights, including SRHR. Building on the knowledge and lessons from the first phase (2019-2023), Spotlight Initiative 2.0 was developed to consolidate the achievements and further galvanize crucial efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls.

The Liberia Spotlight Initiative 2.0 supports the country’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID - Agriculture, Roads, Rule of law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism) through its contribution to the elimination of violence against women and girls and harmful practices and the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights. In line with the AAID, the Liberia Spotlight Initiative 2.0 promotes social inclusion, fair resource distribution and the support of marginalized communities, with the aim to foster a society where all individuals can equally live without violence or discrimination.

Position Purpose

To implement this comprehensive, multi-stakeholder, and multi-year programme, a dedicated Programme Coordination and Management Unit (PMCU) will be established within the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. In this context, the Resident Coordinator’s Office is seeking to recruit a Programme Specialist to lead the PMCU.

Under the overall leadership and direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator (RCO) and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Programme (UNDP) in Liberia, with guidance from the Spotlight Initiative Global Secretariat, and in liaison with the Resident Coordinator’s Office and the EU Delegation in Liberia, the Spotlight Initiative Programme Specialist will hold overall responsibility for operational coordination and technical guidance of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 implementation in Liberia. As a neutral interlocutor, he/she will lead the core programme coordination team sitting at the RCO and the technical team from participating UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women) on this joint initiative, facilitate strategic engagement with key counterparts, and provide high-level oversight to the programme implementation. In addition, the Programme Specialist will advise the RC on all technical, operational, financial and strategic matters to ensure overall coherence, quality and harmony in the programme implementation. The Programme Specialist will work hand in hand with the donor – the EU Delegation to Liberia - on a regular basis, providing updates and involving the EU technical team in design, implementation, monitoring and decision-making.

UN adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UN personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Coordinate the overall implementation and management of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 in Liberia:

• Coordinate the overall implementation and management of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 in Liberia:
• Work closely with different RUNOs, the Government of Liberia, the EU Delegation and CSOs to ensure a coordinated, well-functioning and aligned presence of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 in Liberia.
• Work closely with the RUNOs to support the RC in overseeing implementation, schedules, deliverables and budgets as articulated in the programme document and liaise with the Spotlight Secretariat for guidance and advice when programme revisions are foreseen.
• Ensure the programme is implemented in compliance with the approved document and in collaboration with RUNOs, the EU technical team, implementing partners and the National Steering Committee (NSC).
• Provide strategic support to achieve programme outcomes, consolidate AWPs, budgets and reports.
• Lead the development of systems and processes necessary for the tracking, planning and execution of all programme activities and programme-related governance structures.
• Oversee the monitoring of the programme implementation at all stages, with particular attention paid to the analysis of risks and other difficulties, initiate remedial actions when necessary.
• Provide support, coordinate the convening, and act as the Secretary to the National Steering Committee; support the Civil Society Reference Group’s functioning, and ensure that the Technical Working Group, the Pillar Working Groups and other coordination structures are active.
• Ensure the timely preparation of joint substantive project reports (financial and other) as stipulated in the Programming Document for their submission to MPTFO, the EU and the National Steering Committee.
• Identify risks and issues that could interfere with programme delivery and provide support and guidance to mitigate and address them in a timely manner.
• Lead the formulation of guidelines and procedures that would further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 implementation and share them with the EU technical team.
• Support consistency between programme activities, the Spotlight Initiative Country Programme Document and decisions by the National Steering Committee.
• Provide periodic summary reports to the National Steering Committee co-chairs on the overall programme performance and results.
• Serve as the main contact for internal communications and reporting on the Spotlight Initiative with internal and external partners in close coordination with RUNOs.
• Manage the allocated RCO PMCU budget and finalize financial reports from RCO’s allocated budget and provide relevant support to RUNOs in consolidation of their plans and reports.
• Harmonize budget revisions, and expenditure tracking and reporting.
• Maintain a comprehensive record of assets acquired by RUNOs and their implementing partners using the programme’s funds.
• Proficiency in developing detailed operational plans and budgets and delivering on time and on target, with careful attention to details.
• Ability to adapt and manage deliverables and resources in a changing environment and to think and act quickly, often under pressure, while remaining calm and effective.

Lead the technical oversight and coherence of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 in Liberia:

• Lead and guide on the programme’s technical coherence across pillars, in line with the Country Programme Document.
• Provide strategic programmatic thinking, technical advice and innovative approaches to facilitating programme interventions to ensure programmatic coherence in line with best practices.
• Provide technical support to RUNOs in the identification of innovative and high-level impact interventions in the context of the programme pillars, advise the RC and the UNCT accordingly, and support in making programmatic adjustments.
• Serve as a quality assurance focal point for the programme team.
• Identify knowledge and expertise gaps and provide recommendations to RUNOs and the RC on how to address them.
• Oversee the implementation of the joint work plans, provide strategic support to achieve programme outcomes, and consolidate budgets and reports.

Oversee the Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting of the Programme:

• Conduct field visits to coordinate and monitor field-level activities of the LSI 2.0 programme in the counties of implementation and recommend areas of improvement.
• Prepare analytical reviews and systematically capture lessons learnt from implementation.
• Oversee the preparation of consolidated analytical results-based progress reports based on submissions from RUNOs within the timetable specified by the EU Delegation in Liberia.
• Facilitate country-level engagement in thematic, impact, process or other types of evaluations and formal assessments of the Initiative.
• Coordinate the tracking of funds approved by the National Steering Committee for the programme implementation and their proper administration.
• Extensive expertise and experience in practical and technical hands-on Result-Based Management, Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Ability to synthesize programme performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making.

Facilitate knowledge management:

• Establish a mechanism for knowledge sharing by the RUNOs and identify and articulate lessons learnt on the operations of the LSI 2.0 through such mechanisms.
• Ensure wide capture and dissemination of programme achievements, lessons learned and other knowledge-management strategic materials, briefs and/or position papers on emerging results and outcomes of the Initiative.
• Encourage innovative methodologies by RUNOs and support sharing of good practices across the programme.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to produce a variety of documents for different audiences and purposes.
• Proficiency in designing and delivering presentations, workshops, and capacity-building sessions focused on ending violence against women and girls.

Build partnerships and synergies:

• Represent the RCO in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to the Spotlight Initiative as necessary.
• Keep a record of existing relevant UN and non-UN interventions and produce a map of potential synergies with the Spotlight Initiative priorities across the four priority pillars.
• Collaborate, build, manage, and expand relationships with UN agencies, national partners, and other relevant actors (Government, Development partners, and CSOs) to respond to any potential problems during the implementation of the programme.
• Consolidate workplan revisions for the EU, RC and the National Steering Committee.

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: 

• Supervision and management of Knowledge Management, Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst and Administrative and Finance Associate.
• Supervise and manage professional and administrative PMCU personnel, review performance and mentor/ coach personnel.
• Supervise the RUNOs technical staff assigned to Spotlight Initiative 2.0 and oversee their technical work.

Competencies

• 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.

People Management 

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

• Cross Functional and  Technical Competencies:

Business Direction and 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 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. 

Partnership management - Resource mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

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. 

Business Management - Resource Management: Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity.

2030 Agenda: People - Gender: Gender-based violence.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Political Science, International Development, International Relations, Development Economics, Public Administration or a 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:

• Minimum of seven (7) years (with master’s degree) or nine (9) years (with bachelor’s degree) of substantive experience and results in programme management including planning, design and implementation at national and sub- national levels is required. 
• Experience in coordinating with international organizations, governments, donors, and civil society, establishing good working relations with relevant institutional and organizational partners is required.
• Strong analytical, conceptual thinking, communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills are required.
• Knowledge of UN rules, regulations and procedures or having worked with the UN in Liberia is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in complex inter agency coordination and joint programming including working with field teams and managing complex and multi-component programme interventions with national partners, preferably related to Ending Violence against Women and Girls is desired. 
• Knowledge of Liberia’s national policies, legal and institutional frameworks, and programming environment particularly related to gender equality and women’s empowerment is desired.
• Sound working experience on promoting gender equality and eliminating violence against women and girls, including working with the Spotlight Initiative is desired.
• Experience in developing detailed operational plans and budgets and delivering on time and on target, with a careful attention to details is an asset.
• Extensive experience in practical and technical hands-on Result-Based Management, Monitoring and Evaluation is desired.
• Ability to synthesize programme performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making is desired.
• Experience in designing and delivering presentations, workshops, and capacity-building sessions focused on ending violence against women and girls is required.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

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. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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.

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