Liberia Assistant Resident Representative – Programme Job Vacancy in Monrovia, Liberia

1000 Monrovia, Liberia
Tel: +231 226-195/226-211
Fax: +231 226-210/226-193

LIBERIA ASSISTANT RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE – PROGRAMME
Location : Monrovia, LIBERIA
Application Deadline : 31-Jul-12
Additional Category: Millennium Development Goals
Type of Contract : TA International
Post Level : P-4
Languages Required :English
Starting Date :(date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Sep-2012
Duration of Initial Contract : 364 days

Background
Following 14 years of recent conflict, Liberia is slowly on the road to recovery. The country still faces a multitude of challenges due to historical disparities between the settler community and indigenous population resulting in modern day ethnic tensions and acute marco-economic disequilibria which has manifested itself in high rates of poverty, illiteracy, disease, wide-spread sexual and gender based violence and land ownership disparities. The roots of the conflict can be traced back generally to persistence bad governance down through the years.

In late 2003, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed among the rival factions in followed by the deployment of a 15,000-strong United Nations Peacekeeping mission (UNMIL) which remains in Liberia today but at a reduced strength level. A transitional government was established and in 2005 a free and democratic elections was conducted resulting in the election of the first African female head of State, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The Country is presently preparing for its second round of National Elections which are scheduled to take place in late 2011. A referendum on certain aspects of the constitution is expected to take place in August 2011.

Today, the country enjoys relative social and political stability and the economy which is strongly tied to the good governance of natural resources for export such as diamonds, rubber, palm oil and timber, is recovering slowly. However, political events taking place in neighbouring countries, still makes the security situation in the country both vulnerable and fragile. Such as the present crisis in C’ote D’ivoire which has resulted in an influx of more than 30,000 refugees to date.

The Liberia Country Office Programme is one of the largest in Africa with an annual Programme delivery of US $ 60 million dollars. The current UNDP Country Programme Action Plan 2008-2012 (CPAP) signed in 2008 streamlines UNDP engagement at the same time ensuring a linkage between the Government Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) Lift Liberia ( 2008-2011) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Liberia ( 2008-2012).

The programme is premised on two pillars, namely, Democratic Governance and Pro-poor Economic Development. This is further operationalized through four subcomponents: State Capacity and Institutional Strengthening and Peace and security consolidation; Economic Policy and Management and Sustainable Local Economic Recovery.

In October 2010, Liberia became an official ‘Delivering as One ‘ Country. In doing so, Liberia became the first post-conflict country with a peacekeeping mission to become a self-starter under the UN reform process. The UN in Liberia is headed by a Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG). The UNDP Resident Representative is one of the two deputies of the SRSG (DSRSG for Governance and Recovery) as well as being the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator of UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes in the spirit of the UNCT. The UN in Liberia presently implements five large scale Joint Programme in the areas of Food Security and Nutrition; Youth Employment and Empowerment; Sexual and Gender Based Violence; Support to local capacity development through the County Support Teams and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

Under the guidance of the Country Director, the Assistant Resident Representative Programme (ARR-P) acts as a manager of and advisor to Senior Management on all aspects of CO programme, manages a major programme portfolio in one ( medium/large office) or more of the programme practice areas. The main role is to manage the country programme including continued monitoring of implementation. The ARR(P) leads the programme team in strategic planning and identifies new programme areas while ensuring consistency with UNDAF/ CPD priorities and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities.

ARR-P heads and supervises Programme team and works in close collaboration with the Management Support and Business Development, Operations team in the CO, Programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP programme.

Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions:
* Ensuring the strategic direction of UNDP programme
* Management of the CO programme and supervision of the Programme team
* Strategic partnerships and support to resource mobilization
* Provision of top quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management

As a member of the CO management team, ensures the strategic direction of UNDP programme focusing on achievement of the following results:
* Thorough analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country and collaborative preparation/revision of CCA, UNDAF, CPD, CPAP, AWP and other documents.
* Identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation.
* Operationalization of UNDAF/ CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identification of possibilities for joint programming.
* Analysis and presentation of UNDP policies and their implementation in the CO.
* CO business processes mapping and establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management, control of the workflows in the Programme Unit.

Ensures effective management of the CO programme and supervision of the Programme team focusing on quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation achieving the following results:
* Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results.
* Design and formulation of CO programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies.
* Strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. ARR(P) performs the function of Manager
* Level 2 in Atlas for development projects transactions approval.
* Effective monitoring, measuring the impact of the CO programme and evaluation. Constant monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely readjustment of programme.
* Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
* Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.
* Organization of cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects in close collaboration with Operations Manager.

Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships and supports the resource mobilization in cooperation with the Management Support and Business Development Team focusing on achievement of the following results:
* Implementation of the CO partnerships and resources mobilization strategies to achieve programme outcomes.
* Creation and coordination of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society etc.
* Determination of programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities.
* Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing.

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
* Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals.
* Coordination of development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
* Establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks. Relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns are implemented with key partners.
* Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
* Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme.

Competencies
Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda
* Analysis and creation of messages and strategies
* Creates effective advocacy strategies
* Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses

Results-Based Programme Development and Management
* Contributing to results through provision of information
* Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration
* Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation
* Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals
* Participates in the formulation of project proposals

Building Strategic Partnerships: Identifying and building partnerships
* Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda
* Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners
* Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches: Developing new approaches
* Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals
* Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations
* Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking
* Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor

Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations): Implementing resource mobilization strategies
* Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend a strategic approach
* Identifies and compiles lessons learned
* Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Developing tools and mechanisms
* Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches
* Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge of the subject-matter
* Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines
* Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally
* Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
* Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals: Analysis and creation of messages and strategies
* Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
* Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level

Client Orientation: Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

* Anticipates client needs
* Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider
* Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective
* Solicits feedback on service provision and quality

Core Competencies:
* Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
* Building support and political acumen
* Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation
* Building and promoting effective teams
* Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication
* Creating an emotionally intelligent organization
* Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards
* Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
* Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking

Prince2 training and certification, RMG

Required Skills and Experience
Education:
* Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field.

Experience:
* 7 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements:
* Excellent English language skills. Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Click Here to Apply

Closing Date: Tuesday, 31 July 2012