UNDP, Consultant: Programme Officer, Deadline April 15, 2010.

CONSULTANT: PROGRAMME OFFICER

Location: Dili, Timor Leste
Application Deadline: 15-Apr-10
Type of Contract: SSA
Languages Required: English 
Starting Date: (date when the selected canditate is expected to start)29-Apr-2010
Duration of Initial Contract: Three months
Expected Duration of Assignment:Three months

Background

Under the guidance of the Assistant Country Director (Governance Unit) the Programme Officer (PO), Governance Unit, provides project assurance support to selected projects within the Governance Unit, ensuring the effective design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and advocacy of these projects.  The PO works in close collaboration with the ACD Governance and the project managers/ chief technical advisors to ensure consistency with UNDAF/Country Programme priorities and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities.
The PO works in close collaboration with the operations team in the CO, programme staff in other UN Agencies/UNMIT staff, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP Governance programme.

Summary of key functions:

• Engage in strategic learning, planning, advocacy, and resource mobilization activities for selected projects within the Governance Unit;
• Undertake project assurance role within the Governance Unit, including oversight of monitoring and evaluation activities, project reporting and compliance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Where required, initiate project formulation within the framework of the Country Programme Outline and the Strategic Results Framework
• Oversee strategic direction of project implementation.
• Take responsibility for any and all other duties, as required by the management of UNDP Timor-Leste

Expected results:

During this consultancy the following outputs are expected:

• Review of project outputs to ensure compliance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Preparation correspondence and other documentation as needed;
• Support to the preparation and conduct of a Parliament – Donor forum;
• Preparation of agenda and supporting documentation for parliament project steering committee meetings;

Duties and Responsibilities

The Programme Officer is expected to assume the following responsibilities:

• Engaging in strategic learning, planning, advocacy, and resource mobilization activities for selected projects within the Governance Unit; 
• Participating actively in the write-up of the Strategic Results Framework and Results-Oriented Annual Report, which will be submitted to Headquarters (HQ);
• Liaising regularly with the Desk Officer based in HQ for information sharing;
• Acting as the office focal point for at least one thematic area in governance;
• Training programme assistants working in the governance unit;
• Mobilizing resources from Timor-Leste development partners for current projects and projects in the pipeline;
• Undertaking a project assurance role within the Governance Unit, including oversight of monitoring and evaluation activities, project reporting and compliance with UNDP rules and regulations.  Follow-up with projects to ensure that appropriate planning mechanisms and tools are completed (Annual Work Plan - AWP);
• Reviewing purchase orders and requisitions to ensure these are in accordance with the AWP;
• Liaising with project management to ensure project staff are kept informed of UNDP reforms;
• Establishing a project steering committee (PSC) with all the concerned members for each of the project s/he managers;
• Providing secretariat support to the PSC;
• Supporting the implementation of the project;
• Monitoring project activities against the overall objectives of the project;
• Developing an advocacy strategy for each project in collaboration with the UNDP media officer.
• Together with the media officer, writing press releases and project fact sheets.
• Managing assigned resources efficiently. In close collaboration with the project, ensure regular budget revision exercises are completed and contribute to meeting the annual programme resource expenditure targets. PO is also responsible for producing monthly financial analysis reports, providing information on the overall programme approval level, outstanding obligations as well as planned and actual expenditure status.
• Where required, initiate project formulation within the framework of the Country Programme Outline and the Strategic Results Framework. More specifically, the PO is responsible for:
• Writing TORs for assessment/formulation/monitoring/evaluation missions
• Setting and monitoring quality outputs;
• Incorporating results-based management indicators for projects formulated;
• Presenting the finalized document to the Project Appraisal Committee meeting;
• Facilitating project approval process and ensuring approved projects are results-based;
• Making logistical arrangements for relevant short and long-term consultancies.
• Overseeing strategic direction of project implementation.  This involves:
• Reviewing the implementation progress of the project/s in line with UNDAF, the Country Programme Action Plan and the project outcomes;
• Liaising regularly with the Assistant Country Director, Governance and the project Manager/Chief Technical Advisor to discuss project progress and provide advice on challenges and further strategies;
• Maintaining working relationship with key Government counterparts to ensure their continuing engagement with and understanding of the project/s.  Discuss further possible intervention with Project Manager/Chief technical Advisor.
• Taking responsibility for any and all other duties, as required by the management of UNDP Timor-Leste.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays strong cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on parliamentary issues
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary governance and development issues
• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to conduct strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of programmes
• Ability to work with minimal supervision
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation and evaluation of parliamentary development programmes and projects
• Solid knowledge in financial resources and human resources management, contract, asset and procurement, information and communication technology, general administration

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Leads multi-cultural teams effectively and shows mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Masters Degree or equivalent in Political or Social Science/Law, or other relevant subject; a qualification in, or/and experience of development studies/international relations desirable.

Experience:

• Minimum seven (7) years of professional experience in institutional development, preferably in a parliamentary setting;
• Proven programming and project management experience at a senior level required;
• Sound technical knowledge in the field of parliamentary development, as well as a general knowledge of cross-cutting democratic governance issues.
• Substantial work experience in a government context desirable;
• Practical experience in legislative service, along with work experience in continental legislative model, desirable;
• Experience working in developing and post-conflict country environment highly desirable;
• Excellent drafting and communication skills; good editorial capacity;
• Experience in staff development preferably in a developing country environment a plus;
• Ability to work under pressure a multicultural and complex environment.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of written and spoken English is essential.
• A good command of Portuguese is highly desirable
• Knowledge of Tetum or Bahasa Indonesia an advantage;
• Successful completion of an intensive Tetum course within the first month of assignment is mandatory.

Additional Information:

Please upload your application letter together with: Curriculum vitae, financial proposal with a workplan and P11 form in one single document through this link.

Individual consultants must submit the financial proposal with a workplan. The financial proposal should include all necessary fees and cost related to the assignment, except the travel cost at the beginning and at the end of the assignment which UNDP will pay. UNDP will not cover any other additional expenses outside of the financial proposal. The financial proposal should be reasonable based on the TOR and proposed workplan.

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.

http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=15830