job Description
Description of assignment title: Ethics Officer
Assignment country: Zimbabwe
Expected start date: 01/12/2024
Sustainable Development Goal: 3. Good health and well-being
Volunteer category: National UN Volunteer Expert
Mission and objectives
In support of the Government of Zimbabwe, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has embarked on the implementation of a five-year Country Programme Document (CPD) 2022-2026.
UNDP focuses on areas that have a multiplier effect through a targeted build-up of capacities, policies, the creation of dialogue space, and scalable downstream interventions. Proposed downstream interventions will seek to provide platforms for citizen engagement in democratic processes and facilitate access to skills, knowledge and new technologies for increased income generation.
In so doing, UNDP Zimbabwe renders its support through the following three programmatic areas:
1. Democratic Governance
2. Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Livelihoods
3. Climate Change and Resilience Building
Context
The Zimbabwe Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) was established in response to requirements and recommendations of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria where GF processes at country level should be led by multi-stakeholder structures. As such, the CCM is the primary partner of the GF at country level and the highest decision-making authority on GF processes at country level from grant application through to grant closure. Membership of the Zimbabwe CCM is drawn from a variety of stakeholder groups among them Government, Civil Society Organisations, Private sector, Faith Based Organisations, people living with and affected by the three diseases (HIV, TB and Malaria), bilateral and multilateral development partners.
The Zimbabwe CCM plays several key roles, including creating funding requests, nominating Principal Recipients, and overseeing grant implementation. In carrying out their work, CCM members follow the highest standards of ethics and integrity since ethical and responsible decision-making by CCMs is key for the success of Global Fund programs in countries. Therefore, CCM members need to apply the highest standards of conduct in their work to prevent, detect, and respond to conflicts of interest, unethical conduct and prohibited practices, as ethics and good governance contribute to the country’s ability to deliver on the global mission to eradicate TB, HIV and Malaria. Evidence and experience illustrate that improved ethical conduct and conflict of interest management lead to greater trust and improvements in CCM functioning, and contribute towards more robust funding requests, improved grant oversight and ultimately better programmatic performance and health impact.
Duties and Responsibilities
The CCM Ethics Associate, reports to both the CCM Executive Secretary and the CCM leadership. The CCM Ethics Associate works with the existing CCM Management, Ethics and Human Resources committee. The role of the CCM Ethics Associate is to support the Operations function of the CCM which includes ensuring ethical leadership and conduct and to support the CCM in its goal to coordinate national disease programs at the country level, in support of ending the epidemics and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3; to contribute to the strategic functioning of a CCM by promoting ethical conduct and decision-making in all CCM activities; to lead the ongoing enforcement of the Code of Ethical Conduct (focusing on conflict of interest management, ethical decision-making and behaviours) to support the Global Fund’s ethical values; andto support the CCM in its shared responsibility for preventing and responding to
sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and related abuse of power in the context of Global Fund programs.
The specific areas of responsibilities for the CCM Ethics Associate position are:
1.1 Support Values and Principles driven actions and behaviours;
- Monitoring CCM activities and deliberations to ensure the respect of the Values and Principles included in the CCM Code of Conduct.
- Ensuring ethics considerations are embedded in decision-making processes.
- Providing advice, ongoing guidance and support to all CCM members, CCM Leadership, Main CCM Committee and CCM Secretariat.
- Ensuring all members are trained and aware of their role and responsibilities with training sessions and regular communications.
- Tracking the completion of the CCM Code of Conduct e-learning modules by all CCM members.
- Acting as custodian and mediator of ethical and governance matters to protect the integrity of the CCM, and resolving issues as they arise.
1.2 Ensure Conflict of Interest (CoI) management.
- Ensuring all members have updated CoI Declarations on record.
- Pre-screening meetings agendas against CoI declarations; identifying perceived, potential or actual CoI and informing the CCM Chair.
- Supporting the CCM Chair with managing and mitigating identified CoI before, during and after meetings.
- Ensuring the appropriate documentation including CoI declarations, meeting minutes and the management of these documents.
1.3 Ensure adherence to Policies and Procedures.
- Ensuring the adoption and implementation of the Code of Conduct by the CCM as a body, by all CCM members and for new members going forward and documenting the adoption.
- Ensuring existing governance documents are periodically reviewed and revised as needed and endorsed by the CCM (by-laws, CoI procedures and declaration forms) and that they reflect the CCM Code of Conduct.
1.4 Ensure accountability in case of alleged or reported breach to code of conduct.
- Ensuring CCM Code of Conduct breaches are appropriately and timely reported, addressed and documented.
- Promoting and supporting compliance with the Whistle-blowing Policy (Duty to Speak Out);
- Supporting the response to potential ethical misconduct, including advising on investigations.
- Initiating or supporting actions taken to prevent, manage and sanction CCM Code of Conduct breaches.
1.5 Ensure adherence to Protection from Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) policy.
- Supporting the CCM in its shared responsibility for preventing and responding to SEAH, child protection, and related abuse of power in the context of Global Fund programs.
- Supporting fund recipients in the execution of their PSEAH obligations and overseeing their ongoing adherence to the PSEAH requirements and expectations in the Code of Conduct for Recipients.
- Developing and managing an in-country awareness campaign related to PSEAH, with the support of the Global Fund Ethics Office.
- Supporting the integration of PSEAH interventions during Country Dialogue and Grant Making, where appropriate.
- Serving as the in-country point of contact for the Global Fund on matters of PSEAH and coordinating the PSEAH Focal Points at the Principal Recipient level.
- Acting as a “safe space” for in-person reporting of SEAH allegations and ensuring that the same exists across implementers.
- Where available, joining and participating actively in any in-country PSEA networks.
- Mapping and maintaining up-to-date referral pathways for victim/survivor support referrals.
- Liaising on victim/survivor support needs with the Global Fund’s Victim Advocate and In-Country Support Coordinator, where appropriate.
- Providing expertise on PSEAH to the CCM, including support and guidance to the CCM leadership.
- Organizing an annual PSEAH training for CCM members, with the support of the in country PSEA network and the Global Fund
Qualifications and Experience
7 years of experience in strategic, organizational, and management issues.
- Strong inter-personal skills and proven ability to communicate and interact diplomatically with high-level officials from the government, NGOs, UN agencies, the private sector and in-country PSEA network members
- Strong writing, presentation, and communication skills.
- High degree of organization, initiative, political awareness, and knowledge of public health issues
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, email, internet and websites.
- Experience working in program planning and management, and/or equivalent experience.
- Experience working in PSEAH or a related field, or in the prevention of/response to issues of misconduct.
- Experience and understanding of Global Fund processes and its funding model.
- Work experience and/or background with government or private sector.
- Knowledge of the CCM, ethical principles and frameworks
- Robust understanding of Governance and Ethics matters
Area(s) of expertise
-Development programmes, Legal affairs, Communication
Languages
-English, Level: Fluent, Required
-Shona, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
-Sindebele, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
Required education level
-Bachelor degree or equivalent in law, ethics or a related/relevant field. Or, alternatively, 3 years experience working in ethics, compliance, or with proven experience in conducting training on ethics, compliance, or PSEA issues
Competencies and values
Cross Functional and Technical Competencies Required:
1. Thematic area: Business Directions and Strategy. Systems 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
2. Thematic Area: Business Management. Partnerships Management
--Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
3. Thematic Area: Business Management. Monitoring
-- Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
4. Thematic Area: Business Maagement. Risk Management
--Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
5. Thematic Area: Business Management. Project Management
--Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
6. Thematic Area: Finance: Budget Management
--Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgets.
7. Thematic Area: Ethics. Ethics, Advisory and Guidance
-Ability to quickly analyze complex fact patterns and provide comprehensive, sensitive and confidential ethics advise and guidance
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