Project Specialist (Ethiopia) - UNDP

job Description

The Democratic Governance Reform Project for Tigray Region (DGRPT) is a one-year (March 2024 to March 2025) multi-stakeholder project. The project is technically managed by UNDP with close coordination with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office to support efforts to build the capacity of the Interim Regional Administration of Tigray (IRAT) following the Pretoria Agreement. The aim is to lay the foundation for addressing peacebuilding-related capacity gaps in Tigray’s justice sector civil service, and democratization institutions (political parties, civil society, and the media). The project responds to the needs and commitment of the IRAT, to address governance deficits to drive forward implementation of the Pretoria Agreement & beyond. The UN considers critical to peace consolidation the strong calls of the IRAT for democratization, social and political changes, greater- openness and accountability, government responsiveness, and accommodation of political positions. The project, with due consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and commitments to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will support the region to enhance efforts towards strengthening institutional capacities, frameworks, personnel, and systems to ensure sustainable peace.

This project is an outcome of extensive needs assessment, consultations with the Interim Regional Administration of Tigray, and guidance from the Federal Ministry of Finance to initiate a democratic governance reform project owned and led by the IRAT. It will deliver three inter-related and complementary outputs:

Output 1: A unit with a dedicated and competent team equipped with the necessary expertise, resources, and mandate to effectively lead the implementation of the DGRPT is established.
Output 2: Three interrelated comprehensive democratic governance institution assessments conducted, and the basic functionality of the target institutions restored.
Output 3: A five-year evidence-based gender-responsive democratic institution reforms programme aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and inclusivity within governance structures in Tigray developed and launched for implementation.

In view of this, UNDP would like to recruit a competent Governance Project Specialist who would join the DGRP4T Project in Mekelle, Tigray to effectively deliver the goals and objectives of the Peace Support Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provision of technical advice and services internally within the IRAT and project team, and externally to other regional government offices and non-governmental counterparts on implementation of democratic governance activities in alignment with the DGRP4T project objectives focusing on achievement of the following results.
-Provide high quality technical support and advice to IRAT and other relevant government offices and -Non-State Actors on the area of governance and democratization and facilitate the effective implementation of the project.
-Keep abreast of policy changes and trends regarding governance and political landscape and dynamism as well as civil society engagement, analyze them and inform the project management.
-Identify sources of information related to policy-driven issues and share with project unit.
-Coordinate with UNDP Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding Unit as well as the regional governance sector and NSA operating in the region to align with the work of the DGRP4T intervention.
-Ensure adherence of UNDP-supported work to safeguards: HACT, ESS, human rights, ‘leaving no one behind and “do--no-harm” updates risks and risk mitigation, to inform future plan.
-Facilitation and provision of technical support on the undertaking of comprehensive assessment on the area of governance, democratization including CSO and media, and design of a comprehensive programme focusing on achievements of the following results.

Facilitate and undertake a comprehensive assessment on the area of governance and democratization in collaboration with relevant regional institutions.
-Support on development of well-structured and sustainable capacity development plans for addressing them.
-Identify programmatic entry points through comprehensive gap assessments and actively contribute to the formulation of new interventions/programme within the area of Governance and democratization.
-Coordinate project implementation with implementing partners according to agreed-upon priorities, Annual Work Plans, and available resources.
-Provision of technical support towards establishment and strengthening of strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, regional/ national actors, and development partners, and support the resource mobilization efforts of the project focusing on achievements of the following results.

Build strong and trusted relationships with regional bureaus, including zonal and woreda officials, as well as with target communities.
-Ensure effective partnerships with the UN Agencies, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, academia, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic coordination among goals of the regional government’s priorities.
-Prepare briefing notes, statements, talking points and speeches for Senior Management related to DGRP4T project under custody,
-Maintain project staff, partners briefs and activity information for bilateral donors, civil society, academia, private sector, and other stakeholders, to support UNDP’s visibility activities.
-Lead local platforms of like-minded state and non-state actors to contribute to strengthening local governance and democratization process in the region.
-Analysis and synthesis of the regional governance and political context and landscape to deepening democratic governance in the region and open up space for inclusive engagement, participation, transparency, accountability, and better public service delivery focusing on achievements of the following results.

Develop concept papers, briefing notes, issues papers and analytical pieces to inform UNDP policymaking and programming.
-Contribute to policy analysis and research of the political and governance situation of the region with a particular focus of areas that have impacts on the project outcome.
-Identify areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned based on the above analysis.
-Ensures gender equality and social inclusion are integrated into all aspects of planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
-Undertaking regular monitoring and evaluation of DGRP4T activities as per the project M&E framework and plan, analysis of programme data for promotion of data use for decision making focusing on achievements of the following results

Regular monitoring and oversight of projects and suggest timely readjustments when necessary.
-Effective application of RBM tools, monitoring achievement of results and contribution to team and office-wide initiatives and activities,
-Financial and physical substantive monitoring of projects, analysis of the project environment, identification of operational and financial challenges/risks and propose timely adjustments and/solutions,
-Regular field monitoring visits, reporting back on findings and recommendations, follow-up to ensure timely implementation of the recommendations to build the capacity of the implementing partners,
-Compilation of project progress reports, distilling lessons learnt, contribution to UNDP corporate reporting requirements.
-Facilitation of knowledge building, management, communication, and outreach focusing on achievements of the following results

Identify and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt linked to Project objectives and priorities,
Identify, document, and share lessons learned and generate recommendations for consideration of the UNDP management /Project Steering Committee to feeding into improved implementation of the DGRP4T project.
-Ensure good coordination and collaboration with suppliers, implementing partners, beneficiaries, and other key project stakeholders.
-Promote close coordination with other partners and/similar initiatives on Local Governance, to ensure collaboration and constructive collaboration as much as possible,
-Coordinate internal and external reviews and evaluations and facilitation of application of lessons in future programming.
-Sound contribution to knowledge building, networks, and communities of practice,
-Systematic recording of best practices and lessons learnt in the areas assigned,
-Organize tailored made trainings for implementing partners, operations/projects staff on Project management issues applying RBM tools,
-Synthesize lessons learnt and best practices in project implementation and participate actively in relevant communities of practice.
-Prepare and/ or contribute to communications materials, including audio-visual products, on UNDP’s Peace Support Programme and other related efforts.
-The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement:
-Under the overall guidance of Team Leader-DGPB and direct supervision of Team Leader of DGRP4T, Governance Project Specialist is responsible for ensuring effective management of the DGRP4T Project, providing technical and operational support to the comprehensive assessment, design, implementation and monitoring and reporting activities relevant to governance intervention. The position holder is also expected to assist in the interface between UNDP and its implementing partners in the targeted region, most notably governance and democratization institutions/actors. The incumbent would be required to support the conduct of the requisite analytical and situational assessment to inform Programme design and understand trends and patterns that impact on the Programme. He/she provides policy and technical advisory services to regional government counterparts as well as UNDP.

The Project Specialist is expected to work independently, with minimal supervision but in close collaboration with the Project colleagues within the Country Office, and to actively engage with government partners and other actors.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:
-Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Local Governance, Peace and Security, Social Science, Development Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Public Policy, or related disciplines is required. Or
-A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated 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 5 years (with master’s degree) and or 7 years (with bachelor's degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in project management and provision of technical advisory services.
-Experience in the usage of advanced computers and office software packages, including Microsoft applications (word, excel, PowerPoint) and common internet applications and handling of web-based management systems.
-Proven capacity for responsible problem-solving and troubleshooting.
-Hands-on experience in the design, monitoring and evaluation and impact analysis of peacebuilding, local governance or relevant projects and programmes.
Experience and track record of engagement with and coordinating activities and initiatives that involve senior levels of government, United Nations, and donors.
-Experience in the field of post-conflict coordination and proven analytical capacity, especially for issues relating to local governance.
-Demonstrated experience in communicating fluently with different stakeholders (civil society, government authorities, local communities, private sector, project staffs,)
-Practical experience in organization management, strategic planning of associations and public organizations at the national and regional level.
-Familiarity with programmatic issues related to local governance, peacebuilding needs, conflict assessment, stabilization, social cohesion, and relief to recovery transition processes.
-Experience and good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to peacebuilding, reconstruction, and development in the context of target Regions, and a good knowledge of the United Nations System and the multi/bilateral cooperation.
-Experience and deep understanding of the Ethiopian political and governance context

Language:
Fluency in English and local language of the duty is required.