Location : Kabul, AFGHANISTAN
Application Deadline : 04-Oct-13
Type of Contract : FTA International
Post Level : P-4
Languages Required : English
Duration of Initial Contract : One year with possibility of extension
Background
UNDP supports stabilization, state building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and subnational levels. UNDP has played a key role in the management of the Law and Order Trust Fund, which supports the Government in developing and maintaining the national police force and in efforts to stabilize the internal security environment. Major demobilization, disarmament and rehabilitation and area-based livelihoods and reconstruction programmes have taken place nationwide. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Sr. Deputy Country Director (Programme) the Assistant Country Director/Head of SMSU shall be responsible for leading and coordinating the overall work of the Strategic Management Support Unit (SMSU) for making the CO more accountable in terms of programme performance and management of results and programme financial resources. S/he will have responsibility and accountability for the effective and efficient provision of management advisory support services to the senior management and programme and operations units.
The Assistant Country Director/Head of SMSU leads and supervises a team of international and national staff, experts and consultants. All the activities are implemented in close cooperation with the senior management and other CO units.
Related to the mandate of SMSU, the ACD/SMSU head is expected to improve development and organizational effectiveness of the Country Office and creates cohesion and synergies between senior management, programme and operations teams.
Summary of key functions:
- Overall management of the Unit, including supervision/mentoring of staff;
- Strategic Planning Management;
- Dedicated strategic/management support to the senior management team;
- Overall quality assurance for programme and project cycle management;
- Overall sound management of CO programme financial resources management;
- Focal point and advisory body on corporate tools, policies and procedures;
Overall management of the Unit, including supervision/mentoring of staff:
- Lead and manage day-to-day operations of the unit;
- Develop and implement SMSU’s strategy/annual workplan;
- Ensure compliance of SMSU’s activities with UNDP rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
- Ensure equitable distribution of workload among SMSU’s staff;
- Ensure proper staff performance appraisal and promote personal and professional capacity development;
- Undertake mentoring/coaching/capacity development of national staff, including national programme officers, to build national programme implementation capacity.
Strategic Planning Management for the office:
- Support and define CO’s annual strategic programme goals, including definition of programme outcomes, outcome indicators and yearly output targets;
- Provide support to senior management team for annual work planning process/UNCT integrated workplan;
- Make contributions to UNDP knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Maintain and function as the focal point for the Country Balanced Score Card (BSC);
- Support the process and maintenance of ‘planning process and its time lines’ for the office.
Dedicated strategic/management support to the senior management team:
- Provide support to senior management team on resource mobilization issues, including reporting and oversight of financial commitments (in collaboration with finance, communications, partnerships and programme units);
- Coordination of resource planning (TRAC allocations, pooled funds) in collaboration with respective senior management programme portfolio managers;
- Produce quality briefs/concept notes to CO Senior Management on specific programmatic/strategic issues;
- Provide support to senior management team and undertake any specific tasks requested by them.
Overall quality assurance for programme and project cycle management:
- Support the preparation of United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), Integrated Strategic Framework (ISF), Country Programme Documents (CPD), Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP), and Project Annual Work Plans (AWPs) in alignment with UNDP Strategic Plan;
- Support UNDAF/CPD/CPAP implementation and participate in M&E activities and annual reviews;
- Advice senior management on new programming opportunities in line with UNDP practice areas (strategic planning) taking into account priorities of the Government and the donors;
- Appraisal and implementation support to the projects through Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs), Letter of Agreements (LOAs), Small Grants Mechanisms, and/or appropriate management arrangements;
- Effectively apply RBM tools, support establishment of management targets (Balanced Scorecard) and monitor achievement of results;
- Lead/implement training needs assessments, and provide trainings to UNDP Afghanistan staff on UNDP programme/project management procedures (including RBM & Atlas);
- Organize and participate substantively in peer reviews of work plans, concept notes etc.;
- Provide support to M&E Specialist for all programme-related M&E activities;
- Coordinate timely closure of projects after operational completion;
- Support implementation of UNDP corporate policies and guidelines for operational issues and their implementation in the CO;
- Provide quality briefs and options to senior management on issues related to the nexus between Programme/Operations, in close cooperation with Operations and Programme units;
- Support CO staff in annual resource mobilization and delivery planning exercise and resource management in Atlas, ensuring coherence between Atlas and the enhance RBM platform.
Overall sound management of CO programme financial resources management including updated information on all sources of funds, status of contribution deposits/drawdowns, timely management of contributions, programming and controlling of all available resources
- Ensure programming of all available resources under all sources of funds through on-going and pipeline projects;
- Ensure preparation of updated status of all sources of fund (Cost sharing, Trust Funds, TRAC, CCF, etc.);
- Verify budget revisions prepared by project and process for approval of revisions by DCDs and post to Atlas (KK);
- Ensure review programme resources and create multi-year budgets to programme all the contributions as per the agreement in consultation with programme/project teams;
- Ensure preparation and review for timely submission of all management information reports.
Focal point and advisory body on corporate tools, policies and procedures:
- Provide advice and oversight of project management arrangements and implementation modalities (DIM, NIM) to UNDP senior management, programme staff and its government and NGO partners;
- Based on business process mapping, workflow and workload analysis develop uniform and harmonized processes, procedures and templates across both programme pillars, and with sub-offices and project offices;
- Help to develop system for programmatic/operational synergies between programme pillars;
- Coordinate annual budget (financial delivery target) for programme with regular monitoring and reporting;
- Act as Secretary for LPAC, and actively participate in review of programme proposals for new projects to contribute to programming quality;
- When required, perform Project Assurance functions;
- Support provisions of training and advisory services to Government and NGO partners on financial management including FACE form, resource and budget planning, operational procedures;
- Provide support and advice on the preparation of agreements with partners (i.e. MOUs with donors, Governments, NGOs, UN Agencies, private sector, and other partners).
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Familiar with UNDP’s rules, regulations, corporate tools and policies;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning
- Contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
- Builds knowledge in at least one practice areas, and shares;
- Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on related issues;
- In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.
Development and Operational Effectiveness:
- Expert understanding in theory and practice of results-based management (prior UNDP RBM experience an added advantage);
- Familiar with PRINCE2 (foundations certificate required, practitioner certification an added advantage);
- In-depth knowledge and experience with Monitoring and Evaluation in a development context;
- Ability to lead formulation of strategies and their implementation;
- Ability to negotiate with donors and internal units; ability to identify and analyse trends, opportunities and threats to fund-raising;
- Excellent drafting and presentation skills;
- Excellent communication skills, speaking, writing, and listening, and effective report writing skills;
- Ability to plan and organize work programme;
- Ability to work with minimum supervision and to effectively supervise teams;
- Ability to apply RM and partnerships building theory to the specific country context;
- Strong IT skills (MS Office) and ERP systems (experience with UNDP’s ATLAS system a strong advantage).
Management and Leadership:
- Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
- Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
- Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
- Able to adapt presentation, coaching and capacity building style/methods to the audience and cultural context as well as developmental context, ability to transfer knowledge;
- High gender and intercultural sensitivity, tact and diplomacy, able to resolve conflict
- Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
- Good team-player willing to assume additional responsibilities and able to operate under pressure and tight deadlines.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s or Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Development, Social Sciences, Business Administration or related field.
- With Master's 7 years and with Bachelor's 9 years of relevant experience at the national and international level in providing management advisory services, and hands-on experience in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development programmes and projects, and resource management;
- Excellent knowledge of and experience with results-based management methodologies and tools and ERP;
- Experience in working in a multi-national settings with people from different cultural backgrounds;
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages and experience in handling of web based management systems.
Language Requirements:
- English is required.
Other:
- Willingness to travel within the country (a substantial percentage of the work will be conducted in the field).
Interested and qualified International candidates should apply on-line through the UNDP Jobs site at UNDP Vacancy Announcements and please ensure that to fill up and upload Personal History Form-P.11 which is available at UNDP Personal History Form (P.11 Form) in the relevant field of the on-line application.
Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date will not be given consideration. Please note that only applicants who are short-listed will be contacted.
For more detailed information about UNDP Afghanistan please visit our website at www.undp.org.af
Note:
Successful candidates must be prepared to start work within 6 weeks of the offer of appointment.
Internal candidates who have served a minimum of 12 month in the current assignment are invited to apply.
Qualified female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Click here for important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders).
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.
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