Job: TECHNICAL COORDINATOR - PRISON REFORMS

Location :

Colombo, SRI LANKA

Application Deadline :

11-Oct-13

Additional Category

Management

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Post Level :

SB-4

Languages Required :

Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)

01-Nov-2013

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Background

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

The Strengthening Enforcement of Law, Access to Justice and Social Integration (SELAJSI) Programme was developed based on the experience accumulated from Phase I and Phase II of the former Equal Access to Justice Project which has facilitated processes and mechanisms at local level to improve the system delivery in particular on legal aid, prison administration and access to documentation. It has set informal mechanisms for a more coordinated approach between justice sector institutions. Building on these positive results, the SELAJSI Programme will build on systemizing and up scaling some of these coordination blocks for more upstream reforms for justice. It will focus on supporting state capacity to implement LLRC recommendations as well as the National Human Rights Action Plan and Master plan for implementation of the National Policy Framework for Social Integration by strengthening institutional planning capacities across the sector. It will also promote bottom up evidence based planning by supporting models at sub national level to improve the administration of criminal justice between agencies and ensure that good results from these inform national planning and policy making. Emphasis will be placed on capacity strengthening of the whole penal chain including police, prosecution, courts, legal aid service providers and prison management. Moreover, It will focus on sequencing and prioritizing to address issues of administration of justice that adversely affect the most vulnerable.

This Programme is nationally implemented by the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration (MNLSI), Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Ministry of Prison Reforms and Rehabilitation (MPRR) and Ministry of Child Development and Women Affairs (MCDWA).

A four member Technical Assistance Team (TAT) headed by a Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) and comprising of four Technical Coordinators for:

• Access to Justice;
• Prison Reforms;
• Social Integration; and
• Gender and Women’s Empowerment;

Will be in place to provide policy advisory services to the Programme Board, as well as guidance and technical assistance to each of the four Programme Implementation Units (PIUs) under the  MoJ, MRPR, MNLSI and MCDWA respectively.

In support of the day- to-day implementation, management and coordination of Programme activities and to ensure effective planning and monitoring of the Programme to  achieve stated outcomes and outputs in accordance with UNDP/Government of Sri Lanka Guidelines for  Nationally  Implemented Programmes and UNDP’s Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP).

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Results Expected:

Function / Expected Results: Planning, implementation and management of Programme activities.

• Facilitate the move towards a holistic approach of budgeting and planning across the access to justice, prison reforms, social integration and gender and women’s empowerment components  of the Programme
• Support the PIU to prepare  annual and quarterly work plans and budgets for the Programme in  coordination with the other PIUs and Technical Coordinators
• Support the PIU to deliver outputs as per annual work plans and in keeping with  the budgets;
• Provide day-to-day technical inputs to the PIU, and as and when required to the other three PIUs
• Work together with the PIUs on capacity development of relevant government entities
• Identify and support PIUs to take measures that promote closer cooperation, coordination and systems as well as their institutionalization amongst the access to justice, prison reforms, social integration and gender and women’s empowerment actors
• Support relevant Committees (i.e. Technical and High Level Forums) to identify and commission relevant studies/assessments and interventions (where possible as joint initiatives with other potential partners)
• Undertake regular visits to the field to support Programme activities;
• Keep abreast of the latest developments related to Human Rights, Prison Reforms, Access to Justice, Women in development and the Human Rights Based Approach to Development

Function/Expected Results: Office Management and Coordination among Technical Assistance Team

• Support the PIU with the day-to-day smooth running of the  Prisons Reforms related Outputs of the Programme
• Provide support to long and short term Technical Specialists/Consultants contracted to support the Programme, as and when required
• Quality assure the inputs of long and short term Technical Specialists/Consultants
• Follow up with PIUs on the adoption/implementation of the recommendations/inputs provided by Technical Consultants
• Coordinate periodic team meetings and trainings for the TAT and PIU
• Provide administrative and coordination support to UNDP Programme monitoring missions, donor missions and Programme Evaluators

Function/Expected Results: Coordination with Partners

• Support the strengthening of partnerships between government entities and civil society organizations, including improved planning and policy-making for the access to justice, prison reforms, social integration and gender and women’s empowerment components.
• Coordinate between all PIUs, Technical Coordinators, UNDP Country Office, The Project Board, Working Group, donors and stakeholders;
• Liaise with government and non-government  actors in relation to the Board Meetings;
• Provide feedback to various stakeholders and partners on Project activities
• Represent the TAT at various stakeholder discussions
• In undertaking the above in relation to the Programme, ensure the fullest engagement and participation of women and youth, to further ensure the mainstreaming of gender perspective as appropriate

Function/Expected results: Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Support the PIU to ensure Monitoring and Evaluation requirements are fulfilled
• Facilitate the submission of timely reports (narrative and financial) to the UNDP Country Office against the Programme M&E framework
• Support the conduct of annual project reviews, annual audits and programme evaluations;
• Maintain log of activities and documentation relevant to the TAT
• Undertake field visits to monitor Programme activities

Other Related Functions/Expected results

• Upon request, provide technical inputs to MNLSI, MoJ and MCDWA
• Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Supervisor in support of efficient implementation of the Programme.

Impact of Results

• Efficient and coordinated implementation of Programme activities
• The achievement of delivery targets and results as outlined in the Programme work-plan
• Effective institutional capacity building of the Programme Implementation Units and relevant institutions in access to justice, prison reforms, social integration and gender and women’s empowerment sectors
• Strengthened partnerships with Implementing Partners and expanded partnership with relevant government agencies and civil society.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promote 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:

• Good understanding of the UN system and Project Management;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
• Proven problem solving skills;
• Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure in a stressful environment; with patience, tactfulness, maintain confidentiality, take initiative and exercise good judgment;
• Ability to work in a hazardous environment(security phase III);   
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and respects diversity;
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and encourage  sharing of knowledge to achieve organizational goals
• Ability to identify priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required;
• Ability to plan own work and use time efficiently, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.

Technical Competencies:

• Excellent knowledge on human rights with a special focus on prisoner’s rights, current prison management mechanism, implementing justice in courts for prisoners etc;
• Strong analytical skills and knowledge on internationally recognized “Prison Management Models”;
• Strong Analytical skills and proven ability to work independently;
• Ability to identify gaps in providing justice for inmates and make suggestions for suitable reforms;
• A good understanding of the Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Committee(LLRC) Report Recommendations and the National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and National Policy Framework on Social Integration;
• Ability to design and prepare strategies and action plans for interventions to find durable solutions to implement justice to prison inmates;
• Knowledge on psychosocial care, rehabilitation and counseling;
• A team  player with excellent inter-personal skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Attorney-at-Law and Master’s Degree in Law, Development Studies, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field with 2 years  relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management and technical advisory services, hands on experience in design, implementation and monitoring of projects in the prison’s, justice and/or development sector and working directly with government, justice sector and international institutions. 

Or

• Attorney-at-Law with a Bachelor’s degree in Law or other related field with a minimum of 5 years relevant work experience at the national or international level in providing management and technical advisory services, hands on experience in design, implementation and monitoring of projects in the prison’s, justice and/or development sector and working directly with government, justice sector and international institutions, will be considered in the absence of a Master’s.

Experience:

• Prior experience with the UN system/UNDP would be considered an advantage;
• Usage of computers and office software package (MS Word, Excel etc) and knowledge of database packages;
• A consistent track record of self-motivation and achievement;
• Knowledge of, or exposure to the human rights based approach to programming;
• A genuine interest in and understanding of the problems facing disadvantaged groups in accessing justice;

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English and Sinhala and/or Tamil with excellent written and oral communication skills is essential.

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.

More Info and Application