Job: FIELD PROJECT COORDINATOR - NPPP III - (OPEN TO NEPALESE NATIONALS ONLY) - NEX PROJECT

Location :

Nepalgunj Field Office, NEPAL

Application Deadline :

14-Nov-13

Additional Category

Democratic Governance

Type of Contract :

Other

Post Level :

Other

Languages Required :

English

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

01-Jan-2014

Duration of Initial Contract :

Annual contract

Background

UNDP Nepal is working with Supreme Court of Nepal, Government Agencies, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), and civil society organizations to implement a Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights Protection System in Nepal' Programme (ROLHR). The Programme aims to ensure that women and other vulnerable groups are able to benefit from a protective legal framework and many recent improvements in the field of administration of justice and will do so through a ‘three pronged' approach. First, the Programme will develop the capacity of women and other vulnerable groups to access justice and rule of law/human rights institutions and to thereby assert and enjoy their rights and entitlements. Second, the Programme will support rule of law institutions to be more responsive to increased demands for justice service delivery, including in a fluctuating political context. Third, the Programme will support civil society as well as human rights actors, institutions, and media to work together to ensure accountability for justice service delivery in Nepal.

To strengthen the administration of justice, the Programme will support the development of a justice sector reform process, through which rule of law institutions will define their own priorities and identify measures to effectively address them.

The Programme will also support the revision of laws and development of the human resource capacities needed to implement penal legislation and laws related to anti-gender based violence, caste based discrimination, and corruption; an ‘affirmative action' law degree scholarship and internship scheme through which vulnerable groups currently not well represented in the legal profession can obtain a law degree and practical work experience.

In addition to the justice sector coordination and human rights components, legal aid is one of the major components of the Programme. The Programme will support the Ministry of Law and Justice, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs (MoLJCAPA) to lead the national process of legal aid reform. The intended outcome of the reform process is a national legal aid scheme which coordinates, regulates and supports high quality and relevant legal aid services through the development of a relevant, accessible and integrated socio-legal aid scheme, which will increase access to justice for vulnerable groups and enable them to assert and enjoy their rights in civil and criminal cases, including poverty-reducing entitlements such as inheritance, pensions, education allowances, health and legal services.

Planned field level activities include the establishment of information and client orientation desks at district courts, support to in camera hearing procedures, Justice sector coordination secretariat in selected district courts, establishment of district-level socio-legal aid centres and case referral networks, coordination with other RoLHR activities at the national level and victim support forums (VSFs)

The Field Project Coordinator will report directly to the National Project Manager and will assist the Manager to plan, implement, monitor and report on programme activities carried out in the field. The incumbent will be expected to spend a significant proportion of time at activity sites. The incumbent will facilitate effective implementation of the programme and the timely achievement of its objectives. The incumbent will not only establish and operate on-going field activities and initiatives, but will coordinate field visits for key donor partners and UN officials and will generally be responsible for ensuring that local-level initiatives and activities are communicated to central level actors, both at UNDP and within the Government.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the National Project Manager (NPM) the Field Project Officer will:

• Oversee the RoLHR Project Team's implementation of field level activities in the far and mid-western parts of Nepal;
• Manage the RoLHR field office, including direct supervision of the Field Project team;
• Liaise with NPM and UNDP to plan and design field level activities and implement accordingly;
• Coordinate activities with field level implementing partners, including District Courts, District Bar Associations and District Prosecutor's Office and local NGOs;
• Facilitate comprehensive reporting of field level activities, including monitoring and evaluation reports, to the NPM;
• Lead mapping and assessment of local districts to run project initiatives;
• Direct the communication of key field results and successes to the RoLHR Project Team and ensure that field activities achieve visibility;
• Ensure completion of activities in the Annual Work Plan on time and within budget according to policies and procedures;
• Build partnerships in the programme field site areas with relevant justice sector actors and agencies including civil society and manage routine communication with local stakeholders;
• Administer the coordination, design, development and implementation of field-based research and collate learning from local initiatives to share with relevant justice providers and agencies at the central level;
• Coordinate implementation of any other relevant project activities as per the programme work plans to ensure successful realisation of the targeted outputs of the field activities;
• Support for the field level monitoring be undertaken by the ROLHR, implementing partners and UNDP.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Focuses on impact and results and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors, at the senior levels;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office;
• In-depth knowledge on development and gender and social inclusion issues;
• Oral and written communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Masters degree in management and administration, social sciences, law and human rights, international relations or relevant fields

Experience:

• Seven years of progressive relevant experience working in law and justice field and/or programme planning, management and coordination;
• Substantive knowledge of national justice sector agencies and the local and national system of legal aid provision and justice administration in Nepal;
• Experience with international agencies is desirable;
• Demonstrated ability in monitoring and evaluation and reporting experience.

Computer Knowledge:

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel etc);
• Experience in handling web based management systems.

Language:

• Fluency in oral and written English and Nepali 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