Assistant Country Director/ Head of Programme UN Careers – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Organization: United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP)
Duty
Station:
Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Country Director
About UNDP:
The United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nation’s global development network.
UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and
resources to help people build a better life. The UNDP provides expert advice,
training, grant support to developing countries including Uganda with
increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.
Job
Summary:
The Assistant
Country Director (P)/Head of programme acts as a one of the advisers to Senior
Management.  In addition to senior
managerial functions, the incumbent is responsible for providing the overall
Country Programme with management and administrative support, strategic
planning, proactive delivery and effective implementation of the entire range
of functions in the programme cycle, from conceptualization and formulation to
monitoring and evaluation.  The jobholder
will also work in liaison with Portfolio Coordinators and programme Team
Leaders, the ACD/Head of Programme plays a lead role in the analyses of the
social, economic, environmental and political context in Uganda and advises on
creative responses to emerging complex challenges and possible areas for UNDP
interventions within the Country Programme Document (CPD). The ACD/Head of
programme also advises the CD and RR on potential areas for policy advice that
could have impact in the country and lobby efforts.  He/she will also be providing the necessary
support to the Country Director in relation to policy advice and guidance to
strengthen national capacity to develop effective and sustainable broad-based
integrated programmes in UNDP strategic/thematic areas. The ACD/Head of
Programme, in close collaboration with Portfolio Coordinators and with
administrative support from the Operations team, heads and supervises the Team
Leaders and Field Staff.  In addition to
the senior managerial functions associated with the position, the ACD/Head of
Programme advises on potential areas of policy that could have an impact in the
country.  Other senior management,
advisory and policy functions include ensuring accountability and adherence
within various UNDP policies and guidelines and CO committees to ensure
accountability and staff responsiveness to emerging performance requirements.
In addition the ACD(P)/Head of Programme identifies and forges strategic
partnerships with government, UN Agencies, bilateral organizations to ensure
optimal simplification and harmonization of aid delivery procedures, greater
coordination of development interventions and elimination of duplications.  The external focus of the job also entails
engagement of senior government officials such as Members of Parliament,
Permanent Secretaries and Heads of parastatals and government departments for
upstream policy advice, formulating national policies and strategies with the
parameters established by the RR.  The
ACD also works closely with technical advisors and experts in UN agencies, UNDP
HQ and Regional Centre staff, government, multi-lateral, bi-lateral and civil
society to implement UNDP strategy and also serves as member of high-level
national advisory technical committees and boards.  He/she also establishes and offers advice to
national level communities of practice for specific sectors.
 
 Key
Duties and Responsibilities:    
 As a member of the CO management team, ensures
the strategic direction of UNDP Country Programme Document and related joint UN
programmes focusing on achievement of the following results:
  • Ensures
    thorough analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the
    country and collaborative preparation/revision of CCA, UNDAF, CPD, AWP and
    other planning instruments. 
    Identification of strategic and innovative programme areas of
    cooperation enabling the attainment of the outcomes outlined in the CPD;
  • Supports
    CO Management Team in the operationalization of UNDAF/CPD;
  • Document
    best practices, covering concepts, strategies and implementation
    approaches and support CO Management Team in streaming programmes policies
    and practices;
  • Also
    works closely with relevant Government departments, UNDP regional centres
    on related areas of support, disseminating policy decisions and responding
    accordingly;
  • Analyses
    and presents UNDP policies and their implementation in the CO;
  • Provides
    support to Senior Management in undertaking office wide activities, large
    events strategic inter agency activities, knowledge sharing strategies,
    internal office reviews and evaluations.
Ensures management of the
CPD and joint UN programmes and assists the CD in quality control of the full
cycle of programming from formulation to implementation, achieving the
following results:
  • Effective
    application of RBM and Transformational Development tools, establishment
    of management targets and monitoring achievement of results;
  • Preparation
    and revision of corporate programming and monitoring tools, such as MYFF,
    balanced Scorecard, substantive evaluations;
  • Strategic
    oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the
    programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP
    rules and regulations;
  • Effective
    monitoring and evaluation, measuring the impact of the CPD and related joint
    UN programmes;
  • Constant
    monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, with possible timely
    readjustment of programme;
  • Leverage
    technical input from Portfolio Coordinators to promote teamwork,
    innovations and enhanced coordination of programme management and
    implementation for results;
  • Review
    and approval of Annual Work Plans (AWPs).
  • Establishes
    and maintains strategic partnerships and supports mobilization of
    resources with respect to CPD.
  • Development
    and implementation of the CO partnership and resource mobilization
    strategies to achieve programme outcomes.
  • Determination
    of CO Programme areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UNDP,
    country needs and donor priorities.
  • Research
    and analysis of donor information and preparation of substantive briefs on
    possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for
    cost-sharing;
  • Undertake
    partnership building through participation in joint UN Programming
    mechanisms, UNTG activities and networks and consult with appropriate
    government entities, including international policy support agencies and
    national/international NGOS on issues related to Country Programmes areas.
  • Building
    partnerships with government, civil society, and bilateral/multilateral
    organizations.
  • Working
    closely with staff from the UN agencies for joint programming and
    financing within UNDAF.
  • Participation
    in the Inter- Agency Thematic Groups as required and supervision of the
    participation by Programme unit staff ;
  • Responsible
    for the mobilization of resources in support of national programmes
    supported by UNDP.
Ensures provision of top
quality advisory services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge
building and management, focusing on achieving the following results in the
domain of sustainability:
  • In
    charge of the identification of sources of information related to
    policy-driven issues, synthesis of best practices and lessons learned
    directly linked to programme country policy goals.
  • Preparing
    and updating programme/project briefs and activity information for
    partners to support UNDP awareness raising activities including through
    preparation of statements and other communication materials for advocacy
    of UN principles and UNDP thematic areas.
  • Lead
    and monitor process of implementing policy advisory services as well as
    delivery of national policy products. 
    Ensure highest standards in the provision of technical and advisory
    inputs, organization of workshops, seminars, training and delivery of
    outputs (products);
  • Lead
    the analytical and policy development work of the team and ensure high
    quality policy products.  Contribute
    to the production of reports and publications, and serve as peer reviewer;
  • Sound
    contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
  • Provision
    of substantive inputs to government policy formulation and programmes in
    compliance with international conventions under the auspices of the UN and
    follow-up on the implementation of Government’s commitment to these
    conventions;
  • Develop
    country based intelligence on country situation, interests and prospects
    covering governments, UNDP and major development stakeholders;
Ensure effective management
and supervision of the Programme team leaders and field office staff, focusing
on quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation to
implementation and achieving the following results:
  • Effective
    application of RBM and Transformational Development Approach (TDA)
    principles, methods and tools, establishment of management targets (BSC)
    and monitoring achievement of results;
  • Design
    and formulation of the CO programme within the area of responsibility,
    translating UNDP priorities and strategies into local interventions.
    Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies;
  • Strategic
    oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the
    programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP
    rules and regulations. al;
  • Effective
    monitoring and assessing the impact (intended or non-intended/positive or
    negative) of the CO programme to ensure timely strategy readjustments;
  • Follow
    up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
  • Aggregate
    reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes.
    Preparation of donor reports.
  • Appraisal
    of Programme Team Leader and field office staff members performance;



 
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
  • The
    applicant should preferably hold a Master’s degree in, Public
    Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related
    field
  • A
    minimum of seven years of relevant experience at the national or
    international level in providing management and policy advisory services,
    hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development
    projects and establishing inter-relationships among international
    organization and national governments, civil society and local
    communities. Significant experience in coordinating and maintain synergy
    with development partners and the UN system. 
  • Previous
    exposure and experience in the usage of computers and office software
    packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
  • Fluency
    in the English and national language of the duty station.
Personal Competencies:
Core
Values and Corporate Competencies:
  • Demonstrates
    integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
  • Promotes
    the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
  • Displays
    cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and
    adaptability
  • Shows
    strong corporate commitment, works to achieve goals of UNDP as a whole and
    makes contributions to priorities led by other country offices, regional
    centres and bureaus
Functional
Competencies:
  • Knowledge
    Management and Learning
  • Promotes
    knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office
    through leadership and personal example
  • Continually
    facilitates the evaluation of learning, knowledge building and sharing, in
    the local and global communities including knowledge sharing, participates
    in knowledge reuse and provide feedback around community improvements
  • Actively
    works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more
    Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
Development
and Operational Effectiveness:
  • Ability
    to engage with high ranking UNDP Mangers, Government Officials and
    International Donor Community and provide policy
  • Ability
    to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting; full
    project cycle mastery, excellent work/project planning skills, mastery of
    UNDP’s programmes;
  • Ability
    to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
    development programmes and projects, mobilize resources; 
  • Ability
    to formulate and mange budgets, mange contributions and investments, mange
    transactions, conduct financial analysis reporting and cost-recovery;
  • Ability
    to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.
Management
and Leadership:
  • Builds
    strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the
    client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently
    approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Demonstrates
    good oral and written communication skills;
  • Demonstrates
    openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Leads,
    mentors, coaches, encourages and motivates teams effectively, inspires
    confidence.
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.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and
interested candidates who so desire to join the United Nations Development
Programme, UNDP, in the aforementioned capacity should endeavor to Apply Online
by Clicking on the link below. Please further review job requirements and if
competent Click Apply Now.
Deadline: 8th November 2017
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