Vacancy Announcement from UNDP : Policy Advisor (Governance )

Position: Policy Advisor (Governance)

Job ID: 39494
Practice Area – Job Family Democratic Governance
Vacancy End Date: 15/09/2021 (Midnight New York, USA)
Duty Station: Kathmandu, Nepal
Languages
Required:
Desired:
English, Nepali
Grade: NOC
Vacancy Type: FTA Local
Posting Type: External
Bureau: Asia & the Pacific
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Only for Nepalese Nationals

Background

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.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nepal works with the people and the Government of Nepal, and other development partners to pursue equitable and sustainable human development goals through eradication of poverty, increase in livelihood opportunities, improvement in community resilience against conflict, disasters and impact of climate change, while laying down strong foundations for a society based on rule of law with an inclusive and participatory democracy. In addition to the above-mentioned thematic area, gender equality and social inclusion is core of the work that UNDP does and is mainstreamed and addressed through the specific interventions targeting to the most marginalized and other vulnerable groups.

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

UNDP has been supporting the Nepalese people in their struggle against poverty since it opened an in-country office in 1963. Much of this support has gone to building up the capacity of government agencies, civil society and community groups to fight poverty, and to bringing these groups and Nepal’s development partners together to design and implement successful projects to contribute to the achievement of Nepal’s development objectives.

In parallel to the roll-out of its new Country Programme, 2018-2022, UNDP Nepal has recently gone through an internal reorganization and is moving towards strategically repositioning UNDP’s contributions in support of the Sustainable Development Goals and collaboration with national development partners. Nepal is transforming itself in a federal state as per its new Constitution which has implications for how UNDP engages with national and sub-national authorities. Meanwhile, Nepal’s GNI continues to grow, making graduation from LDC status a scenario for which UNDP needs to begin planning and adapting to different models of development cooperation.

In this context, under the overall guidance of the Resident Representative and day to day direct supervision of Deputy Resident Representative, the Policy Advisor (Governance), with technical rigor and persuasive expertise, deepens the perspectives of colleagues and partners, attracts new collaborators and creates excitement about opportunities for investment in UNDP Nepal’s work on governance.

With a focus on ideas that stimulate new audiences to participate, the Policy Advisor (Governance) leads the creation of compelling analytics based on the Sustainable Development Principles, dialogues and commitments that measurably advance Nepal on its path to achieving the SDGs. As a member of the Strategic Engagement team, the Policy Advisor (Governance) is expected to contribute to the next UNDP Strategic plan direction of change: to Leave no-one behind, a rights-based approach centered on empowerment, inclusion, equity, human agency and human development capabilities that recognizes that poverty and inequality are multidimensional particularly in the post-COVID development cooperation.

In the management, leadership and outcomes of the country office. S/he models the commitment to creative collaboration and team accountability in the service of Nepal’s challenges.

The incumbent promotes client-oriented approach while having strong networking savvy and political acumen performing her/his functions in collaboration with Programme team leaders and CO and Regional senior management to continuously reflect on how UNDP engages with its partners and stakeholders beyond the traditional partner base in order to truly fulfill UNDP’s strategic position, integrator role and value proposition.

Duties and Responsibilities

In consultation with the senior management and in collaboration with the portfolio managers and fields offices, and the project teams, continually seek, develop ideas/emerging trends and provide expert advisory services, through:

Scan the landscape of issues and identify entry points on significant governance policy issues and especially new interdisciplinary linkages drawing attention to UNDPs creativity and relevance. Identify approaches and modalities to achieve management targets and increased cost-effectiveness;
Advise on political stability, public sector capabilities, learnings from experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic response, and approaches to understand and manage risks;
Explore supporting platforms that bring together local government, civil society, private sector and indigenous communities to analyze and anticipate challenges of the context;
Advising on high value addition/high impact projects and scaling up of successful innovations and built on cutting-edge knowledge of global and good practices and cost-effective development solutions;
Deepens the evidence base of new policy proposals with convincing technical rigor giving confidence to partner commitments;
Design solutions for governance including policy reform accessible to partners and new stakeholders;
Translate complex governance thinking and challenges into analytics and messaging that speaks to new external audiences in their language.

1. Provides strategic advice and leads the development of UNDP/UN Governance programme activities from design through implementation, through

Thorough analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country and advising on the preparation/revision of Cooperation Framework, Country Progrmme Document, project documents, AWP and other documents in the area work;
Supports in the operationalization of CPD through ongoing and new programmes and projects and in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identifies opportunities for new programme/project development including joint programming with UN agencies where relevant;
Identifies, in close collaboration with national and international partners, strategic programme areas of cooperation; including enhancing civic space; ensuring rights and equity in digitalization and innovation; addressing racism and discrimination; empowering women and youth; to promote the rights/voices of future generations on climate action and the future of their communities, through capacity development, youth political participation and support to young innovators;
Leads the design and formulation of UNDP programme translating programme priorities into local interventions and ensuring coordination and networking with clients, stakeholders and programme partners;
Critically assess governance output and advise management and team of results and recommendations for improvement;
Contributes to the implementation of the UNDAF/Cooperation Framework and other UN level initiatives especially on Governance & Social Cohesion related matters and projects, working towards formulation and implementation of joint programmes and ensures strong contributions to UNDAF and other UN coordination groups;
Collaborates with colleagues in Regional and HQ to apply in country programming new global and regional initiatives, polices and knowledge products.

2. In consultation with the senior management and in collaboration with the portfolio managers ensure creation of strategic partnership engagement and supports resource mobilization

Engage the national governance policy dialogue across sectors and issues with all actors including government, NGOs and citizenry, UN partners and the private sector ensuring all voices are heard and the Share knowledge across teamwork of UNDP is known to all;
Cultivate relationships with technical experts locally and internationally that champion Nepal’s challenges, demonstrating UNDP Nepal’s expertise and innovation;
Compile and interpret socio-economic research and data leading to fresh, compelling intelligence and reports that attract new collaborators;
Engage the international policy dialogue on SDGs and South-South Cooperation identifying linkages and supporting evidence for Nepal program;
Undertake selected studies expanding the perspectives of government and UN partner collaborators drawing them into new dialogues and policy directions;
Develop and convene networks of collaborators both conventional and novel who are willing to participate in the dialogue, are attracted to the issues and can advance the work and profile of UNDP;
Demonstrate empathy for new partner perspectives by adapting analysis and policy to reflect their priorities;
Developing partnerships with UN Agencies, National institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral development agencies/donors, national accredited entities; national thematic funds and institutions, foundations; private sector and civil society, based on the strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and government and donor priorities;
Co-leading the overall office effort in resource mobilization by researching and analyzing information on potential donors; preparing substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation as well as inputs to the office-wide resource mobilization strategy; identifying concrete entry points for the initiation of new projects; preparing concept notes and pitching these to potential donors;
Representing UNDP at external meetings within her/his issue area as requested by the Management.

3. Ensure effective Team Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders

Anchor governance issues in the country office by securing collaboration and agreement on priorities, policy and work planning commitments;
Critically assess governance content, output and advise management and team of results and recommendations for improvement;
Learn from colleagues and adapt to new thinking and approaches;
Continually seek opportunities and linkages within broader country office efforts for governance work;
Conduct learning seminars and lead discussion groups for the team on relevant subjects;
Model reliability of output, organization and, innovation.

4. Knowledge building and management

Support trainings for the CO staff on programme and shares knowledge on governance strategies;
Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals;
Providing advice on strategies, policies and plans impacting the operations, delivery of practice advisory, knowledge and learning services;
Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

5. Ensure mainstreaming of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in all the interventions

Ensure that GESI is well captured and mainstreamed throughout the Governance Portfolio initiatives including at the policy and institutional levels and in detailed planning, programming, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and reporting;
Work closely with the GESI focal team, GESI advisor and M &E to ensure GESI related results;
Contribute to creating synergy on GESI issues pertaining to governance with other thematic areas;
Promote work life balance, gender equality and respect for diversity;
Ensure prevention of sexual harassment and abuse of authority and any form of discrimination in the workplace;
Contribute to the Gender Equality Seal process.

Competencies

Core Competencies- Level 3: Manager/ Specialist/ Expert

Achieve Results

Demonstrates focus on achieving quality results and impact
Consistently strives to meet or exceed excellent standards
Efficiently establishes appropriate plans and resources for self and others to
accomplish goals
Holds self and others accountable for results

Think Innovatively

Seeks patterns and clarity outside, across and beyond boxes and categories, resists false certainty and simplistic binary choices
Looks beyond conventional approaches and established methods
Proposes new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems

Learn Continuously

Actively pursues opportunities for learning and self-development, professionally and personally
Keeps up to date with new developments in own professional area
Proactively seeks feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from experience, both positive and negative
Contributes to the learning of others

Adapt with Agility

Be flexible in handling change, and adopt new ideas, approaches and ways of working
Seamlessly adapt to working within new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways
Participate in, support, contribute to or drive meaningful change in UNDP
Be comfortable with ambiguity and effectively managing multiple demands

Act with Determination

Is flexible in handling change, and adopts new ideas, approaches and ways of working
Seamlessly adapts to working with new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways
Participates in, supports, or drives meaningful change in UNDP
Is comfortable with ambiguity and effectively manages juggling multiple demands

Engage and Partner

Establishes and develops networks that deliver powerful collaborations
Demonstrates and encourages teamwork and co-creation, internally and externally, to achieve joint objectives and results
Acts in a way that demonstrates empathy and emotional intelligence, showing consideration for the needs and feelings of others

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

Understands and appreciates issues from the perspective of others
Treats all individuals with respect, considers ethical implications and responds sensitively to all differences among people
Fully accepts and values all people, creating an inclusive environment
Understands that inclusion is multi-faceted (e.g. race, gender, age, disability, culture, etc.) and treats everyone fairly and equally
Demonstrates honesty and transparency

Technical Competencies

Governance

Area-based approaches to local governance
Civic Engagement (includes CSOs)
Civil Service Reform
Civil Society Engagement
Constitutional Development and Processes
Decentralization
E-government
Electoral Cycle Support
Inclusion and Participation
Institutional Capacity to Implement and Coordinate SDGs
Localization of the SDGs
Parliamentary Institutions
Public Administration and Local Governance
Public Sector Reform

Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights

Access to Justice
Human Rights /HRBA
Rule of Law, Justice and Security

Gender and Social Inclusion

UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal Initiative
Gender and Social inclusion Mainstreaming

Cross Functional Competency

Strategic Thinking

Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP

Business Acumen and Commercial Thinking

Knowledge and understanding of the work of the UNDP and wider UN system; ability to take a multi-sector perspective, benchmarking externally and understanding the UNDP comparative Advantage
Ability to create clarity of UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners; to develop new service offers responding to client needs

Effective Decision Making

Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

Negotiation and influence

Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create ‘win-win’ situations

Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Knowledge Facilitation

Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions
Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process

Collective Intelligence Design

Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations
Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; ability to advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies

Results-based Management

Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results
Ability to plan, organise, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Project Management

Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Partnerships Management

Ability to identify and organise action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity

Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

People Management Competency

Show Managerial Courage

Face up to organisational and people problems
Not be afraid to take decisions and action when and as needed
Not hold back anything that needs to be said, respectfully and diplomatically
Address conflict in a timely manner, not allow conflicts in teams to linger
Help others through emotional or tense situations, tactfully bringing disagreements into the open and finding solutions all can endorse

Demonstrate Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

Genuinely care about people; demonstrate empathy with the joys and pains of others
Enable the wellbeing of the team(s)
Read a group’s emotional currents and power relationships, identifying influencers, networks, and organisational dynamics; adapt leadership styles at the appropriate times
See the positive in people, situations, and events

Motivate and Direct

Create and communicate a compelling vision and purpose
Align people and resources with organisational vision, strategy, objectives
Understand and proactively build the team/organisation culture

Build an Enabling Workplace

Create a working environment where people are engaged and want to do their best;
Empower and enable team members to perform and have a positive workplace experience
Promote honesty, openness, trust and psychological safety and create opportunities to innovate and learn
Recruit and promote individuals based upon objective measures and meritocracy;
Acknowledge and utilise the talent of others
Encourage collective action and integration

Build Capability

Identify and develop talent in individuals, providing positive support to enable them to
Achieve their potential
Foster learning or development of others by giving feedback, guidance, and support;
Support career development of others
Have willingness and ability to delegate to help people learn, including from failure

Manage Performance and Ensure Accountability

Ensure regular conversations with people about work
Provide positive and constructive feedback
Discuss poor performance in a timely manner
Provide praise and recognition, as well as ensure accountability

Lead with Humility

Be authentic and transparent, act with integrity
Be accessible and available to team members they lead
Encourage debate and discussion, creating a culture where people are comfortable to
Challenge senior leaders and feel listened to
Be modest, giving credit for success to others and admit own shortcomings

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree or equivalent in social, public policy, economics, development studies or related area.

Experience:

5 years of progressively responsible work experience in international development with experience in policy design on governance issues such as human rights, local governance, service delivery, peace-building, re-integration, peacebuilding and gender.
Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience working in the UN System is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in English and Nepali

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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