Location : Bangkok, THAILAND
Application Deadline : 17-Oct-10
Additional Category Millennium Development Goals
Type of Contract : FTA International
Post Level : P-6
Languages Required : English
Starting Date :(date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Dec-2010
Duration of Initial Contract : 1 year
The Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRC) is an out posted unit within the Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific (RBAP). The UNDP Functional Alignment of Regional Service Centres was confirmed in 2008 to provide dedicated, real time support to Country Offices (COs) in the region and closer integration and cooperation with partners at the regional level.
The overall priority of the UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Centre is to strengthen coordination by providing support to the UNDG Asia Pacific and to strengthen development results in the region through:
* Providing UNDP country offices in the Asia and the Pacific with easy access to knowledge through high quality advisory services based on global applied research and UNDP lessons learnt;
* Strategic management and efficient implementation of Regional Programmes and funds;
* Building partnerships and promoting regional capacity building initiatives, which allow UNDP, governments and other development partners to identify, create and share knowledge relevant to solving urgent development challenges;
* Providing guidance and quality support to UNDP and UN country teams in UNDAF results identification and formulation.
The APRC is structured according to the UNDP Strategic Plan and aligns annual work plans to RBAP Country Offices’ key results and priorities. Eight programmatic practice areas are represented, with respective Regional Practice Leaders (RPLs): Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Energy and Environment, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, HIV/AIDS, Gender, Capacity Development and Knowledge Services. The APRC houses the Regional Human Development Report Unit (HDRU) and provides Management advisory and support services to strengthen COs efforts towards increased accountability and efficiency.
The HDRU produces the region’s flagship product–the Asia-Pacific Human Development Report (APHDR)--which provides a platform for a broad cross-section of stakeholders to advocate for human development, including promoting the achievement of internationally accepted development goals. The APHDR puts people at the centre of development debates, policies and programmes to support countries more effectively for poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs. The Asia-Pacific Human Development Reports thus have both regional and national public good aspects.The Unit’s strategic value is in bringing a regional human development perspective to long term issues that are better addressed at a regional or multi-country level–issues that are of multi-country concern, too sensitive to be addressed adequately at country level, or with inherent cross-border dimensions–without loosing national level policy relevance.
Besides this flagship report, the Unit is responsible for technical and policy advisory services to UNDP country offices, country level capacity development on HD and HDRs, promotion of the MDGs and human development. The work of the HDRU is highly visible, intensely team-oriented, and driven by extremely tight time schedules.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Regional Director, the incumbent has managerial and substantive responsibilities. The incumbent will be responsible for the overall management, coordination and reporting of project activities. S/he has the authority to run the project on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the Project Steering Committee within the constraints laid down by the Board and is responsible for day-to-day management and decision-making for the project. The Project Coordinator’s prime responsibility is to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the AWP, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost. S/he will oversee the delivery of reporting requirements to the Project Steering Committee in a timely manner in accordance with the Activities described in the Project Document and the work plan approved by the Project Steering Committee.
In the substantive role, the incumbent will provide the intellectual leadership responsibility for the Asia-Pacific Human Development Report, human development policies, advocacy, other knowledge products under the Project, capacity development and advisory services to support Country Offices related to human development concepts, measurement, and HDRs.
1. Asia-Pacific HDRs--Overall responsibility for the preparation, production and launch of the Asia Pacific HDRs
* Lead the research, analysis, measures and policy implications for the APHDRs, and provide strategic thinking for the messages and way forward of the report
* Supervise and provide strategic inputs to the preparation of the technical background papers (TBPs) and chapters of the APHDR
* Supervise team activities, work with experts, and provide feedback on technical background papers for the APHDR
* Lead and author think pieces, papers, op-eds, journal articles, concept notes, process documents, presentations
* Lead the team’s work on indicators and indices, including assessments and innovations, including consistency and reliability checks
* Coordinate and manage regional and sub-regional stakeholder consultations, capacity development learning events, seminars, trainings and follow-up
* Coordinate the activities for the identification of themes of relevance for the APHDRs
* Coordinate and manage dissemination activities of the HDRU
* Supervise, contribute and provide overall guidance to the Asia-Pacific Human Development Network discussions
2. Technical and Policy Advisory Services
* Lead, coordinate and service requests for technical and policy advisory services from UNDP Country Offices and Head Quarters units, ensuring highest UNDP standards
* Lead the team’s substantive support provided to Country Offices including requests for guidance and reviews of HDRs, other documents, prepare and review of terms of reference, identify experts, both, through desk-based work and missions
* Manage and monitor the process of the Unit’s technical and policy advisory services
* Organize need-based workshops, seminars, consultations and training events on HD and HDRs, tapping synergies and efficiencies across countries of the region
* Promote knowledge sharing and best practices among Country Offices
* Review, prepare periodic syntheses, and report on the technical and policy support
3. Knowledge Management
* Lead the process of knowledge capture, leveraging and linking national, regional and global know-how on HD and HDRs and production of knowledge-based products
* Lead the process of knowledge creation and dissemination related to national, regional and global know-how in the subject areas; partner with practitioners and members of the UNDP global networks, leading the practice and sub-practice teams in RBAP, BDP and other related Bureaux on knowledge management services
* Organize internal and external networks or communities of practice engaging prominent experts in government, non-government organizations, think tanks, private agencies, international development organizations and the wider UN system
4. Policy and Programme Services
* Provide intellectual leadership through identification of key policy issues and formulation of best possible and alternative policy and programme options for UNDP at national and regional levels; stimulate strategic thinking in relevant practice area, taking into account needs of country offices and opportunities to develop regional public goods
* Lead the team on a consistent basis in identifying strategic opportunities to address development issues from a human development perspective, covering local situations in the form of professional papers and studies
* Promote convergence between the different practices, through the RHDRs, identifying opportunities to work within and across Practices in order to capitalize on the specific advantages of multiple disciplines
* Lead the analytical and policy development work of the team and ensure high quality policy and knowledge products; promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration and compatibility with different practices
* Contribute to the production other reports and publications, and serve as peer reviewer
* Ensure programme outputs are aligned procedurally with UNDP positions and Practice Areas
5. Capacity Development: Human Development and HDRs
* Lead and supervise and the Unit’s capacity development efforts among strategic stakeholders like think tanks, academia, government counterparts, civil society groups, the media, and UNDP COs
* Manage and coordinate the Human Development Fellowships to build HD capacity among academia and media
* Engage with strategic stakeholders (internal and external) through well organized consultations and workshops supporting capacity development on key development challenges linked to regional and national HDRs
6. Partnerships and Resources
* Mobilize and network with the experts of regional offices of the UN System, international development organizations, sub-regional and regional associations, affiliations and bodies (inter-governmental, non-government and prominent private sector organizations)
* Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical and financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector, as applicable
* Ensure collaborations with practice teams
* Support and contribute to enhancing South-South cooperation
7. Managerial Functions
* Plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the initial quality criteria
* Mobilize goods and services to initiative activities, like ToRs and work specifications
* Monitor events as determined in the Project Monitoring Schedule Plan, and update plans as required
* Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures
* Liaise with any suppliers and manage the production of required deliverables
* Be responsible for project administration, directing and motivating the project team
* Liaise with the Project Steering Committee and its appointed Project Assurance roles to assure the overall direction and integrity of the project
* Build agreement on technical and quality strategy with appropriate members of the Project Steering Committee
* Identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project
* Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports
* Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified, submit new risks to the Project Steering Committee for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log
* Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log
* Prepare the Project Quarterly Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Steering Committee and Project Assurance
* Prepare the Annual review Report, and submit the report to the Project Steering Committee and the Outcome Board
* Prepare the AWP for the following year, as well as Quarterly Plans as required
* Update the Atlas Project Management module if external access is made available
* Plan and monitor the project
* Manage risks, including the development of contingency plans as necessary
* Take responsibility for overall progress and use of resources and initiate corrective action where necessary
* Be responsible for change control and any required configuration management
8. Project Reporting
* Prepare and report to the Project Steering Committee through Annual Reports and Project End Report
* Prepare the Lesson Learned Report
* Prepare any Follow-up Action Recommendations as required
Competencies
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
* Treats all people fairly without favoritism
Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning
* Promotes knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
* Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to UNDP practice areas
* Demonstrates coaching/mentoring skills, regularly providing helpful feedback and advice to others in the office
* Develops systems for structuring, codifying and providing access to information and knowledge
Development and Operational Effectiveness
* Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system, including new IT based systems
* Good knowledge of Results Management principles
* Ability to perform a variety of standard task related to results management, including screening and collecting of project documentation, entering projects data in relevant online system an, supporting revisions, filing, provision of information
Leadership and Self-Management
* Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
* Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
* Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
* Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
* Master’s degree (Ph.D. an advantage) in economics or a relevant social science with a development focus. Specialization in international economic development preferred.
Experience:
* At least 15 years of relevant work experience is required
* Experience in collaborative research with a human development orientation, working on publications, and multi-country reports / studies
* Experience in facilitation thematic e-discussions with a development policy focus
* Demonstrated track record of supporting UNDP country offices on technical and policy advisory issues an advantage
* Knowledge of human development issues and concepts, HDRs, the MDGs and how to analyze issues from a human development perspective
* Work experience in the Asia-Pacific region
* Strong written and oral communication skills; analytical writing with ability to conceptualize and articulate human development issues among experts, policy makers, media and civil society
* Demonstrated skills in team work involving a multi-disciplinary environment
* Knowledge and experience in the use of standard office software and statistical packages
* Experience working with UN agencies in supporting policy research activities an advantage
Language Requirements:
* Proficient in English, both written and oral; knowledge of another UN language desirable.
Apply Now at https://jobs.undp.org/cj_apply.cfm?job_id=19427