Strategic Planning Advisor & Head of Resident Coordinator’s Office

Location : Yaounde, CAMEROON

Application Deadline : 29-Dec-15

Type of Contract : FTA International

Post Level : P-5

Languages Required : English   French  

Duration of Initial Contract : One year Initially

Background

The programmatic context in Cameroon has significantly evolved since 2013 due to the crisis situation in Central Africa Republic (CAR) as well as Boko Haram attacks in the country. The situation has led to an unprecedented influx of CAR and Nigerians refugees in Cameroon as well as Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) in the Far-North and Nord Regions. In addition, the economic performances of the country was not as good as expected in the baseline scenario of the country’s growth and employment strategy. During the first five years of implementation of the strategy, the country didn’t reached 7% of economic growth that was estimated to substantially improve living conditions of the population. The option of accelerating growth was taken and the Government developed an emergency plan to accelerate growth.

The UN Country Team (UNCT) and the government conducted in 2015 a Midterm Review of the UNDAF 2013-2017 and the resolution was to develop a new UNDAF from 2016-2020 in order to sharpen the focus of UN assistance to better support the new challenges of the Country and better align the UN support to the country planning cycle. The UNCT and the Government has also agreed that the new UNDAF will be implemented under the DaO approach and the Common Business Operations strategy is under development. These major changes require sustained strategic focus, close coordination across the UNCT and out to the government and development partners, and the careful implementation of new processes and structures in light of the Standard Operating Procedures of the DaO approach.

The UN Strategic Planning Advisor and Head of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) will report directly to the Resident Coordinator (RC). Under the guidance of the UN Resident Coordinator, the incumbent will lead efforts to strengthen the strategic capacity of the UN Country Team and provide support to the RC in coordinating and planning an integrated UN response to national development priorities – in line with UN reform objectives, internationally agreed goals, the Government of Cameroon's Vision 2035 (and its National Development Plans), the new UNDAF 2016-2020 as well as emerging priorities, including supporting the country to localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their mainstreaming into national policies and plans.

The incumbent will supervise the staff of the RCO and will lead the coordination of activities emanating from the RCO, setting priorities, and ensuring follow-up and feedback; and identifying and recommending proposals and actions for enhancing inter-agency coordination in line with UN reform objectives, the simplification and harmonization procedures and, as appropriate, initiating actions for implementation. The implementation of the One program pillar of the DaO in the country will require truly enhanced partnerships skills both on the UN side and across to the government. The incumbent will support the RC in implementing a Seamless Transition Work plan and capacity-building.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions / Key Results Expected

Ensures effective support to UNCT in preparation and implementation of country programming processes and products, including CCA and UNDAF and UN programmes coordination focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Follow up of the political situation and the impact on the UN programming in conjunction with the regional PDA and OHCHR regional Office and conduct analysis for the UNCT on the situation in the country and how they might want to adapt their programming;
• Ensure support to the RC and UNCT for establishing and build networks with the government, civil society, where needed;
• Coordination on behalf of the UN RC of the CCA Thematic Group activities and draft or update the CCA when necessary;
• Provision of oversight support to the UNDAF Working Groups ensuring full participation UN Agencies, Government, civil society, multilateral and bilateral institutions and coordination of the draft UNDAF preparation;
• Establishment of effective mechanisms for monitoring UNDAF implementation based on the UNDAF Results Matrix and the UNDAF Monitoring and Evaluation Plan in consultation with UN Agencies, Government, civil society, multilateral and bilateral institutions. Monitoring of the activities of the UN Theme Groups;
• Identification of strengths and weaknesses in UN Agencies programmes in the context of UNDAF, UN System reform and SDGs.
• Provision of advice on adjusting strategies and implementation modalities, cost-effective and efficient implementation of joint UN programmes, common services and other UN functions;
• Development of strategies, policies and programmes in close consultation with UN Agencies aimed at reaching the SDGs and establishment of the system for monitoring the progress towards the SDGs and Global Conferences.

Ensures preparation and implementation of the RC Work Plan focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Coordination of the RC Work Plan, reports and proposals for funding preparation;
• Coordination of substantive preparations and support provided for UNCT retreat to review the annual workplan and other UNCT meetings;
• Monitoring of the Support to the Resident Coordinator (SRC) fund and other funds dedicated to UNCT activities. Approval of expenditures reports.

Ensures effective advocacy of UN activities in close consultation with UNIC and the information / communication focal points of the UN system focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Maintenance of the systematic information on RC system activities;
• Implementation of the outreach strategy for partners of the UN system;
• Management of media and communication strategies of the UNCT, in close consultation with UNIC;
• Preparation of speakers notes, talking points, speeches for major advocacy events of the Resident Coordinator system, in close consultation with the UNCT and partners.

Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy for UNDAF implementation focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Development of partnerships with IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society;
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on donor strategies and national development strategies, provision of advice to UN RC on ensuring synchronicity, alignment and complementarity between these strategies and UN activities;
• Draft funding proposal to be submitted to donors to support to enhance the RC capacities in support to the UN country activities;
• Coordination of the substantive preparations of the UNCT for CGs, roundtables and other key events in close consultation with appropriate counterparts in government, bilateral and multilateral partners.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of sources of information related to coordination. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to country policy goals;
• Identification of national policies and institutions that require strengthening to ensure effective UNDAF implementation and provision of advice in close consultation with UNCT;
• Establishment of electronic and other systems for agencies without field representation to access national institutions and processes and for national partners to access the expertise of agencies without field representation;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• Organization of trainings to UN staff on coordination issues.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda (For UN Coordination):

Analysis and creation of messages and strategies

• Creates effective advocacy strategies;
• Contributes to the elaboration of advocacy strategies by identifying and prioritizing audiences and communication means;
• Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management (For UN Coordination):

• Achieving results through programme design and innovative resourcing strategies
• Identifies country needs and strategies using a fact-based approach;
• Sets performance standards, monitors progress and intervenes at an early stage to ensure results are in accordance with agreed-upon quality and timeframes and reports on it;
• Makes use of a variety of resources based on UN/UNCT priorities to achieve results, such as cross-functional teams, secondments and developmental assignments, and collaborative funding approaches;
• Oversees and documents the process of strategy formulation for programmes at country level.

Building Strategic Partnerships (For UN Coordination):

• Identifying and building partnerships
• Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UN/UNCT’s strategic agenda
• Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UN/UNCT’sstrategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts;
• Develops positive ties with civil society to build/strengthen UN/UNCT’s mandate;
• Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
• Effectively attentive to programmatic synergies in inter-agency meetings.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches (For UN Coordination):

• Developing new approaches
• Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
• Generates for regional and innovative ideas and effective solutions to problems;
• Looks at experience critically, drawing lessons, and building them into the design of new approaches Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
• Documents successes and uses them to project a positive image.

Resource Mobilization (For UN Coordination):

• Building and maintaining donor relations; implementing resource mobilization strategy
• Develops detailed knowledge and understanding of key donors, their priorities and areas of interest and adapts content and approach of resource mobilization activities to their requirements;
• Builds and maintains relationships with donors demonstrating professionalism in providing advice and information on UN activities and sensitivity to donor concerns;
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing (For UN Coordination).

Developing tools and mechanisms:

• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
• Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise (For UNDP and UN Coordination):

In-depth knowledge of the subject-matter

• Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
• Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff;
• Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
• Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals (For UN Coordination):

• Analysis and creation of messages and strategies
• Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
• Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level

Client Orientation:

• Contributing to positive outcomes for the client
• Anticipates client needs;
• Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective.

Core Competencies:

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
• Building support and political acumen;
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Building and promoting effective teams;
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Sciences or related field.

Experience:

• 10 years of relevant experience at the national and international level in providing management advisory services. Strong experience in strategic planning with hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects. Knowledge about the UN and RC systems would be an advantage;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language:

• Fluency in English and French (speaking and writing) the working languages of the duty station.

To APPLY

All interested candidates are invited to apply online through the following link: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=62374