Regional Electoral Advisor (Deadline: Nov 01, 2022)

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS staff provide technical advice to Country Offices; advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts. UNDP’s governance assistance, including that provided through UNDP’s Global Programme, Governance for People and Planet (G4PP), is multi-dimensional and multi-level and goes beyond technical solutions to support a “systems approach” which is human rights based, problem-driven and participatory to accelerate development and ensure no one is left behind.   Strengthening democratic institutions and processes is one of the 4 main outcome areas/priorities of the G4PP that brings together global policy development and technical assistance in electoral assistance; parliamentary development and women’s political participation.

The Regional Electoral Advisor position falls institutionally within the Governance Team in the BPPS/GPN, and is physically located within the Regional Service Centre in Addis. As such, s/he will report to the Regional Governance and Rule of Law Advisor in the Regional Hub, with a secondary reporting line to the global lead on elections and democratic institutions and processes in the BPPS Governance global team. The focus of her/his contribution will be a) Providing leadership, advocacy, policy and programme support in the field of electoral cycle support at the regional level; b) Supporting South-South cooperation and promoting regional knowledge development; c) Supporting electoral cycle development and lessons learned in key countries at the national and local levels; d) Fostering inclusive participation and women’s empowerment, in line with the vision of the G4PP and the regional governance and peacebuilding framework.

Position Purpose

As part of the global policy advisory cadre, the Regional Electoral Advisor will contribute to a multidisciplinary governance team responding holistically to country needs and contributing his/her particular area of expertise to the team, and leveraging relevant cutting-edge knowledge. In collaboration with colleagues in New York, Brussels and elsewhere, the Regional Electoral Advisor will provide support to the design, engagement, interpretation, monitoring, funding and reporting of electoral assistance projects at the country level in Africa.  This will be delivered in a way that strengthens synergies substantively (with other governance portfolios and with other Regional and GPN teams) and organisationally, facilitating more integrated delivery of policy and programmatic support.   The Regional Elections Advisor will have responsibility for the following:

• Programme support and policy advice
• Policy, positioning and representation
• Partnerships and resource mobilisation
• Knowledge management

Key Duties and Accountabilities

Programme Development and Implementation

• Lead, supervise and coordinate the implementation of electoral cycle support in response to country office needs in the region, in line with the Governance and Peacebuilding Framework for Africa, UNDP’s Strategic Plan and UN-wide policies on electoral assistance;
• Provide policy advisory support to the Country Offices, Governments and the Africa Regional Governance Programme on electoral policies, norms and standards;
• Provide programme support related to design, implementation, oversight, monitoring, evaluation and learning;
• Advise Country Offices on holding consensus building and stakeholder management activities with government counterparts;
• Promote the utilization of financial resources mobilized and allocated for electoral support in regional and  country programmes.
• Ensure programme development and implementation is ambitious and impactful in advancing gender equality

• Participate in Needs Assessment Missions and/or Desk Reviews in line with UN-wide policies on electoral assistance and led by Electoral Assistance Division (DPPA/EAD).

Policy positioning and representation

• Facilitate policy development, and coordination in electoral assistance and its relationship with broader democratic governance, in close coordination with relevant units in the BPPS Governance global team and others.
• Contribute global, regional and national experiences and case evidence and provide substantive inputs to national, regional and international fora to help shape global and regional development policies, norms and standards;
• Support the definition and communication of UN/UNDP’s global policy positions in electoral assistance.
• Develop briefings and speeches, as applicable, especially for country-specific meetings;
• Prepare relevant materials to advocate for the importance of electoral assistance in various fora, including academia and civil society, with a view to deepen related political commitment and related reforms;

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

• Undertake analysis for partnership building and resource mobilization, developing papers and marketing materials as appropriate, and participating in relevant country-focused external meetings, in line with the Bureau’s partnership and resource mobilization strategy;
• Perform analysis and research to support the implementation of regional partnership strategies with UN and external partner institutions, including governments, private sector, academia, NGOs, and CSOs;
• Participate in relevant external meetings, including resource mobilization, partnership and advocacy activities with UN partners, permanent missions, and external stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain professional and productive partnerships with national counterpart institutions and other key stakeholders in the electoral process.
• Establish effective communication mechanisms; regularly brief UNDP senior leadership, partners, donors, counterparts as well as other key stakeholders on the electoral process, provide regular reports as appropriate.

Knowledge Management

• Support thought leadership at global and regional levels on electoral assistance and its relationship to democratic institutions and process, informed by high-quality analytics, learning and robust knowledge management,
• Actively support knowledge sharing including providing comparative experiences and lessons learned to relevant fora, including the global Community of Practice on Governance for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, and regional communities of practice, as appropriate;
• Keep an up-to-date library of knowledge related to the thematic area at region-specific level and proactively share documents with team members and respond to their specific requests for information;
• Contribute to the development and review of knowledge products in close coordination with HQ and Regional Hub teams.

Requirements

Education

• Advanced degree in international development; political science, international relations, public policy, law, human rights or related field required.

 Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• 10 years of experience providing policy advice and programme support in electoral assistance in different developing country contexts.
• Experience of linking electoral support to broader democratic governance programming
• Experience in supporting women’s political participation.
• At least 7 years experience working in developing country settings is required and experience in crisis contexts is an asset.
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary teams in complex environments
• Fluency in English and French, both written and oral, is required.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

2030 Agenda: Peace

• Governance – Electoral cycle support
• Governance – Women’s Leadership

Business Direction & Strategy 

• Strategic Thinking – 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