Home Vacancies Senior Peace Support Specialist -2 Positions | (Bahir Dar & Semera), Ethiopia

Senior Peace Support Specialist -2 Positions | (Bahir Dar & Semera), Ethiopia

Location: Addis Ababa

Closing Date: May 12, 2023, 06:59 AM

Job Description

Background
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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 two-year conflict between Ethiopian National Défense Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has been a major cause of humanitarian crisis in the three northern Ethiopia regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar. The toll from the war has been enormous. More than 2,612,353[1] IDPs in Northern Ethiopia need humanitarian assistance. Large-scale damage happened to infrastructure and services, estimated by the Government at US$ 20 billion and profound adverse effects on development, hamstringing Ethiopia’s ambitious economic and governance reform programmes.

On 02 November 2022, in Pretoria, an Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities was signed between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GoE) and the TPLF. Led by the AU, the Peace Agreement has ended active combat in Northern Ethiopia and raised hope for a gradual restoration of services and humanitarian operations in the region. This wide-ranging agreement committed, among other things, to an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities, the restoration of federal authority in Tigray, the creation of an interim administration pending fresh regional elections, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of TPLF combatants, resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returning refugees, transitional justice, social cohesion and reconciliation, and recovery and reconstruction.

It is in this connection that UNDP’s offer is focused on filling the gap likely exist between the urgency of addressing a wide range of urgent needs to quickly consolidate peace and to stabilize conditions and the time it will take for the larger, longer-term, and more comprehensive RRR Plan being prepared by the World Bank to meaningfully kick-in.

Therefore, the rationale for a UNDP-led Peace Support Facility (PSF) project in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions is based on (i) the need an early peace dividend required to sustain the momentum of the Peace Agreement; and (ii) the need to pave the way and build the foundations for the larger RRR initiative led by the MoF and WB. The overall objective of UNDP-led PSF project is to build trust between communities and authorities at all levels and laying the foundations for recovery, peacebuilding, and development programmes. The programme will ensure that national and local actors and recognized governance systems are at the forefront of the peace support initiative.

The Snr. Peace Support Specialist works in close collaboration with wide range of stakeholders including but not limited to Team Leaders (TLs) at UNDP Country Office (CO), relevant regional bureaus and offices, development and humanitarian partners at UN and I/N NGOs and local communities.

The Senior Peace Support Specialist will be based in the Peace Support Office in UNDP Country Office and Project Offices in Bahir Dar (01) and Semera (01). 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support programme and project formulation and management, within the framework of UNDP’s Peace Support Programme/Facility focusing on achievement of the following results:
  • Monitor development conditions in the region, especially the post-conflict environment.
  • Design/coordinate/facilitate damage/gap/needs assessment activities in the region.
  • Support formulation of draft project documents and annual work plans (AWPs)
  • Monitor implementation of activities, including through regular field/on-site visits, and trouble-shoot when necessary to ensure speed and quality of performance (HR, procurement, finance)
  • Track financial management and monitor spending, including accurate and timely liquidation of advances, to ensure resources are spent as planned and on-time.
  • Synthesize lessons learnt and best practices in project/programme implementation and participate actively in relevant communities of practice.
  • Ensure adherence of UNDP-supported work to safeguards: HACT, ESS, human rights, leaving no one behind, and ‘doing no harm.
  • Lead or facilitate, as needed and appropriate, reviews, audits and evaluations of UNDP-supported work in the region.

2. Facilitate capacity building of regional institutions focusing on the achievement of the following results:

  • Assess capacity-building needs in collaborating regional institutions and help develop well-structured and sustainable plans for addressing them.
  • Design and/or lead workshops and training programmes on substantive and operational issues
  • Manage UNDP logistics and procurement support for workshops and training programmes workshops.

3.Ensure partnership and coordination mechanisms with government and non-governmental partners focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Build strong and trusted relationship with regional counterparts, including zonal and woreda officials, as well as with target communities.
  • Forge close and practical working relationships with the humanitarian cluaser system to ensure that HDP nexus issues are addressed operationally on the ground.
  • Engage civil society and academia in the region to strengthen working relations, trust, and mutual understanding.
  • Facilitate donor visits to the region.
  • Ensure complete, accurate and timely completion of donor reports, for final review by the CO.
  • Lead or contribute, as appropriate, to the design of partnership and resource mobilization strategies.
  • Conduct stakeholder mapping using 5Ws (Who is doing What, Where, When and with/For whom)

4.Report and communicate effectively focusing on achievement of the following results:

  • Ensure UNDP has a high visibility in the region.
  • Communicate on UNDP work through social and traditional media, within the framework of corporate standards and guidelines and in close coordination with the Communications Team in the CO
  • Prepare and/or contribute to communications materials, including audio-visual products, on UNDP’s Peace Support Programme and other related efforts.
  • Engage with and report regularly to the Director of the Peace Support Office (PSO)
  • Maintain open and constructive relations with other colleagues in the PSO and the CO
  • Provide updates to the SMT and TLs during monthly Programme/Operations Meetings

5.Oversee operations related tasks including staff, premises and asset management focusing on achievement of the following results: 

  • Ensure staff welling and staff safety and security related compliance mechanisms are in place.
  • Supervise overall office and premise/compound management.
  • Supervise staff under direct supervision, support staff to perform respective roles and responsibilities, Support and capacitate staff to develop key performance objectives and evaluate achievements.

Competencies

  • 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.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

  • Business Management: Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
  • Business Management: Results Based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
  • Business Management: Partnerships 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.
  • Business Development: UNDP Representation: Ability to represent UNDP and productively\ share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission, and work with various constituencies.
  • 2030 Agenda: Peace: Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: Community engagement for prevention, response, and social cohesion, Conflict Analysis and conflict sensitivity, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration, Restoration of local government capacity (post-crisis), National and sub-national capacities for planning, financing, coordination and crisis management, Sustaining Peace (including financing) peace building and transitions.
  • 2030 Agenda: Prosperity: Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility: Area Based Development, Economic Transition in post-crisis settings, Jobs, and Livelihoods, Forced Displacement Include durable solutions, Reintegration (Refugees/IDPs) and Women’s Economic Empowerment.
  • 2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness: Crisis and Fragility Policy and Engagement: Data/ Analytics for early warning and crisis management, Humanitarian-Development Peace (HDP) Nexus, and Recovery and Peace Building Assessments

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, other social sciences, development studies, project management or related fields of study is required.
  • A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:

At least five years of progressively responsible in implementation and management of multi-donor and multi-sector post-conflict recovery and development programmes/projects at national or international levels is required for advanced university degree holders.

Required skills: 
  • Experience in designing and delivering peace support, post conflict recovery programmes/projects or related areas.
  • Experience in use of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc),
  • Excellent inter-personal skills.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:
  • At least 3 years’ experience working with UNDP and UN system policies and programming.
  • At least 5 years of knowledge and experience working in Tigray or Amhara or Afar regions.
  • Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages will be considered as an asset.
Language
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is a requirement. Fluency in the local language of the duty stations is an asset.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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