Field Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations’ global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Field Specialist

Job Identification: 11122
Location: Sokoto
Job Schedule: Full Time
Contract Duration: 1 year
Vacancy Type: Fixed Term
Practice Area: Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Grade: NPSA-10

Job Description

• Insecurity in the North West (NW) region of Nigeria – especially Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto is characterized by a complex blend of communal conflicts, farmer-herder conflict, armed banditry and organized crime.
• These conflict drivers are further amplified by demographic pressure, relative deprivation, perceptions of economic exclusion and climate-induced risks. While numerous peace agreements and amnesties including in Sokoto and Zamfara provided some short-term stability, violence that resurged in the North West, especially in 2020 poses a significant stability risk to the region and country as a whole.
• In Katsina and Kaduna States for example, organized communal violence and banditry attacks tripled from April to June 2021 and at least 80,150 and 67,192 people respectively are now in IDP camps with many more urbanely displaced.
• UNDP is engaged in the North West of Nigeria through an integrated conflict prevention program comprising of three interrelated projects.
• Firstly, the “Strengthening Local And State Level Peace Architectures For Peacebuilding and Prevention in Katsina and Kaduna States of North West Nigeria Project” with funding from the Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund Project aims to reinforce non-military responses to conflict and insecurity in Kaduna and Katsina States by strengthening existing infrastructures for peace, providing safe spaces for inclusive (inter-and-intra)-community dialogue, enhancing the resilience of communities directly affected by conflict through the provision of psychosocial support and increasing access to sustainable livelihoods.
• The inter-agency project is implemented jointly by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and International Organization for Migration (IOM), with UNDP being the coordinating agency. Additionally, UNDP has entered into a UN-to-UN agreement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR).
• Secondly, to foster resilience against climate and security risks, the North West Climate-Peace Hubs: A Climate Security Approach to Conflict Prevention project, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will through a conflict-sensitive manner contribute towards: 1) improved access to data supporting decision-making for anticipatory actions to climate and conflict risks, 2) increased access conflict sensitive and climate resilient livelihoods and green jobs and 3) strengthened systems and practices for communal management of natural resources.
• The project pilot states are Katsina and Sokoto, with focus on borderland areas.
• Thirdly, the Preventative Action Facility funded by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs catalyses timely, collaborative, and decisive, State led, cross-state and cross-border prevention efforts to the front line states of Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina. The aim is to prevent the region from descending into loss of governance control over large swaths of territory, a possible humanitarian crisis and a new foothold for regional violent extremist actors with grave implications to Nigeria’s security.
• The three projects are interrelated and mutually supplementary, but with different focus areas and approaches.

Scope of Work
Under the direct supervision of the Conflict & Political Economy Specialist, the Field Specialist will be responsible for the following functions and tasks:

Summary of Key Functions:

• Serve as the coordinating focal point for the UNDP engagement in the NW.
• Oversee the implementation of day-to-day activities of the NW intervention.
• Support the development of programme strategies and project activities with strong technical soundness.
• Support knowledge management and information sharing, including monitoring and evaluation, reporting and communications with the interventions in the NW.

Duties and Responsibilities
Serve as the coordinating focal point for the UNDP engagement in the NW:

• Ensure efficient coordination with and between stakeholders, partners and UNDP presence in the NW region and with the Country Office;
• Establish networks among all major stakeholders engaging in the related areas, including the government counterparts, local business associations, community-based organizations, UN agencies and the international community;
• Identify potential partners and interested parties who would contribute to achievement of the project activities;
• Outreach and coordinate with UN agencies and other actors, such as governments, the private sector, and NGOs/CSOs, to create synergies and collaboration for greater positive impacts of the UNDP interventions.

Oversee the implementation of day-to-day activities of the NW intervention:

• Oversee and monitor day-to-day project activities, providing technical support to ensure that project activities are implemented in line with the planned timeline and results. Promptly report to Conflict & Political Economy Specialist, Senior Management in UNDP, and relevant actors whenever issues that require their attention arise;
• Support formulation of a detailed implementation plan of the identified interventions, including potential implementing partners, methodologies, and coordination mechanisms, in accordance with UNDP’s rules and regulations.

Support the development of programme strategies and project activities with strong technical soundness:

• Review analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and provide substantive inputs to the NW projects;
• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned;
• Ensure the integration of conflict and gender sensitive approaches into programme strategies and project activities.

Support knowledge management and information sharing, including monitoring and evaluation, reporting and communications with the interventions in the NW:

• Disseminate analyses of the relevant data and research documents on a regular basis to relevant stakeholders;
• Regularly contribute to reporting and briefings;
• Facilitate and document human interest stories of beneficiaries and develop communication materials.

Institutional Arrangement:

Reporting:

• The Field Specialist would be reporting to the Conflict & Political Economy Specialist.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master’s Degree in International Development / Relations, Economics, Business Management, Political Science, or other relevant field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in peacebuilding, conflict prevention or climate security.
• Experience in a conflict and post conflict environment with knowledge of socio-economic, culture, and community development issues in complex crisis situations is a strong advantage.
• Experience of working in/on the context of Northern Nigeria;
• Experience with diverse projects in complex environments, involving multi-disciplinary teams, broad ranges of stakeholders, and within volatile security situations is strongly preferred.
• Previous coordination or management experience with UNDP and other UN agencies strongly preferred.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
• Data Analysis.
• Monitoring.

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Ability to communicate effectively in Hausa, or any other local language spoken in the NW region is desirable.

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.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
Results-based Management:

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Project Management:

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Evaluation:

• Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks – Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Operations Management:

• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner.
• Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms.

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, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations.

Integration within the UN:

• 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.

Deadline: 16th June, 2023 (04:59 AM).

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

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.
• 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.
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