Background:

UNDP vision and approach: helping to achieve the 2030 Agenda across diverse development contexts

The primary role of UNDP is to support country-led efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. UNDP is anchored in diverse and effective partnerships, which are vital to the two critical roles at country level: (a) as an integrator across policy, programmatic and organizational silos; and (b) as an operational backbone for the United Nations and other partners.

UNDP support programme countries in their efforts to successfully address diverse development challenges, from addressing basic development needs to achieving structural transformations for sustainable development, and preventing and recovering from shocks, crises and conflicts by strengthening development pathways.

All countries are seeking new ways to address complex and interconnected challenges such as shocks from crises, economic stagnation, inequality and poverty, providing access to clean and affordable energy or mitigating and adapting to climate change. UNDP aims to develop integrated responses to these issues through signature solutions, using the three sets of development settings above as frames to tailor the response to specific country needs and demands.

UNDP Strategic Plan, 2018-2021 outlines the support to programme countries in achieving the 2030 Agenda. The Strategic Plan proposes a series of signature solutions that can be combined and configured to respond to the development settings outlined above. Each signature solution is applicable across the contexts of the three development settings, with differentiated approaches in each.

• Signature solution 1: Keeping people out of poverty.
• Signature solution 2: Strengthen effective, inclusive and accountable governance.
• Signature solution 3: Enhance national prevention and recovery capacities for resilient societies.
• Signature solution 4: Promote nature-based solutions for a sustainable planet.
• Signature solution 5: Close the energy gap.
• Signature solution 6: Strengthen gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Post-Specific Context

Under the overall guidance and the supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative – Programme (ARR-P) the Programme Analyst is responsible for the management of UNDP’s Sustainable Development portfolio in the Country Office in El Salvador. This portfolio includes programmes and projects on sustainable development, resilience, social investment, social policy, employment and poverty reduction. The Programme Analyst supports the programme team’s efforts in the strategic planning and the identification of new programme opportunities within these thematic areas while ensuring consistency with United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDSCF) / Country Programme Document (CPD) priorities and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Programme Analyst analyzes social, environmental and economic trends and leads formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within his/her portfolio. He/she contributes to policy dialogue with the government counterparts providing policy advisory services as well as supporting the identification of top-notch national and international environmental and social policy practitioners to further this dialogue. He/she is UNDPs thematic focal point for Environmental Sustainability and Vulnerability and advises Government on technical support to access climate financing.

El Salvador is amongst the 10 countries of the world with highest risk for natural disasters. In case of an earthquake, hurricane etc the incumbent will technically coordinate UNDPs work on humanitarian response and post-disaster recovery.

The Programme Analyst supervises and guides programme support staff, coordinates activities of the projects’ staff as they relate to her/his portfolio. She/he works in close collaboration with UNDP´s programme staff, the operations team, programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and trust funds as well as civil society ensuring successful UNDP programme implementation.

The incumbent will contribute to the promotion and observation of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2021 particularly with regard to the mainstreaming of HIV and gender equality in all programmes and projects under her/his management. Given that women are disproportionately impacted by climate change and disasters, both through loss of livelihood and physical harm, and they also play central roles in rebuilding homes and communities after disasters special focus will be given to the integration of policies that support women’s involvement in key disaster risk reduction initiatives.  These would include early warning, contingency planning and long-term recovery to build community resilience and ensure that gender-specific needs and concerns are addressed.

The Programme Analyst also supports the identification of emerging opportunities for resource mobilization with external donors and trust funds as they relate to areas of Resilience and Sustainable Development while leading and providing guidance in the development of internal and external knowledge networks of practitioners in these thematic areas.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Implementation of programme strategies on Resilience and Sustainable Development
• Management of the Country Office thematic programme.
• Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization and communication strategy. 
• Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management
• Coordinates the recovery work of UNDP in case of a natural disaster

1.  Ensures implementation of programme strategies in the Resilience and Sustainable Development programmatic portfolio, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs to programmatic instruments.
• Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned, especially in the areas of global warming, deforestation, greenhouse effect,  etc., as well as the identification of new innovative technologies and policies to overcome these challenges especially on disaster prevention.
• Design of new initiatives and project proposals in the above sectoral areas in line with the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2016-2020 of UNDP El Salvador;
• The incumbent is UNDPs focal point in its role as technical secretariat of the National Council for Environmental Sustainability and Vulnerability and advises Government on technical support to access climate financing.
• The incumbent will contribute to the promotion and observation of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy particularly with regard to the mainstreaming of HIV and gender equality in all programmes and projects under her/his management. Special focus will be given to the integration of policies that support women’s involvement in key disaster risk reduction initiatives.  These would include early warning, contingency planning and long-term recovery to build community resilience and ensure that gender-specific needs and concerns are addressed.

2.       Ensures effective management of the Country Office programme within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation of the country programme achieving the following results:

• Effective application of Results-based management tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results.
• Design and formulation of Country Office programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones.
• Initiation of a project, presentation of the project to PAC, entering project into Atlas (in small offices), finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review. Programme Analyst can perform functions of Manager Level 1 in Atlas for Purchase Orders and vouchers approval, participates in recruitment processes for projects.
• Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of NEX projects.
• Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
• Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.

3.       Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization and communication strategy in cooperation with the Management Support and Policy Research and Innovation Teams focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities. Of particular importance is the management of relationships with the Global Environment Facility, its Smalls Grants Programme, in close coordination with National, Regional and Global Coordinators of these Trust Funds and initiatives.
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs in close collaboration with Academia and top-notch practitioners, on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.
• Actively identify and implement opportunities for public communication of programme activities and results
• Mobilize resource in support of the new project proposals to be designed under this assignment as well as other regional initiatives on Resilience and Sustainable Development.

4.       Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals.
• Support to development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice with particular attention to best practices published in social networks such as Teamworks, Fusion, Twitter etc.
• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the success of country programme within the area of Resilience and Sustainable Development. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets in line with the country programme.

Functional Competencies:            

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda

Level 1.2: Preparing information for advocacy

• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate and comparative advantages.
• Actively identifies and implements opportunities for public communication of programme activities and results

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

Level 1.2: Contributes into results through primary research and analysis

• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
• Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation
• Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development
• Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly

Building Strategic Partnerships

Level 1.2:  Maintaining a network of contacts

• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
• Establishes and nurtures positive communication with partners

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Level 1.2: Basic research and analysis

• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
• Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Level 1.2: Fundamental knowledge of own discipline

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Analyzes the requirements and synthesizes proposals
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

Level 1.2: Basic research and analysis

• Researches and documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system
• Demonstrates ability to diagnose problems and identifies and communicates processes to support change initiatives
• Gathers and analyses feedback from staff

Design And Implementation of Management Systems

Level 1.2: Research and analysis and making recommendations on management systems

• Maintains information/databases on system design features
• Develops simple system components

Client Orientation

Level 1.2: Establishing effective client relationships

• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
• Actively supports the interests of the client by making choices and setting priorities to meet their needs
• Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

Level 1.2: Basic monitoring

• Gathers, analyses and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity  
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

UNDP Certification programmes Prince2, RMG

Education:  

Master of Science in Natural Resources Management, Environmental Management, Climate Change Studies, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics, or related field.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management and substantive advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects in the fields of Resilience and Sustainable Development.
• Experience/exposure working in UNDP thematic areas such as sustainable development, environmental and natural resources management, private sector development or climate change/DRR will be deemed a distinctive advantage.
• Experience in the usage of computers and familiarity in handling of web-based management systems including social networking tools (Teamworks, Yammer).
• Experience with international development agencies (bilateral, multilateral or NGOs) would be desirable.

Language Requirements:        

Fluency in Spanish and English is required

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension