Job Identification : 13787

Locations : New York, United States

Posting Date : 10/03/2023, 12:35 PM

Apply Before : 10/07/2023, 03:59 AM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : IPSA-9

Vacancy Type : International Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions

Bureau : Bureau for Management Services

Contract Duration : 1 Year

Education & Work Experience : Master’s Degree – 2 year(s) experience OR Bachelor’s Degree – 4 year(s) experience

Other Criteria : Demonstrated experience in supporting the design, monitoring and evaluation of peacebuilding programming is desired

Required Languages : Fluency in English

Desired Languages : Fluency in another official UN language

Vacancy Timeline

2 Weeks

Job Description

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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.

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), as part of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), is the organization’s financial instrument of first resort to sustain peace in countries or situations at risk or affected by violent conflict. It addresses critical gaps for sustaining peace before, during and after conflict. The PBF 2020-2024 Strategy aims to invest over $1.5 billion in at least 40 countries over this period. This objective is driven by increased demand for peacebuilding funding as well as the UN system-wide efforts in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Financing provided by the PBF plays a critical role in improving coherence across the humanitarian, development and peace and security pillars. The PBF builds on its unique role as a timely, catalytic and risk-tolerant financing instrument to reinforce the reforms in three ways: i) driving cohesion of UN strategies in conflict situations in support of nationally-led efforts, through joint analysis, planning and implementation; ii) enabling strong integrated support from the broad set of organizational tools at HQ and in the field; and iii) strengthening partnerships, particularly with the Peacebuilding Commission, the World Bank and other international financial institutions, as well as the (sub-)regional organizations.

The PBF Secretariat manages the fund’s governance, programming and quality assurance processes. This includes robust design, monitoring and evaluation (DM&E), as well as knowledge management and learning, related to PBF-funded programmes. The PBF’s DM&E approach is a key part of the fund management to ensure accountability and inform decision-making. The PBF’s Strategy 2020-24 sets out key commitments in this regard. The PBF Secretariat’s DM&E Unit has the the following key responsibilities

a) Design and Strategic Planning: Supports project design via Programme Support Team (PST) roster of consultants, and provides guidance on the development of five-year country Strategic Results Frameworks (SRFs).

b) Monitoring and Reporting: Provides guidance to projects on Community-Based Monitoring (CBM) initiatives, provides portfolio-level monitoring guidance, supports the management of the PBF project-level bi-annual reporting, and leads on Fund-wide reporting to donors and DPPA upon demand.

c) Evaluation: Responsible for PBF global evaluations (e.g. Synthesis Reviews, Cohort Evaluations of smaller projects), country-level portfolio evaluative exercises (e.g. Evaluability Assessments, Lessons Learned Exercises, Portfolio Evaluations, Strategic Reviews), co-chairs the UN Evaluation Group’s (UNEG) Peacebuilding Working Group, manages external Evaluation Quality Assessment (EQA) processes, and supports tracking of decentralized project-level evaluations.

d) Knowledge Management and Learning: Manages Thematic Reviews, guidance notes, and other knowledge products such as programmatic tip sheets; oversees the Programme Support Team roster of consultants as well as the PBF Community of Practice to drive learning across the PBF, its fund recipients and implementing partners; and contributes to knowledge management and learning workflow across PBSO and DPPA units.

Scope of work

The purpose of this assignment is to support the management of PBF DM&E activities, including production of knowledge products and facilitation of learning processes. The primary focus will be placed on managing three Thematic Reviews (on Human Rights and Peacebuilding to be finalized by December 2023; on Youth, Peace and Security to be commissioned by the Fall 2023; and a third exercise with the topic to be determined), as well as to produce additional knowledge products and facilitate learning processes. The incumbent will contribute to the following key deliverables of the PBF Secretariat: 1. PBF-commissioned evaluations: The PBF Secretariat manages some evaluative exercises directly, including portfolio evaluations conducted by independent consultants or contractors. The PBF Secretariat is not responsible for project end evaluations but may support these.

2. Thematic Reviews: Thematic Reviews are part of PBSO’s commitment to contributing to the general peacebuilding knowledge base, as well as to continuous learning and improvement of PBF’s decision-making and programmatic guidance. Thematic Reviews aim to address two avenues of inquiry. First, they examine global trends, including policy debates and theoretical underpinnings, as well as programmatic approaches by other practitioners and donors on a given peacebuilding theme. Second, Thematic Reviews take stock of PBF-funded projects on a given theme with the purpose of understanding good practices and areas for programming improvement, assessing results and lessons-learned, and guiding future investments in this theme. These exercises are led by independent consultants for the duration of one year. Thematic Reviews are always conducted in partnership with other relevant actors, with PBF retaining the responsibility of providing coordination services on behalf of all managing partners.

In October 2022, the PBF has commissioned a Thematic Review on Human Rights and Peacebuilding in partnership with OHCHR and Switzerland and led by the UN University’s Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR), which is expected to be published by December 2023, with strategic communications and dissemination efforts to follow in early 2024. Two additional Thematic Reviews are expected for the remainder of the PBF strategy period (2023-2024), with one focused on Youth, Peace and Security. Knowledge Management Specialist will be responsible for providing day-to-day coordination, guidance and quality assurance support to Thematic Reviews, maintaining regular communication with consultants, Review partners, and external Peer Reference Groups.

3. Community of Practice: The PBF Community of Practice (COP) consists of PBF Secretariat staff and the main PBF in-country focal points, including PBF Coordinators and M&E Officers, as well as Peace and Development Advisers and other UN Resident Coordinator’s Offices’ staff. It is a key forum to facilitate learning on programming, monitoring and evaluation. Knowledge Management Specialist will be the primary responsible coordinator of the COP.

4. Guidance Notes: PBF develops guidance notes and programmatic tip sheets for country programming ensuring constant review, as well as quality assurance, translation, design, dissemination and follow up. These draw on PBF practice and learning including those gleaned from evaluations. Guidance notes and similar resources can be focused on certain themes of programming (climate-security, hate speech) or be more technical (on gender marker, project evaluations, etc.). These resources can either be produced by independent consultants (supervised by the PBF DM&E Unit), or written by the PBF DM&E Unit in consultation with other parts of PBSO, DPPA and the UN system at large.

5. Gender-responsive budgeting: Since 2017, the PBF set an internal target of 30% to be allocated to gender-responsive investments annually, which the Fund has met or exceeded every year since, approving a record 47 per cent both in 2021 and 2022. Fund-wide Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) financial allocation is calculated on the basis of GEWE allocations per each project approved a given year. This is typically performed by a small group at PBF HQ comprised of the PBSO Gender Adviser, PBF Gender and Youth Promotion Initiatives Coordinator, Knowledge Management Specialist, and Programme Officer.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Knowledge Management Specialist will be responsible for the following deliverables:

•  Provide administrative support for the management of evaluative exercises such as portfolio evaluations, including administration of related consultancies through the PBF’s Programme Support Team surge roster.
•  Manage the commissioning, implementation, completion and publication of all ongoing and new Thematic Reviews and facilitate the dissemination of key findings and recommendations.
•  Coordinate the PBF Community of Practice on a daily basis, including by managing email listserve and WhatsApp and Yammer groups, and organizing learning exchanges for the COP, such as virtual quarterly thematic sessions, open forums, and DM&E training, to incentivize cross-fertilization of knowledge among PBF Secretariats and funds’ recipients.
•  Produce knowledge products such as programmatic tip sheets and guidance notes based on the priority topics identified by the PBF senior management.
•  Support in reviewing Gender Marker and GEWE financial allocation based on the quality of gender-sensitivity or gender-responsiveness in PBF’s work.
•  Support the preparation of training materials for PBF on thematic areas and Monitoring and Evaluation.
•  Support data aggregation for PBF’s external reporting requirements within DPPA and to donors.
•  Timely respond to PBSO front office’s and DPPA’s ad-hoc requests for qualitative examples of PBF programming.
•  Assist with relevant workflows informing the annual Secretary-Generaly Report on the PBF, Synthesis Review, and Community-Based Monitoring and Evaluation pilots, among others.

Institutional Arrangements:

The incumbent will be expected to work remotely, reporting directly to the Senior Adviser and Deputy Chief of the Peacebuilding Fund, working in close consultation with the Senior M&E Advisor.

Competencies

Core:

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Business Management

Project Management

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

Digital & Innovation

Data storytelling and communications

Skilled in building a narrative around a set of data and its accompanying visualizations to help convey the meaning of that data in a powerful and compelling fashion

2030 Agenda: Peace

Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions

Infrastructure for Peace

203 Agenda: People

Gender

Gender Issues and Analysis

Business Management

Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience;

Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

•  A master’s degree in international relations, peace and conflict studies, human rights, gender studies or other relevant discipline from a recognized university or a Bachelor’s degree in the same field with additional two years of experience in lieu of Master’s degree.

Experience:

•  Two years of experience (Master) and four years (Bachelor) in peacebuilding or related field; and experience in knowledge management and learning, including management of research projects, is required.

Desired skills:

•  Demonstrated experience in supporting the design, monitoring and evaluation of peacebuilding programming is desired.
•  Experience in managing partnerships with UN entities, civil society organizations, government officials and other relevant stakeholders within the peacebuilding community is desired.
•  Familiarity with the Peacebuilding Fund or the Peacebuilding Support Office is desired.
•  Excellent written and oral communication skills, including in cross-cultural contexts, as well as strong teamwork skills are desired.

Language:

•  Fluency in English is required.
•  Fluency in another official UN language is a strong asset.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

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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