Project Specialist

Job Description

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Somalia is undergoing a critical phase of state-building underpinned by complex and interwoven processes of reconciliation, federalization, constitutional development, and collaborative governance requiring negotiated settlement on the allocation of power and distribution of resources coupled with the urgency of preventive and mitigatory measures for recurrent political and communal conflicts. Responding to these contextual needs/dynamics and building on the key achievements, lessons learned, and institutional partnerships secured through recently concluded Reconciliation and Federalism Support (ReFS) program, a multiyear- successor project has been launched under the title of SOOMAALIYA LOO DHANYAHAY (Inclusive Somalia) aimed at deepening the organic processes of state-building with focus on (a) federal framework, (b) political and social reconciliation and (c) collaborative governance in Somalia. The State-building and Reconciliation Support Program (SRSP) is primarily an intergovernmental support project engaging FGS and FMS line ministries, departments, and institutions and forging strong interlinkages with civil society, women, youth, minority groups, and conflict-prone communities by pursuing the principles of adaptive and iterative state-building, peace-building and collaborative governance in Somalia. The Project will do so by supporting institutional development and strengthening policy, planning, and programmatic linkages in a strategic and catalytic manner, complementary to other ongoing or planned efforts, shaping the structure and scope of core government functions and context-sensitive service delivery model(s) in a dynamic environment.

Under the overall guidance of the Inclusive Politics Portfolio, the Project will be implemented jointly with the UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and UNDP under the leadership of the OSRSG to leverage its Good Offices role and convening power to mediate political agreements and build on the National Consultative Council (NCC) insights/agreements and new Government’s strategic directions on state-building, reconciliation, and collaborative governance. The Project has been designed to deepen the strategic, technical, and institutional support to the FGS, FMSes, and civil society actors with the following four integrated thematic Outputs:

Output 1: Improved policy, planning and programmatic linkages for the effective implementation of national reconciliation and collaborative governance at FGS, FMS, and District levels

Output 2: Processes of consensus building on federal framework and mechanism(s) for intergovernmental relations between and within FGS and FMSes are strengthened and the capacity of civil society for policy advocacy and public accountability is enhanced

Output 3: Operationalization of allocation of power is supported and institutional capacity enhanced on ‘functional unbundling’ and development of sector-specific governance frameworks at FGS, FMS and District levels

Output 4: Operationalization/outreach of an inclusive legal identification eco-system sensitive to the social contract is enhanced and national/regional counterparts are operationally equipped to deliver their institutional mandates effectively and efficiently

The SRSP counterparts include the Federal Ministry of Interior, Federal Affair & Reconciliation (MOIFAR) as the co-signatory from the Federal Government of Somalia, and the following would be the core implementing partners: Office of the Prime Minister (OPM); Federal Ministry of Interior, Federal Affair & Reconciliation (MOIFAR); National Identity and Registration Authority (NIRA) Ministry of Interior Federal Affairs & Reconciliation, Galmudug; Jubbaland Ministry of Interior, Federalism and Reconciliation(MOIFR); Office of the President/Ministry of Interior, Southwest (OoP, MoI, Southwest State); Office of the President, Ministry of Interior/Reconciliation Hirshabelle (OoP, MoI/R Hirshabelle); Puntland Ministry of Federal Affairs and Democratization (MOIFAD); and civil society organizations including NGOs and INGOs.

The Project Specialist will assist in managing and coordinating SRSP Project implementation activities across the five Federal Member States (FMSes) respectively. Within agreed upon delegation concerning the implementation of the work plan, the RPOs will be fully accountable for the delivery and coordination of project activities and the achievement of project outputs in the respective FMSes.

Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of key functions:

Contribute to coordinated, coherent, and efficient workflow processes for smooth implementation of the project at the area level.
Contribute to effective and efficient management of project financial resources at the area level.
Ensure effective and efficient procurement and logistical support services at the area level.
Build and optimize partnerships with the area-level project RPs, civil society organizations, and other partners.
Support to resource mobilization, donor reporting and coordination at the area level.

Detailed functions and duties:

Contribute to coordinated, coherent, and efficient workflow processes for smooth implementation of the project at the area level:

Working with other teams, provide support in the monitoring of project activities to assess overall project implementation with respect to project objectives, outputs, and indicators.
Remain abreast of the Capacity Development trends and applied concepts, advising on the possible new opportunities for intervention and associated risks.
Remain abreast of conceptual basis and technical advancements for programming, more specifically in the conceptual areas related to reconciliation, peacebuilding, and state development.
Monitor the project work plans, project effectiveness, and achievement of results and provide inputs to the Strategic Results Framework and Results Oriented Annual Report.
Ensure the highest possible quality of delivery and ensure value for money.
Participate in all internal and external (coordination) meetings representing the project at the area level.
Improve/establish communication and coordination mechanisms and procedures amongst the various stakeholders.
Manage and monitor identified project risks and update the status of these risks.
Foster policies and partnerships and promote gender equality for enhanced programmatic results and other development standards as per UNDP’s corporate multi-year strategy.
Ensure that all programming is founded on Rights Based approach and that project resources are used in a balanced way and are “conflict-sensitive,” ensures adherence to the Do-No-Harm principle and any joint UN operating principles in Somalia relevant to the programme area.
Ensure the integration of cross-cutting issues, such as gender, HIV/AIDS, peacebuilding, human rights, and ICT, into the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the programme.
Keep the Project Manager abreast of emerging project issues.

Contribute to effective and efficient management of project financial resources at the area level:

In close consultation with the SRSP programme and operations teams and other relevant units in the UNDP, contribute to the elaboration of budgets for all activities in the project and portfolio and the continuous monitoring of project work plans at the area level.
Ensure integrity of financial and administrative operations in the project through oversight of financial and budgetary aspects of the projects.
Ensure RPs/counterparts compliance with UNDP rules and regulations and the implementation of clear accountability mechanisms throughout the project portfolio.
Participate in internal control mechanisms for adherence to UNDP rules and regulations in contracts, assets, procurement and recruitment.
Support the development of agreements for the government and NGO counterparts in the forms of LoAs / LVGs / Responsible Party Agreements.
Monitor activities of partners closely, feeding challenges back to Project management.

Ensure effective and efficient procurement and logistical support services at the area level:

Liaise regularly with all UNDP counterparts, government authorities, UNSAS, and other stakeholders.
Ensure project compliance with corporate human resources policies and strategies.
Ensure project compliance with corporate rules and regulations in the field and management of procurement processes and logistical services.
Support the international and national consultants (where applicable) with technical and logistical guidance.
Oversee agreements with implementing partners and counterparts to ensure objectives are met.
Ensure monitoring and evaluation of the projects, including regular field visits and support to the organization of the Project Board and reports on project progress and constraints.
Coordinate and cooperate with initiatives of other sections of the UNDP country office.
Advocate for UNDP with government counterparts, donor community, and the UN.

Build and optimize partnerships with the area-level project RPs, civil society organizations, and other partners:

Establish and maintain good working relationships with project RPs, key stakeholders, local authorities, non-government organizations, academia, and private sectors.
Ensure understanding of project goals, approaches, and expected results by key partners at the area level through awareness-raising initiatives and dissemination of information.
Through various interventions (meetings, presentations, negotiations, etc.), ensure the project buy-in from critical partners at the area level.
Provide liaison support for the project management on the field and the related partners.
Maintain collaboration and coordination with low-value grant (LVG) beneficiaries under the project to ensure programmatic integration and sharing of best practices.
Contribute to internal communication and coordination at the project level with relevant CO units (both programme and operations units).

Contribute to resource mobilization, donor reporting, and coordination at the area level:

Contribute to the identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the Project for organizational sharing and learning;
Actively participate in the knowledge networks and take advantage of best practices and lessons learned that are available at the zonal, national, regional, and global levels;
Support capacity-building of national counterparts;
Promote a knowledge-sharing and learning culture in the area office
Actively participate in the strategy meetings, giving expert-level technical guidance where and when required.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy

• Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.

• Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wide rapplication.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Institutional Arrangement

The RPOs will work under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager of the SRSP project and will work in close collaboration with the UNDP Programme Oversight and Quality Assurance Unit (POQA) in the country office, IP Portfolio Operations Specialist and project team, UNDP counterparts. Additionally, s/he will work with staff of the other UN agencies to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

Skills and Qualifications
Competencies CoreAchieve 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 (insert up to 7 competencies)Thematic AreaNameDefinitionBusiness Direction & StrategySystem Thinking

Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business DevelopmentKnowledge Generation and Facilitation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Business ManagementResults-based Management

Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results
Business ManagementProject Management

Ability to plan, organize]e, prioriti]e and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals
Business ManagementPartnerships 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 ManagementCommunication

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
Partnerships ManagementStrategic Engagement

Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives
Required Skills and Experience Min. Education requirements

Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Peace, Conflict and Security, Economics, Business Administration, Political or Social Science, Law, International Studies, Development Studies, or any other field is required. OR

A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in-combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience

Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national/international level n providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, and/or leading and managing projects.
Required skills

Proven track record of successfully assuming responsibilities of similar size and complexity
Technical expertise in community security, social cohesion, peace and/or conflict and/or other directly related fields
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages;
Experience in reasonable understating of social media management.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Earlier experience of working in partnership with the UN, in particular with UNDP, will be preferred.
Solid experience in result-based management, project management, and monitoring and evaluation is an asset.
Demonstrated experience in excellent networking and partnering competencies and negotiating skills.
Proven records of ability to draft high-quality progress reports and concept notes
Experience in administrative, operations, and logistics support and financial and administrative controls.
Required Language(s)

Fluency in written and oral English and Somali is required.
How to apply
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