Early Recovery Area Coordinator at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Borno

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

We invite applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the position below:

Job Title: Early Recovery Area Coordinator (Multiple positions)

Job ID:  14971
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Grade: SB4
Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)
Contract Duration: Initial duration of 1 year
   
Background
The North East in Nigeria, which includes the six states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe has a combined population of almost 19 million and has been under insurgency attacks since 2009. The population accounts for about 13.5 percent of the national population (2006 Census). On 14th May, 2013, the Federal Government, in response to the growing spate of violence unleashed by the Boko Haram sect on citizens declared a State of Emergency in the 3 north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. 
 
The upsurge in terrorist activities of the Islamist sect in northern Nigeria, especially in the North East geo-political zone, has resulted in huge loss of lives, wanton destruction of properties and disregard for the sovereignty of the Nigerian state as evidenced in an earlier situation where the group was in control of more than 12 Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Borno State in 2014. The combined insurgency and counter-insurgency activities in the region have had considerable negative effect on the people, such as mass displacement of the people, crippled socio-economic activities, livelihoods, food supplies, communication and worsened an already debilitating health delivery services.  The displaced population are returning to their natural habitants but lack every basic necessities of lives including food and non-food times, shelter, sanitation and sustainable means of livelihoods.
 
UNDP has supported the government to design and implement recovery projects which ensures linkage to the immediate humanitarian efforts with longer term sustainable development. Within UNDP’s recovery approach, emergency employment, immediate livelihoods recovery projects provided immediate jobs and livelihoods for the affected population, as well as, the wider local economy.
 
To effectively address the needs of North-East Nigeria through a consolidated early recovery response, UNDP has established a Sub Office in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno and launched a umblella early recovery progarmme, covering Borno, Yobe, Adamawa states
 
Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the guidance of the Head of UNDP Sub-office in NE Nigeria and direct supervision of the Early Recovery Programme Coordinator, the Early Recovery Area Coordinator is delegated the responsibility for achievement of programme results in his/her assigned geographic area of responsibility.
• Within agreed constraints in the detailed work plan the ER Area Coordinator is fully accountable for the achievement of substantive and/or geographic programme outputs and oversees a Programme Associate (when applicable).

Summary of Key Functions:

• Ensures day-to-day management of programme activities in his/her assigned substantive and/or geographic programme outputs;
• Reports to ER Programme Coordinator on the achievement of project outputs, feeds into project/programme reports and into communications results of UNDP Nigeria;
• Ensures that the programme produces the ER results specified in project documents, to the required standard of quality and within specified constraints of time and cost within his/her area; and
• Suggests activities in her / his area for the annual project work plan and contributes to overall ER programme development as well as resource mobilization

Ensures day-to-day management of programme activities in his/her assigned substantive and/or geographic programme outputs:

• Liaises and collaborates with relevant counterparts and target groups in specific locations in the three targeted states
• Details and implements ER programme components and outputs for the benefit of IDPs as well as communities
• Ensures full alignment and complementarity of UNDP’s ER efforts with those of national counterparts, sister UN Agencies and other institutions and individuals in the target areas
• Monitors and supervises the work of contracted parties and individuals for specific substantive or geographic outputs
• Ensures full compliance with UNDP rules and regulations of all ER activities for specific substantive or geographic outputs.

Reports to ER Programme Coordinator on the achievement of project outputs, feeds into project/programme reports and into communications results of UNDP:

• Reports on UNDP’s ER activities, accomplishments and results as per formats, milestones and other requirements for specific substantive or geographic outputs
• Contributes to sub-office reporting towards counterparts and humanitarian clusters for UNDP
• Certifies completion of specific works and services as conducted by contractors as part of specific substantive or geographic outputs
• Produces stories, editorials, audio-visual and other materials in support of UNDP communications efforts furthering ER in the three targeted states.

Ensures that the programme produces the ER results specified in project documents, to the required standard of quality and within specified constraints of time and cost within his/her area:

• Implements and monitors the high quality of UNDP’s programmatic work in specific substantive or geographic outputs
• Works laterally with other UNDP ER Area Coordinators to discuss approaches, learn lessons, exchange experiences and improve UNDP ER programming and operations across board
• Conceives and supports a range of partnerships for the benefit of UNDP’s ER activities with state and local governments, non-traditional leaders and institutions, research and volunteer organizations, UN Agencies and non-governmental actors of all sorts
• Suggests and advances areas for improvement of the UNDP ER programme for further incorporation into further proposals and concepts.

Suggests activities in her / his area for the annual project work plan and contributes to overall ER programme development as well as resource mobilization:

• Contributes to discussion and documentation on lessons learnt and best practices towards furthering the UNDP ER business case;
• Contributes to the conception and drafting of project and programme concepts, proposals and budgets for new and expanded ER programming;
• Advocates UNDP’s achievements and experiences to wider audiences, in the targeted areas and beyond;
• Contributes to resource mobilization efforts of UNDP.

Impact of Results

• The key results have an impact on creation of effective positioning of UNDP as a key actor in early recovery in the NE of Nigeria, thus contributing to the stature and name of UNDP as UN’s global development network.
• In particular, the key results have an impact on implementation of UNDP early substantive recovery strategies with a view to delivering on-ground UNDP’s early recovery programmes and projects, as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

• Building Partnerships
• 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
• 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
• Develops awareness of the various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Fundamental knowledge of own discipline:

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets; manage contributions and investments; manage transactions; and conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery.
• Possesses  knowledge of organizational policies and procedures and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates the same in his/her work
• 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
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

• 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

Design and Implementation of Management Systems:

• Research and analysis and making recommendations on management systems
• Make recommendations relative to work-processing approaches and procedures which would lead to more efficient systems design

Client Orientation:

• 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
• Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

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

Core Competencies:

• 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

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master's degree in any of the Social Sciences/Humanities or any development related field

Experience:

• At least 4 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in development programming, programme coordination or project implementation.
• Experience implementing early recovery programmes in communities in North East Nigeria
• Experience in participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation and reporting 
• Previous experience with a multilateral or international organization, notably with UNDP, is highly desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, good knowledge and experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Hausa and/or another language used in the NE of Nigeria.

Application Closing Date
22nd March, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online