Background
UNDPโs Project of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) was established through a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1978, calling upon UNDP โto improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian peopleโ. Since its establishment, UNDP/PAPP has delivered over USD 1.7 billion in development assistance to the Palestinian People.
UNDPโs Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2023-2025 sets out a vision of โa world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free societyโ. ย The PPF is centred around the concept of โTransformative Resilienceโ and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership.
Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian national development plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas: ย i) democratic governance and quality services; ii) inclusive economic opportunities; iii) sustainable natural resources management.
Against the backdrop of the war and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, UNDP/PAPP has developed an integrated emergency response and early recovery programme to address the urgent needs of the Palestinian people. Since October 2023, UNDP/PAPP has been working closely with UN, NGO, local and national partners to provide immediate support the affected population in Gaza across three priorities: 1) critical services and infrastructure, including access to clean water, solid waste management, dignified transitional shelter, and debris removal; 2) emergency employment and support to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and 3) support to civil society organisations (CSOs) for multi-sectoral community services and social cohesion.
The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Head of the Gaza Sub-Office. S/he will provide overall strategic planning and coordination support related to programmatic and operational activities in response to the war in Gaza, including quality assurance and coordination for the Inclusive Transitional Community Neighborhoods (ITCN) Project. Through an integrated area-based approach, the ITCN project aims to address basic human needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Gaza Strip. As such, this cross-cutting project covers multiple programmatic pillars and operational workstreams simultaneously, requiring dedicated capacities for strategic planning and quality assurance, as well as maintaining strong relations with government and donor partners. The ITCN project will pilot scalable models of transitional community neighborhoods, integrating dignified transitional housing solutions with essential services, with a focus on women-headed households and those with persons with disabilities. Through its integrated approach, the project not only provides immediate shelter but also restores access to public and social services, livelihoods as well as community mobilizing and psycho-social support initiatives. Ultimately, the project seeks to contribute toward restoring dignified living conditions and lay the foundation for communities to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.ย
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Position Purpose
Under the Supervision of the Head of the Gaza Sub-Office, s/he will support the strategic planning and coordination of programmatic and operational activities in response to the war in Gaza. ย The Programme Specialist will support the management of day-to-day operations of the Programme and operational activities in the Gaza Sub-Office, to ensure a coherent team as well as timely and high-quality delivery of results. ย
As part of this function, the Programme Specialist will provide quality assurance and undertake strategic planning, partner management and coordination for the integrated ITCN project.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages acrossย
interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions,ย
teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
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Duties and Responsibilities
1.)ย ย ย Advise and support with strategic planning and coordination of programme and operational activities in the Gaza Sub-Office:
Promotes and undertakes strategic planning and coordination of programme and operational activities across all thematic pillars related to the response to the war in Gaza.ย Supports overall coordination across the Gaza Sub-Office, toย ensure deliverables are produced on time andย aligned with UNDP quality standards, collaborating closely with programming and operational colleagues. Undertakes quality assurance and overall coordination and planning for the ITCN project.ย Assists with ensuring proper implementation of programmes and operations in the Gaza Strip, based on continuous monitoring and analysis. ย Support the preparation of workplans, establish priorities, timelines and targets.2.)ย ย ย ย Contribute to overall monitoring and assessment of the operating environment Gaza, maintaining strong relations with UNDP/PAPP colleagues and project counterparts in the Gaza Stripย
Contributes to overall monitoring and assessment of the operating environment Gaza. Maintaining strong relations with UNDP/PAPP colleagues and project counterparts in the Gaza Strip. Under the guidance of the Head of the Gaza Sub-Office, assists with monitoring (a) the most critical needs, response capacities, access situation, operational environment and applicable security issues and (b) implementation progress of the programmes in the Gaza Strip, including for the ITCN project.ย Maintains regular contact with UNDP/PAPP colleagues in West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as project and programme counterparts in the Gaza Strip.ย Conduct assessment missions to the Gaza Strip, in line with UNDP staff safety and security regulations, to establish and maintain relationships and collect first-hand information on operating environment.3.)ย ย ย ย Foster partnership building and contribute to resource mobilization
Contribute to overall partnerships and resource mobilization efforts of UNDP/PAPP, in close collaboration with the Programme Units at the CO level. Support overall partnership efforts and resource mobilization in support of UNDP/PAPPโs response to the war in Gaza, including for the ITCN project.ย Establish and maintain good working relations with Governments and donor partners, including related to the policy planning and donor coordination for the ITCN project.ย Draft / review high-quality concept notes, proposals and other partnership materials.4.)ย ย ย ย Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management
Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals. Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks, implement relevant, high -impact advocacy with key partners. Coordinate and ensure integrated support in development of policies and institutions to address country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partnersThe incumbent performs any other duties agreed to within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Manage and supervise ITCN Programme Manager -NPSA10.
Competencies
Core Competencies:Achieve Results:ย LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
Think Innovatively:ย LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously:ย LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
Adapt with Agility:ย LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination:ย LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
Engage and Partner:ย LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:ย LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross-Functional & Technical CompetenciesBusiness Direction and Strategy-System Thinking:ย 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 Management-Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizationโs programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness: Systems and tools for managing risk.
2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness: Programming (PPM) policies and procedures.
2030 Agenda: Prosperity & Recovery Solutions Human Mobility: Resilience: Community-Based Resilience Building.
Partnership Managementย &ย ย Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.
Business Developmentย & 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.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
An advanced university degree (masterโs degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Social Sciences or related area is required. OR A first-level university degree (bachelorโs degree or equivalent)ย in the above-mentioned fields of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Experience:
Minimum of 5 years (with a masterโs degree) or 7 years (with a bachelorโs degree) of relevant experienceย in coordination, programming support andย partnership building, especially for crisis settings is required. Experience at the national level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation and quality assurance of development projects is required. Demonstrated experience and solid understanding of UNDPโs programmatic areas of intervention in post-crisis and recovery settingsย is desired.ย Experience and solid knowledge of integrated area-based approaches in crisis settings is desired. Previous experience on partnership and resource mobilization is desired. Experience in the usage of office software packages, and handling of web-based management systems is desired. Proven experience in handling multi-sectoral coordination among professionals and regional teams isย desired. Policy, advisory and advocacy experience and track record of engagement with United Nations, other development actors and donors is desired. Experience in drafting / reviewing high-quality concept notes, proposals and other partnership materials is desired. Fluency in English is required.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.ย
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.ย
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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.
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