1. Organizational Context

The Head of Unit, Programme Specialist acts as Manager of the Sustainable Growth Unit, and Advisor to Senior Management on all aspects of UNDP Environment, Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction programmes in Rwanda.  The Head SGU reports directly the DRR and is a Senior Manager and part of the Senior Management Team of UNDP Rwanda Country Office.  The main role is to provide cutting-edge accelerated solutions and advisory services to Government counterparts and other in-country development partners, undertake research in specific areas and keep abreast of emerging issues, and ensure effective delivery of results in the Environment and Poverty Reduction areas.  The Head of Unit ensures that the UNDP Environment and Poverty Reduction interventions responds strategically and innovatively to emerging challenges and opportunities, undertakes strategic planning and repositioning of UNDP Environment and Poverty Reduction programmes ensuring that they are consistent with the United Nations Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP) and Country Programme Document (CPD) priorities, and contributes to the Delivering as One initiative in the Environment and Poverty Reduction areas.  The incumbent also takes the lead in implementation of the CO’s resource mobilization strategies, strengthens strategic partnerships, and undertakes knowledge building and sharing.

The Head of Unit (HoU) provides sound leadership to the Environment and Poverty Reduction Unit, and works in close collaboration with Government counterparts, the UNDP Programme, Operations teams, Accelerator Lab and UNDP regional and headquarters teams. In addition, the HoU collaborates with the UN system through the UN Development Results Group (DRG) on Economic Transformation, with government officials, donors and civil society organizations.

 

II. Duties and Responsibilities

 Functions / Key Results Expected

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Provision of quality upstream advisory services to the Government;
2. Management of the CO Environment and Poverty Reduction programmes and supervision of the Unit team;
3. Effective contribution to the Delivering as One initiative and provision of substantive inputs to the UN DRG on Economic Transformation and other aspects of the Poverty Reduction, Sustainable Growth and Environment field;
4. Strategic partnerships and support to resource mobilization;
5. Facilitation of knowledge building and management;

Ensuring provision of quality upstream advisory services in the area of Environment and Poverty Reduction programming to the Government, focusing on achieving the following results:

• Conduct of research and analysis of the Environment and Poverty Reduction and political situation of the country, and keeping abreast of emerging issues and identification of entry-points for UNDP Environment and Poverty Reduction programming;
• Provision of quality upstream advice to Government and other development partners in the areas of Environment, Natural Resources, Climate Resilience, Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction;
• Identification of strategic and innovative areas of cooperation.
• Development of sound proposals for timely interventions by UNDP and UN system in Rwanda;

Ensuring effective management of the Environment, Sustainable Growth, Climate Resilience and the Poverty Reduction Programmes and supervision of the Sustainable growth Unit team, focusing on achieving the following results:

• Quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation;
• Excellent people management and leadership skills, through creating the space for talent development, continual learning and effective staff and team development
• Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets and monitoring and achievement of results;
• Strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programmes, tracking use of fanatical resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. Under delegated authority may perform the function of Manager Level 2 in Atlas for development projects transactions approval.
• Effective monitoring, measuring the impacts of Environment and Poverty Reduction Programme and evaluation. Constant monitoring and analysis of and timely adjustment of the said programmes.
• Effective and timely follow up on all Audit recommendations;

• Organization of cost recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects, in close collaboration with operations Manager.
• Operationalization of the Environment and Poverty Reduction aspect of UNDAP/CPD, in collaboration with the main partners and other UN agencies.
• Analysis and presentation of UNDP policies and programmes and their implementation in the CO.
• CO business processes mapping and establishment of internal standard Operating Procedures in Results Management, control of the workflows in the Sustainable Growth Unit

Effective contribution to the Delivering as One initiative and provision of substantive inputs to the UN Development Results Group on Economic Transformation.

• Effective contribution to the ‘Delivering as One’ initiative and provision of substantive inputs to the UN DRG on Economic Transformation, and other UN Theme Groups as required;

• Identification of joint intervention programming related to poverty reduction and environment;
• Support to ongoing M&E processes within the framework of DaO;
• Collaborative preparation and/or revision of UNDAP, CPD and other DaO documents.

Building strategic partnerships and support to resource mobilization, focusing on achieving the following results:

• Effective contribution to CO’s initiative to formulate and implement a Resource Mobilization Strategy; and leadership of new project proposals
• Ensure the Unit works effectively to mainstream unit priorities throughout the country office programme, and to work seamlessly across units with Governance, Management, Policy,  Accelerator Lab and Operations Teams
• Actively support development and maintenance of an enduring system for donor intelligence, strategic partnership and resource mobilization tracking;
• Contribution to the system for scanning donors’ environment to determine areas of priorities on economic transformation, poverty reduction, and environment;
• Determination of programmatic areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donor priorities.
• Development and implementation of partnerships for achieving effective resource mobilization to achieve targeted programme outcomes in the areas of environment and poverty reduction;
• Establishment and coordination of partnerships with UN Agencies, international financial institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, government institutions, organized private sector, civil society organizations and other stakeholders;
• Determining appropriate media of reaching out to the public on CO environment and poverty reduction programmes, and design of strategies for reaching the targets in collaboration with the Communication Unit.

• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation and identification of opportunities for cost sharing;
• Advocacy and IEC (Information, Education and Communication) on UNDP environment and poverty reduction programmes;
• Facilitation of the process of creating and raising level of awareness of UN/UNDP environment and poverty reduction activities;
• Creation of high-level advocacy on pertinent development policies and programmes across the representatives of top echelon of the country’s stakeholders;
• Establishment of appropriate outreach products and media to the public on environment and poverty reduction issues and UN/UNDP interventions, and design of strategies for reaching the targets, in collaboration with the Communication Team.

Facilitation of knowledge building and management particularly in the areas of Environment and Poverty Reduction related issues:

• Facilitating the process of creating and raising level of awareness of CO Environment and Poverty Reduction activities;
• Creating high level advocacy on pertinent development policies and programmes across the representatives of top echelon of the country’s stakeholders.
• Advocating for UNDP with Government counterparts and ensures access to best available expertise;
• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the country programme for organizational sharing and learning;
• Support to capacity-building of national counterparts;
• Promoting a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the COs.

III. Competencies

Core

Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Delivery: Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional Competencies

Results-Based Programme Development and Management: Contributing to results through provision of information

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Building Strategic Partnerships: Identifying and building partnerships

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches: Developing new approaches

Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Resource Mobilization: Implementing resource mobilization strategies

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge of the subject matter

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Client Orientation: Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

 

IV. Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Environmental studies, or other development-related fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in similar managerial position and in providing technical advisory services, establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments;
• Experience in research and policy-level analysis;
• Hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects; Experience in knowledge management;
• Good experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, including experience in handling web-based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency (both verbal and written) in English is required.  Fluency in French and the national language of the duty station an added advantage.

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