Early Recovery (ER) Advisor and Sectoral Group Coordinator
Location : Yaounde, CAMEROON
Application Deadline: 02-Apr-16 (Midnight New York, USA)
Additional Category : Crisis Response
Type of Contract : TA International
Post Level : P-4
Languages Required : English French
Duration of Initial Contract : 11 Months
Background
In support of the ongoing humanitarian efforts, UNDP, with Japan cooperation support and in partnership with UNESCO and FAO, launched in 2015 a project on early recovery and to strengthen communities' resilience in the East and in the Far North. Out of this, concrete achievements have been made on local economy revitalization, social cohesion, livelihood and environment protection. More than 200 households benefited from income generating activities and 5 markets have been built or modernized to ensure that IDPs, refugees and local populations have a better trade environment and social interaction. UNDP intends to pursue its interventions by extending early recovery efforts to youth employment and to the prevention of radicalization.
UNDP Cameroon aims to continue to strengthen the capacity of ER coordination as well as programme development and implementation, both in Yaoundé as well as the Far North and Eastern regions. Based on early assessments, there is a need for immediate integrated ER programme development including livelihoods and economic recovery, establishment of Rule of Law, community security and social cohesion.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the UNDP Resident Representative, the ER Programme and Coordination Advisor will be responsible for:
Early Recovery programme development and implementation (i.e. livelihoods, governance, community security, rule of law and social cohesion) - In particular:
- Assure the good communication between the project and the national counterpart and UN agencies in Yaounde;
- Provide technical support to the team in ER area and assure the capacity development of the project actors on ER and other related themes;
- Lead socio-economic impact of the conflict and livelihoods needs assessment, in close cooperation with local partners/authorities. Engage local communities in assessments and ensure projects are responsive to the feedback (accountability to affected populations);
- Provide technical support to the UNDP management on Early Recovery and resilience programme development and implementation;
- Develop UNDP ER strategy and integrated ER and resilience programme, including livelihoods recovery, gender-based human rights approach, restoration of state authority and access to basic services, the reestablishment of rule of law and community security and social cohesion. Support will focus on displaced population groups, youth-at-risk as well as vulnerable host community members;
- Develop project concept briefs and project documents based on UNDP ER strategy and programme response, and support UNDP management team to engage with donors for resource mobilization ;
- Undertake capacity building of UNDP country office staff on early recovery, including on issues related to social cohesion and conflict sensitivity assessment/analysis;
- Assist the Senior Project Manager, based in the Extreme North in liaising with the partners and line ministries in Yaoundé.
- Organize periodic missions to the Extreme North to assist the Senior Project Manager;
- Develop in an inclusive manner, monitoring and reporting guidelines for UNDP ER programme, including baselines and indicators. Reporting should reflect age and sex disaggregation;
- Prepare inputs for reporting, including donor reporting; and Support of any additional tasks as requested by the supervisor.
Ensuring ER is well integrated and coordinated across the overall humanitarian response, In particular:
- Represent UNDP in the core humanitarian clusters, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and ensure an ER and resilience approach is integrated across the humanitarian response. This includes the use of ER and resilience criteria such as ensuring that the humanitarian response is built on local capacities – state authorities, local civil society, security sector and communities;
- Facilitate the Early Recovery sector working group/cluster, in cooperation with WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, FAO in Yaoundé with periodic meetings and share the reports with the HC and OCHA, covering issues such as livelihoods, local governance, social cohesion and conflict sensitivity, depending on the context and needs in the country;
- Through the ER sector working group/cluster, advocate for ER mainstreaming throughout humanitarian action for a system wide impact;
- Through the ER sector working group/cluster ensure that capacity on conflict sensitivity of humanitarian cluster mechanisms is built through targeted training and provision of conflict analysis;
- When and where feasible, develop a strategic and a conflict sensitive way forward and lead/participate in interagency processes on Durable Solutions;
- Work closely and coordinate with the Peace and Development Advisor as relevant;
- Manage ER sector working group/cluster, building on national capacities and ensuring participation of stakeholders from all sectors (e.g. National and International NGOs, UN agencies, Development Partners) working in the thematic areas covered;
- Ensure that the ER sector working group/cluster adopts an ER strategy that the ongoing interventions are properly mapped, and gaps /sectorial needs are identified and updated on a regular basis.
- Closely coordinate with other Cluster leads and keep abreast of sectoral needs, arising priorities as well as current and planned interventions;
- Identify areas were immediate implementation of activities is possible and ensure timely delivery of results;
- Facilitate consultations with Government entities, civil society, I/NGOs, donors, organizations of the UN system and IFIs, and provide support for policy and programme development and related strategic initiatives;
- Support engagement with bilateral and multilateral donors and I/NGOs, including on resources mobilization for the ER Cluster;
- Support the senior Programme manager by liaising and working withline ministries and donors in Yaoundé;
- Contribute to build the capacities of relevant government institutional counterparts on ER;
- Participate in government-led meetings to plan multi-stakeholders engagement; and ensure that both in the formulation as well as in the implementation of related projects, the gender dimension is fully taken into account.
Competencies
Interpersonal and communication skills:
- Strong communication skills and proven ability to collaborate with different actors (UNCT, Government, civil society, etc.);
- Flexibility, discretion, and tact;
- Experience in managing a multi-cultural team.
Professional skills:
- Good analysis and judgment;
- Teamwork, proven management and results-orientation;
- Proactive in problem-solving and recommendation for conflict prevention and resolution;
- Strong ability in managing confidential and politically sensitive issues, in a responsible way.
Technical aptitude:
- Strong management and programme development skills in the field of ER, including rule of law, community security, livelihoods recovery, reintegration and economic recovery, crisis governance and social cohesion;
- Early recovery coordination;
- Strong understanding and experience with ER coordination in complex emergencies and cooperation with humanitarian partners.
Management and Leadership:
- Capable of bringing together various actors from both humanitarian and development practice areas;
- Focuses on impact and result for the client;
- Shows conflict resolution skills;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
- Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;
- Capable of mainstreaming gender and human rights.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master's degree in Social sciences with a focus on international relations or relevant field.
Experience:
- A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian coordination and Early Recovery, including livelihoods and economic recovery, rule of law and community security, restoration of state authority and conflict prevention/ social cohesion;
- Experience includes field experience, especially in crisis or post-conflict settings, and in conflict sensitive programming;
- Experience with UNDP programme development in (post) crises settings preferred.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in written and spoken French and English.
TO APPLY
All interested candidates are invited to apply online through the following link: