Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Pakistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, human rights and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting the people of Pakistan’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its Country Programme 2023-2027.
UNDP works with the Government and people of Pakistan to develop local solutions to development challenges. In an evolving development context, UNDP supports Pakistan’s efforts to build a more equitable, prosperous, peaceful and resilient society, and to achieve its SDGs and COP26 targets. UNDP promotes transformational change by fostering strategic partnerships with national counterparts in the federal, provincial and regional governments, civil society, the private sector and the local and international community. UNDP supports transformational change by providing technical assistance focusing on developing capacity within national and local authorities, providing solutions with strong monitoring and evaluation tools, and delivering programmes with maximum efficiency, transparency and accountability.
The UNDP Sub-Office Balochistan is based in Quetta, representing UNDP in the province and working closely with the provincial government as well as other important stakeholders, partners and UN agencies to cover issues such as acceleration and policy support for Sustainable Development Goals, Rule of Law and access to justice, prevention and treatment of HIV, infrastructure support/rehabilitation of educational and health facilities, strengthening tsunami and earthquake preparedness in coastal areas, flood recovery, and climate change adaptation.
Position Purpose:
Under the strategic guidance of the Resident Representative (RR) and direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR), the Head of Sub-Office sets the strategic direction at the local level and oversees all Sub-Office (SO) activities. The Head of Sub-Office has formal delegated authority from the RR (in writing) to represent the UNDP country programme at the local level and perform management functions.
The Head of Sub-Office leads and supervises the SO staff and project staff working in the geographic area of responsibility of the SO, ensuring cross-unit cooperation and coordination. The Head of SO ensures a client-oriented approach and consistency with UNDP rules and regulations in conformity with the UN Development Coordination Framework and good management practices. The Head of SO advises the country office senior management on SO programme, cost effectiveness and responses to emerging complex challenges in managing the Sub-Office; and ensures programmatic and operational alignment and coherence between SO and Country Office.
The incumbent will work closely with internal and external counterparts, including but not limited to UN Agencies and Partners, Government, national institutions, civil society, and private sector to successfully deliver UNDP programme and projects at the local level.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
Ensure strategic programme planning, coordination and implementation in the geographic area of responsibility of the Sub-Office:
- Analyze the socio-economic and political situation and trends in the area and identify opportunities and entry points for UNDP.
- Provide support and facilitation to the overall SO programme development and implementation including planning, budgeting, and monitoring. Oversee project implementation through close monitoring of results and risks. Ensure effective application of RBM tools, management of scorecard targets and other benchmarks.
- Ensure overall efficient coordination of programmes/projects including planning processes and timely delivery of results taking into consideration agreed upon work plans with the UNDP country office and consistency with UN Development Coordination Framework (UNSDCF)/ CPD priorities.
- Identify and develop new programme and project opportunities; and ensure identification and promotion of joint programming and planning opportunities.
- Support capacity building of national counterparts.
- Ensure full compliance with audit requirements and timely follow-up to audit recommendations. Coordinate and follow through on decentralized local evaluations.
- Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning.
Exercise responsibility for effective Sub-Office management:
- Ensure smooth running of the Sub-Office, build an effective SO team, and promote teamwork and an environment that is conducive to delivering results.
- In collaboration with DRR or Operations Manager, ensure full responsibility for the appropriate use and management of resources attributed to the Sub-Office by tracking use of financial resources, and by ensuring the integrity of financial systems and consistent application of the Internal Control Framework and/or rules and regulations. Continually find ways to systematically identify and integrate efficiency gains and cost reductions in all operations of the Sub-Office.
- Approve contracts and ERP transactions under written delegated authority from the Resident Representative and/or Deputy Resident Representative. Exercise ERP manager rights as delegated. Manage the Sub-Office personnel, monitor their performance, and complete performance assessments where necessary.
- Under the supervision of the RR or DRR, ensure enforcement of the security procedures and requirements in the Sub-Office. In collaboration with the Security Advisor, ensure security needs of the office and projects are met; and mitigate possible risks and impacts associated with the Sub-Office operations (e.g. logistical, security) by proactively designing risk prevention/mitigation measures.
- Build capacity of the Sub-office personnel by identifying capacity needs and establishing training and learning programmes.
Represent UNDP sub-nationally and coordinate with UN Agencies, UNDP counterparts, and other organizations:
- Represent UNDP at the field level, and at the regional coordination mechanisms and other platforms.
- Provide strong coordination support to UN Agencies, national authorities, and other organizations through the establishment of a wider consultation process.
- Ensure proper coordination and input to Interagency initiatives.
- Maintain collaboration and coordination with the other Heads of Offices to ensure programmatic integration and sharing of best practices.
Promote communication flow in the office:
- Maximize communication between the various programmes and projects and with stakeholders (development partners, private sector, NGOs, civil society, UN agencies and Government agencies).
- Maximize internal communication at SO level and effective and proactive communication between relevant CO units (both programme and operations units) and the SO.
- Monitor the perception of UNDP at the local level and suggest media activities that positions UNDP more strategically and effectively as a neutral broker for local development. Enhance local visibility for UNDP in development effectiveness.
- Ensure that UNDP’s work at the local level and its impact are effectively communicated in collaboration with the Country Office.
Foster partnership building and resource mobilization:
- Contribute to the development of the CO Partnership and Resource Mobilization (PRM) strategy, including creation of tools to implement the strategy.
- Identify new partnerships and strengthen existing ones at the SO level through innovative approaches to partnership development.
- Encourage ways of mobilizing resources for the Country Office in consultation with local counterparts and follow-up with development partners on local opportunities.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision and performance management of Sub-Office staff and project staff working within the Sub-Office geographic area of responsibility
Competencies
Core:
Achieve 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
People Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. .
Cross-Functional & Technical:
Business Direction & Strategy - System 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 Direction & Strategy - Strategic Thinking:
- Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
- Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
Business Management - Resource Management:
- Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity
Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:
- Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
- Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Management - Communication:
- 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
Business Management - Portfolio Management:
- Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization’s 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 optimising return on investment
Partnership management - Relationship management:
- Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Business Administration, or other relevant development areas, is required. or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) 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 master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in the development sector in a governmental, multilateral organization and multi-cultural setting is required.
- At least 3 years of senior-level management responsibilities of similar size and complexities is required.
- Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
- Proven ability to analyze socio-economic and political situations to identify opportunities for program development and implementation is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in strong leadership and management skills, including office operations management, ensuring compliance with internal control frameworks, and achieving cost reductions and efficiency gains is an asset.
- Proven experience representing an organization at various levels, including field and regional coordination mechanisms, and maintaining effective collaboration with UN Agencies, national authorities, and other organizations is an advantage.
- Strong communication and advocacy experience contributing to local visibility and perception of the organization is desired.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing partnership and resource mobilization strategies, identifying new partnership opportunities at provincial or national level is an asset.
Language:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Fluency in Urdu is required.
- Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Disclaimer
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. 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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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This position is no longer open.
