Sub-National Development Advisor

Background

Please note that the person selected for this position will be offered a contract with UNDP under its National Personnel Services Agreement modality (N-PSA 9); the UNDP Service Contract modality is phasing out over the coming year. More information about the N-PSA is available here.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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.

In autumn 2019, the President of Ukraine adopted Decree #722/2019 on the integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the policy development practice of Ukraine, which (a) encourages the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to analyse higher-level programme documents and strategic forecasts through the SDG lens, (b) foresees the establishment of a regular tracking and reporting system for SDGs in Ukraine and a mechanism for relevant annual reporting, and (c) recommends core scientific and R&D centres of the country to align their research priorities with principles that underpin 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Based on the request from the Government partners at the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (SCMU), UNDP Ukraine together with SIDA and FDFA supported the launch of SDG BRIDGE Ukraine (Building Resilience for Implementing Development Goals Effectively) and the establishment of a dedicated unit that would help to develop an institutional framework for SDG coordination and implementation in Ukraine. The SDG BRIDGE Project will morph a group of advisors within the SCMU / Prime Minister’s Office into a dedicated SDG Office to provide high level technical advice and strategic guidance, and to demonstrate how SDG-related coordination can and should function.

In this context, the UNDP Ukraine invites applications from highly-qualified and experienced Ukrainian professionals for the post of Advisor on SDGs implementation between Government and Parliament, to support the Government of Ukraine in enhancing coordination mechanism on SDGs implementation between Government and Parliament.

The incumbent will accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment within all implementations and promote UNDP’s mandate as a gender-responsive organization with zero tolerance to any kind of discriminatory and abusive behaviour, including sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under direct supervision of the SDG BRIDGE Project Manager, the incumbent will be performing the following functions:

Coordinate closely with the UNDP Empowered Partnership for Sustainable Development Project initiative and potential follow-on projects, as well as local-level partners, and ensure that successful locally grown solutions and approaches to SDGs localization are up-streamed, and relevant developments at the national level are communicated to local partners in a timely and gender-responsive manner;
Maintain close relationships with pilot Ministries and other stakeholders to facilitate the creation of a long-term policy visions through innovative approaches of strategic planning (e.g. foresight) and connecting them with short-term achievable tasks, design approaches for more sustainable SDG coordination and financing, including at the sub-national level;
Develop institutional capacities at the regional level to promote SDGs and European integration;
Work closely with pilot Ministries to test approaches for better SDG integration and implementation within their mandates;
Promote SDGs at the sub-national level and provide recommendations to the Government on incorporating SDGs to the policy documents, bringing in gender perspectives and concerns;
Provide support in coordinating regional outreach, in particular through the advisory support with regard to the establishment and development of the Offices for European Integration and SDGs and regional development agencies.

Competencies

Competencies and Selection Criteria

Description of Competency at Level Required

Core – Level 3

Achieve Results

Demonstrate focus on achieving quality results and impact

Consistently strive to meet or exceed excellence standards
Hold self and others accountable for results
Efficiently establish appropriate plans and resources for self and others to accomplish goals

Think Innovatively

Look beyond conventional approaches and established methods

Propose new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems
Seek patterns and clarity outside boxes and categories while resisting false certainty and simplistic binary choice

Learn Continuously

Actively pursue opportunities for learning and self-development professionally and personally

Keep abreast of new developments in one’s professional area
Proactively seek feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from experiences, both positive and negative
Contribute to the learning of others

Adapt with Agility

Be flexible in handling change, and adopt new ideas, approaches and ways of working

Seamlessly adapt to working within new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways
Participate in, support, contribute to or drive meaningful change in UNDP
Be comfortable with ambiguity and effectively managing multiple demands

Act with Determination

Pursue everything with motivation and drive

Not give up in the face of adversity and setbacks; demonstrate resilience and composure
Demonstrate courage, self-motivation and initiative to act on opportunities without being prompted by others
Be authentic and modest, get things done without unnecessary noise

Engage and Partner

Act in a way that demonstrates empathy and emotional intelligence, showing consideration for the needs and feelings of others

Demonstrate and encourage teamwork and co-creation internally and externally to achieve joint objectives and results
Establish and develop networks that deliver powerful collaborations
Encourage and respect the views of others; accept views and ideas other than one’s own

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

Treat all individuals with respect, consider ethical implications and respond sensitively to all differences among people

Fully accept and value all people, creating an inclusive environment
Understand that inclusion is multi-faceted (e.g. race, gender, age, disability, culture, etc.)
Understand and appreciate issues from the perspective of others
Treat everyone fairly and equally
Demonstrate honesty and transparency

Cross-functional competencies

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

Business Acumen and Commercial Thinking

Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks

Effective Decision Making

Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

Partnerships Management

Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Negotiation and Influence

Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations

Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated n

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

Technical Competencies

Governance

Decentralization
Public Administration and Local Governance
Transparency and Anti-Corruption
Planning and Assessment

Gender Mainstreaming

Knowledge of gender issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, including analysis and implementation of projects from a gender perspective

Legal

Knowledge of applicable legal framework
Legal Analysis and Report Writing

Strategic Policy Engagement

Horizon-scanning and future of development
Strategic policy advice

Partnership management

Relationship management
Strategic engagement

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent in regional development, planning, social policy, economy, finance or business administration, law or other related areas.
Relevant Bachelor’s degree with additional two years of relevant extensive progressively responsible experience is accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.

Experience

Minimum 2 years of relevant experience at the national/regional or international level in regional development, economic development, public finance management, social policy, legal services, with an emphasis on humanitarian/crisis assistance, disaster relief/management and recovery, and other similar fields of work.
Expertise in the development of economic policy strategy, public administration with the focus on institutional rebuilding and state reform.
Proven experience of policy development on EU association agreement implementation.
Proven prior experience of professional or advisory services to the Government or Parliament.
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
Excellent writing, proficient communication and analytical skills to be demonstrated through provision of at least 2 (two) relevant analytical papers/ reviews/ policy papers/ etc.
Experience in providing advisory services or support to international finance projects, multilateral or international technical assistance projects, preferably in the UN structures, will be an asset.
Knowledge of SDGs agenda is considered as an asset.

Languages Required

Fluency in English and Ukrainian languages is required.