Programme Specialist Governance and Inclusive Growth (Nationals Only)

The Governance programme currently comprises a range of development projects and services clustered around digital governance, public administration reform and European integration, and socioeconomic development and inclusion. Individual projects are grouped under distinct portfolios and implemented in close partnership with national counterparts, development partners, and the wider local ecosystem of key stakeholders. The team works with all branches of power and all levels of governance in the country, as well as directly partnering with civil society and other actors.

Position Purpose:

Under the overall supervision of the Resident Representative (RR) and the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR), the Programme Specialist/Head of Governance acts as the manager of the UNDP Governance Programme and is a member of the UNDP Serbia Management Team providing strategic guidance to the RR/DRR. The Programme Specialist will lead and supervise the Governance team in supporting the Government to advance its governance priorities, ensuring that UNDP is adequately positioned to contribute innovative policy options in support of the Government Programme. In addition, the Programme Specialist/Head of Governance will bring strategic thinking, thought leadership and innovation to UNDP's Governance Programme, ensuring the initiation of collaborative partnerships and research in response to emerging governance priorities in Serbia.

The incumbent leads the governance programme team in strategic planning and identifies new programme areas and policy initiatives consistent with United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and the Country Programme Document (CPD). In addition, the incumbent will work across thematic clusters within UNDP and across the UN agencies and strengthen strategic partnerships with the Government, relevant bilateral and multilateral donors, IFIs, civil society and private sector in Serbia.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration

• A thorough analysis of the country's political, governance, and socioeconomic development spheres and collaborative preparation/revision of CCA, UNSDCF, CPD, AWP and other documents and lead collaborative research and identification of innovative approaches.
• Identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation for UNDP, in consultation with development and government partners, civil society and private sector, applying a system thinking and whole of society approach Operationalization of UNSDCF/ CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies.
• The Programme Specialist will identify possibilities for joint programming with the UN agencies including, regional and global trust funds.
• Analysis and presentation of UNDP policies and their implementation in the CO.
• Collaborates across thematic areas including the Environment and Resilience cluster, SGD Integration Centre, UNDP Serbia Accelerator Lab as well as the Communication team to conceptualize, deliver and communicate UNDP results and achievement strategically to partners

Ensures effective management of the CO Governance and Inclusive Growth Programme and supervision of the Programme  team within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned  focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation, achieving the  following results:

• Effective application of Results-Based Management (RBM) tools, establishment of management targets (Balanced Scorecard - BSC) and monitoring achievement of results.
• Design and formulation of CO Programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP's priorities into local interventions. Coordination of Programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones.
• Strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring the Programme, tracking the use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Programme Specialist can perform functions of Manager Level 2 in Quantum for development projects transactions.
• Effective monitoring, measuring the impact of the CO Programme and evaluation. Constant monitoring and analysis of the Programme environment, timely readjustment of Programme.
• Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
• Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes, ensuring high quality reporting to donors.
• Organization of cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects in close collaboration with Operations team

Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships and leads the resource mobilization strategy in cooperation with other clusters and staff focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Implementation of the CO partnerships and resources mobilization strategies in the designated thematic areas to achieve Programme outcomes.
• Creation and coordination of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI's (International Financial Institutions), government institutions, bi-lateral and multilateral donors, private sector, civil society etc. Determination of programmatic areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors' priorities.
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.
• Support the CO Sustainable Financing work by aligning potential work in the Governance and Inclusive Growth cluster with the project pipeline and identify external opportunities and partners to mobilize resources

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to Programme country policy goals.
• Coordinating the development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Establishment of advocacy networks at the national level and linked to international networks. Relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns are implemented with key partners
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Organization of training for the operations/ projects staff on Programme issues

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervise and Manage governance programme team personnel.

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

Partnership Management - Strategic Engagement:

• Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives

Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation:

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management - Results-Based Management:

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

Business Management - Project Management:

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Management - Portfolio Management:

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization as 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 - Innovation:

• Technology and Innovation