Deputy Representative, P-4, Port Moresby

Purpose

Under the general supervision of the Representative, the incumbent will be accountable for leadership and managerial guidance on policy direction and programme initiatives. The incumbent will be accountable for programme coordination, and management of all phases of programme formulation, planning, design, implementation. The incumbent will provide leadership and strategic direction in the planning, formulation and implementation of the Country Programme and its activities in line with national development priorities, and the UN Development Assistance Framework. The incumbent will ensures that a gender equality perspective is mainstreamed in all aspects of substantive work across the country programme. The incumbent will be accountable for administration of the total programme commitment of a small to medium size country office with a broad range of projects, consistent with the organization's goals, strategy, and priorities.

Key expected results

1.Effective leadership and managerial guidance and coordination provided to ensure the achievement of programme goals.

Ensure the achievement of programme and project goals by providing overall leadership and managerial guidance to programme teams on policy direction, work plans and control mechanisms and by monitoring compliance and performance standards, in accordance with Country Programme Recommendation and Country Programme Management Plan, focussed on achievement of UNICEF's Priorities.

Design and implement advocacy strategies to promote greater public awareness of UN-supported programme goals and to enlist support of national and local mass media, legislators and other national and community-level public figures.

Provide expert technical and policy advice to the Representative on programme strategies, planning and courses of action; provide authoritative interpretation of guidelines and organizational policy, contributing to the development of new guidelines through the programme cycle.

Collaboration with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers for overall coordination. Collaborates with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.

2.Country programme management fully supported by effective knowledge management and system

Ensures that area/country programmes are supported by knowledge management through data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of "lessons learned" and other corporate-level databases; participate in information exchange through donor and media visits as well as in the development of training and orientation material.

3.Situation Analysis prepared/updated, critical programme intervention point, measures or adjustments identified, programme work plans and recommendations prepared and incorporated.

Supervises and coordinates the preparation/updating of the Situation Analysis for programme development. Enhance the identification/review of critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; providing accurate, updated analysis of country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects. Coordinates or prepares programme work plans and changes as required. Responsible for preparation of program recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods and practices. Ensures that the application of gender mainstreaming is integral to all work processes.

4.Rights-based and Results-based management approach fully incorporated into all phases of programme and projects programming to enhance the value and quality of programmes/projects strategy and implementation.

Ensures the quality of Rights -based programmes through the formulation of programme goals and objectives and the development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Brings coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design that contains a focus on gender equality and strategies for systematically mainstreaming gender.

Prepares and submits viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women, and recommendations on programme new initiatives and management issues to ensure achievement of stated objectives.

5.Programme efficiency and delivery enhanced through effective programme planning, monitoring and evaluation.

Oversees and establishes programme work plans and monitors progress and compliance. Approves and monitors the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Takes appropriate actions to optimize use of programme funds. Ensures programme efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to programme planning, monitoring and evaluation. Supervises section chief of sectoral programmes. Assesses country programme effectiveness in achieving thematic/cross-cutting and sectoral goals at the country level and consistency with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme priorities.

6.UNICEF programme evaluations effectively conducted in compliance with the established UN quality standards and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders in order to improve programme peformance.

Carries out a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation and coordinates the major programme evaluation exercises in consultation with the Representative, the Operations Officer, the Evaluation Officer and others to improve efficiency and quality of programme delivery. Participates in annual sector review meetings with government counterparts. Ensures the timely preparation of annual program status reports.

7.Commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners effectively gained and promoted.

Ensures the building or reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners, taking a strategic approach to the identification of these partners and partnerships.

8.Rights perspective and advocacy at the national, community and family levels incorporated into policy analysis for establishing and elevating UNICEF's credibility in national and international policy debates.

Incorporates a children and women's rights perspective into policy analysis and advocacy at the community and family levels for elevating credibility in national and international policy debates. Promotes the organization goals of UNICEF through advocacy and policy dialogue.

9.Effective advocacy, communication and networking achieved through partnership and collaboration.

Promotes and ensures the inclusion of children and the obligations of various actors to meet their rights in international debates, in UNDAFs, in cross-sectoral national policies in legal reforms, in budgetary decisions, in poverty reduction strategies, in sector-wide approaches and individual programmes and projects. Collaborates with Communication and Programme Communication Officers on strategies for information and social mobilization.

Promotes partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies. Ensures the linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.

10.Acts on behalf of the Representative of the Country office during his/her absence. Represents UNICEF in meetings with high level and senior government officials as well as multi-lateral, bi-lateral agencies and NGO's to conduct programme advocacy and negotiations, identify strategic alliances and influence policy development to facilitate achievement of programme goals and objectives. Participates in international/national meetings and workshops.

Qualification

Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Social Development, Development Planning, or other relevant disciplines*.

Eight years increasingly responsible relevant experience in the area of development programme management, UN System Field experience in strategic programme management in international development. International and Developing country work experience. Background/familiarity with Emergency programme implementation.

Fluency in English and another UN language (IP). Fluency in English and local working language of the duty station (NO).

*A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Competencies

Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.

Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.

Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.

Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.

Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.

Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.

Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.

Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation. If you want a challenging career while improving the lives of children around the world UNICEF, the leading children’s rights organization, would like to hear from you.

Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2011-001832. Applications must be received by 4 November 2011.

Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.

In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.