Myanmar: Country Programme Officer

Jan 16, 2016 | UNDP
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Background:

IFAD is an International Financial Institution and a Specialized United Nations Agency whose mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. IFAD’s headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and its staff work with poor rural people and their governments, communities and organisations in more than 90 countries to develop and finance programmes and projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes. The Programme Management Department (PMD) is responsible for the overall lending programme of the Fund, and is composed of five  regional divisions (Asia and the Pacific; East and Southern Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; Near East, North Africa and Europe Division), Environment and Climate Division and Technical Advisory Division.

Based in Naypyidaw and under the overall supervision of the Country Programme Manager (CPM), the Country Programme Officer (CPO) for Myanmar will represent IFAD on a full-time basis to establish contacts and a regular flow of information between IFAD and the Government and Development Partners.

The CPO will:

• (i) Contribute to the implementation of the result-based COSOP;
• (ii) Provide implementation support to management of the IFAD-financed  projects;
• (iii) Improve knowledge management of innovations that improve the livelihoods of the poor and other disadvantaged groups in a sustainable manner;
• (iv) Support in policy dialogue in order to develop an enabling environment for sustainable pro-poor development; and
• (v) Promote partnership with government institutions, private sector, civil society, UN agencies and other donors.

Country Office Support

The Country Programme Officer is accountable for day-to-day administration and reporting in support of the CPM and for supervision of assigned Country Programme Associate / Assistant. In addition to human resources management, s/he has accountability for financial and material resources and related processes including managing contracts for services. S/He provides inputs to budget preparation and monitors expenditures, manages contract completion and certifies payments.

Country Programme Support

The Country Programme Officer enhances the technical quality of IFAD country activities through programme (COSOP) and project (grants and loans) design, supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (RIMS), reporting (PSR) and completion (PCR) activities. S/He also provides substantive contributions toward the development of advice and technical guidance in support of sustainable government strategies, policies and programmes in agricultural development and rural poverty reduction. The Country Programme Officer is further accountable for capacity building activities including identifying, analyzing, documenting, harmonizing and disseminating both national and local issues as well as conditions and best practices and lessons learned among partner development agencies.  Capacity building activities will include coordinating meetings, workshops and seminars with project management teams, government, partners and other stakeholders.

Partnership Building

As a key country team member, the Country Programme Officer enhances the CO’s relationships and collaborations with in-country counterparts through the identification of synergies and proposing coordinated strategies with multilateral/bilateral donors and civil-society organizations involved in agricultural development and rural poverty reduction. S/He establishes and maintains counterpart contacts to promote programme and project collaboration and harmonization as well as identifies financing opportunities with other donors.

Policy Development/ Knowledgeff Management

As a key country team member, the Country Programme Officer participates in relevant policy meetings and events of interest to IFAD’s target groups and which involve the government, donors, and civil society, including NGOs, in order to develop an enabling environment for sustainable, pro-poor development. The Country Programme Officer provides programme/project continuity in the country as well as substantive national cultural, political and economic or other development knowledge. From this perspective his/her participation in policy dialogue pertains to analyses of evidenced based recommendations from projects, analyzing their viability, making proposals and sharing the findings.   This national perspective serves to enhance the linkage between the realities on the ground and the voices of the poor with the policies and programmes of the government as well as to ensure that regional programmes benefit from local initiatives that may be replicated.

Country Programme Officers may be requested to travel to neighboring countries to lend assistance for up to but not exceeding one calendar month in a year.

Managerial Functions

The Country Programme Officer is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources.

Impact of Key Results/Key Performance Indicators

Demonstrated technical expertise and credibility in country portfolio management creates the foundation for IFAD’s capacity and reputation for programme delivery and enhances its recognition as a reliable development partner. The Country Programme Officer maintains the standards for IFAD’s competence in development at the field level. Substantive support in the development of country strategy, project design, partnership building and policy development provides the foundation for enhancing sustainable government strategies and policies to improve the livelihoods of the poor and other disadvantaged groups.

Representation/Work Relationships

In the context of programme development and delivery, the Country Programme Officer ensures the exchange of information, advocates for programme and policy enhancements and ensures consistency and reliability in the provision of development assistance to the government. In collaborations with other members of the UN country team, bi-lateral development agencies, NGOs and country programme counterparts s/he establishes and maintains relationships and projects the image of IFAD as a credible/reliable partner striving for harmonization of development activities.