Ethiopia: Programme Coordinator, Addis Ababa

Jun 2, 2018 | UNDP
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To rebuild the disrupted livelihoods of pastoral, and agro-pastoral communities affected by recurrent drought, UNDP and FAO are partnering with the regional government to jointly implement a project titled “Support to livelihoods of drought affected households and resilience building of vulnerable groups in Warder and Kebredahar Woredas of Ethiopia’s Somali region” which incorporates both emergency and resilience building interventions bridging humanitarian response with development. The project, which aims to improve the livelihoods and food security of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities within the most severely drought affected zones in the southern part of Somali Region will be implemented in Warder and Kebredahar Woredas (districts) located in Dollo and Korahe Zones, respectively. The proposed project incorporates interconnected and complementary interventions to enhance the resilience of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities, with special emphasis on women, youth and other vulnerable groups of the community, to similar future crises. Project activities are organized under tow pillars and five complimentary outputs, and envisaged to be implemented over two years starting December 2017.

Ethiopia has a long-recorded history of disasters of both natural and anthropogenic origin. The common hazards causing disasters include drought, floods, epidemics, earthquakes, civil war, and mass displacement. Of all the natural hazards, drought and flood are the commonest disasters causing 48.8 and 38.9 percent of nationally reported mortalities between the years 1990-2014. The frequency of nationwide droughts that cause mortalities, food shortages, displacements and economic losses has increased from once in 10 years (in 1970s and 1980s) to once in about two to three years now.

As of August 2017, total number of people requiring emergency food assistance in Ethiopia totaled 8.5 million, of which 1.7 million reside in Somali Region. This widespread food insecurity is triggered by the protracted drought. In the pastoral areas of southern and south-eastern lowlands of the country, including Somali Region, conditions are expected to continue to deteriorate until March/April 2018, when the main Gu rain is expected. The drought has resulted in a critical shortage of water and pasture for livestock and human consumption resulting into food insecurity among the pastoral and agro-pastoral population.

This vulnerability of the local population to the climate-induced natural disasters is further exacerbated by pervasive natural resource degradation, limited economic and livelihood opportunities, poor access to basic services and markets, and weakening of the government and traditional institutions. The magnitude of this vulnerability is much higher for pastoral women and those households with limited livelihood assets.

Under the first pillar, the project focuses on stabilization of livelihoods of the drought affected pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the target woredas through supports that enhance livestock feed security of livestock-dependent households to withstand current drought-induced livestock feed shortages and improving capacity for improved animal health service delivery systems. Likewise, under the second pillar, the project focuses on disaster risk reduction strategies and resilience building initiatives through improved natural resources management and agricultural productivity through introduction of climate smart technologies, and increased food security and income of Women and Youth Groups through diversification of improved livelihoods. As part of disaster risk reduction, the project will also aim to enhance the capacity of regional, zonal and woreda institutions for climate and disaster risk management, adaptation, preparedness, and response.

Overall, the project aims to address gaps in drought-preparedness, service delivery, natural resource management, and sustainable livelihood and income diversification. The ultimate objective of the project is to help communities to be resilient, have diversified sources of income and be able to better prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies and disaster shocks and increase institutional capacity of regional government and local authorities.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of implementing partners (line bureaus), UNDP Country Office Inclusive Growth and Sustainable development (IGSD) Team Leader, the Programme Coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of the UNDP component of the joint project, including all project administrative matters and substantive outputs, in very close collaboration with FAO's Project Manager. All work of the Programme Coordinator will be carried out in line with the Country Programme Action Plan and in full compliance with UNDP Rules and Regulations. The management and coordination process will be pursued through undertaking appropriate actions in project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Strong emphasis will be placed on ensuring cohesion with other UNDP initiatives, and maintaining the strong coordination and collaboration with FAO and UNICEF. In general, the programme coordinator is expected to manage the Austria Development Agency funded project jointly executed by UNDP and FAO in collaboration with Regional Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Bureau: as well as with the overall guidance of the Federal Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation.

Summary of Key Functions:

Under the overall guidance of the country director of UNDP Ethiopia and in-close coordination with the Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development (IGSD) Team Leader, the Programme Coordinator will be responsible to ensure:

Ensures effective implementation of project strategies, and programme focusing on achievement of intended results; Ensures effective coordination with implementing partners such as FAO and UNICEF and active engagement of relevant stakeholders at all levels during the project implementation;Ensures effective implementation of project activities as per the work-plan and joint monitoring of the project implementation progress, including tracking of results and use of financial resources; Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and support to the implementation of the resource mobilization;Support the generation, capturing and management of knowledge and effective communication to relevant audiences; Produce consolidated project progress reports to the donor through UNDP.

Duties and Responsibilities :

1) Ensures effective implementation of project strategies, focusing on achievement of the following outputs/results:

• Facilitate proper planning, launching, implementation and monitoring of programme in consultation with local and regional stakeholders;
• Ensure appropriate staffing, resources and working system is in place to effectively implement the programme and monitor the progress;
• Effective application of Result Based Management (RBM) tools and monitoring achievement of project results and outputs;
• Oversee and ensure the overall quality of project management, reporting, and monitoring;
• Monitoring and analysis of the project environment, risk management and timely readjustments in programme;
• Supervises project staffs and manages regular performance review and approvals;
• Develops TORs for the recruitment of consultancy services to be undertaken under the project.

2) Ensures effective coordination and engagement of relevant stakeholders during the project implementation, focusing on:

• Establish and maintain good working relationship with the relevant line bureaus, development partners, CSOs, and other principal regional counterparts for the programme;
• Regular communication and information sharing about the progress towards expected project results and outputs with the Steering Committee and project Working Group's members;
• Regular monitoring and reporting on the results achieved;
• Work closely with project technical Officer(s) who are assigned for specific thematic areas by UNDP, and FAO and maintain close consultation with UNICEF where synergetic working relationships are required.

3) Ensures effective implementation and monitoring of the project, tracking use of financial resources focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation of project implementation is in place;
• In coordination with project technical officers' conduct monitoring of the activities under the project, ensuring quality standards are consistent with relevant guidelines;
• Analysis of the situation in the project, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions in coordination with UNDP;
• Coordinate and liaise with focal line bureaus and experts who facilitate the working groups and facilitate overall programme coordination and management through effective deliberation of steering committee including representatives from target areas;
• Along with the project officers and technical experts, constantly identify challenges and provide recommendations to manage risk of the project and ensure the smooth implementation;
• Timely submission of quarterly/progress reports to donors, counterparts and other relevant stakeholders, along with other reports which may be required.

4) Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and support to the implementation of the resource mobilization, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Creation and coordination of partnerships with development partners, government institutions, private sector, civil society etc. in consultation with NPMs;
• Identification of long-term sources of funding and establishing linkages with development partners.

5) Ensures active generation, capture and management of knowledge and effective communication to relevant audiences, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Capture, generate and manage knowledge during the course of project implementation with full engagement with development partners where they can support and share good practices and lessons learned;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice, and communicate on results to relevant audiences focusing on scaling up the project within the region and beyond;
• Capture and share good practices and based on it, design scale-up mechanism to the other areas of the Region as well as other regions in the country;
• Jointly with FAO and UNICEF ensure visibility of good practices and as necessary organize joined field trips.

6) Ensures consolidated project progress reports are produced to Donors:

• Facilitate assessment of baseline situation and capturing of basic baseline information;
• Ensure that project's progress are properly monitored, tracked, and captured to do analysis of impact and change as a result of intervention;
• Consolidate project activities/result reports including FAO component for submission to the funding partner;
• Facilitate evaluation of project progress and designing of phase scale up;
• Documentation and sharing of evidence based impacts and results and outcomes to stakeholders, donors and partners.

Core Competencies:

Innovation:

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

• Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them.

Leadership:

Ability to persuade others to follow.

• Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers.

People Management:

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

• Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others.

Communication:

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

• Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others.

Delivery:

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

• Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions.

Technical/Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:

Ability to design and implement strategic short/long term campaigns and carry out customized activations to highlight UNDP's position and support issue based advocacy.

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results.

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

• Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Resource Mobilization:

Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Knowledge of enterprise learning and development issues, concepts, and principles, and ability to apply them to enhance the fulfillment and performance of employees.

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Knowledge of disaster risk governance methodologies and concepts and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's degree or equivalent in Disaster Management, International Development Studies or discipline relevant to disaster reduction with focus on livelihoods recovery and resilience building, with demonstrated international experiences in similar projects and programmes.

Experience:

• At least 7 years field experience in the field of humanitarian assistance, emergency response with considerable experience in the field of early recovery, and its nexus with livelihood response and long-term resilience building;
• Extensive experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development, recovery and strategies and resilience building strategies programmes and projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems;
• Knowledge and experience in disaster response operations, including management of implementation of food security and livelihoods recovery, disaster risk reduction and resilience building project and programme is desirable;
• Experience in working within the UN System, preferably in an operation of UN Agency with humanitarian, DRR and recovery operations;
• Hands-on experience of similar assignment in Somali region of Ethiopia is preferred.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in the UN language, English, of the duty station. Working knowledge of other UN languages and local language is desirable.