Ukraine: Social Cohesion Associate

Nov 13, 2022 | United Nations Development Program
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the development arm of the United Nations, UNDP supports strategic capacity development initiatives to promote inclusive growth and sustainable human development. Through partnerships with national, regional, and local governments, civil society, and the private sector, UNDP strives to support Ukraine in its efforts to eliminate poverty, develop people’s capacity, achieve equitable results, sustain the environment, and advance democratic governance. It does so through work on three pillars:

  • Governance reform
  • Environmental and energy policy reform for innovative green and clean economic growth
  • Recovery and stabilization in the war-affected areas.

Today Ukraine is facing its most serious challenges since achieving independence in 1991. The ongoing war has already resulted in significant loss of life, unprecedented displacement, internally and towards neighbouring countries, and devastating destruction of infrastructure. The UN Ukraine Flash Appeal shows that at least 15.7 million people are in immediate need of emergency assistance and protection. Early UNDP projections suggest that if the war deepens and expands, up to 90 per cent of the population of Ukraine could be facing poverty and vulnerability to poverty by the end of 2022, and 30 per cent of the population are likely to require life-saving humanitarian assistance. Eighteen years of socio-economic achievements in Ukraine are at risk. UNDP’s core engagement is to preserve development gains as fully as possible, and to return Ukraine to pathways to achieving the SDGs as quickly as possible.

UNDP has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict which started in 2014, focusing on community mobilization, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP). The UN RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).

UN RPP’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect women’s and men’s priority needs in the region: 

Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure
Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform 
Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion

In October 2018, UNDP signed an agreement for a multi-year project under the EU Support to the East of Ukraine Programme. In 2021, the EU-funded project was amended to extend its scope through the EU4Resilient Regions Programme. It has recently been amended to ensure that the approach implemented under UN RPP can help address the devastation and increased needs of the civilian population as a result of the ongoing war, and where it will be required.

This endeavour will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives:

  • To enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development, and the delivery of services.
  • To stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.
  • To enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through the promotion of civic initiatives.
  • To support sector reforms and structural adjustments in health, education, and critical public infrastructure to mitigate the direct impacts of the conflict.

To support the implementation of Project activities aiming to preserve and strengthen the social fabric in communities affected by the war, UNDP Ukraine invites applications from highly qualified and experienced Ukrainian professionals for the post of Social Cohesion Associate.

In line with 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, the incumbent will contribute to accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment throughout Project implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Community Security and Social Cohesion Specialist and direct supervision of the Youth Engagement and Volunteers Specialist, the incumbent will support and contribute to the social cohesion component in the two conflict-affected regions. 

  • Contribute to and support local dialogue and trust-building within communities, and between them and the authorities through joint decision-making, public consultation, and hearings, with a special focus to communities most affected by the war and displacement;
  • Contribute to and support the set-up of effective mechanisms for identifying triggers of disharmony and tension at community level, and the establishment of local Open Dialogue platforms to complement the traditional public hearing system;
  • Participate in process of increasing the level of awareness and information of territorial communities’ members (with a special focus on representatives of vulnerable groups) on key development topics, including but not limited to area-based and participatory recovery planning;
  • Maintain contacts with citizens’ groups, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Community Security Working Groups (CSWG) to effectively initiate, plan, and implement Human Rights Based community recovery and development and community security strategies and projects;
  • Contribute to the development of CSOs’ and CSWGs’ competence to monitor the fulfilment of local development projects and strategies in relation to the preservation and strengthening of the social fabric and IDPs integration in host communities;
  • Contribute to the development of civic activism and a culture of volunteerism, especially among young people;
  • Support the activities of social, cultural, volunteer networks and informal interest groups at the community level, including but not limited to local recovery planning and response to the war, with a special focus on socialization of displaced populations in host communities;
  • Support the trainings of CSOs to report, in a clear and effective manner, to local governance institutions, service providers and community members on their activities, funding levels and results achieved;
  • Support organizing and carrying out regular regional and local consultations on social cohesion in Project target oblasts, and provide substantive inputs for the preparation and publishing of analytical reports as needed;
  • Assist the authorities on the local, district and oblast levels to implement conflict-sensitive communication strategies and public awareness approaches;
  • Participate in programme component activities on launching media platforms and/or other digital tools as a space for inclusive recovery;
  • Facilitate and provide full support to development of the school curriculum and recommendations on extra-curriculum activities in schools to promote tolerance education;
  • Ensure full compliance of Programme activities with UNDP rules, regulations, and procedures.
  • Perform other functions as deemed essential for effective results.

Competencies

Core

  • Achieve Results
    LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
  • Think Innovatively
    LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
  • Learn Continuously
    LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
  • Adapt with Agility
    LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
  • Act with Determination
    LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
  • Engage and Partner
    LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion
    LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

  • Business Direction and Strategy - 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
  • Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation:
    Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
  • Business Management - 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
  • 2030 Agenda – People
    Gender Gender Mainstreaming
  • 2030 Agenda: Peace - Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions:
    Community engagement for prevention, response, and social cohesion
  • 2030 Agenda: Peace - Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions:
    Dialogue, Mediation and Reconciliation

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Secondary Education is required
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Psychology, Law, or other relevant areas will be given due consideration but it is not a requirement

Experience:

  • Minimum 6 years (with Secondary Education) or 3 years (with Bachelor’s Degree) of relevant experience in working with the local/regional authorities and non-governmental organizations, media in the field of social cohesion, field of administration, programme/project support or other relevant fields.
  • Demonstrable previous experience in organizing workshops, roundtables etc. to facilitate community dialogues, especially on inclusion of vulnerable or marginalized groups, will be strong advantage.
  • Demonstrable experience in supporting the implementation of community projects on social inclusion, would be a strong asset especially if focused on youth and volunteers’ engagement.
  • Previous experience in participating in capacity development, or advisory or advocacy activities to civil society in the area of social inclusion of marginalized groups would be highly desirable.
  • Previous participation in academic/professional development opportunities related to social inclusion, social cohesion would be a strong advantage (please submit relevant certificates).
  • Experience of working in UN agency or international organization will be a strong advantage.
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Required Language(s)

  • Fluency in Ukrainian and English is required