UNDP recrute un Senior Technical Project Coordinator

The Position:

The Senior Technical Project Coordinator (STPC) provides overall leadership and management of the Regional Technical Secretariat (RTS) programmatic team of the Sub-Saharian Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend project (SWEDD) for the WCARO. The STPC provides tailored support to the SWEDD countries management Units and other partners in the planning and implementation process to ensure a smooth performance of the Project, considering the different stages of implementation of the participation SWEDD countries. S/He builds strategic and operational relationships among donors and implementing stakeholders, essential to sustaining effective project development, implementation, and delivery.  The STPC serves as a de facto Deputy to the Project Director.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Sub-Saharian Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project (SWEDD) is a regional collaboration and partnership encompassing thirteen countries of West and Central Africa. The SWEDD project  is an initiative of the participating governments, funded by the World Bank’s regional IDA (International Development Association) resources. Other participating partners are the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), technical health wing of ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD). UNFPA ensures the Secretariat, with overall coordination and technical assistance role. The Project acts on the UN-ASfrican Union-World Bank commitment to assist countries reap the Demographic Dividend with deliberate investments in human capital, with focus on adolescents girls’ education and women’s empowerment.  The overall goal of the project is to accelerate the demographic transition, to spur the demographic dividend, and to reduce gender inequality in the participating countries.

The SWEDD Project interventions are structured around 3 components: (1) Gender transformative interventions across the 4E’s that promote girls’ and women’s social and economic autonomy; (2) Availability of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAHN) Commodities, and Qualified Health Workers at the community level and Strengthen Regional Capacity for adolescent-friendly services; (3) Foster National and Regional Commitment and Capacity for Policy Making and Project Implementation.

The Project governance is vested in a Regional Steering Committee, supported by the Regional Technical Secretariat (RTS) located at the UNFPA’s WCARO. The RTS is responsible for strengthening project management capacities of implementing agencies at national and regional levels. It also oversees the programming and implementation of all funding channeled through UNFPA for the project activities directly executed by UNFPA or sub-contracted to other agencies and partners.

It is in this context and as a member of the SWEDD Regional Technical Secretariat, that the Senior Technical Project Coordinator (STPC) is to provide the overall technical coordination for this project and specifically outcomes focusing on coordinating and facilitating the technical and programmatical assistance to SWEDD countries taking into consideration best relevant examples from UNFPA, other SWEDD partners – World Bank, WAHO, AU, AFD – and around the world, adapt necessary tools and technology for women empowerment  and harnessing the demographic dividend. The STPC leads high-level technical and programmatic discussions with national Project Management Units in each member countries and draws from other national, regional, international institutions and experiences as appropriate to improve the SWEDD project. S/He will provide supervision to the technical specialists assigned to the RTS and guide the RTS financial and administrative staff/consultants to ensure delivery of high-quality results. S/He will liaise with the technical teams of partner agencies to maximize impact of the project and ensure synergies and complementarities, in ensuring the joint planning and monitoring and evaluation of the SWEDD project. The STPC serve as deputy Director SWEDD/WCARO and report to her/him.

You would be responsible for:

Management and implementation of high quality of sustainable Technical Assistance (TA) to SWEDD countries and institutions that deliver on results and impacts 

• Manage the development and implementation of a robust UNFPA Technical Assistance annual work plan based on countries project maturity, defining modalities and approaches and capacity development for transfer of competencies.
• Ensure that relevant technical areas covered by SWEDD project components draw from and feed into each other, avoiding duplication and maximizing synergies.
• Identify and source necessary technical expertise to provide tailored high quality technical assistance to SWEDD countries, and oversee the recruitment of international consultants, and service providers.
• Provide strategic guidance and management oversight to the technical team, reviewing on a regular basis progress report, deliverables to ensure implementation of TA annual work plan is on track, and troubleshooting and adapting management as required.
• Monitor ongoing and emerging risks and issues related to TA and submit them to the SWEDD Director and for consideration and decision if required.
• Provide strategic guidance to Implementing Partners, Providers, and the project technical team, ensuring that the TA meets expectations with respect to quality, budget, delivery timelines, strategy, and client satisfaction.
• Ensure that the work of the technical team is conducted in accordance with UNFPA’s commitments within the SWEDD project, and relevant business processes are delivered on time.
• Provide guidance and enhancing teamwork with UNFPA Country Offices in supporting and monitoring the quality TA provided to SWEDD countries by IP and providers, including progress on agreed results framework and performance indicators.
• Guide CO team on ways to incorporate and apply gender equality, human rights, results-based management, environmental and social safeguard approaches as well as addressing cross border interventions in TA activities.
• Manage project budgets and ensure timely and accurate reporting, including the supervision of financial and administrative tasks.
• Oversee the development of financial and narrative reporting obligations to World Bank and WAHO, including reporting on TA provided to the SWEDD countries.

Advocacy and policy support, facilitation of capacity and knowledge building and management

• Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from various engagements and activities related to the TA for organizational sharing and learning as well as external information.
• Participate actively in the knowledge networks and takes advantage of best practices and lessons learned that are available in the region and globally and creating culture of knowledge and learning.
• Coordinate the technical preparation of the meetings of the Regional Steering Committee, including working meetings with the President.
• Participate actively with WB, WAHO and other partners in technical meetings and reviews and undertaking monitoring missions to assess progress in implementation.
• Keep abreast of new policy developments and strategies in SWEDD countries in collaboration with UNFPA CO Deputy Representative/Assistant Representative analyzing policy papers, strategy documents, national plans, and development frameworks, in view to prepare briefs and inputs for mainstreaming SWEDD best practices and innovation.
• Coordinate the creation and sharing of knowledge by summarizing and documenting results, lessons learned success and good practices, strategies, and approaches, and regular updating of the SWEDD knowledge platform.
• Contribute to the mapping of key actors such as think tanks, civil society, knowledge communities, opinion leaders and liaising with them to support the advocacy priorities of SWEDD project.
• Pro-actively identify and contribute to SWEDD advocacy and outreach.
• Effective communication, advocacy, and dissemination of SWEDD relevant knowledge products at international and national conferences and meetings, fora, and international processes.
• Oversee the development of a roster of individual consultants, institutions and private companies for use in technical assistance.
• Providing strategic policy advice, advocacy support for UNFPA corporate policy frameworks, preparation of UNFPA senior management’s  engagement in key SWEDD meetings and events, and preparation of briefing notes, speeches and talking points.
• Contribute to implementation of the communications, including social and behavior change, strategy and plan, reviewing content in line with the gender transformative agenda and organizational policies on external communication.
• Oversee and ensure that project files, documentation, are complete and  easily retrievable.

Enforce smooth communication between all technical stakeholders involved in the day-to-day implementation to ensure up-to-date information on the SWEDD Project

• Develop a strategic relationship with SWEDD countries’ Project Management and Implementation units.
• Set up a credible system for feedback by national Project Management Units on the quality of technical assistance provided by implementing partners, service providers, and individual consultants.
• Pro-actively contribute to strengthening relationships with World Bank and WAHO technical team for all aspects of SWEDD projects, including joint planning, monitoring, and field visits.
• Liaise with UNFPA’ Country offices’ Deputy Representatives or Assistant Representatives in SWEDD countries for a seamless coordination of technical assistance to the national coordinating and sector ministries.
• Liaise and coordinate with other WCARO technical units, and other UNFPA regional and HQ unit to identify synergies and effective collaboration within and between regional and global projects.
• Ensure the implementing partners working on related activities are communicating adequately with each other to minimize duplication and enhance synergies.
• Contributing to the project regional governance meetings where experience on progress as well as challenges can be shared.

A. Key Outcome

• A robust UNFPA Technical Assistance annual work plan, including an operational plan for deployment of TA-providing partners based on the countries needs focused on transfer of competencies.
• A database of experts that can provide high quality TA is made available to SWEDD member countries.
• Quality quarterly and annual TA reports shared with key SWEDD partners.
• The implementation of the TA plan adapts to an evolving context and respects UNFPA standards
• Technical intelligence is ensured to allow agile and informed decision-making on emerging issues.
• Periodic SWEDD performance reviews reports are available.
• Human rights, gender equality, results-based management, environmental and social safeguard approaches are mainstreamed in SWEDD planning and implementation.
• Programmatic and financial reports are produced timely and in respect of UNFPA quality standards.

B. Key Outcome

• A community of practice for SWEDD knowledge sharing is established and facilitated, a synthesis of good practices and lessons learned produced, and SWEDD knowledge platform updated.
• Prospective and retrospective documentation of SWEDD key interventions is conducted.
• Project tools, initiatives, approaches and results are documented and shared at country, regional and international levels.
• Technical support is provided to the Regional Steering Committee and technical materials are produced in preparing the annual meetings.
• Technical inputs and participation of UNFPA in joint meetings and missions with the World Bank, WAHO, AU and other partner institutions are ensured.
• Networking is established with the UNFPA Deputy Representative/Assistant Representative to better popularize SWEDD approaches for integration into national development policies and plans.
• Appropriate materials to present SWEDD, its approaches and achievements are produced and shared.
• Technical inputs are provided to support the preparation of high-level events related to the project and its themes.
• Monitoring of the implementation of the regional SBCC strategies is ensured in relation to the gender transformative agenda.
• A complete and accurate project documentation, easily retrievable and suitable for knowledge sharing is available.

C. Key Outcome

• A friendly and collaborative relationship is created and maintained with all project stakeholders.
• A mechanism for regular consultations with the countries for a better integration of their needs in the TA plan is put in place.
• Regular communication is maintained with UNFPA country offices for better integration and synergy between SWEDD and the UNFPA country program.
• Synergy is created with all UNPFA entities (HQ, RO and CO) to mobilize required TA at all levels.
• Technical oversight of RTS staff is provided to effectively deliver and strengthen partnership relationships with all stakeholders.
• Technical coordination of all meetings is ensured.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education: 

Master’s degree in public health, development studies, demography and/or other related social science discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 10 years specialized experience in technical assistance programming and delivery on development programmes, five (5) of which an international level.
• Excellent understanding of demographic dividend concept and gender transformative agenda.
• Experience in capacity development.
• Experience engaging with high level national and intergovernmental decision makers and leaders within a multinational and multicultural environment.
• Proven track record in budget management
• Excellent communication and inter-personal skills, IT literacy, as well as organizational skills and personal time-management
• Experience in managing diverse an multi-cultural teams.

Languages:

Fluency in French and English; knowledge of other official UN languages is an asset.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

Exemplifying integrity,

Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,

Embracing cultural diversity,

Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

Achieving results,

Being accountable,

Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,

Thinking analytically and strategically,

Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic vision and focus

• Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders

• Leading, developing, and creating a culture of performance

• Making decision and exercising judgment

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

Disclaimer: 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.