Programme Analyst – Small Arms and Light Weapons Project (SALWP) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Programme Analyst – Small Arms and Light Weapons Project (SALWP)

Job ID: 28557
Location: Abuja
Practice Area Job Family: Crisis Prevention and Recovery SMALL ARMS
Grade: NOA
Vacancy Type: FTA Local
Posting Type: Common System
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background
The effective control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) is one of the major global prerequisites for peace building, sustainable development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Peace and security challenges in West Africa are primarily about preventing conflicts and bringing development. A major lesson UNDP learned over the years is that where small arms and armed violence dominate, development suffers.

The fight against the trafficking of small arms and light weapons continues to prove a major challenge to the growth and development path for many countries despite earlier initiatives undertaken by different partners, UNDP, EU ECOWAS and government to provide support to member states. Post-election violence, recurrent armed violence, resurgent of the Boko Haram, activities of bandits, kidnappers and other organized crimes are a manifestation of the easy availability of SALW in the sub region.

Thus, the Regional Small Arms project seeks to support ECOWAS in its capacity to effectively address factors of instability and reinforce a proactive approach to peacebuilding, conflict prevention and resolution in West Africa. It is an intervention implemented by UNDP Nigeria Country Office to support the implementation of the Peace Security and Stability Mandate (PSSM) which Specifically, Small Arms Project seeks to advance implementation of the component “Practical Disarmament” of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework in Member-States (ECPF) in line with the ECOWAS convention on small arms

The position is under the overall supervision of the Regional Coordinator/Team Lead and direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), the incumbent will be primarily providing support in coordinating implementation of the Small Arms project activities for the OCWAR-T, ECOWAS/ EU/ GIZ/ UNDP and other intervention of the small arms project in Nigeria and African region. He/she will also provide technical support to the team lead in the management of the project. The incumbent provides support to the Regional Lead to coordinate the activities of the respective national coordinators to ensure smooth implementation of project deliverables. He/she will work in close collaboration with CO management, Programme and Operations teams of UNDP Nigeria to deliver on project results and ensure prompt reporting in line with the programme and partnerships agreements.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support partnerships coordination between relevant stakeholders i.e. ECOWAS, European Union, GIZ, and in liaison with UNDP SALW regional office in the project countries;
• Support the coordination efforts of the respective project countries in the MRU and
• Sahel to deliver a significant reduction in the proliferation of Small Arms and Light weapons and substituting them with concrete development interventions which affect livelihoods positively;
• Supporting the strengthening of the existing NATCOMs capacity in the project countries including Nigeria to perform their functions in accordance with the provisions of the ECOWAS convention;
• The position requires close collaboration with project staff in other countries of project implementation (Burkina Faso, Cote d’lvoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone) to ensure smooth implementation.

Responsibilities
Supports overall coordination of implementation of work plans for the Small Arms programme in-country:

• Provide support in the day-to-day administration and programme of the project, providing direction and validating project deliverables of the NATCOMs for the approval by the National Technical Committee.
• Support national coordinators to formulate Annual Work Plans to ensure efficient implementation of project deliverables.
• Provide support to ensure the effective implementation of the programme through the provision of appropriate guidelines and development of programme personnel in accordance with UNDP’s policies and procedures.
• Provides support to the project team lead in the coordination of Project Steering Committee meetings and composed of high-level representatives from the European Union, ECOWAS, GIZ, GFFO and UNDP.
• Ensures preparation of projects briefs, analysis and presentation of project information for preparation of progress reports as well as accurate financial reporting on all the project activities.
• Provide support to ensure quality assurance for the project in-country and for monitoring project deliverables based on the quarterly reports.

Provides effective support to management of the project focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Creation of required project entries in Atlas, preparation of required budget revisions, revision of project award and project status, determination of unutilized funds, operational and financial close of a project.
• Provision of guidance to the implementing partners on routine implementation of projects.
• Presentation of information for audit, supports implementation of audit recommendations.

Support the process of programme reporting in line with donor agreements and ensure accurate communication of development results:

• Provides programme support in the coordination of National Technical Committee meetings composed of representatives from the ECOWAS, EU, NATCOMs, CSOs and relevant stakeholders.
• Provides support on ensuring quality project reports, quarterly and annually for partner in line with donor reporting guidelines.
• Support the team lead and serve as liaison between UNDP and partners to ensure that national partners such as the NATCOMs and the CSO’s are constantly involved in the implementation and dissemination of information.

Supports Regional Team Lead to identify strategies for mobilizing resources and partnerships in the following areas:

• Conduct external and internal analysis for assessing additional opportunities in resource mobilization for respective NATCOMS.
• Actively participate in the implementation of the Partnership and Resource Mobilization (PRM) Strategy for the project
• Support team lead in the negotiation, drafting and revision of agreements with donors.

Provide support to ensure quality control of project implementation in line with the UNDP’s policy on publishing project data to the global standard on International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI):

• Update baselines, indicators, targets and results for all outputs under the Small arms project.
• 6. Facilitates Communications, knowledge building and knowledge sharing as required by the development partners, focusing on the following results:
• Ensure communication of development results of the project are shared with the partners as well as within UNDP.
• Actively participate to identify and formulate lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader ECOWAS knowledge management efforts.
• Ensure lessons from project are shared as contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Impact of Results:

• The key results will have an impact on the coordination of the respective project activities in the MRU and Sahel to deliver significant reduction in the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and substituting them with development interventions which affect livelihoods positively; and strengthening of the existing NATCOMs to perform their functions in accordance with the provisions of the ECOWAS convention.
• Help achieve the regional project objectives and provide sound analytical inputs and advice with respect to coordination of activities involving multinational partners/donors.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s) in Social Sciences, Business Management, Accounting, Sociology, International Relations, Political Science or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in project fund management and budget management in UN or NGO at the national or international level. Demonstrated experience in programme management and coordination, multi-donor relations and communications for development.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation is essential. Sound knowledge of Small Arms and light weapons related issues and good knowledge of regional instruments on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Ammunition management.
• Good understanding of UNDP, ECOWAS and EU’s rules and procedures, financial system and programme implementation module in the ECOWAS sub region.
• Good knowledge of UNDP programme management procedures is critical. Knowledge of ECOWAS, EU and GIZ programme implementation procedures is an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in the UN and national language of the duty station.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:
Advocacy / Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:

• Preparing information for advocacy
• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

• Contributes into results through primary research and analysis
• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
• Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

• Maintaining a network of contacts
• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up to date on partnership related issues
• Analyses and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches:

• Enhancing processes or products
• Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things.

Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations):

• Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategies
• Analyses information/databases on potential and actual donors

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Basic Research and Analysis
• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things

Job Knowledge / Technical Expertise:

• Fundamental knowledge of own discipline
• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical speciality relating to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Strives to keep job knowledge up to date through self-directed study and other means of learning
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals:

• Preparing information for global advocacy
• Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences

Client Orientation:

• Establishing effective client relationships
• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines.

Application Closing Date
20th February, 2020.