Head, Nigeria International Partners Group (NIPG) Secretariat at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations’ global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head, Nigeria International Partners Group (NIPG) Secretariat

Job ID: 30041
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Practice Area – Job Family: Management – PARTNERSHIP
Grade: P5
Vacancy Type: FTA International
Posting Type: Common System
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background

The Nigeria International Partners Group (NIPG) was restructured in January 2020 and is composed of the United Nations and its agencies; bi-lateral donors; multilateral donors; the international financial institutions, and representatives from international non-governmental organizations (I-NGOs).
In line with the five pillars of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the commitment for greater partnership between different parties working on aid and development in the Accra Agenda for Action, the proposed objective of the NIPG is to strengthen international partner coordination at national level and foster alignment with the Government of Nigeria on planning and delivery of all development and related activities.
The NIPG aims at supporting a harmonized collective approach in alignment with the priorities of the Government of Nigeria. This will include the development and delivery of an international mutual accountability framework to better coordinate international community efforts to support the Nigerian government’s responsibilities to reduce poverty in Nigeria.

Governance of the NIPG

The Nigerian International Partners Group in plenary brings together all international partners who provide support to Nigeria. The Forum meets minimum quarterly and aims at harmonizing the overall strategic direction of the international partners in support of an agreed mutual accountability framework co-owned with the Government of Nigeria.
The Executive Committee of the Nigeria International Partners Group is drawn from the membership of the Plenary. The Executive Committee is composed of representatives from UN Agencies (representing the UN Resident Coordinator); bi-lateral partners/donors; and IFIs, selected by the NIPG Plenary for a one-year term.
The Executive Committee meets bi-monthly. The Executive Committee has responsibility for supporting the international community in achieving its collective objectives agreed by the NIPG Plenary and specified in the International Mutual Accountability Framework (IMAF) agreed with the Government of Nigeria. The Executive Committee works across the international community with other bodies and structures (including technical working committees) that have responsibility for delivery of common objectives agreed in the International Mutual Accountability Framework. The Executive Committee can provide guidance and support, marshal resources from across the international community, identify synergies between different workstreams, and ensure coherence across the various IMAF objectives. ;
The NIPG Secretariat will support the implementation of the decisions of the NIPG Plenary and will work with the Executive Committee to advance the agenda of the NIPG. The Secretariat will be hosted by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, with UNDP providing administrative services. The Secretariat will be funded by members of the NIPG through contributions into a UN managed Trust Fund. The Executive Committee will be responsible for determining how the Trust Fund resources are utilized – including the recruitment of staff for the Professional Secretariat.
The Secretariat will be responsible for organizing the NIPG Annual Strategic Retreat and Plenary sessions of the NIPG; convening Executive Committee meetings, including agreeing and circulating the agenda, keeping minutes; identifying actions arising; designing forward workplans for NIPG workstreams; coordinate all activities around the IMAF with the international community and the Government of Nigeria; establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to monitor progress against objectives and ensure mutual accountability; and work in support of the various structures operating beneath the NIPG (such as technical committees) to deliver against NIPG objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Nigeria International Partners Group Executive Committee, and administrative supervision of the Resident Representative of UNDP, the incumbent will head the NIPG Secretariat, and execute its mandate accordingly.
He/she will be compliant with UNDP employment rules and regulations covering professionalism, conflicts of interest, safeguarding, bribery and corruption, etc.

Manage the NIPG Secretariat and oversee the functioning of the NIPG (NIPG Plenary, NIPG Executive Committee), including results planning, monitoring and reporting focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Convene and plan NIPG plenary meetings, including the NIPG Annual Strategic Retreat, (venue, agenda, organizing presentations keeping minutes, recording actions, setting workplans, etc.);
Organize NIPG Executive Committee meetings and manage issues arising;
Prepare and follow-up on work plans and actions arising;
Maintain the agenda of the NIPG, for focused engagement with the political/policy issues under the NIPG’s mandate;
Manage the staff and other resources assigned to the Secretariat by the NIPG members to deliver the objectives of the NIPG;
Report to the Executive Committee and the NIPG Plenary on progress against agreed objectives;
Follow up on the implementation of the decisions made by the NIPG and its Executive Committee.
Support resource mobilization efforts when requested.
Manage the development and implementation of the International Mutual Accountability Framework, coordinating across the NIPG and coordinating between the NIPG and the Government of Nigeria.
Organize regular meetings between the NIPG Plenary and the NIPG Executive Committee with appropriate counterparts from the Government of Nigeria to effectively manage the IMAF.

Multi-stakeholder coordination focusing on achievement of the following results:

Promote a coordinated approach to achieve the development objectives of the NIPG through working closely with NIPG partners’ advisers and respective staff;
Strengthen alignment and support coordination between all NIPG members to achieve shared NIPG objectives;
Coordinate the activities of the NIPG Secretariat with other workstreams and advisers from NIPG members, including technical working groups;
Liaise with NIPG members working on shared NIPG objectives at sub national level;
Collaborate with the sub-national coordination mechanisms and ensure feedback to the NIPG;
Contribute to the formation of a harmonized approach within the international community.

Ensure multi-stakeholder partnership and advocacy focusing on achievement of the following results:

Lead the efforts of the NIPG Executive Committee for designing, agreeing, and implementing agreed objectives through an International Mutual Accountability Framework agreed and aligned with the government of Nigeria;
Work with the NIPG Executive Committee and other structures of the NIPG to achieve NIPG objectives;
Enhance advocacy and communication to inform and strengthen dialogue between the NIPG and the government of Nigeria;

Provide political, policy and strategic advice in support of the work of the NIPG and its Executive Committee focusing on achievement of the following results:

Develop action plans to guide the implementation of objectives agreed by the NIPG;
Monitor accountability frameworks and joint work plans of the NIPG, it subordinate structures and the I-MAF;

Knowledge management, analysis and information sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

Build on existing and / or develop processes and platforms for information-sharing, including mapping of NIPG partners’ programmes and their alignment with NIPG agreed objectives and the I-MAF;
Consolidate reporting to support the development of the I-MAF, and other international community initiatives;
Lead the analysis of gaps between approaches of different NIPG partners, identify and propose options to overcome these, and identify issues of concern for the NIPG and its structures.

Competencies
Core:
Innovation:

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.
Exercises stakeholder-centered design approaches for office / programme / division

Leadership:

Ability to persuade others to follow.
Ensures teams are resourced for success and empowered to deliver

People Management:

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.
Guides substantive specialists / teams and expands credibility and innovation capacity

Communication:

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.
Creates confidence among stakeholders by delivering authoritative positions, compelling analysis, and contextual acumen

Delivery:

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.
Accepts accountability for the outcomes of programme delivery and facilitates improvement and innovation in the delivery of products and services

Technical/Functional:
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Management and Coordination:

Ability to manage and coordinate people with inspiration. Believe in and promote diversity in the workplace and reshaping the workforce to meet need.

Strategic thinking / Visioning:

Ability to analyze the SIPS’s value proposition and shape visionary/long term plans.
Use insight to identify target audiences and partners and to inform communication objectives, messages and solutions.

Collaboration and Partnership:

Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships within or outside the NIPG that can provide information, assistance, and support.
Supports the NIPG with the formation and management of strategic relationships contributing to the overall positioning of the NIPG.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Conflict Studies, Development Studies, or any other relevant field.

Experience:

10 years’ work experience in development, political and/or transitional or humanitarian related field.
Work experience/or familiarity with the aid effectiveness agenda with either bi-lateral, multi-lateral, UN or I-NGO organization with reference to SDGs and the Grand Bargain Commitments;
Proven work experience in fragile/ conflict context(s) to deliver international assistance;
Excellent strategic, managerial, administrative leadership and presentation skills;
Proven coordination, partnership, donor relations, financial management and resource mobilization skills;
Experience in inter-agency and multi-stakeholder coordination and mechanisms;
Experience in complex emergencies and/or natural disasters – humanitarian/recovery/development operations.
Experience in the field of displacement and durable solutions.
Demonstrable ability to build an effective team, work across numerous organizations to deliver a common objective, and build effective working consensus amongst different organizations;
Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and understanding of power relations in resource-dependent countries.

Language Requirements: