Summary
Date Posted: Friday, December 23, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Job Description
Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Uganda has set out an agenda through its Vision 2040, of transforming the country from a largely peasant to a modern and prosperous economy and to achieve upper middle-income status by 2040 by building a people centred, independent, integrated, resilient, and self-sustaining economy. The vision is to be achieved through six successive five-year national development plans. To maintain and accelerate the momentum towards achievement of her vision, Uganda put in place and is implementing the third five-year National Development Plan (NDP III) 2020/21 – 2024/25. The goal of NDP III is to increase average household incomes and improve the quality of life of Ugandans by accelerating the growth of the economy, transforming the lives of the people, and strengthening the country’s regional and international competitiveness.

The Government has positioned the private sector as the engine and key driver of economic growth that is expected to accelerate the pace of transformation towards increased production; creation of decent jobs; reduction of inequality and unemployment; improved livelihoods; and effective participation of Uganda in AfCFTA. However, the private sector in Uganda is weak and a) dominated by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); b) encumbered by an inadequate policy and regulatory environment; and c) is mired in systemic and structural bottlenecks that include low productivity, weak human resource capacities, high informality, limited innovation, and low levels of technology.

UNDP is supporting the Government of Uganda to attain the goal of the NDP III through its Country Programme 2021 – 2025 that consists of five integrated programmes namely, i) Governance and Peace Programme; ii) Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Programme iii) Nature, Climate, Energy and Resilience Programme; iv) Digitalization, Innovation and Smart Cities Programme and v) SDG’s Integration and Acceleration Programme. The Inclusive and Sustainable Growth (ISG) Programme is supporting national efforts to strengthen the private sector to achieve enhanced productivity; sustained increase in production and incomes; improved livelihoods; strengthened resilience; and expanded employment opportunities especially for youth, women, and marginalized groups.

Duties and Responsibilities
The implementation of the Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Programme requires excellent programme management, thought leadership and quality assurance that reinforces the entire programming life cycle including planning, implementation, oversight, monitoring and evaluation, communications and efficient operations. As such, a Technical Specialist position for the Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Programme is a critical function that serves to provide technical expertise and policy advisory support in the design and implementation of programmatic interventions intended to accelerate structural transformation.

Summary of Key Functions
• Design and implementation of programme strategies;
• Support effective management of the Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Programme;
• Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy;
• Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management.
1. Ensures design and implementation of Inclusive and Sustainable Growth programme strategies focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs to CCA, UNSDCF, CPD, and other documents;
• Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned;
• Country Office business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management;
• Work closely with the Programme Management Support Unit to ensure quality assurance and programme implementation are aligned to UNDP’s rules and regulations.
2. Support the effective management of the Inclusive and Sustainable Growth programme focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation for the achievement of the following results:
• Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets and monitoring achievement of results;
• Design and formulation of programme interventions within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Co-ordination of programme implementation with the Implementing Partners and Responsible Parties. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones;
• Initiation of a project, presentation of the project to PAC, finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; co -ordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review;
• Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of NIM projects;
• Follow up with MSU on audit recommendations and ensure exceptions are timely reported;
• Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.
3. Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy in cooperation with the Programme Management Support and Partnerships and Resources Team, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi- lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities;
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.
4. Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals;
• Support to development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issue.

Institutional Arrangement
The Technical Specialist will report to the Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Programme Team Lead, under the overarching leadership of the UNDP Uganda Resident Representative. The Technical Specialist will work closely with other staff in the Country Office and with counterparts in Government and Private Sector as appropriate.

Competencies
Core Competencies
• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross Functional & Technical Competencies
Business Direction and Strategy Strategic Thinking
• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions;
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management: Portfolio Management
• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Partnership management: Relationship management
• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Partnership management: Resource mobilization
• Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements

2030 Agenda: Partnerships: SDG Finance:
• Financial Inclusion: Ability to identify entry points and design interventions that target individuals and businesses to have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs in a responsible and sustainable way.

2030 Agenda: Prosperity: Inclusive Growth
• Economic Diversification: Ability to identify and structure strategies that contribute to the efforts of enhancing positive economic growth and development

2030 Agenda: Prosperity: Inclusive Growth
• Inequality and exclusion: ability to design interventions that strengthen the advocacy in the ‘Leave no one behind’ agenda

Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Entrepreneurship, Social Sciences, or related fields. Bachelors Degree with qualifying years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:
• Minimum five years (Master’s degree) or seven years (Bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible experience in Inclusive and Sustainable Growth programme/project management with international/national development organizations, bilateral development agencies and/or NGOS;
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and skills in SME development, informal economy, and green economy;
• Experience in providing technical advice to third parties on SME development, informal economy, and green economy.

Language
• Proficiency in English.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 84

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

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