National Programme Officer (Programme Management Specialist)

Under the supervisor of Senior Programme Officer (SPO), the National Programme Officer’s (Programme Management Specialist) duties and responsibilities are as follows:

1. Programme development planning and coordination

• Coordinate the development and articulation of the Country Programme Strategy (CPS) in line with relevant UN and government and/or national or regional strategies, and review/update at necessary intervals.
• Ensure CPS reflects in-house capacity, budget, typology of delivery areas and the internal tools and knowledge resources
• Support the management team to translate the Strategy into implementation/results work plans and associated monitoring mechanisms and draft project documents as needed for the implementation of the programme

• Coordinate and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in-country and at HQ, to ensure aligned and coherent planning and implementation processes2. Development and follow up of resource mobilization opportunities

• Monitor humanitarian and development trends and needs to identify potential areas of intervention within UN mandates and existing capacity

• Stay abreast of policies on mine action, UN policies, and cross-cutting priorities, such as gender, diversity, conflict sensitivity, sustainability, and environment, to be included in programme design as relevant

• Coordinate the identification, design, and formulation of new activities to meet programme objectives

• Coordinate preparation of programme documents, including concept notes, proposals, and associated budgets

• Draft and/or review funding agreements and other project documents required for the signature and implementation of new projects

• In coordination with headquarters Resource Mobilization personnel, support the review, submission, negotiation, and signature of funding agreements

3. Programme management support

• Analyze funding agreements and develop compliance plans and monitoring frameworks to guide key departments and management team to meet requirements of funding agreements, in coordination with HQ
• In collaboration with relevant personnel, establish monitoring mechanisms to measure delivery against targets outlined in funding agreements
• Provide review/input to scopes of work for procurement processes to ensure the requirements of the relevant funding sources are reflected in agreements with implementing partners
• Review implementing partner reports to ensure requirements are being met
• Track programme results against targets, alert relevant management if delivery is not on track, compile data and draft reports to internal and external stakeholders and support the management team to prepare for internal reviews
• Coordinate information flow between implementation teams, donors, and headquarters, particularly related to any deviations that would require revisions to the relevant legal agreement; when required, Coordinate budget and activity revisions to funding agreements
• Prepare, and provide editing support for, high quality summary and analytical reports including, but not limited to, project reports, annual reports, situation reports, briefing notes, code cables, and UN reports
• Prepare written summaries of meetings/visits and ensure relevant team members implement follow-up actions, as appropriate; research and prepare analytical, and sometimes sensitive, documents for the management team.
• Coordinate communications between the Country Programme office and the headquarters Programme, Portfolio Management, and Risk, Quality and Partnership teams to support compliance to programme documents and funding agreements, and the implementation of policies, processes and methods according to internal standards

4.Stakeholder coordination, representation, and inter-agency collaboration

• Establish and build relationships with UN, international organizations, donors, governments, and mine action stakeholders for the purposes of facilitating activities and improving the quality and relevance of programme implementation
• Participate in, contribute to and report on the relevant inter-agency, UN mission, donor and inter­governmental coordination meetings in consultation with relevant programme technical experts when required
• Support the management team with UN common planning and programming processes, including strategic country analysis, UNSDCF, humanitarian response plans, integrated strategic frameworks, etc
• Coordinate, participate in, or contribute to the Mine Action Area of Responsibility/Sub-Cluster under the Protection Cluster, where relevant, including the formulation of the mine action components for the Humanitarian Needs Overview and Response Plan Response plan, in collaboration with the UNMAS Geneva office
• Support the applications of policies, practices and procedures associated with the overall implementation of the Humanitarian Programme Cycle and associated funding and monitoring mechanisms, where relevant, in collaboration with the UNMAS Geneva office
• Support the development of communication strategies, linked to resource mobilization strategies, where relevant, to maximise communication impact and outreach and build awareness of Country Programme objectives
• Support design, coordination and dissemination of public information products and communication activities as well as gather and draft content for communications products and platforms
• Support preparations for official meetings, events, briefings, and field visits, and prepare talking points, briefing notes, presentations and speeches for the management team and senior UN officials

5.Knowledge management and document management and innovation

• Maintain records of programme files and other necessary programme documents such as documentation of decisions and actions taken on programme issues
• Implement relevant standards, tools and templates to effectively manage programme development and implementation
• Identify, contribute to, record and share the ongoing development and implementation of best practice, lessons identified, and innovative approaches to improve overall programme performance
• Contribute to the management and upkeep of risk management and issue management logs and processes

6.People management

• Support the SPO, and as member of the Programme/Coordination section
• Ensure the effective planning, recruitment and development of a flexible workforce with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance, and ensure gender and geographical diversity
• Lead and motivate the programme team
• Foster a positive work environment, respectful of both men and women, and ensure that the highest standards of conduct are observed
• Post may include regular travel to different accessible areas of Syria