Chief Technical Advisor

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the “Apply now” button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit “submit application” tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as  reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Travel:

1. UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.
2. Any travels related to official performance of duties will be covered by UNDP.

Office/Unit/Project Description 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The DRC is characterized by a situation of protracted crises on a large part of its territory. In the past two decades, the violence in the DRC has shifted from sub-regional wars to internal armed conflicts organized around the access to and control of natural resources. The country is repeatedly affected by several serious epidemics such as Malaria, Measles, Cholera, Plague and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), and most recently COVID-19 with 22,842 cases including 673 death as of the 31st of January.

Security and humanitarian challenges increased in the period 2016–2018, particularly with the conflicts that have inflamed the Grand Kasai and Ituri. The conflicts have exacerbated socioeconomic vulnerability, with an estimated 15.3 million people, more than 15 per cent of the population, needing humanitarian assistance and protection in 2020.[1] These vulnerable populations face human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, as well as chronic malnutrition and epidemics, including cholera, measles and EVD. There are an estimated 3.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country in 2019. DRC is considered as the second largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

For several years, the weakening of the local health system, due to the lack of state investment and the destruction of infrastructure in the context of armed conflicts and political crises, has facilitated the emergence of public health problems such as the proliferation of epidemics and acute malnutrition. There is also a problem of weak governance in the management of health emergencies and other crises. Health coverage is still limited and most of the health infrastructure does not meet the standards.

CONTEXT IN EASTERN DRC

In eastern DRC, the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu are experiencing a fragile and volatile humanitarian, social, economic and security situation that challenges sustainable development efforts. The Eastern provinces are affected by protracted cycles of conflict and crisis that increase vulnerability, lengthens humanitarian assistance, and prevent sustainable social and economic development. Human development and poverty indicators for the area reveal the difficulties encountered by the population in reaching the threshold of a decent standard of living.

From August 2018 to June 2020, the provinces of North Kivu, Ituri and South Kivu were affected by the tenth epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD), the largest in the country’s history in terms of number of cases. In addition, the measles epidemic between January and mid-November 2019 caused twice as many deaths (5,430 victims, mostly children, with nearly 270,000 registered cases) as the EVD epidemic. The eastern provinces are among the most affected by these epidemics. The number of cholera cases remains high, with 88% of cases recorded in the DRC and 55% of deaths reported in endemic areas (mainly in the East). Finally, malaria remains endemic in the country and is one of the main causes of death in the DRC.

In this fragile and unstable context, the health emergencies caused by EVD and COVID-19 are disproportionately large, their management becomes particularly difficult and can reinforce existing community tensions (vicious circle).

GOVERNANCE ISSUES

From mid-2018 to 2020 a vast international effort to manage the EVD outbreak was conducted under leadership of the WHO and under coordination of the Ebola Emergency Response Team – an interagency ad hoc Coordination. The overall response was centralized at the central government level and managed by an ad hoc Multisectoral Committee.

Though ultimately successful, this intervention highlighted serious governance issues in the response, both at operational level in the coordination of the multiple actors engaged and at the decentralized level in the relation between the communities and their local administrations. The serious gap of connecting the communities perceived needs and the health response was never effectively filled so ‘community resistance’ and related issues went widespread.

The intervention lead by international civil servants and Kinshasa deployed management staff seriously disrupted the decentralized organization of the provincial authorities and furthermore increased mistrust between communities and their local and national administration.

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT

Whiles it makes no doubts that Ebola represented a serious global health security threat and challenge, it also appeared that, for the local communities impacted, the level of resources and efforts deployed to respond did not ultimately tackled their priorities. The intervention mainly focused on the specific EVD-related health issues and, to some extent, had a negative impact on other health issues set aside whiles the response. The economic consequence exacerbated by what quickly became named the ‘Ebola Business’ disrupted the socio-economic organization, inflating salaries for the responders whiles other current local business saw a significant negative economic impact on their activities.

Around 800 million US$ was spent to respond to Ebola. And truly little remains that secured capacity building at local level. It is fair to argue that most of that money supported International and centralized effort with little if not none impact for the communities, thus furthermore increasing the gap between the Government and the international institutions with the local communities. To add to these socioeconomic impact, a number of allegations of sexual exploitation, abuse and fraud exacerbated the challenges faced by the local communities and beneficiaries.

GOVERNANCE AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMME IN EASTERN DRC

To respond to the impact of the EVD and the COVID-19 and to boost the socio-economic development of the three eastern provinces of the DRC, UNFPA, UNDP and UNICEF propose interventions aligned with the three axes of the DRC government’s Post-Ebola Transition Concept Note and Emergency Multisectoral Program for the Mitigation of the Impacts of COVID-19 (PMUAIC-19). The three agencies developed a programme, named “Programme d’Appui à la Gouvernance et au Développement Économique et Social de l’Est de la RDC” (PAGDES) which aims at creating an enabling environment, systems, and mechanisms to improve long-term stabilization and inclusive socio-economic development in North Kivu, Ituri and South Kivu. The programme is articulated around three main pillars: decentralized governance, community engagement and participation, and access to essential social and economic services. It will be jointly implemented by the three agencies UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA.

[1] United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Aperçu des besoins humanitaires : République Démocratique du Congo, 2018.

The results delivered by the incumbent will have an impact on the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of the country programme of the three agencies (UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA) and should specifically allow the adequate preparation, funding, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the PAGDES.

Specific deliverables and outputs:

Deliverable 1: The project document is finalized, and the Government takes full ownership of its content:

1. Conduct consultations at provincial and national levels.
2. Final program document.

Deliverable 2: Donors own the project document, and their support intentions are known:

1. Identification and mapping of key PAGDES donors.
2. A technical meeting to present the project to potential donors.

Deliverable 3: A donors meeting is organized, and financial resources are committed:

1. Development of technical documents.
2. Preparatory meeting conducted with the 3 Governors and the Provincial Planning Ministers.
3. Organization of the donors meeting.
4. Donor monitoring.

Under the direct supervision of UNDP’s Resident Representative (RR), in close collaboration with UNICEF and UNFPA RRs, and in close technical collaboration with UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA DRC programme units, field offices, UN Agencies and any other relevant organizations, the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will actively support the CO on managing all aspects of PAGDES preparation and fundraising.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Provide policy advice and substantive technical support to government and other partners.
2. Advise, design, and conduct resource mobilization strategies for the programme.
3. Support coordination and strategic planning with the national and provincial authorities and partners.

Details of Key Functions:

1. Provide policy advice and technical support to government and other partners:

• Provide strategic policy advice to government counterparts, donors and other partners on issues related to decentralized governance, community engagement and participation, and access to essential social and economic services in Eastern DRC.
• Report to RR of the three agencies and their deputies. As required, represent the programme in national/international fora/discussions.
• Provide substantive inputs to the preparation of Government and interagency policy notes, statements, or others.
• Provide strategic policy advice to the interagency steering committee on issues related to decentralized governance, community engagement and participation, and access to essential social and economic services in Eastern DRC and prepare strategic policy papers as requested.
• Provide overall technical leadership, including leading the formulation of the project’s strategic approach and ensuring coordinated programmatic inputs and technical quality.

       2. Advise, design, and conduct resource mobilization strategies for the programme:

• Lead the development of a resource mobilization strategy for the PAGDES and engage in resource mobilization negotiation with donors.
• Contribute to an effective advocacy, communication and networking achieved through partnership and collaboration, including a strong contribution of UN participating agencies’ positioning on the thematic areas of the PAGDES.
• Support the promotion of the partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, civil society, to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme status and implementation.
• Advise on partnerships and resources mobilization strategies for programme related works including governance, community engagement and socio-economic development.
• Prepare substantive briefs, proposal to donors and technical reports to the UN participating agencies and participate in relevant technical and policy forums.

       3. Support coordination and strategic planning with the national and provincial authorities and partners:

• Contribute to the harnessing of effective partnerships and competitive selection of partners for the implementation of the programme.
• Build partnerships with governance and development agencies via coordination mechanism.
• Develop initiatives to facilitate functional partnerships between Eastern DRC provincial authorities and non-governmental organizations, local media and the public.
• Liaise with and maintain regular contact with line ministries, UN agencies, civil society institutions, and development partners, and support ongoing coordination efforts.
• Develop and help in the coordination mechanism for the PAGDES at national and provincial level, as requested by government partners and donor community.
• Provide strategic and technical guidance (Capacity Building) to establish and institutionalize relevant coordination mechanisms.
• Participate in meetings with national partners and development partners in DRC to discuss governance and development issues in post-conflict areas.

Core Competencies:

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Level 6: Exercises stakeholder-centered design approaches for office / programme / division.

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow.

Level 6: Ensures teams are resourced for success and empowered to deliver.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Level 6: Guides substantive specialists / teams and expands credibility and innovation capacity.

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade, and transform.

Level 6: Creates confidence among stakeholders by delivering authoritative positions, compelling analysis, and contextual acumen.

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Level 6: Accepts accountability for the outcomes of programme delivery and facilitates improvement and innovation in the delivery of products and services.

Technical/Functional Competencies:

Resource Mobilization

Lead on the relationship with donors to ensure sustainable resource pipeline to achieve programme results.

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

Ability to assess programme performance to identify success factors and incorporate best practices into programme work & monitors specific stages of programme implementation

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise.

Building Strategic Partnerships

Ability to build networks, having strong problem-solving and negotiation skills, and the ability to communicate in a diverse environment.

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Ability to understand and apply fundamental concepts and principles of democratic governance, socio-economic development, and have knowledge of organizational policies and procedures.

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise.

Client Orientation

Ability to research potential solutions to internal and external client needs and report back in a timely, succinct, and appropriate fashion.

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise.

Judgement & Decision-making

Ability to identify key issues in a complex situation and practices informed decision making.

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise.

Gender

Displays gender sensitivity and promotes gender equality in all aspects of work.

Knowledge of systems for gender mainstreaming and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situation.

Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise.