New Opening: Programme Associate

Job Description

Background

The Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program for Ethiopia was initiated as a crucial step towards implementing the peace agreement signed between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) on 2nd November 2022 in South Africa. This agreement ended the long-standing conflict that had arisen between the TPLF and the central government in Ethiopia, resulting in widespread violence and displacement.

The objective of the DDR program is to facilitate the disarmament of former combatants from Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, their demobilization, and eventual reintegration into civilian life. The program is geared towards restoring peace, promoting reconciliation, and creating a conducive environment for sustainable development. Eventual areas of coverage will go beyond Northern Ethiopia and cover other regions of Ethiopia.

The Government of Ethiopia has mandated and created the “National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC)” which is responsible for the design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of the DDR program in the country. The overall DDR beneficiaries identified are 371,971. The Government has planned implementation of the program. In Phase 1, a total of 75,000 combatants will be demobilized in 2024, and the balance will be demobilized in 2025.

UNDP is supporting the NRC in close coordination with various national and international partners, including the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and other actors. It is expected that the DDR program will provide an opportunity for the combatants in North Ethiopia to turn their focus towards peaceful and productive activities, thereby contributing to the overall stability and development of the North Ethiopia region.

The DDR program has close linkages with the National Dialogue, Transitional Justice, and Peace Support program. The DDR program is anchored in the Governance Unit.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the implementation of program activities based on approved AWP in coordination with the National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC), focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support data collection, analysis, and presentation of background information for preparation for effective application of RBM tools and establishment of management targets.
• Support formulation of draft project documents, annual work plans (AWP), budget proposals, and implementation arrangements.
• Based on approved Annual Work Plan (AWP), support the overall implementation of project activities in the region.
• Support project business processes with UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures (POPP) and UNDP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Provide guidance to project staff on business processes, administrative, and other requirements and procedures when necessary.
• Support mainstreaming gender equality in project implementation, including in data collection and compilation.

Coordinate and facilitate capacity building trainings and consultative workshops

Focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• In consultation with NRC, support the identification of capacity building needs and liaise with the CO to identify competent consulting institutions/ICs potentially capable of providing trainings.
• Support designing of workshops that consider and address multiple interests, set out clear objectives, and engaging activities; select appropriate tools, materials, and resources needed to implement activities.
• Based on approved AWPs, support facilitation of National Regional level consultative DDR workshops.
• Support procurement of services and materials necessary for the trainings and consultative workshops.
• Closely work with procurement and finance teams to properly file relevant procurement and financial documents; timely settle outstanding advance and other payments.

Support partnerships and coordination mechanisms with government and non-government partners

Focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the engagement of a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain, and/or strengthen working relations, trust, and mutual understanding between the organization and a wide range of stakeholders.
• Support engagements with emerging partners, develop, and manage a strategy and approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.
• Support use of available knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.
• Conduct stakeholders’ mapping using 5Ws (Who is doing What, Where, When, and with/For whom).

Ensure reporting and communication support focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the organization of weekly briefing sessions with Senior DDR Advisor.
• Support provision of updates to the SMT during monthly Programme/Operations Meetings.
• Support collection and compilation of progress updates from the field and from implementing partners, and share monthly/quarterly/semi-annual and annual reports with Senior Advisor DDR.
• Collect, analyze, and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets.
• Regularly monitor expenditures and commitments against the project budget and provide finance-related information to support project implementation.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support the organization of capacity building trainings for project/operations staff.
• Support the synthesization of lessons learned and best practices in project implementation for internal sharing.
• Support provision of sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Operations Related Tasks

Support operations related tasks including staff, premises, and asset management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support staff well-being, and staff safety and security related compliance mechanisms.
• Support supervision of overall office and premise/compound management.
• Supervise staff under direct supervision and support staff to perform respective roles and responsibilities.
• Support and capacitate staff to develop key performance objectives and evaluate achievements.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the DDR Director or his/her designate, the Programme Associate ensures effective delivery of the DDR project, contributing to the overall implementation of project activities designed under the programme.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open-minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciates/respects differences, aware of unconscious bias.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

• Business Management - Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources.
• Business Management - Resource Management: Ability to allocate and use resources strategically.
• Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform, and model data.
• Business Management - Communication: Ability to communicate clearly and tailor messages to the audience.
• Business Management - Operations Management: Ability to effectively plan and oversee business processes.
• Business Management - Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability to rapidly adopt new technologies.
• Administration & Operations - Documents and Records Management: Overall document management registry and retention policy.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary school education is required. OR
• University degree in relevant fields will be given due consideration.

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years (with a high school diploma) or 3 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience is required.
• Experience in Programme/Project Planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation is an asset.
• At least 2 years of experience working with the UN system is an asset.
• Experience with spreadsheet and database packages is an asset.
• Experience in the preparation of financial reports is an asset.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation tools is an asset.
• Experience with project management processes is desired.
• Experience and knowledge of procurement procedures of national/international organizations is desired

Language:

• Fluency in English and local language of the duty station is required.