Job - Policy Analyst, UNDP, Armenia

Publish Date: Jun 01, 2017

Deadline: Jun 15, 2017

Background

The South Caucasus presents a complex environment with several protracted conflicts (Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh), which threaten regional stability and risk spillover beyond the region.
UNDP has been working in contexts of conflict related political complexity in Europe and the CIS for more than 15 years. It has developed a range of tools in these contexts to drive an increasingly analytical and evidence-based approach. It has also cultivated a strong knowledge base in effective programming that ranges from conflict-sensitive approaches, to area-based development, and to more active work at using development assistance to foster confidence in protracted conflict situations.
In the South Caucasus, since the break-out of the conflict in South Ossetia, UNDP and the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), through the Joint UNDP-DPA Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention, have supported the United Nations in Georgia in strengthening conflict prevention capacities and supporting peace, mediation and dialogue through a deployment of an international Peace and Development Adviser (PDA). One of the highlights of the PDA’s work was the Confidence Building Early Response Mechanism (COBERM) programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, which supported immediate and concrete initiatives with impact on confidence building within and across conflict divided communities between 2010-2015 (Phase I) and 2016-2019 (Phase II).
DPA and UNDP have also been supporting efforts by the PDA and the UN Country Teams (UNCT) in the countries of the region to promote greater dialogue among civil society in the South Caucasus region on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Armenia is in a complex regional geo-political context, compounding the challenge of a landlocked state with limited natural resources and constraining economic development. The troubled relations with its neighbors and the unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh have an adverse impact on the development of the country and the living standards of its population. Lack of access to regional infrastructure initiatives limits its integration with international markets and contributes to economic hardships and increased incentives for outward migration.
The UN has been working in Armenia since 1992, supporting the country in its transition and contributing to its development. For the period of 2016-2020, the UN will focus on four key priority areas, including (1) equitable, sustainable economic development poverty reduction, (2) democratic governance, (3) social services and inclusion, (4) environmental sustainability and resilience-building. The UN also recognizes the importance of enhancing Armenia’s connectivity as a key factor for the country’s development. In a broader context, promoting and sustaining peace in the South Caucasus will be vital for the well-being of all the three countries in the sub-region.

Organizational Context of the Post

In coordination and close consultation with the international Peace and Development Adviser for the South Caucasus, the Policy Analyst will support the UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative (RC/RR) and the UN Country Team (UNCT) in identifying gaps and opportunities for UN-system wide support for regional dialogue, and contribute to the strengthening of national capacities for conflict prevention, contingency planning, and conflict-sensitive programming.
In this context, the role of the Policy Analyst will be to monitor and analyze relevant national developments and regional trends, and their impact on UN/UNDP programming, and to provide periodic reports both to the RC and UNCT, to respective units in UN and UNDP Headquarters. S/he will also be responsible for identifying opportunities for building partnerships with other stakeholders.
The work of the incumbent is expected to result in enhanced capacity of the UN/UNDP for political and conflict analysis, and strategic advice, increased engagement with international and civil society actors, expanded portfolio and strengthened capacities for dialogue, social cohesion, governance, mediation, reconciliation, conflict prevention, and confidence building.

Duties and Responsibilities

The national Policy Analyst will work under the overall supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator/Head of the Office of the Resident Coordinator and in close liaison with the Sub-Regional PDA. S/he will discharge his/her day-to-day functions as a member of the Office of the Resident Coordinator.

The key responsibilities will include the following:

Strategic and analytical support

  • Provide strategic advice and analyses to the RC/RR and the UNCT, and through the Sub-Regional PDA, to UN and UNDP
  • Headquarters, on the relevant national developments and trends in the country, as well as their impact on UN/UNDP presence and programming;
  • Prepare periodic analytical reports for the RC/RR and the UNCT, as well as the PDA for the South Caucasus and UN/DPA, on the relevant national developments with concrete programmatic recommendations.

Stakeholder engagement

  • Support the PDA for the South Caucasus in providing input in the design and organization of sub-regional initiatives, including with the civil society roundtables on the SDGs;
  • Facilitate relevant activities in the country, including building local capacity and engagement of NGO actors;
  • Identify opportunities for strengthening women’s and youth initiatives and groups in peace processes, linking them to the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions on women/youth, peace and security;
  • Undertake necessary activities to strengthen national capacities/institutions/ processes for early warning and contingency planning;

Relationship management and partnership building

  • Establish and maintain networks and strategic partnerships for respective strategies and initiatives;
  • Liaise closely with civil society and key international actors to identify entry points, foster dialogue and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships;
  • Support the RC/RR and UNCT in identifying opportunities for mobilizing;
  • Maintain close contact with the Sub-Regional PDA, relevant focal points at UNDP and UN/DPA.

Strengthening UN’s capacity for analysis, contingency planning and conflict sensitivity

  • Support the design and implementation of a strategy for identifying entry points for mainstreaming of conflict prevention and conflict sensitivity in the UNCT, including within the framework of common country planning processes (UNDAF, CPD, etc);
  • Facilitate the development of a contingency plan for UNDP and UNCT, including through assisting needs assessments, criticality assessments, and contingency scenario mapping.
  • Contribute to the development of a sub-regional contingency plan for the UN/UNDP in the South Caucasus, and serve as the focal point for sub-regional contingency planning activities.
  • Conduct training for UN country staff and key national partners on conflict analysis, conflict prevention and/or conflict-sensitive programming and communication;
  • Provide analytical and strategic support to the UNCT.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN and UNDP in the country;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Good knowledge of UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and practices;
  • Good understanding of the UN system;
  • Familiarity with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Functional Competencies

  • Possesses specialist knowledge in the area of conflict prevention, conflict analysis, social cohesion, dialogue and governance reform or related areas, as well as in-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
  • Sound skills and demonstrated experience in facilitation, consensus-building, multi-stakeholder processes and negotiation;
  • Sound analytical skills;
  • Proven facilitation, training, networking, coordination, team-building, consensus-building and organizational skills;
  • Excellent communication and inter-personal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relationships with internal and external parties in a multi-cultural environment;
  • In-depth knowledge of human development situation in the country;
  • Ability to advise and oversee formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects and programmes;
  • Proven ability to incorporate into his/her work relevant international practices.
  • Previous experience on Track I and Track II settings and/or undertaking contingency planning activities is a plus.

Management and Leadership:

  • Strong team-building, diplomatic, and interpersonal skills. Resourcefulness, initiative, and maturity of judgment;
  • Communication and advocacy skills;
  • Ability to build strong relationships with clients and external actors;
  • Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Behavioral Competencies:

  • Team player, self-motivated and initiative taking, dedicated, creative, resourceful, flexible, energetic, and sound judgment.
  • Builds strong relationships with partners, focusing on impact and results;
  • Demonstrates creativity, openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Possesses positive and constructive attitudes to work;
  • Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.

Required Skills and Experience

Education
Advanced university degree in political science, sociology, international relations, international economics, law, public administration, or other related social sciences.

Experience

  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in policy, and strategy development, development and/or conflict prevention in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization;
  • Extensive experience in research and project development;
  • A proven policy, advisory and advocacy experience and track record of engagement with senior levels of government, UN, and development partners;
  • Sound political acumen and extensive experience of providing policy advice;
  • Sound skills and demonstrated experience in facilitation, consensus-building, multi-stakeholder processes and negotiation;
  • Experience and specialist knowledge in building national capacities in good governance and building national reconciliation;
  • Experience working within a UN agency and experience in the country would be a major asset;
  • Sound knowledge of and extensive experience in the South Caucasus context, including in dialogue and conflict prevention initiatives, is an advantage.

Language Requirements

Fluent written and spoken English, and Armenian;
Knowledge of Russian is an asset.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:  Interested candidates can apply for the position at:https://jobs.partneragencies.net/erecruitjobs.html?JobOpeningId=10305&hrs_jo_pst_seq=1&hrs_site_id=2 .

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