Job Description

Agency: UNDP

Title: Capacity-Building Expert

Practice Area – Job Family: Democratic Governance

Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA) 25/07/2016

Duty Station: Kiev, Ukraine

Education & Work Experience: I-Master’s Level Degree – 5 year(s) experience

Languages Required: English, Russian, Ukrainian

Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)

Posting Type: External

Bureau: Europe & the CIS

Contract Duration: 6 month (initially with a possibility of extension)

Background
Project Title: Rada za Evropu: Capacity-Building in Support of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) plays a pivotal role in the implementation of Ukraine’s reform agenda and in particular the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The role of the VRU in this process is becoming increasingly visible to Ukraine’s international partners as well as to its general population. It is therefore crucial that the VRU is reformed and “modernised” and is able to sustain its responsible constitutional role over time. This particularly becomes necessary when the legislative burden is set to increase in connection with the full implementation of the Association Agreement from 2016 onwards.
In order to quantify and substantiate the institution’s needs a “Memorandum of Understanding between the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada on a joint framework for parliamentary support and capacity-building” was signed on 3 July 2015. The scope of the parliamentary support programme was set out during a 3-month Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) carried out between October 2015 and February 2016, under the leadership of the former European Parliament President Pat Cox. The NAM deployed several expert fact-finding missions and conducted intensive discussions with VRU leadership, reform-minded individual MPs as well as with the Government of Ukraine. UNDP provided substantive technical support to the NAM through a Senior Parliamentary Reform Expert and its Democratic Governance Team.

The Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) provided a structured and detailed “diagnostic” of the VRU as well as with recommendations for reforms; will help with development of a long-term VRU Reform Strategy. The Strategy’s implementation will, hopefully, allow mobilising both technical and material support from the international community. The NAM report was presented to the public during the Ukraine Week in the European parliament in March 2016.
Based on NAM findings and recommendations, UNDP and European Union have launched a new Rada za Evropu: Capacity-Building in Support of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Project. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of the VRU to produce quality legislation and monitor its implementation, including legislation pertaining to the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, to fulfil its Constitutional prerogatives and to serve a model and a driving force of the reforms. The project duration is 24 months. The project budget is EUR 1,3 mln.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the International Project Team Leader, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

Develop and regularly update annual project capacity-building strategy and implementation plan;
Organise and oversee the implementation of the project capacity building and awareness-raising initiatives (trainings, workshops, etc.), including support to the European Parliament / VRU Administrative Cooperation Agreement;
Develop and maintain, in collaboration with the other members of the project team, capacity-building partnerships with relevant European Parliament officials, other European national parliaments, and national and international capacity-development resource institutions;
Develop, mobilise and maintain a capacity development resource inventory of national and international capacity development experts according to the capacity-building strategy;
Ensure coherence and synergies of the project’s capacity-building intervention with other donors’ initiatives in the field;
Establish, lead and follow relevant partnerships with parliamentary centres of excellence in order to support and pursue a sustainable supply of trainings as per project document / Description of Action;
Lead the production of learning / training materials, programmes and tools as envisaged by the project;
Ensure quality assessment of the products produced by project’s external consultants;
Monitor the impact of project capacity development activities;
Elaborate necessary documentation (concept notes, briefs, fundraising considerations) to operationalize and steer project initiatives and activities;
Perform other duties as requested.

Measurable outputs of the work assignment:

Project capacity-building plan is designed, regularly updated and implemented;
Number of capacity-building event conducted;
The need for capacity-building materials identified and addressed.

Performance Indicators for evaluation of results:

Project technical activities are implemented in a timely fashion with an emphasis on measurable results and quality, and properly reported;
Beneficiaries’ learning outcome accomplishments satisfaction level;
Quality of learning and knowledge sharing materials.

Competencies
Excellent writing, communication and organization skills;
Mature judgment combined with a proactive, energetic approach to problem solving; excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
Integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Strong organizational and time management skills;
Ability to work in team;
Ability to work under continuous pressure and meet deadlines;
Energetic optimistic approach to all possible problems;
Excellent analytical skills.

Required Skills and Experience
Master’s degree or equivalent in political science, public administration, law, international relations, social sciences or related field;
A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in building capacities of national stakeholders or related area;
Experience in mobilizing national and international expertise for capacity development would be an asset;
Experience in cooperation with governmental structures, international agencies, civil society organisations would be an asset;
Excellent knowledge of computer applications ;
Fluency in Ukrainian, Russian and English is a must.

Disclaimer
Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

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