DATE: 10 August 2008
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
VACANCY ANNOUCEMENT No. 2008/08/270
Position Information:
Job Code Title: Economics Advisor (MDGs)
Organizational Unit: UNDP Country Office
Type of Appointment: Appointment for Limited Duration (International)
Level: ALD4
Number of Vacant Positions: One (1)
Duration: One Year (with possibility of extension)
Duty Station: Kabul, Afghanistan
Closing Date for Applications: 22 August 2008
Note: UNDP Afghanistan 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 Afghanistan at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and education requirements.
UNDP Mission Statement:
UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.
Organizational Context:
UNDP Afghanistan is one of UNDP's largest programme. The Strategic Advisory Team (SAT) has been established to provide issue-based strategic advisory services to the Senior Management of the Country Office as well as the Government, and thus strengthen Country Office capacities in upstream policy advisory support and ensure programme quality.
Under the overall guidance of the Country Director and under direct supervision of the Deputy Country Director (Programme), the Economics Advisor (MDGs) will, through rigorous research and dialogue, provide high-quality advice to senior management on the socio-economic status of the Afghanistan as it related to the attainment of MDG. She/he will lead efforts to establish precise baselines that will assist in the design and implementation of effective projects as well as the monitoring and evaluation of their impacts.
The Economics Advisor (MDGs) works in close collaboration with the Programme and Projects teams, staff of other UN agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, subject matter experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to strengthen UNDP position in the coordination of the international community's poverty reduction and economic development interventions in Afghanistan.
Functions / Key Results Expected:
Summary of Key Functions:
- Conduct comprehensive analysis and provide strategic policy advice;
- Provide technical advice to the Country Office on UNDP role in achieving the MDGs;
- Provide support to project and programme staff in planning, implementing and evaluating projects with respect to their poverty reduction and economic development capacities.
1. Analysis and knowledge-building:
- The Economics Advisor (MDGs) will conduct country-level research on the status of the Afghan social and political economy as well as the policies and practices of international donors as they relate to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
- Assess the effectiveness of the international community's interventions in Afghanistan in advancing the country toward the attainment of the MDGs and provide recommendations for improvement;
- Conduct sector-level analysis of Government programmes and policies as set out in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) as well as donor sector support as they relate to the attainment of the MDGs and provide advice for improvement. Assisting governments and UN Country Teams to prepare the sector-related components of the MDG-based poverty reduction strategy; including MDG needs assessments. This includes identifying needed interventions, specifying national targets linked to the MDGs, linking the relevant sectors to other critical components of the poverty reduction strategy, and estimating the associated financial, human resource and institutional building requirements of achieving the MDGs;
- Conduct analysis of the UNDP Country Programme and its effectiveness in advancing the MDGs in Afghanistan;
- Develop tools for needs assessments and policy analysis in close collaboration with UN agencies, the International Financial Institutions and other development partners;
- Prepare publications on the relevant areas of the MDG-based planning processes. This includes providing input on various UNDP Afghanistan publications.
2. Support to senior management and the UN system in Afghanistan for strategic decision-making and capacity building:
- Using the analysis conducted at various levels, provide advice to senior management at the UNDP Country Office on the strategic direction of the UNDP Afghanistan programme and its place within country's development agenda;
- Work with the Donor Relations and Reporting staff to assess the state of the UNDP programme within the context of other international community support and make recommendations for increasing effectiveness and coordination. In coordination with DR/R staff, work with development partners, including the international financial institutions, to identify ways of financing the scaling up of public investments to achieve the MDGs;
- Provide technical assistance in the preparation of MDG-based plans at the national and subnational level. This may include reviewing existing sector strategies and budgets and advising on operational implementation, as well as provincially-led Provincial Development Plans (PDPs) and District Development Plans (DDPs);
- Work with other UN organizations to strengthen the UN system's support for MDG-based strategies. Support the UN country team advising governments and regional organizations on preparing and implementing sector components of the MDG-based poverty reduction strategy;
- Provide training on preparing sector strategies, underlying analyses such as needs assessments, and MDG consistent macro frameworks and medium-term expenditure frameworks.
3. Capacity building for programme support and project formulation:
- Provide technical assistance to Programme staff in the development of new UNDP projects in order to ensure they have the maximum effect on the attainment of the MDGs;
- Work with project staff and the monitoring and evaluation team in the development of project results monitoring frameworks to assure the production of high-quality, results-based information on the project's impacts upon the attainment of the MDGs in Afghanistan;
- Advise project staff on best practices for reporting results in the area of MDG attainment.
Impact of Results:
1. The strengthening of UNDP knowledge base for making informed and effective decisions about MDG attainment in Afghanistan.
- The provision of high-quality and up-to-date quantitative and qualitative information on the status of poverty reduction and economic development efforts in Afghanistan and the identification of areas of need;
- A precise understanding of the international community's complex role in advancing the MDG agenda in Afghanistan and UNDP place within it.
2. The strengthening of UNDP interventions in the areas of poverty reduction and economic development through improved programmatic interventions.
- The design and implementation of plans to strengthen the impact of UNDP projects on MDG attainment;
- The adaptation, through advice to senior management, of UNDP strategic direction and medium- to long-term planning for the strengthening of UNDP areas of comparative advantage as they relate to poverty reduction and economic development in Afghanistan and for the overall increase in the agency's impact in the country.
Competencies:
Corporate competencies
- Demonstrated commitment to UNDP mission, vision and values;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability. The candidate selected will be required to take UNDP mandatory training on Gender, and on the Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority, within two months of their assuming their functions in this position;
- Demonstrated ability to function in a team environment and where required lead the team.
- Shares knowledge and experience.
Functional Competencies
- Excellent verbal and writing skills;
- Capacity to interact with senior officials of government, donors, CSOS, etc;
- Outstanding analytical skills. Ability to present coherent and convincing positions both in writing and orally;
- Strong ability to take initiative to move complex processes forward to achieve articulated results, work at varying levels and on different initiatives simultaneously (personal organization and ability for multi-tasking);
- Ability to work under pressure and to accommodate change;
- Demonstrable networking capability and interpersonal skills;
- Strong ability to promote team work;
- Experience working in difficult field environments, including conflict and post-conflict countries.
Qualifications and Experiences:
Education:
- Advanced Degree (Master's or PhD) in economics, development economics, microeconomic, economic planning, or a related discipline with a strong emphasis on both qualitative and quantitative research.
Experience:
- Minimum of seven years of work experience, including substantial experience designing and implementing poverty reduction strategy papers. Experience working on PRSPs in post-conflict countries is an asset;
- Substantial experience with poverty reduction strategy processes in the developing world.
- Strong quantitative and qualitative skills and demonstrated capacity to perform outstanding original research including statistical analysis.
Desirable:
- Experience within the UN system in crisis countries;
- Previous experience in Afghanistan or the Region an asset.
Language Requirements:
- Perfect fluency in English critical;
- Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto an asset.
Submission of Applications :
Interested and qualified International candidates should apply on-line through the UNDP Jobs site at
http://jobs.undp.org/
Please ensure that you upload your UN Personal History Form-P11 (available at www.undp.org.af/jobs) in the relevant field of the on-line applications.
Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date (22 August 2008) will not be given consideration. Please note that only applications who are short-listed will be contacted.
For more detailed information about UNDP Afghanistan please visit our website at
http://www.undp.org.af
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
