Head Nigeria International Partners Group (NIPG) Secretariat at UNDP

Under the overall guidance of the Nigeria International Partners Group Executive Committee, and administrative supervision of the Resident Representative of UNDP, the incumbent will head the NIPG Secretariat, and execute its mandate accordingly.  He/she will be compliant with UNDP employment rules and regulations covering professionalism, conflicts of interest, safeguarding, bribery and corruption, etc.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the NIPG Secretariat and oversee the functioning of the NIPG (NIPG Plenary, NIPG Executive Committee), including results planning, monitoring and reporting
• Multi-stakeholder coordination
• Ensure multi-stakeholder partnership and advocacy
• Provide political, policy and strategic advice in support of the work of the NIPG and its Executive Committee.
• Knowledge management, analysis and information sharing

Manage the NIPG Secretariat and oversee the functioning of the NIPG (NIPG Plenary, NIPG Executive Committee), including results planning, monitoring and reporting focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Convene and plan NIPG plenary meetings, including the NIPG Annual Strategic Retreat, (venue, agenda, organizing presentations keeping minutes, recording actions, setting workplans, etc.);
• Organize NIPG Executive Committee meetings and manage issues arising;
• Prepare and follow-up on work plans and actions arising;
• Maintain the agenda of the NIPG, for focused engagement with the political/policy issues under the NIPG’s mandate;
• Manage the staff and other resources assigned to the Secretariat by the NIPG members to deliver the objectives of the NIPG;
• Report to the Executive Committee and the NIPG Plenary on progress against agreed objectives;
• Follow up on the implementation of the decisions made by the NIPG and its Executive Committee.
• Support resource mobilization efforts when requested.
• Manage the development and implementation of the International Mutual Accountability Framework, coordinating across the NIPG and coordinating between the NIPG and the Government of Nigeria;
• Organize regular meetings between the NIPG Plenary and the NIPG Executive Committee with appropriate counterparts from the Government of Nigeria to effectively manage the IMAF.

Multi-stakeholder coordination, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Promote a coordinated approach to achieve the development objectives of the NIPG through working closely with NIPG partners’ advisers and respective staff;
• Strengthen alignment and support coordination between all NIPG members to achieve shared NIPG objectives, 
• Coordinate the activities of the NIPG Secretariat with other workstreams and advisers from NIPG members, including technical working groups;
• Liaise with NIPG members working on shared NIPG objectives at sub national level;
• Collaborate with the sub-national coordination mechanisms and ensure feedback to the NIPG;
• Contribute to the formation of a harmonized approach within the international community.

Ensure multi-stakeholder partnership and advocacy focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Lead the efforts of the NIPG Executive Committee for designing, agreeing, and implementing agreed objectives through an International Mutual Accountability Framework agreed and aligned with the government of Nigeria;
• Work with the NIPG Executive Committee and other structures of the NIPG to achieve NIPG objectives;
• Enhance advocacy and communication to inform and strengthen dialogue between the NIPG and the government of Nigeria;

Provide political, policy and strategic advice in support of the work of the NIPG and its Executive Committee focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Develop action plans to guide the implementation of objectives agreed by the NIPG;
• Monitor accountability frameworks and joint work plans of the NIPG, it subordinate structures and the I-MAF;

Knowledge management, analysis and information sharing , focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Build on existing and / or develop processes and platforms for information-sharing, including mapping of NIPG partners’ programmes and their alignment with NIPG agreed objectives and the I-MAF;
• Consolidate reporting to support the development of the I-MAF, and other international community initiatives;
• Lead the analysis of gaps  between approaches of different NIPG partners, identify and propose options to overcome these, and identify issues of concern for the NIPG and its structures.          

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Conflict Studies, Development Studies, or any other relevant field.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills: 

• 10 years’ work experience in development, political and/or transitional or humanitarian related field.
• Work experience/or familiarity with the aid effectiveness agenda with either bi-lateral, multi-lateral, UN or I-NGO organization with reference to SDGs and the Grand Bargain Commitments.
• Proven work experience in fragile/ conflict context(s) to deliver international assistance.
• Excellent strategic, managerial, administrative leadership and presentation skills.
• Proven coordination, partnership, donor relations, financial management and resource mobilization skills.
• Experience in inter-agency and multi-stakeholder coordination and mechanisms.
• Experience in complex emergencies and/or natural disasters - humanitarian/recovery/development operations.
• Experience in the field of displacement and durable solutions.
• Demonstrable ability to build an effective team, work across numerous organizations to deliver a common objective, and build effective working consensus amongst different organizations.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and understanding of power relations in resource dependent countries.

Language Requirements:

• Proficiency in oral and written English is required.
• Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management Competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Management: Monitoring

• Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP's objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP

Business Direction & Strategy: Negotiation and Influence

• Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates 'win-win' situations

Business Direction & Strategy: Effective Decision Making

• Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's  authority, area of expertise and resources

Business Management: Partnerships Management

• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Business Development: Integration within the UN

• Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations

Business Development: Knowledge Generation

• Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need