Project Officer (PBSO Project) at UNDP

Job ID: 28950
Practice Area - Job Family: Management - Procurement
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension
Grade: SB4

Background

• The Farmer-Herder Conflict remains one of the most challenging threats to peace and security in Nigeria, especially in the North Central Region (“Middle Belt”) of the country, and adjacent, States, particularly Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba and Adamawa.
• The violence has exacted a heavy toll on thousands of people and has frayed many of the connectors, especially inter-ethnic and inter-religious ones, at the local level.
• The response, however, has remained overwhelmingly security-dominated. Lacking effective structures and systems to engage in dialogue in a proactive manner based on early indicators, violence escalates, and a reactive security response is triggered.
• The crisis has highlighted a need to support affected states in enhancing and expanding upon the capacities to engage in this crisis in a proactive and preventive manner that leverages dialogue as a primary tool of mitigating the impact of the conflict.
• In recognition of a growing need to provide a holistic response to the crisis, the Federal Government developed and launched the National Livestock Transformation Plan in January 2019. The framework provides a holistic approach to addressing this crisis, while aiming to lay the foundations for longer term security, peace and transformation of the livestock sector.
• The United Nations has also scaled up its efforts to respond to the crisis, notably through two projects that target the states of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba. The Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis Project was designed to address the farmer-herder conflict through enhancing preventive capacities, by promoting dialogue and proactive engagement; building mutually beneficial economic relationships between farmers and herders; improving the effectiveness of the security response through strengthened human rights monitoring and accountability; and providing an impartial and evidence-based narrative to defuse the politicized debate and help mobilize a broader response. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to peaceful coexistence in the Middle Belt, with a focus on Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States. The project is funded by the UN Peacebuilding Support Office. It is implemented by four UN Agencies-UNDP (lead), FAO, UN Women and OHCHR, drawing from their experiences and building on their work.
• In recognition of the cyclical nature of violence in many of the affected communities, the project aims to immediately scale up efforts around promoting dialogue, inter-ethnic and inter-religious understanding, and social cohesion in the target area to support a transformation of the ethnic and communal violence witnessed in the target areas.
• This advert, therefore, seeks the services of a competent national, with expertise in the peacebuilding to support coordinate this project.

Objective of the Assignment:

• The overall objective of the assignment is to support the Project Manager and Coordinator to ensure effective, timely implementation of the Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis Project in close collaboration with the key stakeholders across the Middlebelt.  
• These partners include the States of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba and, the relevant Civil Society organizations.

Scope of the Assignment:

• This assignment will support the implementation of the Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis Project through technical support to and liaison with the partners, the creation and design of relevant documentations, such as, Concept Notes, Terms of References, etc., that will facilitate timely implementation of the project planned activities.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and Coordinator, the incumbent will be expected to perform the following key functions:

Facilitate the implementation of the Project Document and Annual Work Plans:

• He/she will work in close collaboration with the partners to ensure prompt and effective execution of the project activities through quality technical advisory support, hands on assistance to implement the planned activities, provide sound programmatic analysis of project activities in the targeted States to offer durable solutions, support in the programme implementation, and advise on potential UN/UNDP Country Office and national response.  

Support coordination of the project implementation:

• In close partnership and working relationship with other United Nations implementing Agencies on the project, state partners and UNDP, the incumbent shall ensure effective coordination and collaboration with partners, the UN system and other development partners’ focal points in conducting joint analysis, plan, formulation and implementation of project initiatives.
• He/she shall ensure that the national mechanisms (Project Technical Commitee and the Joint Project Steering Committee) for Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis project is functional and inclusive of all relevant partners – national, states, civil society and international development partners/donors and is gender sensitive.
• He/she shall support regular meetings of the bodies and ensure proper documentation of their proceedings. He/she shall ensure capacity building of non-state actors and strengthen their collaboration with other national stakeholders, and provide programmatic support to the partners, and ensure strong partnership with the UN inter-agency partners, national and state stakeholders and development partners operating in the country.

Support the project resource mobilization and reporting:

• Within the scope of this assignment and under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (International), and in tandem with the CO resource mobilization strategy, the incumbent shall support the CO to prepare ToRs for recruitments, plan for meetings with State-level and National Stakeholders and Partners in Project implementation and resource mobilization.
• Monitor and regularly brief the Project Manager (International) on progress towards implementation of the annual work plan; and support the CO’s effort on resource mobilization, provide input into resource mobilization documents and partnership building relating to the Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Crisis project.

Support the development of  knowledge products:

• The incumbent shall assist UNDP in the development of knowledge products – situation briefs, updates or reports; and prepare and submit regular mission reports and make useful recommendations that can help to deepen the project impact/results.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• The desired candidate for this assignment shall possess an advanced degree in Social Science, Arts, Sociology, Law and Humanities, Dispute Resolution / Peace Studies or other relevant fields.

Experience:

• He/she must have, at least, five (5) years’ development experience with national or international organizations,  two (2) of which must be in the area of peacebuilding.  Cognate experience and evidence of competence in working with national and/or international partners, such as, UN, government and CSOs is desired.
• The candidate must have sound technical report writing skill and proven ability to engage with multiple stakeholders to achieve desired results.  
• Previous working experience with UN agencies is an asset.

Language:

• He/she must be fluent in written and spoken English. 

Competencies
Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

Functional Competencies:

• Project Management and Implementation
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
• Has good knowledge of UNDP programme and operational issues
• Has knowledge of UNDP/UN policies and programme in crisis and post-crisis situations.
• Management and Leadership
• Focuses on impact and results for the clients and responds positively to feedback
• Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
• Builds strong relationships with internal and external clients and partners
• Demonstrates capacity to communicate effectively; resource management; capacity to plan and organize programmes effectively
• Demonstrates resourcefulness, initiative and mature judgment.

Application Closing Date
28th February, 2020.