Federal Ministry of Youth Development Recruits Programme and Research Officer

The Junior Professional Officers’ Programme (JPO-P) was established in 1963 to provide young professionals pursuing a career in development with hands-on experience in multilateral technical cooperation. It is funded with donations from donor countries. Currently, there are 19 sponsors comprising 16 countries from Europe and 3 from Asia. The programme is administered by the JPO Service Center in Copenhagen. Denmark and initially for one year with possibility of extension for another one year, depending on satisfactory performance making a total of two years objective of the programme

Job Title: Programme and Research Officer

State of Origin: Oyo State
Agency: UNDP
Main Sector of assignment: Sustainable Human Development and MDGs
Country and Duty Station: China, Beijing
Duration of assignment: One-year fixed-term appointment, renewable at least once subject to satisfactory performance, recommendation by respective office and donor agreement. Copied from: www.hotnigerianjobs.com

General Information
Main Sector of assignment: Sustainable Human Development and MDGs
Country and Duty Station: China, Beijing
Duration of assignment: One-year fixed-term appointment, renewable at least once subject to satisfactory performance, recommendation by respective office and donor agreement.

Content and methodology of supervision
As part of the UNDP JPO programme overall framework, the JPO will benefit from the following supervision modalities:

• Structured guidance provided by the supervisor, especially in the beginning of the assignment, with the purpose of gradually increasing the responsibilities of the JPO
• Establishment of a work plan, with clear key results
• Effective supervision through knowledge sharing and performance/development feedback throughout the assignment
• Easy access to the supervisor
• Participation in Unit/Team/Office meetings to ensure integration and operational effectiveness
• Guidance and advice in relation to learning and training opportunities within the field of expertise
• Completion of the yearly UNDP Results and Competency Assessment (RCA)
• If more than one supervisor; clear agreement of the roles and responsibilities between the relevant parties

In addition, the following specific supervision arrangements will apply:
Under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Advisor to the UNDP Resident Representative, the Programme and Research Assistant is responsible for identifying and producing and/or commissioning research and analysis on global and regional development issues. He/she will also support work in the area of specific global and regional initiatives. Moreover, he or she assists Senior Advisor to the UNDP Resident Representative to identify policy options in the areas of development framework studies, such as Post-MDGs and global governance, and to enhance the policy impact of UNDP projects and programmes. The Programme and Research Assistant advocates for and represents UNDP in his/her area of expertise as requested by his/her supervisor and Senior Management. Copied from: www.hotnigerianjobs.com

Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations
Produce policy research on global and regional development issues and development framework studies
Support to the specific global and regional initiatives and activities and Team’s daily housekeeping issues
Support to identify policy options in the areas of development framework studies, such as Post-MDGs and global governance, and to enhance the policy impact of UNDP projects and programmes

1. Independent research on global governance issues and development studies

• Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data on China’s development in the area of global and regional development issues and development studies such as Post-MDGs studies and global governance .
• Analyze information on research institutes on global and regional development studies, prepare
• substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new
• projects.
• Prepare inputs for reports on global governance and development studies for external and internal purpose.
• Produce internal research notes on key issues in the area of global and regional development studies and draft speeches for UNDP Senior Management under this portfolio.
• Identification of sources of information related to global and regional development issues.
• Sound contribution to the development of UNDP’s research networks on global and regional development studies.

2. Support to the specific global and regional initiatives and activities and Team’s daily housekeeping issues

• Provide technical support to the preparation of the specific global and regional initiative and relevant events, such as collecting the background information, drafting background papers, contributing the programme of the initiatives, taking the notes of the events and generating the summary reports.
• Conduct background research pieces on global and regional initiatives, including the proposal of the specific global and regional imitatives
• Review and proofread the drafts of the research papers and/or speeches drafted internally and externally.
• Provide administrative support to the preparation of the global and regional initiatives and events, such as timely drafting and submitting the relevant donor-requested documents, and going through UNDP internal operational process of the event preparations.
• Provide the operational support to the Team’s daily housekeeping issues, such as contributing to the work plan and periodically reports.

3. Support to identify policy options in the areas of development framework studies, such as Post-MDGs and global governance, and to enhance the policy impact of UNDP projects and programmes

• Provide support to the formulation and implementation of the country office’s global and regional cooperation programmes.
• Assist policy advocacy and programme advisory tasks such as preparing project briefs, speeches, presentations, and strategy papers related to regional cooperation, and brief visiting missions, donor agencies and national counterpart agencies.
• Report to the UNDP Headquarters and Regional Center on the project/programme implementation through UNDP reporting web-system and timely draft the review reports as requested.
• Maintain good partnership with the relevant UNDP internal units and national counterparts, as well as donors.
• Conduct the missions in China if needed.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Political or Social Sciences, International Studies, Development Studies or related disciplines.
• A minimum of two years of paid working experience in a relevant field
• Education (only Master's degree or equivalent):
• Age: Must not be more than 32 years on the date of application
• Language skill: Fluency in English language and ability to speak any UNDP official language is an added advantage. Fluency in Chinese is an asset
• Information Technology skills, including word processing, database application (excel) presentation software (power point) and internet appreciation.
• An interest in adapting to varied physical environments; and a desire to work with people with different language, national and cultural backgrounds;
• Evidence of ability to think strategically, work independently and demonstrate a sense of self-assuredness.
• Respect for the UN principles of the United Nations Charter and the participating UN organisation’s mission statement.

Core competences

• Ethics & Values
• Working in Teams
• Communicating Information & Ideas
• Self-management & Emotional intelligence
• Decision making Copied from: hotnigerianjobs.com

Functional competences:

• Knowledge Management and Learning
• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development
• Ability to provide top quality policy support services on global and regional development issues
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development framework issues

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to contribute to strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to contribute to implementation of development programmes and projects
• Ability to apply global and regional development theory to the specific country context, carry out high-quality research

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result for internal and external clients and responds positively to critical feedback
• Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation
• Shows conflict resolution skills
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors
• Identifies relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences.

Training and Learning
As part of the UNDP JPO programme overall framework, the JPO will benefit from the following training and learning opportunities:

• Participation in a two-week long Programme Policy and Operations Induction Course in New York within the first 3 to 6 months of assignment
• Use of yearly JPO duty-related travel and training allocation (DTTA)
• Other training and learning opportunities

In addition, the JPO will benefit from the following specific training and learning modalities/opportunities in the receiving office:
a broader and deeper knowledge about development and governance issues, opportunities and challenges in China;
a good experience of working in a multilateral and multicultural organization;
developed a set of diversified skills and competencies, e.g. negotiation, communication, cultural sensitivity and programme management.

Training components and learning elements:

• UN/UNDP Orientation includes code of conduct, security, HIV/AIDS personnel policy, living conditions, green office policy, IT, etc.
• Solid briefing on UNDP China Programmes, e.g. Country Cooperation Framework/UN Development Assistance Framework, Result-based Management, current democratic governance programmes; UNDP programming procedures, rules and regulations.
• Project cycle, with particular emphasis on project formulation, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation.
• Resource mobilization.
• UNDP’s vision to become a knowledge generator and broker that offers advisory services to host countries
• Substantive coaching on overall human development issues and in particular how this relates to democratic governance, the opportunities and challenges in China.

Application Closing Date
31st January, 2014

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: All Vacancies sorted by State (Applicants are to apply for vacancies in their state of origin)


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About JPO Programme
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