National Consultant (Lake Chad Regional Stabilization Strategy) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: National Consultant for Lake Chad Regional Stabilization Strategy

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Duration of Initial Contract: 7 Months
Expected Duration of Assignment: 7 Months

Background

• Over the last decade, the four countries around Lake Chad Basin, including Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, have experienced unprecedented levels of crises, exacerbated by repeated incidences of violence from the Boko Haram terrorist group.
• These crises have deepened instability, slowed economic growth and engendered deep humanitarian concerns in the region. Additionally, the spread of radicalization, especially amongst youth, remains an imminent threat to peace, stability and development. Absolutist ideologies that reject co-existence, tolerance and progress represent an existential threat to these countries. As such, these ideologies have found recruits amongst the youth who believe that the state has failed them and that they are excluded from legitimate political and economic processes from time to time.
• The crisis has created an urgent humanitarian need for about 10.7 million people in the region. Almost a quarter of these people have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict or food shortages largely brought on by Boko Haram’s insurgency.
• In response to the crisis, the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in 2015 signed an agreement for the operationalization of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency in the Region.
• Despite the significant progress made by the MNJTF, it is agreed by all stakeholders that overall success of the collective effort will be contingent upon coherent acceleration and completion of the second phase of the mandate, namely to “facilitate the implementation of overall stabilization programs by the LCBC Member States and Benin in the affected areas, including the full restoration of state authority and the return of the Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs) and refugees”. To achieve this, the LCBC was tasked by its Member States to facilitate the mechanisms and processes required to consolidate the gains of the MNJTF.
• In light of the above and with the support of the Africa Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the LCBC developed a five years stabilization strategy - “Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery & Resilience of the Boko Haram-affected Areas of the Lake Chad Basin (RSS)”.
• The RSS provides a comprehensive, integrated and multi-level framework for overall stabilization, comprising nine inter-related pillars which include military support to the MNJTF, provision of humanitarian assistance and key interventions to secure early recovery and longer-term resilience.
• The RSS recognizes the nexus between security, humanitarian and development issues and calls for a “New Way of Working” to be at the heart of the response to the Lake Chad Basin Region crisis. Achieving the “New Way of Working” will require strong coordination between Governments at central and local levels, regional and continental institutions and between UN agencies and entities, including international community partners, civil society actors and the private sector.
• UNDP has developed the Regional Stabilization Facility (RSF) to support the implementation of the RSS in the four affected countries of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. The RSF, which is a multi-donor basket financial facility, is aimed at i) immediate stabilization of specific target areas, comprises activities to secure three results: a) security & the Rule of Law improved; b) essential Infrastructure rebuilt & basic services delivered; c) livelihood opportunities provided to all households; and ii) support the implementation of the LCBC Regional Stabilisation Strategy, comprises activities to secure three further results: a) LCBC capacities for Strategy implementation enhanced; b) RSS cooperation mechanism.
• To assist in the implementation of the RSS, the RSS Secretariat has hired an International Consultant (IC) who will be responsible for leading the development of eight Territorial Action Plans (TAPs) as part of operationalizing the RSS in each of the eight target States/Regions and will further ensure the cross-border regional dimensions of the consolidated RSS.  The TAPs are the fundamental basis for the implementation framework of the RSS in the eight areas of the four Member States.
• National Governments of the four Member States coordinate the implementation framework through a devolved mechanism that allows Governors to provide direct oversight and guidance. In fact, the TAPs timely and quality development and implementation is a responsibility of the Governors of the affected areas, to ensure localization of the RSS, local ownership and decision making and that local arrangements are in place to stabilize the area.
• The TAPs specify the initiatives to be undertaken in the area under the nine pillars of intervention and has an initial duration five years in line with RSS. Based on this, the IC will work collaboratively with the UN entities in the four countries and sub-regional locations to ensure adequate support to the Governors as agreed with the RSS Secretariat. The IC will lead the developing, approval and immediate implementation of the TAPs. Further, in line with creating systematic coordination of TAPs aligned with the RSS design, the IC will define and support the mechanisms necessary for design of and operationalization of the RSS Pillar Working Groups and for resource mobilization.
• In order to provide adequate and timely support to the IC at the country level, LCBC is looking for a National Consultant in each of the four countries. Each National Consultant will play a vital role in liaising with national and local interlocutors in the development of the TAPs.

Duties and Responsibilities
Preparation of the TAPs:

• Assist the IC in developing the TAPs via delegated engagement with UN agencies, Offices of the Governors, and other partners.
• Assist the IC in collecting, analyzing, and incorporating information, while respecting existing guidelines and templates.
• Assist the IC in ensuring effective participation, consultation, and tailoring of the process to the contextual realities of each region, through the identification and outreach to relevant stakeholders as and where necessary and agreed upon.

Support in the Operationalization of the Pillar Working Groups (PWGs):

• Assist the IC in finalizing the framework and Terms of Reference for the establishment of Pillar Working Groups in the chosen TAP territories to support the development, implementation, M&E, and sustainability of the TAPs.
• Assist the IC in defining the mechanism for consultation and review of the structure of Pillar Working Groups and in using the same framework to gather comments with regard to the proposed structure and in ensuring all comments are incorporated.
• When necessary and delegated by the IC, representing the IC in PWG meetings.

Support the presentation of the TAPs at the Governors Forum:

• Assist the IC in preparing a methodological note of the approach used (development of TAPs, PWGs).
• Assist the IC in preparing Briefing Note and presentation material for the presentation of the TAPs to the Governors Forum.

Qualifications
Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• A master’s degree in social policy, public policy, politics, environmental economics, development studies, political science, international relations, or related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of three (7) years of progressively responsible experience in governance, policy work, or project management or in working with UN agencies, NGOs, or CSOs. An understanding of development, humanitarian, and peace-building issues is desirable;
• Experience in working in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable;
• Experience in data collection, analysis, and production of reports.
• Experience in the UN Common System is desirable.

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability and willingness to travel to field locations in harsh living conditions required.

Core Competencies:

• Integrity and professionalism: ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality, and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately, and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work; ability to work under pressure.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender.
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff, military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards colleagues, but objective, without showing personal interest.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to travel within the area of operations.

Language:

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Application Closing Date
21st July, 2020.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online