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Coordination Officer

Colombo

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Colombo
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
    • Managerial positions
    • ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION SUPPORT
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at its core, and in response to the General Assembly resolution 71/243 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the UN Secretary General’s report (December 2017) “Repositioning the United Nations development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda: our promise for dignity, prosperity and peace on a healthy planet” puts forward a comprehensive proposal on further improvements to the resident coordinator system to ensure more coherent, accountable and effective support for the 2030 Agenda. This was further reinforced by General Assembly resolution 72/729 of 1 June 2018, which gave the Secretary-General the mandate to implement the repositioning. 
 
A reinvigorated resident coordinator system is at the centre of a repositioned United Nations development system, and while the system has been instrumental in driving coherence on the ground over the past four decades, it is now insufficiently robust to respond to the needs of the 2030 Agenda. The report stresses that resident coordinator offices will need to be adequately staffed to ensure sufficient substantive capacities to lead United Nations country teams. The core capacity will include expertise in coordination and strategic planning, economics, tailored policy support, results monitoring and evaluation, and strategic partnerships, plus a robust standing communications capacity within the United Nations country team.  This post is part of this new generation of resident coordinator offices, with the new skillset and competencies required to deliver on the 2030 Agenda.
 
Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationships: The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Sri Lanka and reports to the RCO Team Leader.

Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities:  Within delegated authority, the Coordination Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
 
Summary of Functions:
 
  1. Provides coordination support to the UN Country Team (UNCT) and UN system wide activities.
  2. Supports coordination of joint programmatic and policy initiatives of the UNSDF.
  3. Provides substantive coordination and strategic planning support to the RCs engagement with stakeholders.
  4. Supports the day-to-day functions of the RCO.
 
Description of Functions:
 
1. Provides coordination support to the UN Country Team (UNCT) and UN system wide activities
  • Organises UNCT meetings and retreats, including logistical arrangements, preparing documents and identifying presentations on topics of special interest.
  • Prepares high quality reports of UNCT meetings, retreats and shares them in a timely manner.
  • Supports the UNSDF Driver Groups in preparation of high-quality documents summarising the developments and achievements of the interagency work.
  • Identifies and recommends actions for enhancing interagency coordination, initiating and providing support in the implementation of interagency joint actions agreed upon by the UNCT.
  • Supports the arrangement of forums and events on areas related to UN activities.
 
2. Supports coordination of joint programmatic and policy initiatives of the UNSDF
  1. Participates in the work of the UNSDF Driver and Thematic Groups and preparation of inputs to the UNSDF.
  2. Maintains a documentary repository for all UNSDF Driver and Thematic Groups comprising of minutes, reports, and other relevant information.
  3. Collaborates with the Data, Results Reporting Specialist and UNSDF Monitoring and Evaluation Group to support the timely completion of the UNSDF annual reviews and organising of the implementation of the mid-term review and final evaluations.
  4. Provides strategic support to the roll out of the work of the Gender Thematic Group (GTG).
  5. Facilitates communication links between UNCT, UNSDF Driver and Thematic Groups, UN Communications Group (UNCG) and Operations Management Team (OMT).
 
3. Provides coordination and strategic planning support to the RCs engagement with stakeholders
  1. Drafts speaking notes, organises briefing packs and prepares presentation material for the RC. Critically analyses briefs for the RC and ensures that they are substantively accurate and reflective of the RC’s position.
  2. Organises and coordinates with the Executive Associate and respective staff of the RCO, all internal and external meetings for the RC and ensures that appropriate briefing materials, and talking points are prepared.
  3. In consultation with staff of the RCO, channels all important issues and requests for the RC’s attention.
 
4. Supports the day-to-day functions of the RCO
  1. Under the guidance of the RCO Team Leader, supports the management of processes related to human and financial resource management, procurement, general administration, security, and information technology for the RCO in close collaboration with UNDP.
  2. Supports the activities undertaken by the RCO, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion.
 
 

Competencies

  • Professionalism: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis on sustainable development topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in developing sources for data collection.  Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
  • Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. 
  • Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. 
  • Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
  • Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
  • Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
  • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
  • Commitment to Continuous Learning: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.
  • Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.
 

Required Skills and Experience

Education
  • Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Sciences or related area. 
 
Experience
  • A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing policy and coordination support, experience in supporting development projects, knowledge about the UN and Resident Coordinator systems would be an advantage.
 
Language
  • Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills in English and fluency in Sinhala and/or Tamil.   
 

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP 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 at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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This vacancy is now closed.
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