Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Crisis Bureau, under the Governance, Rule of Law and Peacebuilding Hub, guides UNDP’s corporate strategies around the various aspects of peacebuilding, governance, justice, rule of law and human rights. Crisis Bureau staff provide global strategic advice to UNDP management and technical advice to regional hubs and Country Offices; advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. As part of the Global Policy Network (GPN), the Crisis Bureau works in an integrated manner with UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) ensuring that issues are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. 

The Crisis Bureau (CB) is galvanizing UNDP’s efforts to support countries to build strong public institutions, promote governance and rule of law while working fully through the peacebuilding cycle from prevention to response. UNDP seeks to ensure that development perspectives are introduced as early as possible in response and recovery cycles, including approaching recovery as an opportunity to reset development practices onto more resilient, green, and equitable pathways. 

UNDP’s corporate Crisis Offer seeks to consolidate and upgrade UNDP’s crisis mechanisms to break the cycle of protracted crisis and fragility; to get ahead of the crisis curve through anticipating and preventing crises; and to sustain development throughout crisis by investing in hope – from jobs to justice. These efforts seek to mitigate potential shocks and disruptions, protect hard-won development gains, and to provide sustained accompaniment throughout crises, and to pursue pathways out of crisis and build longer-term resilience. The CB supports Regional Bureaux (RBx) and Country Offices (COs) to ensure risk-informed and preventive approaches are integrated into development plans, priorities, and programmes. Bureau guides UNDP’s corporate crisis-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response, and recovery.

Part of the Crisis Bureau, the Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights (ROLJHR) specialist, under the UNDP Office for West and Central Africa as well as the Governance, Rule of Law and Peacebuilding Hub is responsible for practice and policy development in the areas of rule of law, justice, and human rights through the implementation of the Global Programme on Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights for Sustaining Peace and Fostering Development, 2022-2025 (the Global Programme) and successor programs. The Global Programme is guided by and aligned to UNDP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and its successor plan and is widely recognized for its ability to mobilize funds, provide technical and strategic expertise, and collaborate and coordinate across UN entities to enable more holistic, coherent, and comprehensive responses to rule of law, justice, and human rights challenges across the twenty-four countries of West and Central Africa. 

Position Purpose:

The Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights Specialist is one of the lead experts in the Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights knowledge domain. S/he is based in UNDP WACA in Dakar and reports to the Governance and Peacebuilding Advisor while also being a team member of, and regularly liaising with the team in charge of Rule of law, security and human rights for sustainable peace and developments at the Crisis Bureau, as part of the GPN. He/she will provide intellectual and strategic engagement as well as technical guidance on Rule of Law and Human Rights issues for UNDP, and represent UNDP in the wider Rule of Law and Human Rights community of practice, in particular within the UNDP-DPKO Global Focal Point for Rule of Law arrangement and the Tripartite Partnership (TPP - UNDP, OHCHR and the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions), with bilateral partners, external experts, etc. 

Working to ensure quality and coherent policy and programme advisory services within their region and across other regions, as well as alignment with the Strategic Plan, the ROLJHR Specialist advances the credibility and recognition of UNDP’s capabilities in this knowledge domain and associated community of practice. The Specialist will work closely with the Rule of Law and Human Rights community of practice across UNDP to support corporate learning and, in particular, the implementation of the Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights for Sustaining Peace & Fostering Development

In collaboration with other Advisors and Specialists in the UNDP Office for West and Central Africa (UNDP WACA), the RSCA Governance and peacebuilding, HQ, Country Offices, Global Policy Centers, and rosters of external advisors, s/he is responsible for leading the provision of technical expertise and policy and programme advisory services to Country Offices, supports the implementation of the regional programme and, where appropriate, with key UN and external partners.  S/he responds to requests from Country Offices and under the guidance of the Governance and Peacebuilding Advisor in the UNDP Office for West and Central Africa, and in collaboration with corporate support providers, such as the Country Support Management Team, the Crisis and Fragility Engagement and Policy Team and the SDG integrator Team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Substantive delivery of technical assistance, policy development and programme support in Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights

• Provide policy advisory and programming services primarily to COs within the region, which respond to country office needs, including through the provision of capacity building and backstopping to COs and UNCTs. 
• Work with the Regional Bureau’s Country Advisors to ensure relevant, timely and multi-disciplinary response to Country needs for policy services. 
• Support programming and implementation of the Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights for Sustaining Peace & Fostering Development
• Ensure support to implementation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy in the Africa region.
• Collaborate substantively with COs and Regional Programmes to achieve regional/CO strategic goals and plans by supporting relevant regional initiatives and promoting synergies with the regional programs.
• Support COs and the UNDP WACA in project design, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and results reporting in line with RBM guidelines, and support quality assurance, risk management and due diligence processes.
• Provide sector specific and technical policy advice for crisis situations in coordination with the Country Support Management Team.
• Provide support to COs and UNDP WACA conducting and engaging in assessments related to all forms of crisis response, such as post-crisis, capacity and crisis-related/fragility assessments in coordination with the Country Support Management Team and the Fragility Engagement and Policy Team.
• Ensure risks are monitored and managed across the portfolio of advisory engagements including UNSDCF formulation. 
• Contribute to developing the capacity of national counterparts in support of achieving the Strategic Plan and other internationally agreed development goals as it relates to the Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights knowledge domains.
• Provide substantive inputs in the development of UNDP’s policies for the thematic area and contribute to the formulation of global policy products. 

Substantive development of tools and resources, from across UNDP’s network of expertise

• Provide technical expertise in identifying tools, developing methodologies, and producing knowledge management products linked to crisis-related rule of law, justice and human rights.
• Provide technical expertise on the content development for regional/CO knowledge products through the analysis of data, case evidence, and research findings in accordance with corporate standards. 
• Contribute to the identification and scoping of technical issues warranting collaboration with HQ and regional teams to research, develop and share knowledge-based tools, such as policy positions/practice notes/concept papers and other research-based products to influence/advance policy dialogue in the knowledge domain and present UNDP’s knowledge assets and capabilities at global and regional forums. 
• Work closely with policy teams in HQ to advance research, testing and roll-out of newly commissioned policy/business development initiatives, by providing the regional perspective/specificities as well as experience-based insights on what is of most practical value for national counterparts and regional leaders. 
• Design and deliver training on programming tools including by developing training packs for COs to facilitate innovation learning, foster and encourage policy innovation and continuous improvement to enhance programme delivery.

Knowledge management and community of practice networking

• Contribute to the continuous analysis, documentation, codification of regional results/lessons learned.
• Review regional data, case evidence and research findings to distill pivotal lessons for UNDP globally. 
• Advocate and enable South-South facilitation of exchanges and experiences sharing where valuable.
• Support the capacity development of UNDP staff in application of tools and practices. 
• Development and strengthening of linkages with peacebuilding and governance community of practice, both inside and outside of the UN system.

Advocacy and partner engagement for effective policy positioning in the region

• Advocate the application of ground-breaking ROL and Human Rights-based approaches, especially as an integrated approach to achieving the SDGs, in various regional and country fora with a view to deepen related political commitment and related reforms. 
• Represent UNDP within engagements in interagency coordination in ROL and Human Rights policy areas and in particular support the UNDP-DPKO Global Focal Point arrangement and the Tripartite partnership of UNDP, OHCHR and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.
• Advise on resource mobilization/financial assistance as required and coordinate approvals as required.
• Provide technical advice on relationship management of regional partners and resource mobilization in line with Crisis Bureau priorities and corporate guidelines. 
• Provide technical advice on mobilizing and fostering external partnerships behind regional initiatives.
• Manage the building of strategic alliances and partnerships, especially with key think tanks and non-governmental organizations.
• Ensure UNDP/Crisis Bureau Representation at inter-agency meetings, academic conferences, donor consultations and other events.
• Collaborate with UNDP advisors/programme managers and country-based and Peace and Development Advisors.

Competencies:

Core  CoreBehaviouralCompetencies.pdf (undp.org)

Achieve Results:

Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact    

Think Innovatively:

Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems  

Learn Continuously:

Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility:

Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination:

Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results    

Engage and Partner:

Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration  

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

2030 Agenda: Peace, Justice and strong institutions: Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights

• Safeguarding rule of law, justice and human rights and protecting vulnerable groups

2030 Agenda: Peace, Justice and strong institutions: Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights 

• Rule of Law, Justice, Human Rights Institutions/compliance

2030 Agenda: Peace, Justice and strong institutions: Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights 

• Access to Justice

Business Direction and Strategy: Strategic Thinking 

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

Business Direction and 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 Development: UNDP Representation

• Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission, and work with various constituencies

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

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• A master’s degree preferably in law, justice and human rights, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, international development, international affairs, or any other relevant field
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in either public sector (national or multilateral, including UN), private (academia, non-governmental sector, corporate), with increasing level of responsibility is required
• Prior experience and leadership experience in working with national, regional and international organizations on rule of law, justice and human rights is required
• Minimum of five years experience in formulation of policies, strategies and programming frameworks related to rule of law, justice and human rights at national and regional level is required– 
• Five years experience in management of programs related to rule of law, justice and human rights at national and regional level is desirable.
• Proven experience in providing technical and advisory support to justice, rule of law and human rights institutions is desirable.
• Prior experience in development work in developing and fragile countries including in the context of Africa is an asset. 
• Excellent drafting, negotiating and communication skills and ability to mobilize support from a wide range of donors and partners (public, private, academic, civil society, business community leaders) is desirable
• Proven track record of management and resource mobilization skills in an asset

Language:

• Fluency in French and English is required. 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

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