Background

UNDP Rwanda is embarking on a new strategic phase with the rollout of its Country Programme Document (CPD 2025-2029), which is fully aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and designed to support Rwanda's National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Vision 2050. The CPD is structured around two transformative pillars: (i) Environment and Economic Transformation, focusing on nature-positive solutions, and (ii) Transformational Governance.

UNDP Rwanda is entering a transformative era with the rollout of its Country Programme Document (CPD 2025-2029), which is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and Rwanda's Vision 2050. This vision aspires to transition Rwanda into a high-income, climate-resilient, and carbon-neutral economy by 2050. Despite the country's remarkable achievements in socioeconomic progress, critical challenges such as multidimensional poverty, persistent inequality, and systemic opportunity disparities remain barriers to inclusive and sustainable development.

Rwanda has made significant strides in economic growth, with the Human Development Index increasing by 119% between 1990 and 2018—the highest growth rate globally. However, 38.2% of the population lives below the poverty line, with 16% in extreme poverty. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) reveals that nearly half of the population faces multidimensional poverty, disproportionately affecting women, youth, rural communities, and other vulnerable groups. High unemployment (16.8%) and inequality (Gini coefficient of 0.429) further constrain equitable growth. These challenges are compounded by the reliance on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture and energy, making the population highly vulnerable to climate shocks.

UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2022-2025) emphasizes addressing systemic poverty and inequality through integrated, inclusive approaches. UNDP Rwanda’s new CPD reflects this vision by fostering inclusive economic growth, enhancing resilience, and empowering vulnerable populations, particularly women, youth, and informal workers. Central to these efforts is the establishment of the Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth Unit (STRING), which will drive innovative strategies to reduce poverty, expand social protection, promote decent work, and enable equitable access to economic opportunities.

The Programme Unit works to support achievement of UNDP strategic objectives to create a world where people and planet thrive together, and to help the Country Office act with both ambition and scale to address urgent problems facing the country as well as global climate deteriorating conditions. Programme staff assist the Country Office in formulating and implementing programme strategies that go beyond solving immediate development challenges to create future smart and integrated systemic changes in resilience and capacity building within the country.

Position Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR) and the overall guidance of the Resident Representative (RR), the Programme Specialist serves as advisor to Senior Management and manages the Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth Portfolio of work.  Programme management responsibilities include leading the programme team in strategic planning, identifying new programme areas and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities, and monitoring programme implementation to ensure consistency with CPD priorities.

The Programme Specialist, heads and supervises Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth Unit team and works in close collaboration with the Programmes and Operations team in the CO, Programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP staff in HQs and Regional Hubs, technical advisors and experts, external specialists, government officials and partners, donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP programme.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration. 

Duties and Responsibilities

1) As a member of the Country Office management team, ensure the formulation and implementation of UNDP programme strategies and policies within one or more thematic areas 

• Contribute to the thorough analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country; and contribute collaborative inputs to the UN Common Country Assessment and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNCCA and UNSDCF) as well as to the preparation/revision of the Country Programme Document (CPD), Integrated Work Plan (IWP) and other strategic documents;
• Ensure that programme strategy formulation considers societal digital technology risks and opportunities and other future signals;
• Operationalize UNSDCF/ CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies;
• Establish relevant programme Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure the effectiveness of CO business processes. Oversee workflows and ensure cross collaboration in the Programme Unit;
• Review and sign-off on proposals at programme level;
• Analyze, present, and implement UNDP policies in the CO. 

2) Effectively manage the CO programme and supervise the Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth Unit team focusing on quality assurance and risk management of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation

• Design and formulate CO programme and translate UNDP priorities into local interventions. Oversee programme implementation with the implementing partners; 
• Lead, organize and coordinate the implementation of all Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth Unit activities in close collaboration with senior colleagues as well as with Headquarters and the Regional Center as required;
• Provide leadership in strategically utilizing portfolio management tools and practices to keep resources aligned to actual and evolving priorities rather than rigid, preset planning targets;
• Provides strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing, and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. The Programme Specialist performs the function of Manager Level 2 in Quantum for development projects transactions approval; 
• Manage team members and relationships with donors, government and al counterparts;
• Identify the ability of the CO to conduct specific design engagements and recommend sourcing of necessary capacity, facilitating the design and scoping of engagements and their deliverables;
• Provide practical guidance to team members and clients on UNDPs evolution from a programme towards a dynamic portfolio approach that links outreach to new collaborators and non-conventional actors with both useful ideas and fee-based services and investments;   
• Promote peer learning within the team and between colleagues and adapt to new thinking and approaches;
• Coordinate the daily activities of UNDP activities/programme/ projects in close coordination with national and international stakeholders;
• Liaise with Government counterparts, funding and development partners and other partners for the smooth implementation of activities;
• Manages the Portfolio team and provides proper guidance to and supervision of staff, employees and consultants ensuring compliance with all UNDP rules and regulations;
• Prepare/produce a variety of written outputs, such as background papers, correspondence with governments, working papers, mission reports, analyses, briefings, communication/visibility material, presentations, policy proposals and documents, regular and ad hoc reports;
• Conduct timely projects, budget and grant reviews, revisions and monitoring, and complete related reporting obligations, in accordance with UNDP policies, UN rules and regulations as well as applicable donors’ requirements;
• Undertake other tasks as required for the smooth implementation of the programme;
• Organize cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects in close collaboration with Operations Manager. 

3) Establish and maintain strategic Country Office partnerships and support resource mobilization efforts to achieve programme outcomes 

• Implement CO partnerships and resource mobilization strategies for Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth interventions; 
• Develop partnerships with the UN Agencies, international financial institutions (IFIs), government institutions, donors, private sector (if applicable to CO), and civil society in assigned programme/thematic areas;
•  Determine strategic programmatic areas of cooperation, including for joint programming, in line with agreed global, regional and national priorities; 
• Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, and ensure due cost recovery;
• Lead development of Country office Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth pipeline and portfolio components that includes designing Programme/Project documents, concept notes, proposals and cross-sectoral coordination to bring resources for projects. 

4) Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management

• Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to Rwanda policy goals on Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth;
• Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks. Implement relevant, high -impact advocacy with key partners;  
• Coordinate and ensure integrated support in development of policies and institutions to address   Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth challenges and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;
• Support Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth policy advisory services that contribute to inclusive societal digital transformation and take digital technology risks and opportunities or futures signals into account;
• Provide sound contributions to Structural Transformation and Inclusive Growth knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms;
• Organize and deliver training for the operations/ projects staff on programme related matters. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization. 

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:  Supervision and performance management of Country Office Programme Team.

Competencies

Business Management

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals. 

Business Management: Portfolio Management 

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization as programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. 
• Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Development Studies, Economics, Political Sciences, Public Policy, or related field is required. 
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national and/or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development portfolios and projects in relevant thematic areas; and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments is required; 
• Extensive expertise in project and programme management, including design, planning, monitoring, and evaluation is required;
• Strong and proven ability to establish partnerships and mobilize resources among international organizations, governments, financial institutions, and private sector stakeholders is required;
• Excellent leadership, team management, and collaboration skills/experience, fostering high-performing teams and achieving results is required;
• Demonstrated track record in middle/upper management roles, leading teams and budgets of comparable complexity and scope is desired;
• Familiarity with integrated programming and cross-sectoral initiatives, ensuring holistic development approaches is an asset;
• Proven experience in delivering technical and policy advisory services at the national or international level is desired;
• Skilled in strategic planning and identifying entry points for targeted interventions to maximize impact and leverage programme resources is desired;
• Proven expertise in designing and implementing multidimensional poverty reduction strategies and inclusive economic policies is desired;
• Experience in resource mobilization, partnership building, and stakeholder engagement across diverse sectors;
• Strong analytical and policy advisory skills, particularly in addressing complex development challenges is an asset.
• Proficiency in data-driven decision-making, innovative financing, and programme management is an asset;
• Experience with UNDP/UN, government institutions, or international organizations is an asset; 
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP is desired. 

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in the national language of the duty station is required for local staff (Kinyarwanda and/or Kiswahili).
• Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

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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