Programme Analyst ( Pillar II-Citizen Engagement and Empowerment) at UNDP

While governance is pivotal to all other pillars of the UNSDCF, UNDP’s work focuses on contributing to the achievement of three outcomes: 1) Rights holders access more accountable and effective institutions at the central and decentralized levels that use quality disaggregated data, offer integrated service delivery and promote civic engagement, respect for human rights and rule of law; 2) Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls enhanced; and 3) Malawi has strengthened institutional capacities for sustaining peace, inclusive societies and participatory democracy.

The UNDP’s current Country Programme Document considers Good Governance as the core to ensuring poverty reduction and sustainable development. It looks at Governance as having a maximum multiplier effect on achieving the SDGs and a leverage point for development. Governance has also been one of the strategic pillars in the development agenda of Malawi’s government. The national development strategy considers governance to be the “the backbone for an efficient and effective public sector” and acknowledges the extent to which mind-set changes and behavioral shifts are needed to sustain profound transformations.

UNDP has recently developed a new Governance Portfolio around three main pillars: Pillar I – Effective, Accountable and Responsive Institutions; Pillar 2 – Civic Engagement and Empowerment; and Pillar 3 – Oversight, Human Rights and Rule of Law.

Pillar II – Citizen Engagement and Empowerment focuses on enhancing the capacity of civil society to represent and advocate for the rights of Malawian citizens; supporting democratic processes through elections and parliamentary support; and improving social cohesion through conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Under the overall guidance and the supervision of the Portfolio Manager, Governance, the Programme Analyst is responsible for the management of UNDP’s Citizen Engagement and Empowerment pillar of the Governance Portfolio in the CO in Malawi which may include overall management of projects on: public sector reform, e-government, accountability and aid management and planning, anti-corruption, decentralisation. The Programme Analyst supports the programme team’s efforts in the strategic planning and the identification of new programme opportunities within these thematic areas while ensuring consistency with UNDAF/ CPD priorities and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Programme Analyst analyzes political, social and economic trends and leads formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within his/her pillar, while contributing to the overall work of the Governance Portfolio. He/she contributes to policy dialogue with the government counterparts providing policy advisory services as well as supporting the identification of top-notch national and international environment practitioners to further this dialogue.

The Programme Analyst will contribute to the promotion and observation of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy particularly with regard to the mainstreaming of gender equality in all programmes and projects under her/his management.

The Programme Analyst supervises and leads programme support staff, coordinates activities of the projects’ staff as they relate to her/his pillar. She/he works in close collaboration with UNDP´s programme staff, the operations team, programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and trust funds as well as civil society ensuring successful UNDP programme implementation.

The Programme Analyst also supports the identification of emerging opportunities for resource mobilization with external donors and trust funds as they relate to areas of Citizen Engagement and Empowerment while leading and providing guidance in the development of internal and external knowledge networks of practitioners in these thematic areas. S/he will be dynamic, creative, and willing to work as part of an international team.

1.) Implementation of programme strategies related to Citizen Engagement and Empowerment.

• Conduct thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs on programmatic instruments;
• Identify areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas under Pillar II – Citizen Engagement and Empowerment, especially in the areas of civil society strengthening, improved civic representation, Elections, Parliamentary support, conflict prevention and peacebuilding;
• Design new initiatives and project proposals in the above sectoral areas in line with the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2023-2028 of UNDP Malawi;
• Contribute to the promotion and observation of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2014-2017 particularly with regard to the mainstreaming of HIV and gender equality in all programmes and projects under her/his management.

2.) Management of programming under Pillar II of the Governance Portfolio.

• Effectively apply RBM tools, establish management targets (BSC) and monitor achievement of results;
• Design and formulation of CO programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones;
• Initiate projects, including presentation of the project to PAC, entering project into Quantum, developing and finalizing contribution agreements; coordinating the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, executing closure of projects through review. Programme Analyst can perform functions of Manager Level 1 in Quantum for POs and vouchers approval, participates in recruitment processes for projects;
• Conduct financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of NEX projects;
• Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported;
• Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.

3.) Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy. 

• Develop partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities. Of particular importance is the management of relationships with the Global Environment Facility, its Smalls Grants Programme, in close coordination with National, Regional and Global Coordinators of these Trust Funds and initiatives;
• Conduct analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs in close collaboration with Academia and top notch practitioners, on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization;
• Mobilize resources in support of the new project proposals to be designed under this assignment as well as other regional initiatives on Democratic Consolidation.

4.) Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

• Identify sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals;
• Develop policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;
• Develop communications materials concerning programming;
• Develop and distribute contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice with particular attention to best practices published in social networks such as Teamwork, Fusion, Twitter etc;
• Organize trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.

• Create and communicate a compelling vision and purpose.
• Align people and resources with organizational vision, strategy, objectives.
• Understand and proactively builds the team/organization culture.

Manage Performance and Ensure Accountability

• Ensure regular conversations with people about work.
• Provide positive and constructive feedback.
• Discuss poor performance in a timely manner.
• Provide praise and recognition, as well as ensure accountability.

Lead with Humility:

• Be authentic and transparent, act with integrity.
• Be accessible and available to team members they lead.
• Encourages debate and discussion, creating a culture where people are comfortable to challenge senior leaders and feel listened too.
• Be modest, giving credit for success to others and admit own shortcomings.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Project management: 

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

Strategic Thinking:

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDPs objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Resource mobilization:

• Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

Partnership 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.

Governance:

• Electoral Cycle Support.
• Civil Society Engagement.
• Civic Engagement (includes CSOs).