In 2019 Bolivia faced a political crisis as a consequence of the contested October general elections. As a result of a broad national consensus reached in November, an electoral law was adopted, annulling the October election and laying out the path towards new general elections now scheduled to take place in May 2020
On 14 November 2019, the UN Secretary-General appointed a Personal Envoy for Bolivia with a purview to engaging with all Bolivian actors and to offering United Nations support in efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, including through transparent, inclusive and credible elections. Moreover, in response to a request by national actors the UN system in Bolivia is expected to provide technical assistance in the areas of elections; human rights and gender equality and dialogue efforts.
In this context, the PDA’s main priority will be to assist the UNCT in the implementation of initiatives that promote enabling environment for the 2020 electoral process. Specifically, the PDA will assist in design strategies to implement Sustainable Development Goal 16 on just, peaceful and inclusive institutions. The PDA will assist the Resident Coordinator and the UNCT in identifying gaps and opportunities for UN-system wide support to efforts to build national capacities for generating consensus around strategies for building peace, promoting governance and advancing sustainable development.
The PDA will have a primary reporting line to the UN Resident Coordinator and secondary reporting lines to the UNDP Resident Representative and to the Director of the Americas Division of UN DPPA. The PDA will work in close coordination with other parts of the UN system engaged in political dialogue efforts.
Under the guidance of the RC, UNDP RR, DPPA-DPO and in close collaboration with the UN Country Team, the PDA will:
More specifically the PDA will:
1. Provide analytical and strategic advice to the UN Resident Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative on matters related to conflict analysis and prevention and assist in his/her relations with high-level government officials, academia, civil society including women’s and youth networks, and with the wider political and civic leadership. Build and maintain networks and relationships with stakeholders on behalf of RC
- Build and maintain networks and relationships with key stakeholders in Bolivia;
- Participate in related meetings and fora representing the UN system where necessary;
- Engage with other national and international actors, as appropriate, to promote a common approach towards implementing SDG 16 and supporting social cohesion, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and other relevant efforts, including on areas related to gendered dimensions of peacebuilding and SCR 1325. In some circumstances, these interactions may be on behalf of the RC with high-level officials, as requested;
- Provide continuous analysis and reporting on political developments and conflict dynamics to RC, to UNDP RR and broader UNCT, as well as the regional offices and headquarters of UNDP and DPPA(-DPO).
- Identify ‘entry points’ for conflict prevention and recommend appropriate strategic responses for the UN system, ensuring that gendered dimensions are reflected in both analysis and programming.
2. Support to RC, the UNDP Resident Representative, and the UNCT in the design and coordination of the UN response to government requests related to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, particularly in dialogue efforts at the national and local levels
- Support UN efforts related peace-promoting activities such as: designing dialogue processes; facilitating national processes; building local capacity for dialogue, negotiation, mediation processes; support to capacities of networks of mediators and facilitators at national and local levels; strengthen women’s and youth initiatives and groups in peace processes; support confidence-building measures; organize and facilitate training and capacity-building workshops for national stakeholders at all levels;
- Promote inclusion and participation, ensuring Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and gendered dimensions of peacebuilding and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) are integrated into the dialogue and other relevant processes;
- Provide leadership and strategic guidance to the design and implementation of Peacebuilding Fund programmes, where applicable, and engage closely with PBF governance mechanisms such as the Joint Steering Committees and their Secretariats;
- Lead the design and oversee community and national-level initiatives to strengthen confidence in local development capacities, including through the promotion of local dialogue capacities for conflict resolution at local and/or national levels;
- Identify and engage civil society actors in the peace and development agenda supported by the UN.
- Maintain close contact with relevant staff in UN Headquarters and regional level including relevant focal points at UNDP, DCO and UN DPPA-DPO;
3. Provide strategic and technical support to UNCT members, in particular UNDP Governance team, with regard to governance and conflict prevention programming and work to strengthen their capacity to undertake conflict analysis and mainstream conflict sensitivity in regular programming.
- Coordinate closely with UNDP Governance team to define/implement a strategy for identifying entry points for mainstreaming of conflict prevention and conflict sensitivity in the UNCT, including within the framework of common country planning processes (Cooperation Framework, Common Country Analysis, Country Programme Documents, Strategic Response Plans (SRPs) etc.;
- Provide leadership and strategic guidance to UNCTs, including UNDP, programmatic portfolio pertaining to governance, peacebuilding, and conflict prevention;
- Support an integrated programmatic approach across the UNCT in the context of SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions;
- Ensure delivery of high-value capacity development and training to UN Country Team staff and key national partners on conflict analysis, conflict prevention and/or conflict-sensitive development, where needed, ensuring that the gendered dimensions of conflict are adequately reflected through analysis produced and meaningfully addressed through programmatic efforts;
- Provide analytical and strategic support to the UNCT. Support the UNCT in making programmatic linkages with the analysis provided.
Core
Innovation
Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Level 6: Exercises stakeholder-centered design approaches for office / programme / division
Leadership
Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 6: Ensures teams are resourced for success and empowered to deliver
People Management
Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others
Communication
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 6: Creates confidence among stakeholders by delivering authoritative positions, compelling analysis, and contextual acumen
Delivery
Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 6: Accepts accountability for the outcomes of programme delivery and facilitates improvement and innovation in the delivery of products and services.
Technical / Functional
Social Cohesion
Knowledge of methods and experience of supporting communities to achieve greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Peacebuilding and Reconciliation
Ability to support peace processes to facilitate recovery and development
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Conflict-Sensitive Programming
Ability to use methods and tools to monitor conflict triggers and determine impact of various dynamics in conflict-prone situations
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Political Economy Analysis
Knowledge of the interaction of political and economic processes in a society; including distribution of power and wealth between groups and individuals, and the processes that create, sustain and transform these relationships over time, and how these dynamics both affect, and are affected by, UNDP’s development support
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Knowledge Management
Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Relationship Management
Ability to engage with other parties and forge productive working relationships
Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Resource Mobilization
Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Education:
Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree) in political science, sociology, international relations, international economics, law, public administration, or other related social sciences.
Experience:
- At least 10 years of senior level experience in conflict analysis, policy, and strategy development, development and/or conflict prevention in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization;
- Extensive experience in research and project development;
- A proven policy, advisory and advocacy experience and track record of engagement with senior levels of government, United Nations, and donors;
- Experience working within a UN agency or department and field experience would be a major asset.
- Proven experience in development programming, including good understanding of UN programming modalities, and rules and regulations;
- Experience in national and community-level dialogues, conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives and programming;
- Excellent knowledge of and extensive experience in Latin America, including in dialogue and conflict prevention initiatives, is an advantage.
- Knowledge and experience working with indigenous peoples is an advantage.
Language Requirements:
Fluent written and spoken in Spanish and English is required.
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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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Contract Duration: 1 Year