Programme Specialist- Peacebuilding & Social Cohesion

The two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia has triggered a major humanitarian crisis in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions with profound adverse effects on Ethiopia’s ambitious economic and governance reforms. The conflict resulted in significant loss of lives; displacement of millions needing humanitarian assistance; and large-scale damage to infrastructure and services. On 2^nd of November 2022, an agreement for lasting peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities was signed between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GoE) and the TPLF. Led by the AU, the Peace Agreement has ended active combat in Northern Ethiopia and raised hope for a gradual restoration of services and humanitarian operations in the region. This wide-ranging agreement committed, among other things, to an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities, the creation of an interim administration in Tigray region pending regional elections, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants (XCs), resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returning refugees, transitional justice, social cohesion and reconciliation, and recovery and reconstruction. The peace agreement also paves the way for the restoration of peace, security, and stability in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray Regions. 

It is in this context that UNDP has developed a ‘Peace Support Programme/Facility (PSP/F)’ nested within the Federal Government’s Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) but focused on urgent actions over a period of 24 months to stabilize conditions, restore a sense of normalcy, and deliver a first peace dividend to conflict-impacted populations.  The approach is to fill the gap that is likely to open between the urgency of addressing a wide range of priority needs quickly to consolidate peace and stabilize conditions and the time it will take for the larger, longer-term, and more comprehensive 3R Framework to kick-in meaningfully, possibly in late-2024, at the earliest.  Moreover, the PSP/F is designed flexibly, so that it could potentially be scaled-up to become the foundation of a larger UN-wide effort in the same direction.  In line with this approach, the PSP/F is being implemented already in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions. 

The strategic goal of the PSP/F is to contribute toward an irreversible peace process in Northern Ethiopia.  This will be pursued through an actionable set of measures that can build trust between communities and legitimate regional government authorities and lay the foundations for recovery, peacebuilding, and sustainable development, founded upon country leadership and ownership.

Working within the broader framework of 3RF, the PSP/F will focus on the following windows: 

• Window 1:  Local Governance, Human Rights and Social Cohesion
• Window 2:  Basic Social Services (health, nutrition, education, WASH, protection)
• Window 3:  Economic Revival (enterprises and agriculture, demining)
• Window 4:  Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants 
• Window 5:   Solutions to Internal Displacement

Geographic Focus:  Afar, Amhara and Tigray (Northern Ethiopia); Window 4 Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants (8 regions)

Target conflict-impacted populations:  10 million

Timelines for implementation:  June 2023 - May 2025

1. Facilitate implementation of UNDP Peace Support Programme in the areas assigned – peacebuilding, social cohesion, and reconciliation,
2. Provision of technical advice and services internally within UNDP Peace Support Team and regional government and non-governmental counterparts on implementation of the Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion activities in alignment with Peace Support programme Results Framework,  
3. Support the implementation of project monitoring and evaluation activities as per the project M&E framework and plan, 
4. Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with stakeholders, regional/ national actors, and development partners,  
5. Facilitation of knowledge building, management, communication, and outreach           

Duties and Responsibilities

3.1 Facilitate implementation of UNDP Peace Support Programme in the areas assigned – peacebuilding, social cohesion, and reconciliation,

• Thorough analysis and research of the political, peace and conflict situation in the targeted regions on a continuous basis with a particular focus of areas that have impacts on UNDP’s programmes/projects,
• Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned based on the above analysis, as well as UNDP’s corporate priorities and comparative advantages,  
• Determination of required revisions/adjustments, and coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises,
• Coordination of programme/project implementation with implementing partners according to agreed-upon priorities, Annual Work Plans, and available resources,
• Ensure adherence of UNDP-supported work to safeguards: HACT, ESS, human rights, ‘leaving no one behind’, and ‘doing no harm’, updates risks and risk mitigation, to inform plans and progress on implementation.
• Forge close and practical working relationships with the humanitarian cluster system to ensure that HDP nexus issues are addressed on the ground,
• Ensures that approaches to gender equality are integrated into all aspects of planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. 

3.2 Provision of technical advice and services internally within UNDP PSO team and regional government and non-governmental counterparts on implementation of the Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion activities in alignment with PS project objectives 

• Identify programmatic entry points through gap assessments and actively contribute to formulation of new interventions/activities within the area of responsibility, 
• Assess capacity-building needs in collaborating regional institutions and help develop well-structured and sustainable plans for addressing them, 
• Keeping abreast of policy changes and trends regarding conflict dynamics, peace, and security as well as local governance and civil society, analyze them and inform PSO Management,
• Develop concept papers, briefing notes, issues papers and analytical pieces to inform UNDP policymaking and programming,
• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues,
• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme objectives and priorities.

3.3 Support the implementation of project monitoring and evaluation activities as per the project M&E framework and plan. 

• Regular monitoring and analysis of assigned programmes and projects, and suggest timely readjustments in portfolio as and when necessary,
• Effective application of RBM tools, monitoring achievement of results and contribution to team and office-wide initiatives and activities, 
• Financial and substantive monitoring of projects, analysis of the programme/project environment, identification of operational and financial challenges and propose timely adjustments and/solutions,
• Regular field monitoring visits, reporting back on findings and recommendations, follow-up to ensure timely implementation of the recommendations to build the capacity of the implementing partners,
• Identify and assemble lessons learned and generate recommendations for consideration of the UNDP management /Project Steering Committee to feeding into improved implementation of the PS project,
• Compilation of project/programme progress reports, distilling lessons learnt, contribution to UNDP corporate reporting requirements,
• Support the project partners at regional and federal level to systematically build national capacities to independently take initiatives towards the realization of project objectives and their mission more broadly.

3.4 Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with stakeholders, regional/ national actors, and development partners.  

• Ensure effective strategic coordination among project staff, partners, and other stakeholders,
• Build strong and trusted relationship with regional counterparts, including zonal and woreda officials, as well as with target communities,
• Ensure good coordination and collaboration with suppliers, implementing partners, beneficiaries, and other key project stakeholders,
• Develop initiatives and coordination mechanism to facilitate functional partnerships between Government counterparts and other partners and actors working on areas relevant to the project,
• Promote close coordination with other partners and/similar initiatives on peacebuilding and social cohesion to ensure collaboration and constructive collaboration as much as possible.

3.5. Facilitation of knowledge building, management, communication, and outreach focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Sound contribution to knowledge building, networks, and communities of practice, 
• Systematic recording of best practices and lessons learnt in the areas assigned,
• Coordination of internal and external reviews and evaluations and facilitation of application of lessons in future programming,
• Organization of trainings for implementing partners, operations/projects staff on programme management issues applying RBM tools,
• Synthesize lessons learnt and best practices in project/programme implementation and participate actively in relevant communities of practice,
• Prepare and/or contribute to communications materials, including audio-visual products, on UNDP’s Peace Support Programme and other related efforts,
• Perform other activities as assigned by the Head and Deputy Head of the Peace Support Office. 

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of D/Director, Peace Support Office, peace building, and social cohesion Specialist is responsible for ensuring effective management of the Peace Support Programme, providing technical and operational support to the design, implementation and monitoring and reporting activities. The position holder is also expected to assist in the interface between UNDP and its implementing partners in the targeted regions, most notably justice, human rights, and security institutions. The incumbent would be required to support the conduct of the requisite analytical and situational assessment to inform programme design and understand trends and patterns that impact on the programme. He/she provides policy and technical advisory services to regional government counterparts as well as UNDP.

The Programme Specialist is expected to work independently, with minimal supervision but in close collaboration with the programme colleagues within the Country Office, and to actively engage with government partners and other actors.

Impact of Results

The results to be delivered by the Programme Specialist will ensure effective implementation of UNDP’s Peace Support Programme in Northern Ethiopia. Further, it will enhance UNDP’s ability to enhance infrastructures, systems and institutions for peacebuilding and social cohesion in the targeted regions, thus enabling the Country Office deliver on its commitments to partners – government, donors and protect communities. 

UNDP’s stakeholders and partners are increasingly requiring that we demonstrate greater development results and harmonization by ensuring implementation of programmes and projects in a more integrated and coherent manner, and by adapting a results-based project management, ultimately ensuring sustainability of development results. This capacity would allow UNDP to offer to partners – government and donors, implementation of sound projects and programmes that are evidence-based, relevant and effective. The results will also facilitate a new paradigm by applying portfolio approach in programming that ensures alignment and complementarity, shared learning, and value for money.

• Business Direction & Strategy-System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the system.
• Business Development- Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
• Business Management- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• 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, policies, and priorities.
• Business Management- Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
• Business Management- Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform, and model data to discover useful information, inform conclusions, and support decision-making.
• 2030 Agenda: Peace- Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion: Conflict Prevention, Dialogue, Mediation and Reconciliation, Violence Prevention and Reduction.
• 2030 Agenda: Peace- Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding, and Social Cohesion: Community engagement for prevention, response, and social cohesion; Conflict analysis and sensitivity; Peacebuilding and reconciliation; Humanitarian-Development Peace (HDP) Nexus.
• 2030 Agenda: Peace- Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding, and Social Cohesion Institutions: Crisis Assessment, Infrastructure for Peace, Restoration of local government capacity (post-crisis).