Research and Coordination Associate

Background

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UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

1- Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) actively supports Jordan in achieving sustainable development, leading to transformative change and tangible improvements in people’s lives. This is achieved through the design and implementation of policies and programs that address the country’s development challenges. UNDP emphasizes considerations such as Gender Equality, Private Sector Engagement, Environmental Sustainability, and Innovation, aligning local development solutions with the 2030 Agenda.

Collaborating with the European Union, UNDP aims to enhance the social and economic well-being of vulnerable refugees and host populations in Jordan, reducing relative inequalities. This collaboration focuses on effective funding planning, coordination, and management, strengthening institutional capacities at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) to manage Humanitarian, Development, and Syria Crisis Response (HD&SCR) efficiently. The Project seeks to align funding management with national priorities, international commitments, and responses to the Syrian crisis, accelerating Jordan’s progress toward human and sustainable development.

The objective will be achieved through: (1) Supporting strengthening human, institutional, digital, and technical capacities for HD&SCR funding coordination and management within MoPIC, targeting, namely, Foreign Funding Unit and Humanitarian Relief Coordination Unit. Support will also be extended to MoPIC related departments and sections, including the Aid Coordination Section (ACS); (2) Enhancing alignment of aid with national priorities and international commitments through dialogue, empirical data, and research; (3) Strengthening partnerships, communication, and ODA diplomacy.

Towards informed policies, the project will strengthen ODA and aid impact assessment research; mainstream aid classification; institutionalize the production of regular reports on foreign funding and JRP status in addition to regular position and policy papers on sector vulnerabilities for Syrian refugees and their hosts, highlighting gender inequalities and targeted remedies. The” Project” will also support sustainability analysis, protection, and human rights safeguarding.

To support empirical data and informed decision making, research will be enhanced including through socio-economic research and policy analysis on refugees and the vulnerable host communities’ socio-economic status profiling covering different dimensions of inequalities and coping patterns. This will be packaged in a six-part research series and will include methodical political economy analysis at national and subnational levels, feeding into the Syrian Crisis Response. As part of this initiative, there is a critical need for robust research, data analysis, and coordination mechanisms to inform evidence-based decision-making and ensure effective utilization of resources. Sectoral research and analysis will be supported, including the Scenario Planning for improved preparedness and increased resilience of systems to adapt to shocks and crises.

2- Scope of Work

The Research and Coordination Associate will play an important role in supporting the Humanitarian Relief Coordination Unit (HRCU) and the Foreign Funding Unit (FFU) through research, coordination, and business planning. Primary purpose of the role is provision of research, coordination and business planning support to both units and high quality and timely inputs to the various initiatives under both units.

Research

• Provision of research, substantively impacting sustainable development, humanitarian, and Syrian Crisis Response and collect and compile relevant literature and policy documents upon request of direct supervisors.
• Assisting research consultants in the implementation of research studies to ensure the successful completion of study goals, including statistical data and analysis research and implementation of macro and microeconomic econometric models that serve planning within humanitarian, development, and Syrian Crisis Response funding.
• Support the ODA research desk on ODA research, in collaboration with the ODA Reporting Specialist.

Coordination

• Coordination and business planning support to the Humanitarian Relief Coordination Unit (HRCU) and the Foreign Funding Unit (FFU), providing high-quality and timely inputs to the various initiatives under both units.
• Supporting coordination and partnering with think tanks and economic advisors to facilitate the production of position and policy papers on sector vulnerabilities.

Reporting

• Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports on the progress of research activities.
• Ensure the timely and high-quality submission of reports.
• Support development and production of foreign funding and humanitarian reports and factsheets.

Management Support

• Provide support with all financial requirements of the project, especially those related to project funding and accounting.
• Ensure that project is executed in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Facilitate, guide, and monitor the work of the Project team; manage payment schedules.
• Assist in project related activities, including planning for meetings, local and national consultations, duty travel, and other project related activities.
• Ensure all national and international travel is organized smoothly.
• Support with the Monitoring and Evaluation of the project at the national level, including workshop evaluations.
• Manage the project budget, oversee procurement and accounting, together with the UNDP Country Office and the team at MOPIC
• Ensure financial resources are disbursed on time to implementing partners.
• Maintain records of expenditures and collaborate in financial reporting.

Financial And Procurement Support

• Develop calculations for the development of the annual and multi-year workplan/budget.
• Handle all required procurement processes, requisitions and purchase orders, ensuring compliance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Maintain an inventory of assets/equipment and support with the handover of equipment upon project closure.
• Regularly update of the procurement plan and contacts list.
• Lead all travel arrangements for national travel/missions and participants to national level workshops.
• Handle all travel for participants to global and regional workshops and other international meetings, ensuring all necessary visa, security clearances and plane tickets are obtained timely, and confirmations/changes of travel arrangements are communicated

3- Institutional Arrangement

The Research and Coordination Associate will work under the guidance of the Governance and Peace Pillar Team Leader and in collaboration with the Project’s Team at UNDP and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.

4- Core Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

5- Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area Name Definition

Business Development Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context or responsive to a stated need

Business Management Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

2030 Agenda: Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Development Planning

Digital & Innovation Data analysis

Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making

Business Direction & Strategy Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s 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

Business Development Collective Intelligence Design

Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.

6- Minimum Qualifications Of The Successful NPSA

Min. Academic Education

A completion of a secondary education is required, or

A university degree in economics, Development Studies, Research, International Relations, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or related field will be given due consideration but is not a requirement.

Min. years of relevant Work experience A minimum of seven years (with secondary school degree) or four years (with a bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in humanitarian and development research, coordination or other related fields is required.

Required Skills

• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP
• Proven experience in conducting and coordinating research.
• Proven experience in design, monitor, and evaluation of development projects.

Desired Additional Skills And Competencies

• Strong analytical and research skills/experience with the ability to interpret and synthesize complex data.
• Understanding of humanitarian relief coordination and foreign funding processes.
• Proven research and policy-level analysis support.
• Familiarity with political economy in Jordan around humanitarian and development issues.
• Experience on economic policies related to refugees in foreign countries and the humanitarian portfolio of Syrian Refugees in Jordan and refugees at the regional and global levels.
• Experience working in humanitarian or international development contexts .
• Familiarity with research methodologies and data analysis.

Required Language(s) (at working level) Proficiency in written and spoken English and Arabic is required.

Professional Certificates N/A

7- The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
• A cover letter (maximum length: one page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
• Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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