Assistant Resident Representative (ARR) / Programme

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.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken steps to position itself as a regional and global leader in key sectors such as water, energy reform, digitalization and peace and security and in alignment with Vision 2030. Recently we witnessed the establishment of a set of regional and global initiatives such as the Global Water Organization, the Digital Cooperation Organization, Middle East Green Initiative and the Red Sea Initiative. These provide UNDP with good opportunities to strategically engage with KSA at country office level and most importantly at the corporate level to ensure all efforts are aligned.

The Country Office priorities for the year 2025 and beyond will focus on furthering the ongoing support across several priority sectors including water, energy, digitalization, urbanization, health and anti-corruption, with UNDP being identified as a partner of choice and with a strong level of trust from Government partners, and initiating dialogue to tackle emerging national priorities from the other hand.

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 guidance of the RR, the Assistant Resident Representative Programme (ARR) serves as advisor to Senior Management and a manager of a major programme portfolio in one (in medium/large office) or more than one programme practice area (in smaller country offices). 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 of programme implementation to ensure consistency with CPD priorities.

The ARR heads and supervises a Programme team and works in close collaboration with the Operations team in the CO, UNDP staff in HQs and Regional Hubs, technical advisors and experts, external specialists, government officials and partners, donors and civil society as needed to support the strategic 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
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.
Example of Duties:

• 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 for strategic programmes.
• Analyze, present, and implement UNDP policies in the CO.

Effectively manage the CO programme and supervise the Programme team focusing on quality assurance and risk management of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation.
Example of Duties:

• Design and formulate CO programmes, and translate UNDP priorities into local interventions. Oversee programme implementation with the implementing partners.
• Provide strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of the programme as well as tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. Ensure digital technology solutions in programme implementation are managed towards scalability and sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.
• Ensure the effective use of data in programme implementation, across the data lifecycle, and ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and learning on programme impact.
• Constantly monitor trends analysis for future informed and anticipatory programming; track achievement of strategic results, and effectively apply results-based management tools.
• Follow up on audit recommendations and ensure the implementation of management responses.
• Ensure aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes, including preparation of donor and corporate reports.
• Organize cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects in close collaboration with Operations Manager.

Establish and maintain strategic Country Office partnerships and support resource mobilization efforts to achieve programme outcomes.
Example of Duties:

• Implement CO partnerships and resource mobilization strategies.
• 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 pipeline and portfolio that includes designing Programme/Project documents, concept notes, proposals and cross-sectoral coordination to bring resources for projects.

Ensure provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management.
Example of Duties:

• Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals.
• 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 country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Support 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 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 team members on strategic programmes.
Competencies

Core : Full list of UNDP Core Competencies can be foundhere

Achieve Results

LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively

LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously

LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility

LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner

LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Direction & Strategy System Thinking

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Partnership Management Strategic Engagement

• Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives

Business Development Knowledge Facilitation

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management Client Satisfaction/Management

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management Results-Based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

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 International Relations, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience:

Required Criteria:

• 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.

Desired Criteria:

• Experience at both national and international levels with programme/project design and implementation.
• Experience with oversight and implementation of programmes/projects with a strategic direction and establishing strategic partnerships.
• Proven experience offering top quality policy advisory service to Government and other stakeholders.
• Experience with application of results-based programme development and management.
• Proven experience with client orientation and understanding of client needs.
• Knowledge of UNDP Policies and Procedures.
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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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