Type of Contract:FTA International
Post Level: P-5
Languages Required: English
Starting Date: 01-May-2012
Duration of Initial Contract: Oneyear
Background
Building on earlier successful partnership, and within the framework of the United Nations Development Assistance Plan (2011-2015), UNDP has prepared a Legislature Support Project to assist the strengthening the parliaments to improve (i) legislative capacity, (ii) oversight functions (iii) representative capacity (iv) management practices and (v) progress in gender objectives. During an initiation phase, assistance has been provided to new MP orientation and technical support including revisions of Standing Orders and developing activity plans based on the needs and Corporate Plans of the parliaments.
Based on the Corporate Plans of the two legislatures the project will provide support to both the National Assembly and the Zanzibar House of Representatives by helping to strengthen Members’ legislative, oversight and representative capacities and assisting the Secretariats of both legislatures to deliver upgraded services to Members. Initiatives will target parliamentarians, their committees, and their support Secretariats. Through an emphasis on partnerships with national stakeholders leveraging South-South cooperation, the four-year project seeks to strengthen and enhance the capacity of MPs and their committees to better exercise their interrelated functions: law making, executive oversight including national budget approval and oversight, and representation of constituents/citizens. It also aims to strengthen the Secretariats of both legislatures to help them deliver effective services to parliamentarians and help build sustainable, modern internal parliamentary staff management structures and practices.
Based in Dar es Salaam, coordinating project technical assistance to both the National Assembly and the Zanzibar House of Representatives, the Technical Advisor (Parliament) will work in close partnership with the two National Project Directors (NPDs) (one in the National Assembly and one in the Zanzibar House of Representatives) to provide technical guidance and substantive inputs to project implementation. Within the administrative structure of each Secretariat, the two NPDs have overall responsibility for the management of the project as well as the achievement of project outputs. They report to a Project Board, co-chaired by representatives of the two Speakers and assisted by UNDP. The Project Board is responsible for strategy, policy guidance, planning and oversight of the project.
The Technical Advisor (Parliament) will provide high-level technical assistance to the development and implementation of the project work plan, and provide support and advice to the implementation of activities. A specific function of the Technical Advisor (Parliament) will be to help MPs and their staff advance performance within the respective areas of constitutional responsibilities. He/she will work closely with the National Project Director and National Project Managers (and with the two Speakers and two Clerks and others) to ensure national ownership of all project inputs and activities. He/she will also work in coordination with the UNDP and other UN stakeholders including UN Women. The Technical Advisor (Parliament) will maintain an effective network with Committee Chairs, Members, the Secretariats, Government officials responsible for parliamentary relations, and others.
The Technical Advisor (Parliament) works under the overall supervision of the UNDP Deputy Country Director (Programme) and reports regularly to UNDP through the Programme Specialist responsible for parliamentary strengthening. UNDP will assess the performance of the Technical Advisor (Parliament) based on at least annual evaluation by the NPDs and counterpart staff of the quality and adequacy of technical assistance delivered and according to the below performance criteria.
As the leader of the technical assistance effort by UNDP in the project, the Technical Advisor (Parliament) will work very closely in a team with the Technical Specialist (Parliament) and supervise the project M&E Specialist and the project Gender Advisor, who will provide support to both NA and ZHoR in close consultation with the two NPDs. S/He may also supervise sub-contracted short term consultants if requested by the NPDs.
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of key functions:
Expert Technical Advice
Capacity Development
Quality assurance support to project work plans, reports, and activities
Partnership management
Monitoring and Evaluation
Communication, Knowledge Sharing and Mentoring
Expert Technical Advice
Provide technical advice to the National project Directors, Speakers, MPs, Clerks, and parliamentary staff and others in the design, organization and implementation of agreed activities
In coordination with the National Project Directors, provide guidance to national and international short term experts/consultants
Assist the National Project Directors in ensuring the technical soundness of project activities
Continuous advice to MPs and staff on parliamentary practice and development
Stimulate strategic thinking in parliamentary development and bring best practices on parliamentary development to the legislatures
Provide intellectual or substantive leadership in managing issues related to Parliamentary law and practice
Provide technical advice to the parliamentary standing committees and other bodies/offices to help meet Members needs
Ensure highest standards in the provision of technical and advisory inputs, organization of workshops, seminars, training and delivery of outputs
Any other substantive advisory inputs, as requested by the NPD and/or UNDP in relation to project objectives
Identify strategic entry points for gender mainstreaming in the work of the two parliaments and for the empowerment of women parliamentarians
Capacity Development
Play a leading role in the development and implementation of a capacity development strategy for the project that identifies priorities, needs and interventions to accustomed to address those needs in respective house
Provide support to the NPDs in ensuring the sustainability of project management capacities and in building sustainability into project activities from the outset
Provide technical advice to enhance the capacity of MPs to represent, make laws and oversee the government
Manage the development of effective materials and training programs for Members, Committee Chairs and staff and others and ensure the institutionalization of the capacity being developed
Develop and supervise capacity building efforts with the parliaments, media and other stakeholders
Guide gender mainstreaming activities and ensure a leading role for the national gender focal points for activities implemented
Quality assurance support to project work plans, reports, and activities
Provide expert contributions to the development of annual results based work plans and results frameworks
Help ensure delivery of relevant quarterly and annual project reporting to UNDP
Prepare and/or review Terms of Reference for specific activities as directed and assist in the identification of short-term experts
Ensure the alignment of project activities with UNDP rules and regulations by providing appropriate advice to the NPDs in this regard
Partnership management
Assist the NPDs in establishing effective working mechanisms for the project including the Speakers and other senior officers of the Parliament, Committee Chairs, Members and the Clerks/Secretariats
Play a key role in mobilizing and realizing South-South cooperation with key institutions as envisaged in the prodoc and as needed in support of achieving project results
Assist the parliaments in establishing, developing and maintaining mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with Development Partners and other stakeholders in parliamentary development
Help set up a framework to foster and monitor partnership around the project and to realize the project strategy in this regard
Support the parliaments in managing information related to partnership activities
Serve as a focal point and coordinate the UN’s engagement in parliamentary assistance, including supporting the parliaments in accessing support from individual UN agencies, in particular UN Women
Monitoring and Evaluation
Support the parliaments in establishing a monitoring framework for the project integrated within the monitoring system for the Corporate/Strategic Plan
Ensure the design of a project monitoring framework that will demonstrate progress and achievement on key project results, and provide technical advice to develop baselines and indicators for monitoring and evaluation
Advise the NPDs in preparing project reports focused on capturing results, lessons learned and good practices
Communication, Knowledge Sharing and Mentoring
Contribute to the production of reports and publications, and serve as peer reviewer.
Promote the adoption of suitable knowledge management approaches as relating to project activities and in support of parliamentary strengthening
Support the NPDs in the internal and external communication efforts and the dissemination of information around project objectives and activities
Function as a mentor and coach to parliamentary staff as requested by partners and in support of achievement of project results
Participate in and contribute to global UNDP knowledge networks on parliamentary development
Ensure the application of relevant global good practices and actively search for solutions that can benefit Tanzania’s parliamentary strengthening.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
Promotes UN's Values and ethical standards (tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation, impartiality)
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and sensitivity and adaptability
Demonstrates integrity by modeling in the UN's values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between people and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation, UNDP core ethics, impartiality)
Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning
Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment through personal example, excellent knowledge of parliamentary practices, cultures and needs, good understanding of parliamentary capacity building, excellent ability to identify significant capacity building opportunities.
Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English
Display understanding of relevant contemporary parliamentary challenges and tools
Ability to provide top quality policy and technical advice
Established track record of delivering support to parliaments
In-depth practical knowledge of democracy and development issues
Development and Operational Effectiveness
Ability to engage with high level UNDP Officials, Government Officials and international donor community and provide policy advisory support services
Ability to identify opportunities, conceptualize and develop project reports
Ability to effectively support in strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioural/attitude change
Ability to undertake result based management and reporting
Management and Leadership
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
Builds strong relationship with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback, timely responses to queries
Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
Demonstrates strong administrative skills and result oriented approach to work
Provides inspiration and leadership to project staff as well as all the partners
Communications and Networking
Has an excellent oral communication skill in English and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors.
Has an excellent written communication skill in English, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.
Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high ranking members of national and international institutions, government and non government.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
Advanced university degree preferably in law, public administration, political science or related field
Experience
A minimum of 10 years working experience in parliaments and strong knowledge of parliamentary practice
Knowledge and experience from working with countries in development/transition. Project /other parliamentary management skills and knowledge
Knowledge of UNDP programming practices is an asset
Proven familiarity with gender analysis and concepts
Strong inter-personal skills; results driven, ability to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines
Ability to deal with politically sensitive and complex issues
Strong communication, networking and team-building skills
Previous work experience in Tanzania and knowledge of the parliamentary system is an added asset
Language Requirements:
Excellent spoken, report writing and presentation skills in the English language
Knowledge of Kiswahili is an asset
Application Instructions:
Online application, please go to the Website Link below
Website: Go to Website
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