Country Programme / MENA Regional Manager (READVERTISED)

THIS POSITION HAS BEEN RE-ADVERTISED.  PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT REAPPLY.

Background information – Cities Alliance

Background information – job specific

Cities Alliance’s Country Programmes are designed as longer-term programmes tailored to a country’s context and needs, delivered through financing a series of key urban initiatives in a coherent, sustained manner to achieve impact at scale. Country Programmes are designed in partnership with the national government and operationalised through coordinated grants to members and partner organisations active in the country as well as through direct implementation. The Cities Alliance Secretariat provides the convening and collaborative design, programme oversight, technical coordination, financial support and fiduciary control.

Launched in 2015, the Cities Alliance Tunisia Country Programme has been designed to foster strategic city planning, bring greater coherence among members and partners activities, and demonstrate the value of participatory local governance in Tunisia. It is the Cities Alliance’s first Country Programme engagement in the Middle East-North Africa region. As per Cities Alliance approach, the Tunisia partnership seeks to align urban development at all levels – national, city, and community - with an emphasis on bringing all citizens into the planning and decision-making process.

The two main programme objectives are to:

• Strengthen dialogue and consultation among all stakeholders in support of decentralisation and city development;
• Support full integration of lagging non-coastal cities in the national development agenda.

The Tunisia Country Programme is currently being implemented in 9 Tunisian secondary cities and will be upscaled/extended to further cities within the country.

Cities Alliance is seeking a highly motivated, experienced and skilled professional to lead and manage the implementation of its Tunisia Country Programme and support the development of new Country Programmes in the MENA region, consistent with the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan of the Cities Alliance. This post will require a deep understanding of urban issues across multiple dimensions, particularly in MENA region as well as strong representation, project management, negotiation, and partnerships building skills.

The functional responsibilities will be organised for the Tunisia Country Programme (appr. 60%) and the MENA Portfolio (appr. 40%) as followed.

1. Tunisia Country Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Partnership Building

Under the direction of the Cities Alliance Secretariat and in consultation with the Programme Steering Committee, the Country Programme Manager will oversee the implementation and management of the Programme:

• Lead, manage and motivate a team of international consultants and national personnel.
• Lead the development of the Project documents and prepare annual work plans with activities, performance targets, human resource allocations and budgets, ensuring alignment with programme goals and objectives. 
• Provide management and operational support for all aspects of programme implementation according to the Programme framework document and annual work plan ensuring timely delivery of activities and outputs. This includes supervision of grants, procurement and consultants’ contracts.
• Ensure the Programme's Steering Committee has a functioning Terms of Reference and meets regularly to assess progress and risks.
• Represent the Cities Alliance within the country and engage with a wide range of national, local government, international development, private sector and civil society actors. Most specifically, ensure that the Programme is fully integrated with the programming of Cities Alliance members and partners in Tunisia.

• Lead the overall monitoring and evaluation system for the programme in line with the Cities Alliance corporate Results Framework and donor requirements;
• Ensure that the Programme has adequate mechanisms for quality assurance. This includes systems to assess key products and infrastructure to ensure traceability of requirements, high standards and client acceptance.
• Ensure that international social and environmental safeguards standards as well as health and safety principles are implemented and overseen throughout the Project activities.
• Monitor and manage any strategic risks/issues facing the project and submit new risks/issues to senior management for consideration and decision if required;
• Develop a programme communication/sustainability plan to ensure that Programme stakeholders are aware of Programme activities and its results, including beyond the implementation cycle;
• Analyse and map in-country donor funding patterns and practices and identify opportunities to leverage additional funding. Oversee the preparation of funding proposals, donor briefings and presentations in support of the programme’s goals and more broadly Cities Alliance’s mission and vision.
• Actively engage the Development Banks and private sector linking them to the activities planned in the programme with the view of promoting follow-up investment in the projects identified during the programme planning processes. 
• Develop a network of contacts and scope out potential opportunities for a Country Programme or other related Cities Alliance activities within countries immediately contiguous to Tunisia including liaison and coordination with UNOPS regional hub in Tunisia as well as with CA Brussels and Geneva offices.

2. Technical and specialist services

Advisory and Oversight Services to International Country Programme Grants

• Oversee and provide techncial advise around the international grant funded projects made between the Secretariat and implementing partners in Tunisia according to the Country Programme Framework Document. These would include technical assistance investments in national urban policy development, inclusive urban governance, municipal finance, city planning, capacity development of cities and urban stakeholders, urban services improvement and local economic activities.

City Development Strategy (CDS)

• Oversee and provide support to local and international partners to design and deliver a comprehensive City Development Strategy (CDS) which addresses social, economic and environmental considerations within a long term implementable urban planning framework for the Tunisian targeted cities.
• Oversee the successful development of city projects based on the CDS prioritization.
• Facilitate access to local funds for cities to implement the priorized projects.

Capacity Development

• Lead the development and implementation, with local and international partners, of a targeted capacity development training strategy to support at local government officials in key Programme thematic areas such as strategic urban planning, land management, resilience, pro-poor housing and slum upgrading, urban management, finance and participatory local governance. Ensure the inclusion of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment throughout the different aspects of the capacity development strategy.

3. Development and management of the Cities Alliance Regional Portfolio in MENA region

• Represent the Cities Alliance within the MENA Region and engage with a wide range of national, local government, international development, private sector and civil society actors.
• Develop and facilitate partnerships and networking within the MENA Region, and facilitate international, regional, and national meetings, policy dialogues and exchanges as envisioned by the programmes.
• Lead active business development/fundraising activities in the region to identify opportunities to leverage additional funding for existing or new operations. Conceptualise and lead the development of new programme/project proposals based on the requirements and expectations of the donors, the Cities Alliance and members and partners,
• Provide intellectual and strategic guidance and analysis on Cities and urban development within the MENA region.

• Oversee and manage the Cities Alliance portfolio - grants and procurements - in the MENA region and ensure adequate mechanisms for operational, fiduciary and quality compliance with Cities Alliance’s and UNOPS’ ethics, rules and procedures.

4. Gender mainstreaming

• Ensure that gender considerations are actively promoted and adequately mainsteamed through production, implementation and monitoring of a gender mainstreaming strategy for the MENA Programmes Portfolio.
• Promote a gender friendly institutional environment for the office in accordance with the Gender Equality Strategy.

• University Master's degree in management, urban planning, international development or environmental studies; economics; social sciences; or related disciplines.
• PRINCE2 Foundation or a similar project management certification (i.e. PMBOK, PMP, PMI) required.

• At least 7 years of professional programme management and reporting experience is required, including work experience acquired in MENA region, on sustainable and inclusive urban development.

• At least three years of experience working in MENA region.

• Experience in leading and managing complex multi-partner technical assistance grant processes and projects and previous field experience working in country with UN agencies and/or other multilateral development banks and institutions desirable.

• Experience in business development is also required.

Fluency in Arabic required. Intermediate working knowledge of English OR French is required.

• Ability to work collaboratively and operate effectively across thematic areas including technical experience in any of the following issues: gender mainstreaming, urban planning, city governance, urban or housing policy, slum upgrading, land management and tenure, and climate resilient development.
• Proven ability in leading, managing and motivating teams to deliver results on time, within budget, and against results-based performance indicators.
• Understanding of the work of Cities Alliance and other multilateral, bilateral and civil society development partners in urban development.
• Ability of promoting constructive dialogue between diverse stakeholders and of communicating clearly and respectfully at the highest levels of government and with civil society.

• THIS POSITION HAS BEEN RE-ADVERTISED.  PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT REAPPLY.
  
  
• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.