UNDP | Planning Coordinator Justice Institutions

Application Type :     External Vacancy
Job ID/Title :     868 - Planning Coordinator Justice Institutions (HJC)

Brand : UNDP
Application Deadline :     21-Mar-16
Duty Station :     Ramallah
Type of Contract : Service Contract
Post Number :(for 100 Series Contracts)    
Languages Required :Arabic, English,
Starting Date :(date when the selected canditate is expected to start)    
Duration of Initial Contract :     12 months
Expected Duration of Assignment :    

Background:
In May 2014, UNDP and UN Women launched a joint rule of law programme to be implemented over three years until April 2017. The joint programme is closely aligned to the PA’s national and sectoral plans and the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in the oPt. It aims to continue strengthening capacities of justice institutions, expanding its work to a number of additional institutions most notably including the civil police, anti-corruption commission and sharia courts. It aims to  strengthen linkages between justice and security sectors, enhance accountability of institutional actors, address key ‘bottlenecks’ across the justice chain while also ensuring that all institutional partners develop enhanced capacities in relation to gender mainstreaming and access to justice for women and children. It also maintains strong support to civil society actors including the Bar Association, universities and civil society organisations to provide high quality legal aid services and to enhance accountability of the actors in the justice and security sectors to support greater citizen engagement with, and confidence in, the state, and enhanced access to justice.
Since 2010 UNDP/PAPP has worked to establish and strengthen the capacities of Planning and Project Management Units (PPMUs) in the core justice institutions: (Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the High Judicial Council (HJC).) Each of these institutions now has a planning unit, which are respectively at different stages of development and efficiency. The three are supported by the strategic placement of seconded UNDP experts, whose role is to support the professional and technical development of the civil servant staff assigned to the PPMU, assure effective transfer of skills and knowledge through mentoring, and provision of technical support to the teams. The core functions of these units are to undertake strategic planning, oversee the implementation of projects and liaise with donors. In addition, the PPMU is responsible for generating financial support through project development and resource mobilization, developing annual and sectoral plans, supporting gender mainstreaming, and assuring proper monitoring and evaluation.
In 2015, the Government of Palestine made a decision to dissolve the Ministry of Planning and Administrative Development and divided its portfolio between the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Finance and the General Council of Personnel (GPC). Moreover, a decision was taken to expand the national and sectorial strategic plan to cover five years rather than three. In the justice sector, these changes will have a profound impact on the PPMUs within the two main institutions charged with planning – the High Judicial Council and the Ministry of Justice – in leading development of the strategy, assuring that approved plans are applied, and supporting monitoring of achievements.
Although the PPMU in the High Judicial Council has been long established with support from UNDP successive Rule of Law programmes, it still lacks an appropriate contingent of civil servant staff. It also faces challenges in ensuring that it remains at the heart of institutional planning and project management, necessitating strong structural linkages to the Chief Justice’s Office. This is particularly critical during the year 2016 given the role of HJC as the co-chair of the Justice Sector Working Group (JSWG) and its role in leading the coordination efforts between the donor community and the National Team in charge of developing the new justice strategy for the years 2017-2022.
The PPMU in the Ministry of Justice, also supported by UNDP successive programmes in support of access to justice, is undergoing a process of revival and reinvigoration. This comes at a critical time given MOJ role as the chair of the National Team for the development of the new National Justice Sector Strategy for the years 2017-2022.
The Planning Coordinator, Justice Institutions will exercise a technical support function to the High Judicial Council on overall planning and the development of the unit, working with assigned unit staff in assuring skills development and the transfer of technical knowledge. S/he will support HJC’s PPMU in leading the review process of the current justice strategy for 2014-2016 as well as initiating and advising on the development process of the new 2017-2022 justice sector strategy through provision of technical advice to the HJC as co-chair of the JSWG and MOJ as chair of the National Team. Ensuring that the new guidelines on the development of sectorial strategies are adopted by the two institutions, the Planning Advisor will also liaise with sector donors and implementers to assure proper consultation on the new strategy. Finally, s/he is expected to support the two institutions in developing their implementation plans for the new strategy and to help on creating the needed synergies between the justice institutions to facilitate the implementation of the strategy, ensuring that these efforts are led by permanent staff members assigned to HJC and MOJ PPMUs.
UNDP/PAPP- is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Planning Coordinator Justice Institutions, under the overall guidance of the Joint Programme Manager and the direct supervision of the Technical Specialist. As this position is related to the UNDP/UNWomen Joint Programme entitled Justice and Security for the Palestinian People with an expected duration to April 2017, the Service Contract extension will be conditioned to satisfactory performance evaluation as well as availability of funding under the project.
 
Description of Responsibilities:

The Planning Coordinator, Justice Institutions will work, under the supervision of both the Technical Specialist (as primary supervisor) and the Joint Programme Manager (as secondary supervisor) to achieve the following tasks:
-Develop the capacity of permanent civil servant/PPMU staff in the HJC to undertake and coordinate strategic and annual planning efforts in HJC and the justice sector more generally.
-Ensure the sustainability of the HJC’s PPMU planning activities, through training and mentoring initiatives.
-Continuously implement a coordinated work plan with HJC counterpart/s to incrementally transfer knowledge and skills to them and closely track implementation of the plan.
-Support HJC counterparts in providing advice to senior management on the strategic and sustainable development of the institution. In particular, advise focused on supporting the HJC in reviewing the National Justice Sector Strategy 2014-16, and developing the new National Justice Sector Strategy 2017-2022.
-Support the PPMU counterparts in HJC to supervise and facilitate the development and implementation of action plans for all individual directorates and departments of HJC.
-Support HJC counterparts in leading organizational change and reform efforts including proposal for restructuring and aligning human resources with planning processes.
-Support HJC counterparts in coordinating the development and implementation of all UNDP and other developmental partners’ capacity building activities, including development and implementation of a training strategy.
-Support the Sharia’ Courts in the development of their PPMU, strategic direction and inclusion in the national planning processes.
-Support the role of HJC as co-chair of the JSWG and MOJ as the chair of the National Team for the development of the justice strategy through fostering the two institutions’ cooperation and communication, particularly at the level of the PPMUs.
-Ensure that Sawasya programme management and other relevant donors and implementers working in the sector are fully engaged and consulted on any new strategic direction adopted by the justice institutions, and support the alignment of their interventions with these new directions.
-Follow up on the outcomes of the 2015 workshop held jointly by the General Personnel Council and the Sawasya programme on the restructuring of the PPMUs in the justice sector, and support implementation.
-Support HJC counterparts to coordinate planning activities and strategy development with all levels of HJC/MOJ ensuring full participation ownership of the two institution key departments.
-Support HJC/MOJ counterparts to undertake coordination activities with other justice sector institutions including the Attorney General’s Office, the Sharia’ Courts and the Palestinian Judicial Institute. In particular, to supporting HJC/MOJ in clarifying roles and responsibilities with the other institutions and supporting HJC/MOJ and the Sharia’ Courts in justice sector coordination bodies.
-Participate as a team member in Sawasya internal meetings, provide strategic advise and ongoing analysis of sector developments impacting the programme, review and input to reporting as requested, and any other work or tasks requested by the Technical Specialist or the Joint Programme Manager.
 
Impact of Results
-Overall impact will be seen in HJC/MOJ reaching the targets set out in the National Justice Sector Strategy 2014-16, ensuring continuity between these targets and the targets set in the 2017-2022 National Justice Sector Strategy.
-Increased permanent capacity built within the HJC PPMU to develop, coordinate and implement planning processes in the sector.
-Improved capacity to implement comprehensive capacity building programmes for HJC, develop donor and justice sector relations.
-Capacity of HJC’s counterparts established to lead and maintain functionality and institutionalization of the PPMUs in close coordination with GPC.
-Improved identification of HJC needs and matching of these with available support and resources from donors and implementers.
-Strengthened relations with other core justice institutions.
-Improved engagement and implementation of planning processes within and between HJC, MOJ and Sharia’ Courts directorates and units.
-HJC successfully co-chairing the JSWG (2016) and MOJ (2017) with donors and project implementers having been fully consulted and engaged in the development of the new National Justice Sector Strategy.
-MOJ successfully chairing the National Team for the development of the justice strategy and the National Justice Sector Strategy developed on time and in line with the new government guidelines.

 
Competencies :
Competencies and Critical Success Factors

Functional Competencies
- Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
- Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
- Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation
- Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development
- Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
- Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
- Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
- Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
- Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
- Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments
Client Orientation
- Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
- Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
- Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly
Core Competencies
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
- Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment ? Self-development, initiative-taking
- Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
- Creating synergies through self-control
- Managing conflict
- Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
- Informed and transparent decision making
Development and Operational Effectiveness:
- Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and development monitoring in particular
- Knowledge of current development issues particularly those pertinent to UNDP’s Practice Areas
- Ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data
- Ability to coordinate the work of others
- Ability to implement new systems, and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change
Management and Leadership:
- Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
 
Qualifications :
Education:
-Master Degree in public administration, public policy, planning or other related fields. A combination of Bachelor Degree in the above-mentioned fields coupled with six years of relevant work experience can compensate for the Master Degree requirement.

Experience:
-Minimum of six years of experience in public administration, public policy development, institution building, planning or related fields, preferably within a rule of law environment
-Proven mentoring and capacity development skills
-Full knowledge of Palestinian Authority rules and regulations and experience in institutional, multi-year and annual planning processes.
-Very good knowledge in budgeting, organizational planning, organizational change and management
-Very good knowledge of the Palestinian justice sector and aid coordination structure in Palestine.
-Ability to work within a team and demonstrate leadership where appropriate
-Strong interpersonal skills, effective diplomacy
-Strong reporting and proposal writing skills
-Experience implementing strategic plans
-Excellent experience in networking and coordination
-Knowledge of human rights based and gender mainstreaming approaches

Language Requirements:
-Fluency in Arabic and English a requirement (written and spoken)
-Excellent writing and communication skills
-Full computer literacy (and strong knowledge of various software including Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

  Apply NOW

 UNDP/PAPP is an equal opportunity employer: applications from both internal and external men and women will be considered equally
 
UNDP actively supports the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
 
Important message to all applicants

-Please be aware that the UNDP/PAPP will review your application only if you have uploaded Personal History Form (P.11) to your application. Please download the form from the following link
 

Personal History Form

You will get the opportunity to upload the P-11 at when you apply for the position
Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date will not be given consideration
Please note that only applications that are under consideration will be contacted

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