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Office/Unit/Project Description
UNDP works to support governments achieve the Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on six signature solutions: eradication of poverty, accountable and inclusive governance, resilience, nature-based development solutions, clean and affordable energy and gender equality.ย
Theย ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is a capacity building programmeย that aims to build the profile, and improve the management, of Development Minerals. The programmeย is an initiative of theย Organisation ofย African, Caribbean and Pacificย Statesย (OACPS), financed by the European Union and UNDP, and implemented by UNDP.ย Phase I of theย ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme was implemented in partnership with UNDP in 2015-2019;ย Phaseย II has been implemented since 2019; and Phase III since December 2023.ย
Development mineralsย refer to minerals and materials that are mined, processed, manufactured and usedย mainly domestically in industries such as construction (e.g. sand and gravel), manufacturing (e.g. gypsum), infrastructure and agriculture. Development mineralsย provide crucial inputs for domestic economic development,ย are economically important for national and local economies,ย andย critical for urbanization and job creation. The scope of the Programme in Phase III also covers artisanal and small-scale mining in critical minerals โ minerals needed for energy transition.ย
The Programme aims to increase employment and incomes of artisanal and small-scale mining enterprises (ASMEs).ย Particular emphasis is given toย increasing economic opportunities for women participating in ASMEs, throughout the minerals value chains.ย
The Programme is currently implemented in 10 countries, namely: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Fiji, Guinea (Conakry), Jamaica, Suriname, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as indirectly benefits other African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.ย Training and support is provided to artisanal and small-scale miners, mineral processing enterprises and communities, as well as government authorities and business development service providers with the goals of:ย 1) supporting institutions for improving the business environment for ASM and artisanal and small-scale mineral processing enterprises (collectively referred to as ASMEs); 2) formalizing ASM, improving social and environmental safeguards; 3) enhancing skills and access to markets and finance for ASMEs in low-carbon, circular and greener Development Minerals value chains; 4) supporting women-owned and -run artisanal and small-scale enterprises; 5) facilitating knowledge exchanges between African, Caribbean and Pacific countries; 6) strengthening the institutional capacity of the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC). Thus, the Programme is implemented at country level, Africa continental level and global level.ย
Duties and Responsibilities
The Programmeย Specialist will be responsible for: 1) ensuring coherence between programme activities; 2) designing capacity development tools; training materials and knowledge products; 3) conducting data analysis and disseminating widely; 4) conducting communication and outreach activities; 5) coordinating with existing partners, in particular AMDC, and forging new partnerships; and 6) leading the organisation of events. ย Programme management Provide substantive and technical support to programme implementation through conceptualization, formulation and design of capacity building interventions (e.g. project documents concept notes, guidelines, toolkits, manuals, background documents, policy papers, training manuals etc.); Lead the delivery of the structured business development package for ASMEs for selected countries; Facilitate integration and mainstreaming of gender-equitable interventions throughout the programmeโs outputs; Coordinate theย preparation of work plans,ย Monitor the progress on theย programmeโs results framework and performance indicators and take action/decision and/or provide timely support to project staff;ย Produce timely reports as required by UNDP and donor reporting systems; Ensure maintenance and continuous improvement of the programmeโs management information system, which allows the efficient and effective collection, storage and analysis of data throughout the project, including gender and sex-disaggregated data where relevant; Ensure the timeliness and quality of the outputs as well as the timely preparation of reports on achievements and challenges faced within the project; Support establishment and monitoring of contractual arrangements with partners at the regional/ sub-regional level; Conduct assessments of partners' capacity; Prepare guidelines for small grants under the project and ensure adherence to them; Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning; and Prepare terms of references for international and national consultants as required.
Partnerships and policy advocacy
Under the guidance of the Project Manager, mobilize, foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with intergovernmental organisations, regional institutions of the OACPS, private sector, industry associations, multi-lateral and bilateral organizations, UN agencies, civil society actors, academia and research institutions to advance and support theย programme; Seek and identify additional partnership opportunities, and oversee the preparation of briefings and presentations to advance the programmeโs goals; and Provide strategic inputs into policy dialogues at regional, sub-regional and country levels that improve the profile and management of the Development Minerals sector.Communications and knowledge management
Manage the programmeโs communications and visibility through media, social media, knowledge-sharing platform, and the website; Contribute to strategic communication and visibility of the Programme with partner countries, in particular non-focus countries of OACPS; Support knowledge generation, management and knowledge sharing across countries and regions as part of the programme; Ensure collation of projectโs training materials, communications materials, reports and other key documents; Coordinate the preparation of the regional workshops; Lead and coordinate the implementation of the projectโs communication and visibility guidelines; Provide active stakeholder engagement with the relevant documentation and communication products required to effectively deliver on messaging to key stakeholders; and Ensure implementation of communications activities related to the project.Other duties and expected results
The Programme is successfully implemented in accordance with its Programme document and the contribution agreement with the EU; The capacities of key stakeholders in the Development Minerals sector is enhanced;ย Steps are taken in selected countries to improve the management and operations of the Development Minerals sectorThe incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.Institutional Arrangements
The Programme Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager for the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme.
Competencies ย Core ย Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impactย Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problemsย 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 demandsย Act with Determination:ย 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 inclusivityCross-Functional & Technical competenciesย Thematic Area Name Definition Business Management Project Management
Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals ย Results-based Management Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results Business Management ย Communications 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 ยท Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels. Prosperity Inclusive growth Jobs/ employment/ livelihoods/ Decent work promotion,ย Local economic development Partnerships SDG finance Financial inclusion Planet Nature, climate and energy Extractive industries, Green economy, Energy access ยย Required Skills and Experience
ย Min. Education requirements Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Social Sciences, or related field is required; or A first level university degree (Bachelorโs degree) in the above areas, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.ย Min. years of relevant work experienceย Minimum 7 years (with a Masterโs degree) or 9 years (with a Bachelorโs degree) of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in project management, quality assurance, management advisory services, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, and partnership management. Required skillsย At least 5 years of experience working with or in African, Caribbean and/or Pacific countries is an asset.ย Knowledge and experience in the area of small business development in developing countriesโ setting, local and area-based development, natural resource management, including artisanal and small-scale mining is an asset. Experience in working with or in with UN agencies, governments, NGOs, civil society organizations, and public international multilateral and bilateral organizationsย is an asset. Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section Skills in data management and analysis is desired.ย Effective communication and interpersonal skills.ย Skills communicating effectively through social media. Required Language(s)ย Fluency in English and French is required. Other Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, common ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) tools, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.ย Disclaimer
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