On 02 November 2022, in Pretoria, an Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities was signed between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GoE) and the TPLF. Led by the AU, the Peace Agreement has ended active combat in Northern Ethiopia and raised hope for a gradual restoration of services and humanitarian operations in the region. This wide-ranging agreement committed, among other things, to an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities, the restoration of federal authority in Tigray, the creation of an interim administration pending fresh regional elections, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of TPLF combatants, resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returning refugees, transitional justice, social cohesion and reconciliation, and recovery and reconstruction.

It is in this connection that UNDP’s offer is focused on filling the gap likely exist between the urgency of addressing a wide range of urgent needs to quickly consolidate peace and to stabilize conditions and the time it will take for the larger, longer-term, and more comprehensive RRR Plan being prepared by the World Bank to meaningfully kick-in.

Therefore, the rationale for a UNDP-led Peace Support Facility (PSF) project in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions is based on (i) the need an early peace dividend required to sustain the momentum of the Peace Agreement; and (ii) the need to pave the way and build the foundations for the larger RRR initiative led by the MoF and WB. The overall objective of UNDP-led PSF project is to build trust between communities and authorities at all levels and laying the foundations for recovery, peace-building, and development programmes. The programme will ensure that national and local actors and recognized governance systems are at the forefront of the peace support initiative.

The Planning and Coordination Specialist works in close collaboration with wide range of stakeholders including but not limited to Team Leaders (TLs) at UNDP Country Office (CO), relevant regional bureaus and offices, development and humanitarian partners at UN and I/N NGOs and local communities.

• Serve as a resource person on UNDP planning guidelines and standards.
• Monitor development conditions in the region, especially the post-conflict environment.
• Help design/coordinate/facilitate damage/gap/needs assessment activities in the region.
• Oversee results-based planning and reporting.
• Introduce and/or strengthen participatory methodologies for assessment and planning that give ‘voice’ to local governments, communities and women, among others.
• Support formulation of draft project documents and annual work plans (AWPs) ensuring the fullest participation and ownership of regional counterparts, including zonal and woreda officials, as well as a strong voice for communities and women, in particular
• Monitor implementation of activities, including through an active programme of regular field/on-site visits
• Synthesize lessons learnt and best practices in project/programme implementation and participate actively in relevant communities of practice.
• Ensure adherence of UNDP-supported work to safeguards: HACT, ESS, human rights, leaving no one behind, and ‘doing no harm
• Facilitate, as needed and appropriate, reviews, audits and evaluations of UNDP-supported work in the region

Facilitate capacity-building focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Assess capacity-building needs on planning and coordination in institutions at regional and local levels and help develop well-structured and sustainable plans for addressing them.
• Design and/or lead workshops and training programmes on substantive and operational issues to do with planning and coordination including through periodic refresher courses.
• Monitor capacity development efforts in terms of their effects on individual and institutional performance.

Ensure well-functioning partnerships and coordination mechanisms with government and non-government partners focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Design and/or help strengthen a strong coordination mechanism between the regional government and UNDP.
• Help establish the systems, practices and mechnisms required for close working relationships between humanitarian and development actors in the region, especially but not only within the context of the UNDP Peace Support Programme.
• Build strong and trusted relationship with regional counterparts, including zonal and woreda officials, as well as with target communities.
• Engage civil society and academia in the region to strengthen working relations, trust, and mutual understanding.
• Facilitate donor visits to the region.
• Assist with complete, accurate and timely completion of donor reports, for final review by the CO.
• Contribute to the design of partnership and resource mobilization strategies.
• Conduct stakeholder mapping using 5Ws (Who is doing What, Where, When and with/For whom)

Report and communicate with Peace Support Director, Programmes (TLs) and Operations in the CO focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Produce accurate, quality, and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual progress reports.
• Closely work with the finance team to ensure narrative reports are complete with financial.
  information
• Keep reporting requirements, guidelines, and resources up to date and ensure they are understood by all field staff and partners.
• Maintain and update the program database.
• Provide support in developing and maintaining a functional knowledge management system.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as determined by the Director of the PSO.

• 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.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

• Business Direction and Strategy: Negotiation and Influence : Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates win-win situations
• Business Development: Integration within the UN: Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Business Management: Results Based Management  : Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Business Management: Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• Business Management: Communication: 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, Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
• Business Management: Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.
• Business Management: Evaluation: Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks – Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

• At least five years of progressively responsible professional development experience in related areas in Ethiopia
• Experience in Programme/Project Planning and Coordination
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
• Excellent written and communication skills including report writing and editing In English.
• Computer literacy with office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and good knowledge of spreadsheet and database as well as geographic information systems packages will be plus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills

• At least 3 years experience working with UNDP and UN system policies and programming
• Extensive knowledge and experience in Results Based Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting.
• Fluency in the local languages of Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions is an advantage.

• Fluency in spoken and written English and local language.