Chief, Country Office Liaison and Coordination (COLAC)

Background

The Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBAP) is responsible for (i) implementing the UNDP Strategic Plan, (ii) delivering on UNDP’s partnerships with global, regional and country-level development actors and (iii) ensuring a high standard of programmatic and operational performance at the regional and country office level.

The Country Office Liaison and Coordination Team (COLAC) engages in international development fora and engages partners and other allies to encourage more significant and diversified commitment and collaboration in advancing the region’s strategic agenda. Among others, COLAC Communicates UNDP’s vision and value proposition to strategic partners engaged in Asia and the Pacific, positions Regional Bureau and country office priorities in the HQ context, contributes to thought leadership, including policy analysis, advice, and quality assurance of knowledge products promoted by the Regional Director, provides authoritative advice to key stakeholders on UNDP’s position and regional interventions, forging critical networks for the Bureau’s leadership, maintains liaison with member states, and coordinates access to headquarters advice for country offices on demand. COLAC represents the Bureau in related inter-agency and corporate processes.

Position Purpose

The Chief, Country Office Liaison and Coordination (COLAC) leads a team of professionals at HQ level to liaise and represent the Regional and country offices needs and priorities with a wide range of partners, including donors and member states. S/he leads the coordination function through substantive briefs and inputs to the Bureau’s leadership and the normative function through targeted and comprehensive preparations for the UN General Assembly’, UNDP Executive Board’s sessions and other high-level UN fora, providing context-sensitive advice.  S/he leads the COLAC Team to engage, together with BERA, BPPS and the Crisis Bureau, in partnerships development to advance the Bureau’s development initiatives and programme interventions in the region. Coordinates Bureau’s support to inter-agency consultations such as on the Prevention Agenda mechanisms, and UN reform processes.  

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of the interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

• Represent RBAP Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director as delegated/appropriate in international development fora and to engage partners and other allies to encourage greater commitment and collaboration in advancing the region’s strategic agenda. Provide authoritative advice to key stakeholders on UNDP’s position and interventions in the region forging critical networks for the Bureau’s leadership.
• As per specific delegation, take a lead role in managing relationships with key stakeholders and partners in the UN Secretariat and permanent missions.
• Maintain close coordination with and represent RBAP teams in HQ based inter-agency task forces, committees, initiatives and crisis mechanisms to ensure that RBAP’s priorities are mainstreamed in policy setting, development planning and targeted interventions at these fora.
• Support the coordination function of the RO and COs by providing substantive inputs to the Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director for UNDG and UNCT meetings and briefs.
• Represent the RO and COs in interaction with HQ-based normative and inter-governmental processes to coordinate and advocate for regional priority issues for agenda inclusion and policy setting, including liaising with Member States, supporting preparations for specific UN General Assembly sessions, High Level Political Forum, major UN conferences, and regular and timely support to UNDP’s Executive Board. Provide high quality analysis and relevant substantive support and inputs to enable successful deliberations.
• Enable effective engagement with UNDP Central Bureaux and the Executive Office to streamline information and support to COs on critical and emerging challenges and needs.
• Coordinate and quality assure briefings for the Executive Office and the Bureau’s leadership on substantive programmatic and coordination issues.
• Coordinate engagement with the EB and member states to ensure effective UNDP’s support to programme countries, especially those in special development situations

• In liaison with BERA and the Regional Office, develop, build and nurture strategic partnerships with Member States, NGOs, academia, media and private sector to advocate and promote UNDP’s mandate as well as RBAP’s initiatives and commitments to raise awareness and stimulate action to advance the Bureau’s priorities in the region. 
• Establish and continually enhance sustainable partnerships with UN system agencies at HQ in order to collaborate on joint projects and programming as well as on interagency efforts to position regional priorities and maximize results, and to ensure alignment among CPD agencies in presenting new country programmes to the Executive Board. 
• Proactively seek new partnership opportunities with IFIs and the private sector (including Foundations) and nurture existing ones, thinking out of the box to diversify and expand the resources base in the region.  Ensure related support is provided to COs.
• Liaise and facilitate the flow of information with/to BERA on corporate partnerships/resource mobilization and partner intelligence, related to the region so that corporate partnership strategies respond appropriately to the region’s most critical demands and opportunities.  Working closely with BERA, provide strategic inputs for regional agreements and the development and implementation of a regional resource mobilization strategy. 
• Organize and support stakeholder consultations and outreach to member states to provide updates on specific countries/issues and facilitate the dialogue, including on sensitive political issues.

Leadership and Overall Management of the COLAC Team

• Provide strategic guidance and oversee the overall management of the Team including human resources and budget management, to ensure adherence to policies and procedures and the accountability framework.
• Establish the Team’s annual work plans and set objectives, performance measurements, standards and expected results in collaboration and discussion with team members.
• Guide the preparation of and approve budget proposal for financial, human and other required resources to ensure the functions can be delivered efficiently. Decide on the optimum and appropriate allocation and management of resources.
• Supervise and assess work in progress to ensure delivery of results according to performance standards, overall objectives and accountability framework. Provide intellectual leadership and technical guidance and timely take decisions to meet objectives.
• Motivate and promote teamwork to facilitate harmonization, linkages, collaboration and synergy to support staff members perform and deliver results according to organizational and professional standards of efficiency, accountability and integrity.

External Relations, Communications and Advocacy

• Advocate for Bureau’s priorities by managing complex and sensitive agendas in interaction with key stakeholders and promote visibility of RBAP’s work in the region by showcasing key policy and programmatic interventions and related impact in sustainable development transformation and capacity building.
• Ensure appropriate mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the UN system, including on early warning and contingency planning; and advise the Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director on opportunities and emerging risks for addressing them in a timely and coordinated manner. 
• Monitor developments in the region, particularly in countries in special development situation, and provide context-sensitive analysis and advice.
• Ensure seamless coordination between the partnership and communications functions, with an innovative stakeholder engagement strategy and annual plans, to advance the positioning of UNDP in the region, support partnership needs of COs, and respond to contingencies. 
• In liaison with BERA and the Executive Office, provide Bureau’s inputs to sharing information with the media and answering their queries.

Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Contribute to thought leadership through strategic analysis and quality assurance of regional and country-level knowledge products with global resonance.
• Engage in networks of development professionals to stay abreast on issues of relevance for UNDP’s work in the region, to convey key messages, and to provide updates and advice to the Bureau senior management.
• Synthesize knowledge emerging from the development and implementation of new strategic partnerships, deliberations in high-level UN fora, etc. to inform partnership building.
• Guide and inform the development of innovative tools, best practices and guidance to enhance RBAP’s coordination efforts and help mainstream key priorities for effective support to RO and COs’ needs and demands.
• Foster linkages/cross fertilization of innovative ideas/best practices at COs, through knowledge management and dissemination of substantive issues discussed in high level fora.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Leadership and overall management of the division, as indicated above.

Achieve Results

• LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact

Think Innovatively

• LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight

Learn Continuously

• LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all 

Adapt with Agility

• LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes

Act with Determination

• LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence

Engage and Partner

• LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

• LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

Cross-Functional & Technical 

Business Development/UNDP Representation

• Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities, advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies.

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 Development/Integration within the UN

• Ability to identify, 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 Development/Knowledge Facilitation

• Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Programme and Policy/Effectiveness

• Quality Assurance of corporate data.

Business Management/Results Based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

Communications/Writing and editing

• Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages. 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.