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Strategic Planning Specialist (Plan Ministry of Planning Community Development)

Burundi is engaged in a process of strengthening the peace and revitalizing socioeconomic reconstruction with the concerted support of national and international development partners. It is within this framework that the Government of Burundi recently signed the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) with the United Nations System (UNS) for the period of 2010-2014. In the first axis of the UNDAF 2010-2014, which focuses on strategic planning and coordination, one of the programme’s objectives has been to strengthen key governmental institutions to enable them to have the necessary capacities to lead a participative strategic planning system that includes national and international players and takes regional and international standards and commitments into consideration.

Among the limitations emphasized in the situation’s analysis, there is namely the lack of synergy between national planning (Vision 2025 and CSLP) and Budget (medium term and annual) and Aid coordination, which does not make the choice of priorities and arbitrage in allocating resources easy, and limits the capacity to follow-up as well as the effectiveness and impact of the public policies. Also, the sectional groups established within the Partner coordination group are not sufficiently operational to support a coherent strategic planning mechanism and its essential relationship with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the National Budget. Coordinated action is essential to strengthen the ties between the different links in this chain and this is all the more necessary since Burundi has already begun the process of developing the CSLP which should be implemented as of 2011. This is why one of the main priorities indicated in the said UNDAF is to support the Government not only to lead the participative process to develop the second generation CSLP, but also to ensure effective implementation and monitoring-evaluation, whilst ensuring that the necessary ties are created between the different national institutions involved in planning, budget and aid coordination.

Amongst the principal actions targeted on to achieve significant progress in this area is capacity building of the Plan Ministry of Planning Community Development to enable it to fully play its role as central leader of the strategic planning process and assume its responsibilities with regard to coordination and support for the planning sector cells, and to strengthen its cooperation with other key actors, such as the Ministry of Finance, the SP-REFES and SP-CNCAP.


It is within this framework that the enlargement of the CNCA “Basket Fund” is scheduled to provide Technical Assistance to support the Ministry of Planning in strengthening the ties between the Burundi “Vision 2025”, CSLP II, sectional planning, foreign aid, the MTEF and State Budget, particularly while building the capacities in planning of the sectional Ministries.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the leadership of the Country Director and the direct supervision of the UNDP Senior Economist, the Strategic Planning Specialist will be based at the Ministry of Planning and will be responsible for performing the following duties:

Increasing synergy and collaboration between the different national institutions involved in planning, budget and aid coordination, with the following objectives:

  • Harmonization of tools and planning mechanism at the central and sectional levels and make them effective and directive in the spirit of the Partners Coordination Group (PCG), which was established to strengthen the dialogue between the Government and its partners;
  • Support the Ministry in disseminating the planning mechanism within the technical departments and sectional groups;
  • Support strategic analyses and discussions conducted within the PCG;
  • Work closely with counterparts and other international experts in the area of planning, budget and aid, focusing particularly on knowledge transfer.

Strengthen coordination of the planning systems and technical tools in place (CSLP, macroeconomic framing, PIP, AMP, State Budget) and other developing instruments such as the MTEF, with the following goals:

  • Support the development of ties between the Burundi Vision 2025, CSLP, PIP, MTEF, development of the State Budget and Aid coordination;
  • Support the Finance Ministry to ensure that external funding, the Vision 2025 and CSLP goals are taken into consideration in the MTEF and State Budget which is the central tool to achieve development goals. Therefore, it must be presented in a manner that clearly expresses the links between government budget allocations and its strategic planning framework, while including exhaustive information on foreign aid.
  • Support the Ministry and other bodies adapte to implement a Monitoring-Evaluation mechanism for Vision 2025, CSLP II and MDG.
  • Define a capacity building plan for critical capacities identified for successful achievement of CSLP II.

Develop or reinvigorate planning and budget capacities of sector ministries, with the following goals:

  • Guide and support sector groups so that they are capable of clarifying their priorities, budget allocations in the medium term at the Ministry level, allot aid while remaining in line with CSLP II goals;
  • Build the planning capacities of the sectional Ministries.

Perform any other duty assigned by the Community Plan and Development Ministry within his/her scope of activities.

Impact of the Results:

  • The Government has a more coherent strategic planning, budgeting and aid coordination system at its disposal;
  • Synergies between different institutions of the chain of planning of budgeting and aid coordination are strengthened;
  • The links and monitoring mechanisms of “Burundi 2025” Vision, CSLP II, sectional planning, foreign aid, MTEF and State Budget are strengthened;
  • The mechanisms for choosing priorities and for arbitrage in allocating resources are strengthened;
  • Greater effectiveness and impact on public policies

Competencies

ETHICS AND VALUES

  • Works collaboratively with team members sharing information openly and displaying cultural awareness and sensitivity
  • Works collaboratively with colleagues inside UN/UNDP as well as its partners and other stakeholders to pursue common goals
  • Integrates the ideas of team members from other disciplines/perspectives into his/her thinking by leveraging the different experiences and expertise

DEVELOPING AND EMPOWERING PEOPLE/COACHING AND MENTORING

  • Integrates himself/herself into the work unit, taking responsibility for own contribution to achieving team results
  • Helps peers to identify their unique strengths and weaknesses, training and development needs
  • Takes appropriate risk in developing new or adapting existing methods and approaches to more effectively perform tasks or to solve problems in new and unique ways.

COMMUNICATING INFORMATION AND IDEAS

  • Delivers verbal/written information in a timely, clear, organized and easily understood manner
  • Actively listens and shares information in meetings and group discussions,
  • Responds positively to criticism
  • Uses tact and sensitivity when delivering sensitive information or resolving delicate issues

KNOWLEDGE SHARING / CONTINUOUS LEARNING

  • Actively produces and disseminates new knowledge, using technology to share knowledge where possible
  • Acknowledges others’ skill sets and expertise, encourages and facilitates the sharing of that knowledge and creates learning opportunities for others
  • Demonstrates commitment to ongoing professional development and keeps abreast of new developments in his/her professional field

BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Level 2: Identifying and building partnerships

  • Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda
  • Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UNDP’s strategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts
  • Develops positive ties with civil society to build/strengthen UNDP’s mandate
  • Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners
  • Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments
  • Takes responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved
  • Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings

CLIENT ORIENTATION

Level 2: Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

  • Anticipates client needs
  • Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider
  • Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective
  • Keeps the client informed of problems or delays in the provision of services
  • Solicits feedback on service provision and quality

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

Level 2: Implementing resource mobilization strategies

  • Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend a strategic approach
  • Identifies and compiles lessons learned
  • Promotes and encourages country office action with local missions of donor countries as well as appropriate government authorities for increased contribution to UNDP resources, including cost sharing modalities
  • Identifies country needs and develops proposals to be presented to donors and governments
  • Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level

CREATING VISIBILITY FOR UNDP/SUPPORTING UNDP’S CAPACITY TO ADVOCATE

Level 2: Developing promotional projects and organizational messages

  • Identifies and develops activities to enhance the visibility of UNDP
  • Develops promotional activities based on monitoring/evaluation information identifying areas requiring higher visibility
  • Develops messages for use by UNDP staff when working with partners, internationally and nationally
  • Reviews documents and materials intended for use within and outside the organization in order to ensure consistency and validity of messages
  • Conducts assessments of activities to improve impact and effectiveness

JOB KNOWLEDGE/TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Level 2: In-depth knowledge of the Subject-matter

  • Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines
  • Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff
  • Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit
  • Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally
  • Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
  • Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Masters Degree level in Political Economics, Development Economics or similar field;

Experience:

  • Seven (7) years experience in analyzing development issues and strategic planning, with at least five (5) years in formulating and following up on macroeconomic policies, particularly with regard to the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Public Finance; and regarding support for national institutions (Government) in developing public policies in the area of strategic planning, budget and aid coordination;
  • Relevant experience in developing countries;
  • Command of computer tools, the Internet and principal desktop word processing, spreadsheet and public presentation applications;
  • Experience in South-South collaboration

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in French
  • Good working knowledge of English

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.


Strategic Planning Specialist (Plan Ministry of Planning Community Development)