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Liaison Analyst

United Nations Volunteers Programme
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity.

UNV engaged 7,765 UN volunteers in 2010, on a total of 7,960 assignments. With an average age of 37 years and the requisite professional skills and qualifications of some 5 to 10 years relevant experience, UN volunteers served in 132 countries in 2010 and came themselves from 158. The majority – 80 per cent – come from developing countries themselves. One third of UN volunteers served in their own countries, with the others carrying out international assignments. The financial equivalent of programme activities exceeds US$235 million annually. In addition, as the focal point in the United Nations for the International Year of the Volunteers (IYV2001), UNV is active in the follow-up to the Year, for which the key objectives are the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteerism.

UNV is headquartered in Bonn, Germany and has approximately 150 staff positions – with the majority in Bonn and some positions with different UN peacekeeping and political missions, and in other Headquarters locations (e.g. New York and Tokyo). The major organizational groups within UNV are:

  • the Office of the Executive Coordinator (OEC);
  • the Evaluation Unit (EU);
  • the Corporate Planning and Performance Unit (CPPU);
  • the Volunteer Programming and Management Group (VPMG) comprising the Peace Division (PD) and the Development Division (DD), Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section (VRRS), Quality Assurance Unit (QAU), Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation Section (VKIS);
  • the Partnerships and Communications Division (PCD) comprising the Partnerships Section (PS) and the Communications Section (CS);
  • The Management Services Division (MSD) comprising the Information and Communication Technology Section (ICTS), Finance Section (FS), Human Resources Section (HRS), and the Administration Unit (AU). Additionally the Common Services Unit (CSU) provides support to the UN presence in Bonn.

Organizational setting
The ‘Programme for Human Resource Development in Asia for Peacebuilding’ is a programme initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) in 2007 to develop capacities of Asian civilian personnel in the field of peace building. Hiroshima University, commissioned by MOFA, established the Hiroshima Peacebuilders Centre (HPC) to implement the programme. The programme consists of three major components, namely, (i) the course work in Japan, (ii) the overseas attachment with the field offices of UN agencies and NGOs, and (iii) career development support. UNV has participated in the component of the overseas attachment since the inception of the programme. A majority of participants of the programme served as UN Volunteers with the field offices of UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNESCO, IOM, WFP, UNMAS, and PKO missions to the work of peace building.

UNV participates in the programme primarily to plan and implement the second component, i.e. the fielding of the participants as UN Volunteers (overseas attachment)). The recruitment of a Liaison Analyst (Volunteer Resources) (assignment matching) is deemed necessary to create enabling environment for UNV to successfully implement the overseas attachment to meet expectations of the potential UN Volunteers (course participants, called ‘Programme Associates’) and partners. The programme for 2010 will commence in December 2010 and UNV is expected to deploy a maximum of 21 UN Volunteers under this programme before end of March 2011. HPC, a partner to UNV for the implementation of the programme, has agreed to finance the costs to hire a Liaison Analyst (Volunteer Resources) for 4 months to specifically work on the post identification and matching for the 2010 implementation.

Under the day-to-day guidance of the dedicated Portfolio Team/Peace Division and, and in close collaboration with the Partnerships Unit at UNV Headquarters in Bonn , the Volunteer Resource/Liaison Analyst (Volunteer Resources) will facilitate the smooth assignment identification and matching of the course participants with the identified assignments.

Duties and Responsibilities

While reporting to the Portfolio Manager, Peace Division, the incumbent will be placed within the UNV Tokyo Liaison Office, along with the UNV Japan Liaison Officer because of the need of coordinating with Japan based UN offices and frequently interacting with the candidates who are based in Japan.

Specific duties include the following:

Coordinate the process of assignment identification and matching for a maximum 18 candidates for UNV assignments under the 2012-2013 programme:

  • Facilitate smooth formal/informal communication among key partners, such as HPC, MOFA, UNDP Tokyo and other UN agencies based in Japan to achieve the above objectives of the Programme;
  • Liaise closely with UNV Bonn and Project Manager on all assignment placements and preparations;
  • Keep HPC and MOFA updated and consulted on the post identification and placements;
  • Support the hosting agencies by ensuring timely submission of quality terms of reference, interview reports and other documents related to hosting by the participating UN agencies. Keep all partners regularly informed about status of the programme;
  • Participate in interviews for selecting potential UN Volunteers, both Japanese and non-Japanese;
  • Liaise with HPC’s career development coordinator on career development opportunities for the potential UN Volunteers upon completion of their assignments;
  • Participate in key working level meetings with the stakeholders;
  • Carry out any other duties as requested by UNV.

Ensure timely and quality monitoring and reporting on the placement progress, focusing on achieving the following results:

  • Generate periodic financial and activity reports for the donor;
  • Convene periodic working level meetings with the participating partners to update them on the placement status and resolve placement issues;
  • Document issues, lessons learnt and recommendations for future programming.

Promote UNV in preparation for the launch of the 2012-2013 programme, focusing on achieving the following results:

  • Give presentations on the UNV programme to the stakeholders upon request;
  • Design a UNV specific module to be integrated as part of the training for the participants;
  • Within the framework of the Programme, promote the UNV programme and the work of UN Volunteers through various means including media, seminars and workshops;
  • Participate, as requested/needed in public relations events along with Tokyo based UNV Liaison Officer who officially represents the UNV programme in such occasions.

Other related duties that may be assigned.

Competencies


Functional Competencies:

Building Strategic Partnerships

  • Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
  • Establishes and nurtures positive communication with partners

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

  • Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
  • Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
  • Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing
  • Develops awareness of the various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

  • Maintains information/databases on system design features
  • Develops simple system components
  • Make recommendations relative to work-processing approaches and procedures which would lead to more efficient systems design

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
  • Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
  • Actively supports the interests of the client by making choices and setting priorities to meet their needs
  • Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly

Knowledge Management and Learning

  • Shares knowledge and experience
  • Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
    Development and Operational Effectiveness
  • Ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks related to volunteer resources management
  • Strong presentation and public speaking skills
  • Ability to work with minimum supervision
  • Working knowledge of computer software programmes (Word, Excel, Outlook, Web)
  • Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
  • Proven ability to work as part of a team, to effectively communicate with a range of partners, and to efficiently organize and prioritize work

Leadership and Self-Management

  • Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
  • Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities

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
  • Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Masters degree or equivalent in a field related to development, administration and social science.

Experience:

  • Minimum two years of work experience, preferably in areas related to peace building and development and volunteer management or related activities such as human resource management;
  • Direct experience working within/with UN organizations, ideally within/with UNV and/or with Japanese government/ its partners are assets;
  • Volunteer experience, preferably as a UN Volunteer, and/or an HPC Program Associate graduate, would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English and Japanese is essential. Fluency in an additional UN language is desirable.


Applications should be submitted on line and include an up to date UNDP Personal History Form (P11) posted at http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

The successful candidate will hold a UNDP letter of appointment.


Liaison Analyst