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VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Applicants who previously applied do not need to apply.
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 7,303 UN volunteers in 2011, on a total of 7,708 assignments. With an average age of 38 years and the requisite professional skills and qualifications of some 5 to 10 years relevant experience, UN volunteers served in 132 countries in 2011 and came themselves from 162. The majority – 81 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.  
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) comprising the Evaluation Unit (EU) and 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 Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation Section enhances UNV’s proactive capacity to mainstream volunteerism into peace and development initiatives through:
  • Promoting sound volunteer management practices, including the development of innovative volunteering solutions (volunteer modalities and volunteer management resources and tools) and the management of the Online Volunteering service;
  • Leading the delivery of volunteerism advisory services for integration of volunteerism for peace and development into policies and programming; and for enhancing the recognition of volunteerism contributions;
  • Leading initiatives for Volunteer Learning and Knowledge management.
Reporting to the Chief, Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation Section, the Volunteer Management Specialist advises and builds capacity in developing sound and innovative volunteer management solutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead the development and application of sound volunteer management practices focusing on achieving the following results:
  • Define UNV’s volunteer management principles and approach as well as a detailed volunteer management cycle;
  • Lead and coordinate the development of coherent volunteer management processes and facilitate organization-wide engagement with the development of the Volunteer Management Cycle Platform and associated tools / resources by serving as the primary, interface with UNV’s Volunteer Management Cycle Project;
  • Coordinate and manage the development, dissemination, and implementation of volunteer management tools, knowledge products and guidelines for all stages in the Volunteer Management Cycle (e.g. Pre-Departure Briefing Pack, End of Assignment Handbook, Handover,  etc.);
  • Lead the assessment and continuous improvement of systems for UNV volunteer management throughout UNV- in HQ and Field Units;
  • Ensure that “lessons learnt” are integrated in the new tools and knowledge products to enhance the quality of volunteer management;
  • Provide substantive guidance and inputs into training to UNV staff, Programme Officers, and Programme Managers responsible for management of volunteers;
  • Provide substantive expertise, guidance, or strategic direction on volunteer management to project development and relevant communities of practice;
  • Keep abreast of best practices in volunteer management among partners and international volunteer-sending organizations.
Lead the definition of an integrated product line of marketable volunteer modalities:
  • Define a coherent approach for packaging, promoting and managing multiple volunteer modalities across peace and development programming;
  • On the basis of identified needs, develop tools to support mobilization and integration of all UNV volunteer modalities into programming;
  • Collaborate closely with the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) to evaluate operational aspects of implementing and sustaining new/changed volunteer modalities to support overall coherence and adherence to UNV offer;
  • Identify opportunities for simplification and technical / operational improvements in managing all UNV volunteer modalities;
  • Analyze and propose effective and manageable cost recovery approaches for UNV volunteer modalities.
Lead the development of innovative volunteering modalities:
  • On the basis of identified needs and opportunities, field experiences, lessons from programming, and best practices, define innovative volunteer modalities through identification of new/improved services, practices and policies;
  • Coordinate the piloting of innovative modalities;
  • Define conditions of modalities’ mainstreaming.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:
Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda
  • Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work
Building Strategic Partnerships
  • 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
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
  • Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches
  • Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
  • Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines (knowledge management)
  • 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
Conceptual Innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise
  • Leverages different experiences and expertise of team members to achieve better and more innovative outcomes
  • Develops innovative and creative approaches to meet programme and capacity development objectives
  • Participates in dialogue about conceptual innovation at the country and regional levels
Client Orientation
  • 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
Core Competencies:
  • Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
  • Building support and political acumen
  • Building staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation
  • Building and promoting effective teams
  • Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication
  • Creating an emotionally intelligent organization
  • Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNV & setting standards
  • Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning
  • Fair and transparent  decision making; calculated risk-taking

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master’s degree in social sciences, political science, public or business administration, or related fields.
Experience:
  • Minimum 7 years of relevant professional experience; 5 years of this experience should be in an international volunteer-sending organization.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English; proficiency in an additional UN language is desirable.
FC: 70100
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    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.