AFSIT Project Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Youth contracts.

Challenges to governance peace and security in Africa persist. In the current decade, Africa has already experienced 6 military coups and 2 attempted coups. Over the last 10 years, the continent has grappled with coups, popular uprisings, post-election violence and political insurgencies. It is clear from the lived experience of many African people, as well as the literature, that African processes of political transition, when not managed carefully, have often resulted in violent contestation and conflict, with periods of instability due to incomplete or contested transitions impacting on development progress, sometimes catastrophically.

The UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA), through its Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA), proposes a programmatic instrument for responding to complex political transitions in Africa. The Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions (AFSIT) will support countries going through complex political transitions to peacefully navigate pathways to a more stable democratic environment, with a specific focus on ensuring the inclusion of women, young people and other marginalized groups.

The Facility will support both regional and national activities, including by commissioning high-impact knowledge/research; providing responsive policy and technical advice to AU, RECs and partners; and disbursing rapid-response funding to African countries – in close cooperation with UN Country Teams, as well as national and civil society partners – to pre-emptively and/or responsively to support the inclusive, accountable and peaceful management of transitions by national partners in order to maintain positive national development trajectories.

The AFSIT Project Officer will successfully contribute to ensuring that the Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions (AFSIT) provides effective support to national and regional partners involved in potentially disruptive political processes, as part of the Regional Bureau for Africa’s broader governance and peacebuilding offer to partners.

Under the direct supervision of the AFSIT Project Specialist, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

      •Provide support to operationalizing AFSIT including planning, programming, coordination and partnership activities with the AU, Regional Economic Communities and 
        Mechanism (REC/RMs), the UN Department of Peacebuilding and Political Affairs (DPPA), UN Country Teams and other relevant development partners;

      *Work closely with the project team in supporting regional-level policy interventions with the AU, especially the Department for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security 
      (PAPS);

      •Contribute to drafting policy briefs for the leadership of the AU (especially the Peace and Security Council and Member States) and UN leadership to encourage buy 
       in and political will for AFSIT;

      •Support various AU and RECs policy processes concerning AFSIT;

      •Participate in coordination meetings with UN agencies in the region including UNOWAS, UNOAU, and the UN Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa on 
       matters relating to unconstitutional changes of government. 

      •Support project team to provide direct programming and technical advice to UNDP regional offices and Country Offices, and other stakeholders upon their request, 
       to more effectively prevent and/or respond to potentially disruptive political transitions.

      •Assist the Facility’s programming efforts in relation to engaging with civil society (especially women and youth-led organizations) in support of inclusive political 
         transitions.

      •Provide policy and programme support to AFSIT including supporting the development of narrative and financial project reports for UNDP and development partners 
         and all other programme management activities as directed.

      •Provide ad hoc support to Regional Programme initiatives and projects.

• Accountability • Commitment and Motivation. • Communication • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Planning and Organizing • Respect for Diversity • Self-Management • Working in Teams

or demonstrated interest in: • International development work, preferably in governance, peace and security.
• Experience in partnership building with multiple stakeholders on common development challenges. • Knowledge of rule of law, human rights, peacebuilding and development issues and programming. • experience organizing and managing workshops and meetings. • Experience in drafting research and analysis products. • Excellent analytical, written, oral and presentation skills. • Full computer literacy, in internet searching and Microsoft Office applications. • Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Addis Ababa is the Federal Capital of Ethiopia and a Chartered City, having three layers of Government: City Government at the top 10, Sub City Administrations in the Middle, and 99 Kebele Administrations at the bottom. The city’s average elevation is 2,500 meters above sea level, and hence has a fairly favourable climate and moderate weather conditions. Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia, the seat of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Ethiopia is a unique country and UNDP/RSCA is a unique (humanitarian) operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.