Governance Expert (National)
Engage in governance strategy development and peacebuilding activities in South Sudan.
Overview
Engage in governance strategy development and peacebuilding activities in South Sudan.
You have:
- A master’s degree in social sciences or peacebuilding/conflict management or equivalent education and experience is required.
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in reconciliation, peacebuilding, or conflict management is required.
- Proven experience as a lead grassroots level peace adviser/consultant is required.
- Knowledge in programming or strategy development including good understanding of peacekeeping operations (PKO) programming modalities is required.
- Extensive field experience, especially in conflict and/or post-conflict settings is desirable.
- Prior experience in the sub-Saharan African region is desirable.
- Demonstrable ability to engage with sensitivity and political acumen in antagonistic contexts is desirable.
- Fluency in oral and written English is required.
Contract
This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.
Result of Service
• Lessons learned and impacts on strengthening the Peacebuilding architecture. • Strategy paper on governance strategic priorities, opportunities, and entry points for Mission support actions, which will strengthen the peacebuilding architecture of South Sudan. • Operational Plan to implement the strategy at the subnational level
Work Location
Civil Affairs Division, Juba
Expected duration
2 months, 2 weeks
Duties and Responsibilities
This consultant will be based in Juba but will undertake extensive travels to field locations (Western Equatoria, Lakes, Tri-states of Unity, Lakes and Warrap, Jonglei and Torit) and engage with a wide range of local stakeholders. The consultant will report to the Director of the Civil Affairs Division. • Review available and existing knowledge, baseline data • Map and assess the capacities of relevant stakeholders and institutions that have benefited from Civil Affairs engagements with respect to community violence reduction initiatives and the Transition and governance process, in order to identify gaps and propose actions to address the gaps/challenges. • The assessment must include the following sections: the context, assessment methodology and approach, objectives, results, content aspects/scope of work, overall approach, stakeholders’ description and scoping, roles and management of the assessment process, competencies required, and duration. • Identify and articulate strategic priorities, opportunities, and entry points for Mission support actions in facilitating efforts to implement community violence reduction initiatives and strengthen the Peacebuilding architecture in the context of ensuring peaceful coexistence. • Identify areas in communal engagements which will strengthen the nexus between the subnational and national peace process • Develop an operational plan to implement the strategy at the subnational level. • Prepare and submit a comprehensive report that includes all consultancy findings. • Perform other tasks as required.
Qualifications/special skills
A master’s degree in social sciences or peacebuilding / conflict management; or the equivalent combination of education and experience in a related area is required. A minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in reconciliation or in areas of peacebuilding or conflict management is required. Proven experience as a lead grassroots level peace adviser / consultant is required Knowledge in programming or strategy development including good understanding of peacekeeping operations (PKO) programming modalities is required. Extensive field experience, especially in conflict and/or post-conflict settings is desirable Prior experience in the sub-Saharan African region is desirable Demonstrable ability to engage with sensitivity, strategic foresight, and political acumen in situations involving multiple actors and stakeholders in particular from antagonistic ethnic communities and political fractions is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.
Additional Information
The signing of a revitalized peace agreement by the parties to the conflict and reconstitution of the government of national unity signals increased space and opportunities to advance reconciliation between the conflicting communities at the sub-national level through setting up and strengthening governance institutions. Effective governance institutions are vital to subnational peace efforts that further complement and sustain the national peace process. The Mission partners with institutions at all levels to help build a nation that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. The goal is to strengthen the national institutional and technical capacities of relevant governance institutions. Augmenting public and private governance institutions is critical to building and strengthening the peacebuilding architecture of South Sudan. Further, effective governance institutions will contribute to strengthening the nexus between sub-national reconciliation and with national peace process, in addition to complementing the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and more broadly the national reconciliation agenda. In line with the mission's support to the implementation of the R-ARCSS at the subnational level, the consultant will map out stakeholders that comprise the Peacebuilding architecture of South Sudan, map out the past CAD activities targeting the identified institutions, assess the impact of the Mission work towards strengthening the peacebuilding architecture, identify gaps, and see how to fit them into our future operations, bearing in mind the anticipated changes in the mission’s mandate in the coming years. To carry out an external governance review, the consultant will carry out detailed interviews with Mission staff and identified stakeholders and review samples of existing engagement strategies, procedures and policies. Identify lessons learned, challenges, and gaps and suggest future strategies in light of the evolving Mission mandate.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe your experience with peacebuilding initiatives? | This question assesses the candidate's relevant experience in peacebuilding efforts. | Discuss specific projects you've worked on and the outcomes achieved. |
| How do you approach stakeholder engagement in sensitive environments? | The interviewer wants to understand the candidate's strategy for working with diverse and potentially conflicting parties. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What challenges have you faced in implementing governance strategies and how did you overcome them? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Discuss a time when you had to adapt a strategy due to changing political dynamics. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you evaluate the impact of peacebuilding programs? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |