Local and Community Development Expert

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

UNCDF makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and by showing how localized investments — through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance — can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs.

UNCDF is bringing its expertise in enabling local communities and economies to become climate resilient and sustainable, as well as its experience in facilitating youth access to finance, including through digital, in support of job creation, under the “Jobs, Skills and Finance (JSF) for Women and Youth in The Gambia” Programme funded by the 11th European Development Fund.

This programme will contribute to stabilizing the economic, social and security situation of the country during the democratic transition by facilitating social inclusion and employment of the youth and women, with a specific emphasis on promoting gender equality and addressing climate change.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Specialist and in close collaboration with other JSF team members and key stakeholders at the national and subnational levels, including local government authorities (LGAs), local planning committees and communities in target LGAs, the UNV Local and Community Development Expert will undertake the following tasks: • Under the guidance of the Climate Change Expert, support local government authorities (LGAs) to collect and interpret climate-related data and information, as well as undertake local climate risk assessments, and to mainstream climate change into local public planning and budgeting systems, particularly at Ward Development Committees level; • Under the guidance of the National Technical Specialist (Local Government Finance and Local Economic Development), support capacity building (“learning by doing”) and preparation of local government development and investment plans and budgets that foster job creation, gender equality and green and climate resilient local economies; • the development of terms of reference for various activities to be undertaken by pilot LGAs (e.g. procurement, local recruitment processes, etc) and provide general administrative support to the successful implementation of activities/interventions/investments by target LGAs; • Support LGAs in the management, implementation and monitoring of performance-based climate resilience grants and activities/interventions/investments and propose improvements through reviewed work plans, for instance; • Support the preparation and participate and contribute to the annual performance assessment of pilot LGAs; • Facilitate consultation and exchange of information, synergies, learning and know-how at the local level, in particular in relation with partners and stakeholders involved with JSF’s expected results (ER), specially ER1.1 “sustainable and equal employment opportunities for youth and women are created” and ER1.2 “TVET, skills development and apprenticeship opportunities in line with MSME’s needs are improved and made more accessible to youth and women”, and ER2.1 “Regulatory framework on the financial sector improved”; • Support the preparation of periodic technical and financial reports on the implementation of JSF/LoCAL activities and undertake regular monitoring of the activities, including through field visits; • Under guidance of the National Skills Expert, assist in providing inputs to the TVET roadmap development and support the identification of skills gaps and training needs in the area of climate change and green job skills; support the mapping of training providers and skill areas in target LGAs in line with LoCAL investment menu and climate resilience grant priorities; facilitate consultations with LGAs on setting up of new training centres and roll-out of training services to rural youth communities; provide inputs to curricula development and apprenticeship scheme activities in line with training priorities in LGAs;

• Efficient and result-centered professional; • Ability to analyze problems and challenges and to develop solutions autonomously; • Ability to communicate, plan and respect deadlines; • Rigor, dynamism, responsiveness, ability to anticipate potential risks and problems; • Good organizational skills and able to set priorities and perform multiple tasks simultaneously; • Available for field deployment; • Independent, attention to detail and strong technical and interpersonal skills; • Able to communicate effectively (both orally and in writing); • Strong teamwork and analytical skills.

• Minimum three (3) years of experience with local and community development, climate change and/or environment related issues, of which at least one (1) supporting local governments and/or communities; • Practical knowledge and experience in monitoring and evaluation • Practical knowledge and experience with planning and budgeting processes, preferably with local government authorities and/or communities; • Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; • Practical experience with training and capacity building activities; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;

The UN Volunteer is expected to dwell in Mansakonko, in Lower River Region, and is required to perform regular field missions across the target LGA. Amenities and facilities such as hospitals, running water, electricity may be limited.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.