People-Centered Security Specialist

Contract

This is a IPSA-11 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Personnel Services Agreement. It is normally internationally recruited only. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IPSA-11 contracts.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Travel:

UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System. It serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels is guided by the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains. Within the Global Policy Network the Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights (ROLSHR) Team is in charge of among other things, People-Centred Security and the wide range of programmatic pillars such as armed violence prevention and reduction, disarmament, small arms control, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration (PRR), community security, citizen security, security sector reform, and policing, small arms and light weapons (SALW) control, withing the broader governance, peacebuilding and stabilization efforts.

The main objective of such support is to ensure better security for the population, especially the most vulnerable, under the rule of law and human rights-based approaches, in order to contribute to the sustainable development in the host countries.

The nature of UNDP programmatic support evolved, over the last three decades, from a state-centered approach to a more people-centered approach, particularly after the introduction of the concept of “Human Security”, in 1994. This new people-centered approach to security had implications on conflict assessment, programme planning, implementation, and evaluation of peacebuilding initiatives. That’s why UNDP also developed, in 2009, the ‘Community Security and Social Cohesion’ (CSSC) programmatic approach that seeks to operationalize human security, human development and state-building paradigms at the local level. With the advent of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, it is important to ensure that these concepts and approaches are always up-to-date and that their implementation effectively contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, more and more challenged by the crisis affecting countries and the globe, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Institutional Arrangement

The People-Centered Security Specialist will work under the overall guidance of the Team Leader of the ROLSHR team and will report to the Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights – Community Security specialist in charge of the coordination of the Security pillar of the work of the ROLSHR Team.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

A people-centered approach to security - an accelerator to progress on SDG 16+

The UNDP Crisis Bureau ROLSHR Team is working to ensure that UNDP support to security globally is people-centered, with a clear comparative advantage on a such approach. There is also a need to formulate a policy on how UNDP support on security contributes to the achievement of SDG16+. This includes mapping how UNDP country offices work on security through a people-centered approach, developing practical tools and resources through training and gathering community of practice, producing policy and technical documents, identifying tools for collection of data and communication.

Under this initiative, a partnership with the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) has been established to generate innovative reflections around the people-centered approach to security and its implications for future engagement in policy and programming. During the first phase of this collaboration, a thought paper on the people-centered approach to security has been commissioned, seeking conceptual clarity as a starting point of a much wider discussion. The paper reviews how security-related concepts have evolved over time and poses critical questions as the basis for reflection and discussion with a view to advancing future policy and programme in the area.

The people-centered security specialist will provide high quality technical support to UNDP’s engagement on security undertaking the following functions: 1. Contribute to the policy development on the people-centered approach to security, including by:

• Facilitating the consultation on the policy and guidance through e-mails and organization of events by preparing agenda, presentations, talking points, briefing notes, invitations, and reports.
• Contributing to the preparation and the supervision of the design and the conduct of the mapping of UNDP projects on security at the level of country offices and the regional and global levels and of the thorough analysis of the good practices, challenges and lessons learned linked to the implementation of security-related projects.
• Providing advisory and liaison support between UNDP and its partners on the delivery of the targeted activities.
• Preparing the recruitment of consultants and experts needed during the process.
• Contributing to the quality control of the produced documents, including by providing substantive advice to the consultants and experts on the development of the policy and guidance note, considering research methodologies and data collection.
• Briefing, consulting, and providing information and advice to the ROLSHR team on the progress and challenges of the development policy documents.
• Guiding on ways to incorporate and apply cross-cutting themes such as gender and youth.
• Establishing and maintaining usable, and well-communicated records of the process.

2. Prepare materials to aid in advocating the importance of the thematic area in various fora, including the various UN and non-UN partners, academia, and civil society. 3. Ensure that communication and outreach on the policy development on people-centered approach to security meet needs of different audiences internally and externally to UNDP. 4. Contribute to mobilize, foster, and strengthen strategic partnerships with UN agencies, and other relevant multilateral and bilateral organizations, financial institutions, and civil society. 5. Other tasks determined by Team Leader as needed.

Competencies

UN CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients " and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, governance, public policy, political science or other social sciences or related disciplines.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

• A minimum of 7 years of professional work experience providing policy advice and programme support and/or management in the general area of Rule of Law and Security in different development contexts.

Required skills and competencies

• Experience implementing security-related programmes in developing country settings is required;
• Excellent knowledge of best international practices on the People-Centered Security and its related concepts such as Human Security, Community Security, Citizen Security and Human Rights based approaches.

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Previous experience working with UNDP would be a distinct advantage;
• Experience implementing security-related programmes in crisis contexts is an asset;
• Ability to interact with UN and non-UN organizations and think tanks, good interpersonal skills, and organizational proficiency;
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills, and cultural, religious, ethnic, and gender sensitivity.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

• English Proficiency in oral and written form is a requirement;
• Working Knowledge of French and another UN Official language would be an advantage.