Sensemaking and Foresight specialist

Contract

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

This UNV assignment is part of UNDP’s strategic innovations initiative to promote and mainstream systems thinking/design through a portfolio approach. The portfolio approach will help programming to move from symptoms to systems level, from silos to integrated development, and from static to a more dynamic implementation of interventions through learning and intelligence generation.

The Country Office (CO) was selected as part of the first cohort to run the portfolio approach using “Deep Demonstrations” process. As part of capability development for the CO, a team (core and extended) was put in place to facilitate the process with support from UNDP Strategic Innovation Unit and Chôra Foundation. The Deep Demonstrations process was focused on borderlands development in Burundi and six strategic options of development have been identified. These options are Access to Market, Youth to Market, Know your Crossing, Energy and Sustainability, 2 Nations 1 Stop, and Digital distributed services. The CO is in the process of socialising these strategic options with Africa Borderlands Centre, National Counterpart, donors, and local administration.

There is need for outcomes of “deep demonstrations” process and stakeholder consultations to be translated into actionable interventions. Also, portfolio approach needs to be strategically positioned in CO programming and resource mobilisation efforts.

Within the delegated authority of the Resident Representative and under the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative Programme/Operations, the UN Volunteer will perform the following tasks:

a) Sensemaking sustainability and scaling • Collaborate with “Deep Demonstrations” core team and Regional Strategic Innovation Unit to design tools and processes for the sensemaking to become Country Office work culture and a tool for resource mobilization. • Lead the formulation of borderlands portfolio programme document, based on outcomes from “Deep Demonstrations” process and Consultation workshops with stakeholders.

b) Insights from scaling and connecting to Country Office programming • Embed portfolio logic in Country Office’s work, including CPD formulation, encourage reflection and capturing of insights from current project, to identify logic which to assess fit and coherence of individual portfolios. • Support Country Office to map the context and nature of development challenges, with a particular focus on understanding systemic issues beyond traditional silos and identifying drivers of change, and levers for intervention. • Generate insight reports from the Sensemaking works.

c) Leading sensemaking workshops and processes • Lead on operationalizing and continuous improvement of Sensemaking approaches. • Lead on Sensemaking workshops in the Country Office and provide guidance to project and programme teams in applying Sensemaking to assess internal coherence of their projects/program, strengthening strategic decision-making on logic and new directions/pivots for the increased relevance of projects/programmes. • Facilitate trainings, webinars, and capacity building sessions on all aspects of Sensemaking. • Develop support materials (guidelines, templates, etc.) that can guide Country Office through Sensemaking process.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Integrity and professionalism, • Accountability, • Commitment to continuous learning, • Planning and organizing, • Teamwork and respect for diversity, • Multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender; • Communication? • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Professional work experience at the national and/or international level in development programming, policy or strategy development, social innovation, partnership building (public and private sector);

Burundi is the fifth poorest country in the world and is ranked 184 out of 188 as per the human development index. There are 2.6 million people that lack reliable access to food, making it one of the most food insecure places in the world. The capital and largest city, Bujumbura is the primary port of Burundi shipping most of the country’s exports including coffee et cotton. It lies on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, which is the second largest lake in Africa. Despite being located close to the equator, Bujumbura is not nearly as warm as one might expect, due to its altitude. Average temperatures are constant throughout the course of the year with the high temperature at around 29 °C (84 °F) and the low temperature at around 19 °C (66 °F). In Bujumbura town, we can find the national stadium, a large mosque, and the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Bujumbura. Museums in the city include the Burundi Museum of Life and the Burundi Geological Museum. Other nearby attractions include the Rusizi National Park, the Livingstone-Stanley Monument at Mugere, the presidential palace and the source of the southernmost tributary of the Nile. Bujumbura's main attractions consist of its many beaches, parks and monuments and the cost of living is relatively low.