Sub Area Manager

Volunteering Crisis & Emergency Response

Overview

Lead and oversee Sub Area Office, ensuring effective project management and stakeholder engagement

You have:

• At least 7 years of experience in project management and implementation in challenging environments, particularly in crisis contexts
• Experience in cash-based programming, community recovery and livelihoods stabilization
• Proven experience in UNDP's operational and project management procedures
• Proven experience in gender equality and women's empowerment
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills
• Solid overall computer literacy including proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines
• Have affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for development and the UN system

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.

Under the strategic direction of the Resident Representative (RR) and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative Programme (DRR-P) and direct supervision of the Regional Area Manager (RAM), the Sub Area Manager (SAM) sets the strategic direction for the work of UNDP in their respective geographic region of responsibility and oversees all Sub Area Office activities. Each Sub Area Manager oversees their own region and coordinates and reports to the Regional Area Manager. The Regional Area Manager has formal delegated authority from the RR (in writing) to represent the UNDP country programme at the local level and perform management functions. The Sub Area Manager coordinates the day-to-day activities of the Sub Area Office.

The Sub Area Manager leads and supervises the Sub Area Office staff and project staff working in their respective areas, ensuring cross-unit cooperation and coordination, including with other area offices and Sub Area Offices, and Country Office units in Kabul. The Sub Area Manager ensures a client-oriented approach and consistency with UNDP rules and regulations, in conformity with the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA) and good management practices.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Area Manager, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Representation and Partnership • Represent UNDP in sub-regional inter-agency fora and liaise with partners. • Ensure the participation and involvement of relevant stakeholders in project activities to promote an inclusive, participatory, and transparent approach. • Strengthen relationships with community members, local authorities, and other development actors to enhance coordination and collaboration. • Promote an inclusive approach to project implementation, ensuring gender mainstreaming, respect for human rights, and adherence to Do No Harm principles in all interventions. • Support and contribute to the communications and partnership activities of the Regional and Country Offices, as necessary. • Ensure strong coordination with UN partners, Development and humanitarian actors to ensure maximum impact of interventions. • Support Regional Area Manager to prepare project documents, concept notes and proposals for resource mobilisation.
2. Programme and Regional Portfolio Management

• For direct implementation projects, assume full responsibility for project execution, including resource mobilisation, planning, implementation, financial management, and reporting. • For projects implemented by responsible parties, ensure robust oversight by providing quality assurance, monitoring, coordination, and ensuring timely and high-quality delivery of outputs. • Support project pipeline development through designing and developing concept notes and proposals based on field assessments, desk reviews, and stakeholder consultations. • Contribute to project design, ensuring alignment with UNDP’s strategic objectives, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and donor priorities. • Lead annual operational planning for the Sub Area Office, including securing financial resources in consultation with RPO’s and Project Managers and support Area Manager on the RPO Project set up for RPO operations management, ensuring efficient and transparent resource use. • Provide support to project planning, including contributing to annual project work plans with proposed activities and results for the covered region. • Contribute to the project’s financial planning, projecting cash-flow needs and modalities for the area covered. • Effectively conduct day-to-day management of project activities in the designated region. • Ensure the project delivers resources and results according to planned targets, required quality standards, and within specified constraints of time and cost. • Ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the project budget allocated to the region and produce appropriate recording and accounting documentation as required by UNDP. • The Sub Area Manager advises, prepares notes, and submits formal responses on cost effectiveness and emerging complex challenges to the Regional Area Manager for further transmission to UNDP senior management. Additionally, the Sub Area Manager ensures programmatic and operational alignment and coherence between the RPO and the Sub Area Office. • Ensure that UNDP rules and regulations concerning finance, procurement, and human resources are adhered to. • Shared regular financial overview with Regional Area Manager • Ensure that UNDP projects are well-coordinated and complementary utilising area based and portfolio approaches as need to ensure maximum impact and avoid fragmentation of interventions. • Provides support to the Regional Area Manager in organizing high-level missions and facilitates the monitoring missions undertaken by the Regional Area Manager. In the event that critical or sensitive issues arise within the Sub Area Office, the Regional Area Manager must be promptly informed of the situation. Additionally, senior management should be notified of the emerging circumstances in a timely manner.

3. Quality Assurance & Knowledge Management

• Contribute to the efficient and effective collection, storage, and analysis of data throughout the project, including sex- and age-disaggregated data where relevant. • Ensure adherence to UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and Social & Environmental Standards (SES) in all project activities, maintaining compliance with risk mitigation, environmental safeguards, and gender equality considerations. • Conduct quality assurance checks on project implementation, ensuring alignment with UNDP’s safeguards, human rights principles, and sector best practices. • Provide quality assurance, monitoring, and oversight for projects implemented by responsible parties, ensuring they meet UNDP’s standards for timely and high-quality delivery. • Document progress towards achieving results to develop direct implementation projects and contribute to progress reports for projects implemented by partners. • Ensure effective stakeholder engagement and feedback mechanisms at the regional/community level, including addressing complaints through an effective grievance redress mechanism (GRM). Uphold zero tolerance for fraud, corruption, and SEA (sexual exploitation and abuse) in all interventions, ensuring prompt reporting of any such incidents. • Support and contribute to the Regional and Country Offices' knowledge management efforts by documenting and sharing experiences, lessons learnt, and best practices. Assist in strengthening partnerships and outreach efforts at regional and national levels to enhance project visibility and impact.

4. Team Leadership & Performance Management • Manage the sub-regional team, nurturing a culture of results with the highest performance standards. • Supervise, mentor, and provide technical guidance to the sub-regional team, ensuring effective performance. • Facilitate training and capacity-building initiatives to enhance team efficiency and effectiveness. • Address and report to the Regional Area Manager and Project Managers on project-specific output achievements, challenges in implementation, and flag emerging risks in a timely and proactive manner.

• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

adapt it based on its organizational values) • Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

• At least 7 years of experience in project management and implementation in challenging environments, particularly in crisis contexts • Experience in cash-based programming, community recovery and livelihoods stabilization • Proven experience in UNDP’s operational and project management procedures, including procurement and project design, execution and financing with UNDP and IFIs will be considered as an asset • Proven experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment will be considered as an asset.

• Previous experience in working in area office would be an asset including experience working in the UN or other international development organization; • Other desired/mandatory required technical knowledge; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging and geographically very remote environment at times in extremely though climatic conditions; • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness and compliance; • Have affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for development and the UN system.

The position is based in a very remote duty station in Afghanistan, where living conditions require a high degree of resilience and adaptability. Staff accommodations are typically within small, secure compounds with limited personal space and restricted movement outside the premises due to security considerations. Access to essential amenities such as shops and recreational facilities is minimal, which may contribute to a sense of isolation. Basic health services including medical services/small clinic are accessible within the premises of the compound. Internet connectivity and network may be intermittent, affecting communication. Additionally, harsh weather conditions including extreme temperatures and limited transportation options can further impact transportation routines. Candidates should be prepared to work in these challenging environments, demonstrating flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and a strong commitment to delivering impactful results in support of vulnerable communities.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.”

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org