Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote, coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system. UNOSSC, hosted by UNDP since 1974, was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis.

Under the strategic framework (2018-2021), UNOSSC focuses its work, on three strategic outcomes targeting:

• the advancement of policy choices for South-South and triangular cooperation and coordinated United Nations system support to such cooperation;
• (b)capacity development through the sharing of knowledge and experiences; and
• (c) the forging of strategic South-South and triangular partnerships to support demand-driven programmes.

UNOSSC has regional teams in Africa, Asia and Pacific,

To better leverage advantages in the application of South-South cooperation as means to implement the 2030 Agenda, the UNOSSC Strategic Framework (2018-21) has highlighted the need for strengthening its regional offices to respond to the multifaceted needs of developing countries.

The Second UN High-level Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40, 2019) outcome document further calls for United Nations system to continue its support to regional and sub-regional organizations, recognizing the role of the United Nations Regional Commissions in supporting South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives, in accordance with their respective mandates, and bearing in mind the ongoing United Nations Development System reform.

In this context, through its regional office in Africa, UNOSSC responds to the needs of the continent and the priorities set by countries and continues to provide support to the various South-South cooperation activities, African institutions, and other UN agencies as well as non-state actors such as the Private Sector. UNOSSC-Africa has opted to provide support to the continent primarily through the African Union, its organs and institutions. It has therefore been working on supporting various departments of the African Union Commission, including:

1. The Department of Trade and Industry on the issue of the African Continental Free Trade Area
2. The Department of Economic Affairs, with focus on the facilitation of interactions of the African Private Sector within the continent and dialogues with the Private Sector of the Global South. UNOSSC-Africa has also been working on the area of Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) through the gathering information on IFF in other regions of the South and sharing those with African countries through this Department.
3. AUC Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology, with focusses on two areas: The capacity development for young Africans under the African Union Commission’s initiative for the training of 10,000 young entrepreneurs for the next few years and; Women in Innovation, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (ISTEM): UNOSSC is working closely with the African Union Commission to rationalize the support given to women in Africa in ISTEM. Major activities are in preparation and some ongoing.
4. UNOSSC-Africa has also been working with other African Union institutions such as AUDA, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and recently the African Union Risk Capacity (ARC).

UNOSSC-Africa is also working with African countries, facilitating access to resources from the Global South for the achievement of the SDGs.

UNOSSC-Africa collaborates with UNDP RBA and BPPS on areas of common interest, both at the Regional Service Centre and at the Country Offices level where implementation of UNOSSC inter-regional activities will take place.

Beyond Africa, UNOSSC-Africa has also developed relationships with non-African organizations such as the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), MERCOSUR, ASEAN and institutions such as Shenzhen Youth Federation in view of supporting its activities.

UNOSSC-Africa’s work as such reflects the BAPA+40 Outcome document as it expands on traditional South-South Cooperation as well as triangular cooperation activities.

Under the supervision of the UNOSSC-Africa Regional Chief, the South-South and Triangular Cooperation the Associate Programme Manager is sought to support the implementation of UNOSSC Programmes and activities in Africa.

                Duties and Responsibilities

                Summary of Key Functions:

• Provide Analytical support to the Regional Office in their South-South Cooperation mainstreaming work;
• Support monitoring and implementation of the programmes/ initiatives/ projects;
• Organize processes to support efficient administration of work plans and activities;
• Facilitation of knowledge building and sharing.

Provide analytical support to the Regional Office in their South-South Cooperation mainstreaming work focusing on the following:

• Providing analytical inputs on South-South trends and opportunities in the region;
• Analyzing and summarizing relevant policy briefs and papers to contribute to policy advocacy and programme development efforts in the region on emerging opportunities for South-South Cooperation;
• Prepare advocacy materials to communicate on UNOSSC work in the region and on the impact and contribution of South-South cooperation for the SDGs;
• Supporting the Regional Chief in the development of new programmes, projects and initiatives in Africa.

Support monitoring and implementation of the programmes/ initiatives/ projects focusing on the following:

• Supporting the Regional Chief in the ongoing implementation of projects related to the collaboration with AUC in different areas including the AfCFTA and Private Sector initiatives
• Monitoring progress and analyzing results to identify good practices, lessons learnt, and contribute to overall UNOSSC work planning and result management.
• Assisting the Regional Chief in the management and implementation of the African Women in ISTEM Initiative
• As per delegation from the Regional Chief, acting as focal point in the UN Habitat-led African Urban Youth Conneckt initiative that is steeped in the South-South Cooperation Framework.
• Acting as liaison between the UNOSSC HQ Programme Officers and external partners on programmes and initiatives pertaining to youth in Africa. Such programmes include the Youth4South (Y4S) programme that is managed from HQ and is under the auspice of the UNDP Youth Conneckt initiative.
• Preparation of documents to be used in resource mobilization efforts.
• Developing reports on programme, projects and initiatives for monitoring and evaluation to be shared among all relevant stakeholders

Organize processes to support efficient administration of work plans and activities, focusing on the following:

• Provision of data and information on the management of all activities covered by the UNOSSC-Africa Office;
• Preparing the necessary documentation for the development of the annual workplan and other frameworks
• Providing programme support and especially in the use of Atlas and facilitate processes as per UNDP policies and procedures;
• Supervising and managing short-term consultants, UNVs and interns, in both substantial and operational issues.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing focusing on the following:

• Contribute to the UNOSSC Knowledge Products by carrying out good practice case-studies on South-South Cooperation to allow for South-South learning;
• Contribute to the knowledge sharing and partnership brokering, effectively utilizing platforms such as the South-South Galaxy and engaging with the South-South Global Thinkers initiative;
• Support sharing information and knowledge on South-South Cooperation with all UN System, including with UNOSSC teams and other regional offices.

                Competencies

                Core    

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.             

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Delivery.

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Technical/Functional     

Finance and Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Building Strategic Partnerships

• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals.

Job Knowledge

• Knowledge of Project Management including contributions, allocations, delivery, analysis, projections and management advisory.

Client Orientation

• Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside.

Knowledge Sharing

• Ability to support an effective knowledge brokering function and provide platform for sharing expertise.

            Required Skills and Experience

                Education:

• Advanced Degree in development studies, international relations, development economics or a related field.

Experience:      

• Minimum 2 years of experience with a Master’s Degree working in the development cooperation space or 4 years with Bachelor’s ;
• Conversant with the south-south and triangular cooperation state in Africa;
• Experience in working with and engaging multi-stakeholders such as regional organizations like the AUC and its institutions, other UN agencies, governments and private sector players on different development initiatives based on the south-south cooperation model;
• Experience in working on programmes/projects/ initiatives on youth and women and in engaging multiple stakeholders on the same across Africa and in Africa;
• Programme support experience within one of the UN agencies and units;
• Ability to organize and facilitate workshops involving varied audiences;
• Experience in research and knowledge sharing;
• Conversant with UN systems and procedures is a plus.

Language Requirements:            

• Proficiency in English;
• Working knowledge of other UN language desirable.