Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP advocates for change, and connects countries to global knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life.
In I.R. Iran, UNDP has been working since 1966 to contribute to fulfil the country’s development aspirations as a partner of the Government of Iran. UNDP has also been engaging closely with other development partners, such as academic institutions and the private sector, by providing knowledge products, policy and technical assistance, and innovative development solutions, for more than 50 years. Connecting to UNDP Global network of expertise and South-South cooperation are an integral part of our work. UNDP is committed to helping Iran achieve the National Development Goals (NDP) and the Global Goals (SDG) as articulated in the country programme document.
UNDP encourages and enables collective intelligence, collaboration, integration, critical thinking, and thought leadership. We mainstream innovation, digitalization opportunities, gender equity and diversity/inclusion principles in all aspects of our work. Our staff consistently strive for excellence, effectiveness, efficiency, and inclusion across all areas of work.
As a trusted, long-term partner with extensive operational experience, UNDP supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multi-sectoral health programmes while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time. UNDP partners with countries in crisis/post-crisis situations, those with weak institutional capacity or governance challenges, and countries under sanctions. When requested, UNDP acts as interim Principal Recipient (PR) in these settings, working with national partners and The Global Fund (GF) to improve management, implementation, and oversight, while simultaneously developing national capacity for governments or local entities to be able to assume the PR role over time. Within the HHD Group the Global Fund – Health Implementation Support Team (GF-HIST) is a dedicated team providing support to UNDP Country Offices throughout the grant lifecycle. The support includes, programme management, monitoring and evaluation, financial management, capacity development and/or transition and sustainability planning and support to strategic policies and plans and funding proposals.
In IR. Iran, UNDP has been selected as the Interim Principal Recipient (PR) of the Global Fund (GF) projects since 2005. UNDP Iran Country Office (CO), as PR of Global Fund grant, works with the Country Coordination Mechanism and three Sub-recipients (SRs) in implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the project. The SRs are: Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Ministry of Health (MOH), Welfare Organization (WO) and Iranian Prisons Organization (PO).
The PR role consists of ensuring successful implementation of approved work plan and budget, achievement of programme targets, goals and objectives, effective oversight of the grant activities of the subrecipients (SR) and service providers, ensuring programmatic and financial accountability and capacity building of national and regional counterparts. The UNDP is responsible for the management and the coordination of the implementation of the programme and providing oversight and effective and transparent use of the Global Fund resources.
In addition, UNDP is proactively exploring options to enhance health portfolio for greater development impact including, where relevant, through government financing.
Position Purpose
UNDP Iran has established a Programme Management Unit (PMU) to support implementation of Health portfolio. The PMU coordinates and oversees the implementation of the Programme funded by the Global Fund.
Under direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, and overall strategic guidance of the Resident Representative, the Programme Manager will be responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary team, achieving a high level of programme performance, coordinating and building strategic partnerships, providing policy and strategic technical guidance, engaging with partners on strengthening national systems and health institutions, and ensuring coordination and synergies with health and development to leverage the GF and other related portfolios. This will be done in accordance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures and corporate agreements with the Global Fund, and working in close coordination with national stakeholders, the Global Fund (including Local Fund Agent), CCM, technical and UN partners, the UNDP Health Implementation Support Team (HIST) and other UNDP programmes/projects.
The Programme Manager will work towards enhancing health portfolio through applying integrated approach and proactively exploring and employing synergies and complementarities in other development areas to maximize impact.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Ensures strategic leadership, programme planning and effective management and oversight of the Global Fund programme, focusing on achievement of the following results:
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- Ensures strategic planning, oversight, and management of the programme in compliance with UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures, the grant agreement and corporate agreements with the Global Fund ensuring integration of the functional areas and policy integration and strong focus on sustainable institutional capacity development in government and civil society organizations.
- Ensures coordination, management, supervision, and oversight of the PMU across all functional areas to achieve programme goals, provide quality services, ensures programme delivery with full utilization of Global Fund allocation and the achievement of programme targets.
- Ensures regular review of the progress on workplan implementation, anticipates risks, and bottlenecks and ensures effective delivery and performance.
- Substantively contributes to assessing the programmatic impact and monitoring and evaluation of the programme and proactively leads on reviews for underperformance, bottlenecks and ensures the accountability for the timely implementation of corrective action(s).
- Manages and monitors the work of SRs and ensures due implementation of the SRs’ audit recommendations within the timelines set.
- Develops and maintains an organizational structure to ensure UNDP is resourced to deliver its commitments, leads on the recruitment of PMU staff, fostering diversity, equity and inclusion and builds the technical, management and leadership capacity of staff for promotion of organizational excellence.
- Ensures and oversees the development and implementation of the PMU learning plan, including the mentorship on UNDP and Global Fund policies, rules, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Ensures strong collaboration with UNDP regional bureau and headquarters, GF/HIST on all areas of strategic planning, management, oversight implementation and donor communication.
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- Ensures proactive financial, asset and health product management and oversight and controls are met and proactively performs risk assessments, focusing on achievement of the following results:
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- Leads on preparation of programme documents required by the donor, including work plans, budgets, monitoring and evaluation plans, and procurement and supply management plans and leads the negotiation of corporate agreements, timely reprogramming requests and identification of cost savings.
- Ensures UNDP’s financial, asset and health product (including quality control, insurance) management policies, procedures, and SOPs are followed and validated by internal reviews.
- Ensures timely preparation and quality submissions of financial and programmatic donor reports and responses to management actions, compliance with grant conditions and revisions to the grant agreement(s).
- Undertakes risk assessments, develops, and implements risk management matrix/plan with the PMU staff and implementing partners and ensures adequate oversight and support is provided, with timely incident reporting.
- Ensures compliance of procedures, systems to ensure safety and security of staff, assets, and health products in line with UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures.
- Supervises and ensures accountability for SR assessments, contracting, monitoring, with SRs work plan and budgets implemented in compliance with UNDP’s SR grant agreement, and service providers while ensuring quality of the programme and achievement of programme goals.
- Provides support in organization of programme audits and investigations under the guidance of the Resident Representative and in coordination with the Regional Bureau, Office of Audit and Investigations and GF/HIST and ensures timely follow up on audit recommendations; and
- Leads on SR audit process and monitoring the timely and effective implementation of the audit recommendations and ensures recommendations.
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- Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and support the implementation of the resource mobilization, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
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- Builds strategic partnerships and maintains strong working relationships with the National HIV and TB Programmes, Ministry of Health, and other partners related to assigned programmes, financial and technical partners, and UN Agencies to ensure transparent and effective management and oversight of the assigned programme/projects.
- Oversees development, implementation, and update of the PMU communication plan, in line with UNDP corporate communications policies.
- Provides substantive contribution to the national strategic planning processes for the programme based on evidence gained during implementation of the programme.
- Provides strategic advise to the Resident Representative on the range of value-added services that UNDP can provide to governments in the implementation of GF programmes and cost-recovery mechanisms including General Management Services (GMS) and Direct Project costs.
- Ensures close coordination with other health initiatives in the country to promote partnership building and avoid duplication of programmatic activities and to exchange critical and technical information and resolve programme implementation issues.
- Ensures coordination and synergies to leverage the GF portfolio.
- Proactively engages with the GF Fund Portfolio Manager and the Country Team and develops a strong professional relationship based upon mutual trust and respect, and supports during missions; and
- Leads on developing funding requests to complement UNDP’s PR role with other health and development activities and the development of project documents.
- Supports the RR and DRR in exploring new potential partnerships including IFIs and Government.
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- Ensures provision of strategic policy advice and technical guidance, focusing on achievement of the following results:
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- Ensures harmonization and integration of the programme into the national strategic documents on disease programmes.
- Provides strategic policy and technical advice to the National HIV and TB Programmes, the Ministry of Health, and implementing partners and supports work on programme adjustments as necessary.
- Participates in technical committees of the CCM and provides substantive technical contribution, as required.
- Supports implementation of interventions and policy guidance to ensure access to and uptake of HIV and TB and other relevant services; and
- Oversees implementation of planned studies and programme review(s) with the national programme(s), in collaboration with the National HIV and TB Programmes, Ministry of Health, the Global Fund, implementing partners, CSOs, UN agencies, financial and technical partners, and the CCM.
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- Ensures guidance and capacity building and facilitation of knowledge building and sharing, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
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- Engages with National HIV and TB Programmes, Ministry of Health, implementing partners, CSOs, UN agencies and financial and technical partners to strengthen national systems and health institutions, across functional areas including, procurement and supply chain management, financial management and oversight, SR management, risk management, project implementation and monitoring.
- Engages with national partners and oversees the development and the implementation of capacity development strategies and plans to support national entities to implement and assume the PR role over time, ensuring access to appropriate tools and resources and review on an annual basis to recalibrate implementation modalities, including payments to SRs.
- Oversees and provides strategic guidance and advice in developing and implementing an SR training plan in the functional areas in line with UNDP and GF’s rules policies and procedures, the development and implementation of SOPs, including developing a communication strategy with quarterly and semester meetings.
- Ensures the PMU works closely with the SRs team to improve reporting in line with their grant agreements (e.g., request for payments etc.).
- Ensures the PMU prioritizes participation in meetings with the CCM, the national disease programmes, technical partners and CSOs and the PMU is proactive vis-à-vis the national disease programmes and the national partners and maintains meeting schedules.
- Identifies and supports development of communication products (print, video) highlighting key programme achievements, best practices, and lessons learnt and contributes to information sharing with the National HIV and TB Programmes, Ministry of Health, implementing partners, CSOs, UN agencies, financial and technical partners, the Global Fund and the CCM; and
- Actively participates in UNDP and other relevant external networks to promote the programme and UNDP’s health and development work (conferences, community of practice, Yammer) and represents UNDP in relevant technical meetings, working groups at country, regional and global levels.
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- Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:
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- Ensures cross-unit cooperation, coordination, teamwork.
- Performs all managerial/leadership functions in line with the established UN and UNDP management norms, rules, and regulation, ensures highest standards of ethics, integrity and accountability in the personal and professional domains.
- Any other duty assigned by the Resident Representative/Deputy Resident Representative.
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Competencies
| Core |
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| Achieve Results: |
LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact |
| Think Innovatively: |
LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems |
| Learn Continuously |
LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences |
| Adapt with Agility |
LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands |
| Act with Determination |
LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results |
| Engage and Partner |
LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration |
| Enable Diversity and Inclusion |
LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity |
People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
| Thematic Area |
Name |
Definition |
| Business Direction & Strategy |
Strategic Thinking |
- Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
- Ability leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
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| People Management |
Manage Performance and Ensure
Accountability
Motivate and Direct |
- Ensure regular conversations with people about work.
- Provide positive and constructive feedback.
- Align people and resources with organizational vision, strategy, objectives.
- Understands and proactively builds the team/organization culture
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| Business Management |
Results-based management |
- Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
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| Business Management |
Partnerships management |
- Ability to build and maintain partnerships with a wide network of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
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| Business Management |
Risk Management |
- Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
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| Business Management |
Project Management |
- Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals
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| Health |
HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria |
- Knowledge of access to treatment and quality services, policy, and principles and strategic and/or practical situations for communicable and non-communicable diseases
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Required Skills and Experience
| Education |
- Advanced degree (Masters) in Public Health, Epidemiology, International Development, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or related field OR
- A bachelor’s degree in Epidemiology, International Development, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or related field with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a master’s degree.
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| Experience, Knowledge, and Skills |
- Minimum of 5 years’ progressive relevant experience with a master’s degree or 7 years with a Bachelor’s degree is required. At least two years of experience managing complex programmes/initiatives of similar nature, scope and complexity is required.
- Knowledge of UN or UNDP’s rules, policies, and procedures is an asset.
- Knowledge of Global Fund’s rules, policies, and procedures in the management of Global Fund grants is a distinct advantage.
- At least 2 years of managing experience of programmes/initiatives of similar nature, scope and complexity is a distinctive advantage
- Demonstrated experience in developing and managing strategic partnerships with the government and civil society organizations in the context of health and development programmes is an asset.
- Demonstrated experience in building the capacity of national entities in the context of health and development programmes is an asset.
- Experience in the monitoring and evaluation of health programmes is an asset.
- Fluency in English and Farsi both written and verbal is required.
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Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Please upload copies of your academic qualifications and 3 latest Performance Evaluations (if applicable)
Disclaimer
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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