Job Description

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0 UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1 Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2 UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) derives its mandate from United Nations General Assembly Resolution 33/147 of 20 December 1978. Called upon by United Nations Member States in that year, UNDP was requested “to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people by identifying their social and economic needs and by establishing concrete projects to that end”.

UNDP’s Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2023-2025 sets out a vision of “a world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free society”. The PPF is centered around the concept of “Transformative Resilience” and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership.

Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian national development plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas: i) democratic governance and quality services; ii) inclusive economic opportunities; iii) sustainable natural resources management.

UNDP is currently implementing the Education to Employment Programme in East Jerusalem, aiming to improve both access to education and pathways to decent employment for Palestinian youth. The programme adopts an integrated approach that addresses infrastructure gaps, quality of learning, institutional capacity, and employability outcomes.

To increase access to education, UNDP supports the provision and rehabilitation of classrooms, helping to alleviate overcrowding and expand learning opportunities, particularly in underserved areas. In parallel, the programme works to improve the quality of education through targeted investments in after-school activities, STEM education, and psychosocial support services for the most marginalized and vulnerable students.

At the systems level, UNDP strengthens the institutional capacity of national counterparts in education policy development, planning, and management, ensuring sustainability and alignment with national priorities. The programme also places strong emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), enhancing the relevance of skills development to labor market needs.

Within the overarching Education to Employment framework, a key focus is on supporting university graduates’ transition into the labor market. This includes skills development, employability training, and job placement support, with the objective of enhancing graduates’ competencies and improving their access to decent and sustainable employment opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following functions:

Ensuring effective project management by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project’s progress through monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• Implement and manage the project on a day-to-day basis, coordinate the implementation of the respective activities based on the relevant project document, including, supervision and guidance of other project staff, consultants and experts with a view to achieving project results.
• Ensure the timely and quality delivery of planned project activities.
• Develop comprehensive/detailed project work-plans that include all project activities and roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and set out corresponding milestones.
• Monitor the progress of implementation of project activities and key event schedules, review the work-plans and set deadlines, and monitor the financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
• Mobilize goods and services to support project activities, including Call for Proposals, drafting TORs and works/product requirements and specifications.
• Manage and monitor project risks initially identified, submitting information on the new risks and possible mitigating measures to the Project Board for consideration and updating the status of these risks by maintaining a Project Risk Log.
• Assume responsibilities in line with the office Internal Control Framework and act as a `first authority` for Project transactions.
• Ensure the adherence of project activities to the existing financial, procurement and administrative processes that are in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations and, at the same time, observe the project timelines.
• Ensure that gender equality is pursued in all project activities and reflected in work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses and, where relevant, analyzed in detail.
• Ensure that accessibility for people with disabilities is reflected in all project activities.
• Consult regularly with other UNDP projects and programmes related activities, where synergies are possible.

Conducting regular field monitoring and ensuring quality assurance of project implementation on the ground

• Plan and conduct regular field visits to verify the implementation of activities, assess progress, and identify challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure that all field activities are implemented in accordance with technical specifications, safety protocols, and environmental and social safeguards.
• Develop and maintain checklists and reporting templates to document field observations, implementation status, and any deviations from plans.
• Provide on-site technical guidance to contractors, service providers, and field staff to support the delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Prepare concise field visit reports with findings, recommendations, and photos, and share them with the project team and relevant stakeholders for follow-up actions.
• Support the design and implementation of quality assurance mechanisms, including spot checks, third-party verifications, and user feedback collection.
• Flag any implementation gaps or non-compliance issues and ensure timely corrective actions are taken in coordination with the project team.

Coordination and building strong partnerships with the implementing partners and relevant stakeholders, focusing on achievement of the following:

• Maintain strong relationships with the implementing partners, line ministries and other relevant partners and donors.
• Finalize the contractual agreements with implementing partners, contractors and consultants.
• Maintain regular management and quality assurance of expert inputs and products, as well as among project partners to ensure coherence and complementarity of project activities.
• Identify opportunities for deepening the cooperation and recommend adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information on all relevant stakeholders gathered during projects’ implementation.
• Maintain regular communication on relevant project issues with the local and international counterparts, consultants and experts and ensure quality and timely delivery of all agreed outputs;
• Maintain effective linkages with current and potential donors.
• Engage with groups and communities in project activities to reflect their needs and elements of success to the planned interventions.
• Communicate project goals and activities clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public.

Preparation and contribution to finalization and reporting, focusing on achieving the following.

• Prepare project progress and ad hoc reports (progress against planned activities, update on risks issues, expenditures) and ensure timely submission of the reports to the project board and relevant donor(s). The reports developed are expected to be of good quality with proper analysis of the results.
• Contribute in periodical corporate reporting, including Quantum quarterly progress and ROAR.
• Develop presentations and other materials that are needed to share information on achievements and challenges,
• Update and file the relevant documentation.

Knowledge sharing and other relevant responsibilities pertaining to the project implementation and contribution to the office, focusing on achievement of the following.

• Ensure compilation and synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices throughout project implementation.
• Support the strategic sharing of relevant knowledge and information gathered throughout project implementation phase, in close collaboration with the Communications & Partnerships Specialist.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Actively commit to learning to advance professional skills and career.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organizatiion

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance of the Assistant Special Representative and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist, the incumbent will undertake the assigned functions to ensure full implementation of deliverable in line with project documents and UNDP Rules and regulations, policies and management guidance. She/he will supervise a project implementation team consists of around 6 support personnel on NPSA contracts.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 2: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 2: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 2: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 2: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act withDetermination:

LEVEL 2: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 2: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 2: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

People Management:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional &Technical competencies

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Business Direction and Strategy

Effective Decision

Making

Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.

Business Direction and Strategy

Negotiation and Influence

Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.

Business Management

Relationship Management

Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and

others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Business Management

Results-based Management

Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

Business Management

Resource Management

Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity.

Digital

Portfolio design & management

Ability to identify leverage points in systems and design interventions that address them. The value of the interventions is determined not in isolation, but as part of the overall portfolio and their coherence.

Ability to design processes that extract learning on an ongoing basis from existing portfolios, so that learning accrues over time and new options for action are continuously generated.

Build a learning ecosystem around a complex development challenge: being able to mobilise a variety of stakeholders and help them learn and work together.

Understand key principles of systems and complexity theory.

Digital

Alternative finance

Ability to identify potential alternative forms of finance and mobilise them for the purpose of addressing development challenges.

Ability to review the skills, capacities, procedures and protocols that are needed to enable new financial mechanisms.

Ability to assess the risks, limitations and implications of using new financial mechanisms.

Set up the processes and structures to design, testing and implement new financial mechanisms. Managing outreach and stakeholder engagement

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Education, Social Sciences, Business Administration, International Relations, or related field is required, or

• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) inEducation, Social Sciences, Business Administration, International Relations, or related field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in managing or serving in a key programmatic role managing quality education Programmes/Projects with local governmental or non-governmental organizations, including civil society organizations (CSOs). Desired additional skills and competencies

• Proven experience in quality education projects project management, including planning, results-based management, financial oversight, and procurement, with demonstrated experience managing projects in crisis contexts.
• Solid experience with UN, international organizations / local governments, NGOs, and bilateral and multilateral donors’ organizations, liaising and cooperating with different stakeholders including donors, government, private sector and civil society organizations.
• Experience using monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Experience working in education-related projects, or social development relevant fields.
• Experience mobilizing new types of partnerships and/or expertise that leverage innovative solutions to address persistent and emerging development challenges.

Required Language(s) (at working level) Fluency English and Arabic is required. Professional Certificate Project management certification will be an asset

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.