Policy Specialist on Legal Reform, Civil Society and Access to Justice - UNDP - Hanoi, Vietnam

Location: Hanoi, VIET NAM

Application Deadline: 01-Feb-13

Additional Category: Management

Type of Contract: FTA International

Post Level: P-4

Languages Required: English 

Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)   01-Mar-2013

Duration of Initial Contract: One Year

Background

Position category: Development Project Funded Post (DPF) Under the overall guidance of UNDP Country Director and the direct supervision of Deputy Country Director, the Policy Advisor on Legal Reform, Civil Society and Access to Justice provides advice on policies and trends and relevant linkages to UNDP programmes in the area of rule of law (RoL), legal reform and access to justice (A2J), as well as support for civil society engagement. The Policy Advisor works closely with national counterparts to conduct research, identify policy options and enhance the policy impact of UNDP projects and programmes. He/she contributes to UNDP’s policy dialogue with the Government, National Assembly, civil society, academia and other national partners, media and donors, and facilitates knowledge building and sharing. Viet Nam made the commitment to be a “socialist rule-of-law based state” in 1991, which became part of the current Constitution (last amended in 2001). This policy change opened up the path to institutional and legal reform. The legal framework is now comprehensive, with some 13,000 laws and sub-laws enacted since 1986, and the challenge is now to promote coherence, implementation and access, and to strengthen the application of rights-based norms. The use of law as a strategic tool for civil society has been increasing. The space for debate and advocacy on RoL and human rights issues has also been expanding. The Policy Advisor is located in the Governance and Participation cluster of UNDP Vietnam and works together with a national Policy Officer under his/her supervision, as well as a team of other Policy Advisors, Progamme Analysts and Programme Assistants. The Policy Advisor maintains a network with colleagues from UNDP, UN Agencies, IFIs, National Assembly, Government and justice sector officials, lawyers, research institutions and universities, civil society, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions: Provide advice to UNDP on governance reform in general, and on RoL, civil society and A2J in particular. Provide advice to national counterparts and facilitate knowledge building on RoL, civil society engagement and A2J. Build strategic partnerships and develop joint dialogue initiatives on RoL, civil society engagement and A2J. Advocate and promote UNDP’s mandate and mission. Provide advice and support to UNDP management/staff, programmes and projects focusing on achievement of the following results: Systematic monitoring of progress on governance reforms in Viet Nam, identification of data gaps and capacity issues, and development of strategies for the support to RoL, civil society development and A2J. Results-based management in governance programming, including planning, quality assurance and reporting focused on capturing transformational results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application. Substantive inputs to One Plan, Integrated Work Plan, project outlines and other strategic documents. Identification of possible new areas for UNDP support and adjustment of ongoing programmes to ensure that UNDP programmes are in line with national policies and priorities. Systematic efforts to promote cross-practice and multi-disciplinary initiatives involving policy and programme units within UNDP and joint initiatives across various UN partners. Quality inputs to sub-regional, regional and inter-agency initiatives related to RoL, civil society and A2J. Provide  advice to Government counterparts and facilitation of knowledge building focusing on achievement of the following results: Facilitation of policy dialogue on governance issues with the Government, National Assembly, other state bodies, universities/research institutions, lawyers, donors, civil society, private sector; contributions to development of policies as relevant. Acting as expert resource person and provision of international experiences, UN normative standards and policy options on RoL, civil society and A2J issues to Government, other state bodies and development actors. Commissioning research, surveys and other knowledge products to support evidence-based policy dialogue, debates and advocacy. Support access to justice and legal empowerment of the poor and disadvantaged/marginalized communities through supporting research, awareness-raising, legal aid, and rights-based education programmes. Support capacity development of civil society to conduct policy research, grassroots consultations and policy advocacy to the Government, National Assembly and other stakeholders, especially in relation to legal and judicial reforms and A2J Effective knowledge sharing on RoL, civil society and A2J by documenting lessons and good practices from UN norms and standards, academic literature, different projects, and developing knowledge-based tools (including policies, strategies, guidelines, etc). Regular assessments of Viet Nam’s RoL and A2J policies and their impact on poverty reduction, growth, equity, etc. Capacity building of UNDP/UN staff, Government and National Assembly officials and other national counterparts through on-the-job training and regular briefings on relevant new tools and skills related to RoL, civil society and A2J. Foster strategic partnerships and support implementation of joint dialogue initiatives focusing on achievement of the following results: Well-developed networks with governance practitioners within the UN System, in the wider donor community, and with key personnel government, academia, the legal profession and civil society. Identifying strategic opportunities for dialogue on RoL, civil society and A2J, and convening discussions involving relevant counterparts on topics related to ROL and A2J. Synergies and partnerships with regional initiatives as well as with other UN agencies, including advising and acting as expert resource to ROL/A2J related initiatives undertaken by other UN agencies, coordination of UN-wide policy advocacy and dialogue related to ROL, civil society and A2J and in the context of the formulation of joint programmes. Production of periodic updates and briefs on legal and judicial reform and country development situation to be used by development partners, UNDP and UNDP HQ. Undertaking of selected studies on emerging development concerns that feed into government/development partners processes. Advocacy and promotion of awareness of UNDP’s mandate and mission focusing on achievement of the following results: Effective advocacy on UN core values and UNDP’s policies on democratic governance in the dialogue with the Government, National Assembly, civil society, media and other stakeholders. Substantive inputs to UN/UNDP policy notes, statements, publications, press articles, etc. Management of events and publications on governance issues related to ROL, A2J and civil society, including report launches in the country, advocacy of the main reports findings among relevant Government agencies, civil society organization and donors. Impact of Results The key results of the post will strengthen UNDP’s contribution to the national policy dialogue and enhance the policy impact of UNDP programmes and projects. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design of programmes, and creation of strategic partnerships as well as joint dialogue initiatives. The post increases visibility of UNDP in the discussion about democratic governance and governance reforms.

Competencies

Functional Competencies: Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda Creates effective advocacy strategies Contributes to the elaboration of advocacy strategies by identifying and   prioritizing audiences and communication means Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work Building Strategic Partnerships Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UN’s strategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts Promotes One UN Communication agenda in inter-agency meetings Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches  Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise  Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments Creating Visibility for UN/Supporting UN Capacity to Advocate Develops promotional activities based on monitoring/evaluation information identifying areas requiring higher visibility Develops messages for use by UN staff when working with partners, internationally and nationally Reviews documents and materials intended for use within and outside the organization in order to ensure consistency and validity of messages Global Leadership and Advocacy for UN Goals Creates effective global advocacy messages/strategies Contributes to the elaboration of a global advocacy strategy by identifying and prioritizing audiences and messages Conceptual Innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise Leverages different experiences and expertise of team members to achieve better and more innovative outcomes Client Orientation Anticipates client needs Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective Core Competencies: Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents Building support and political acumen Building staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation Building and promoting effective teams Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication Creating an emotionally intelligent organization Leveraging conflict in the interests of UN & setting standards Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member. Fair and transparent  decision making; calculated risk-taking

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Advanced university degree in economics, law, public administration, political science, social sciences or related field. Experience: A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience from development cooperation with an emphasis on support to governance reform In-depth understanding of democratic governance issues, with a focus on processes related to Rule of Law, civil society development and Access to Justice, in Asia and/or countries in transition or similar context. Previous work experience in Viet Nam is a distinct asset Extensive experience from policy-related work, planning and management of development cooperation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and programmes Knowledge of donor practices and modalities. Familiarity with UNDP policies and programming practices. Excellent computer skills, including full working knowledge of standard word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software packages. Language Requirements: Excellent oral and written communication skills (English) Knowledge of Vietnamese is not a prerequisite but will be an asset.

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