UNDP Jobs - 83492- Specialist on Legislative Process and Parliamentar

Specialist on Legislative Process and Parliamentary Oversight

Location :

Kyiv, UKRAINE

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

28-Feb-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months with possible extension

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. 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.

Background

The EU-UNDP Parliamentary Reform Project (PRP) is aimed at strengthening the functioning of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU), to become a progressively more effective, accountable and transparent institution in carrying out its constitutional responsibilities of legislation, oversight, and representation with positive influence on the overall process of EU-Ukraine Association Agreement implementation. The project strategy is aligned with the priorities of the EU’s Single Support Framework for Ukraine 2018 – 2020, the Government of Ukraine – UN Partnership Framework 2018–2022, and the UNDP Country Programme Document 2018 – 2022. It is built on achievements and lessons learnt of the EU-UNDP Rada for Europe project (2016-2018) and will continue to support parliamentary reform, including through promoting the implementation of the recommendations of the 2016 Needs Assessment Mission (NAM). For the continuation of parliamentary reform, top level leadership and political ownership is key, which will be assured through continuous high-level consultations with relevant stakeholders and full transparency of project implementation.

The project is an EU-funded initiative strongly connected to UNDP’s Democratic Governance Programme and comprises of three components. Component One, #Rada4Reforms, will focus on fostering the parliament’s role in the overall reform process with a particular emphasis on improvement of the legislative process and parliamentary oversight, by providing comprehensive expert support to the implementation of the VRU Roadmap for Internal Reform and Capacity Building, improving the quality draft law expertise and impact assessment, and enhancing parliamentary monitoring.

Component Two, #RadaPro, will support the professional modernization of the parliamentary Secretariat, through the finalisation and implementation of its strategic development plan and comprehensive human resource development, including in the Committee Secretariats, along the lines of broader public administration reform (PAR) and the law "On Civil Service".

Component Three, #Transparent&Service-OrientedRada, by making use of new technologies for communications, civic education and participation in coherence will build stronger transparency and accountability links between parliament and citizens with special focus of increasing public trust to the Ukrainian Parliament.

In this context, the United Nations Development Programme is recruiting a Capacity Development Specialist with relevant experience and track record.

The Specialist on Legislative Process and Parliamentary Oversight will be directly responsible for implementation of the Project’s Component One, #Rada4Reforms.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

Design and implement parliamentary legislative and oversight activities under the project;
In coordination with the European Union Delegation to Ukraine, develop and co-ordinate practical links with the European Parliament and other partner parliaments, as well as other relevant institutions, to enable leveraging parliamentary development expertise in support of the VRU;
Provide briefings on parliamentary reform issues to the European Union Delegation to Ukraine;
Liaise with relevant stakeholders in project implementation, including specifically in advancing reforms on end-to-end legislative process and parliamentary oversight;
Coordinate development of project activities on strengthening parliamentary oversight taking into account, inter alia, Needs Assessment Mission recommendations, including consulting with key stakeholders at the VRU;
Co-ordinate technical advice and support to the VRU Reform working group;
Conduct research and analysis, process data, elaborate necessary documentation to operationalize and steer project initiatives and activities;
Lead the process of developing knowledge products, by codification of experiences and lessons learnt in the parliamentary legislative and oversight area;
Draft policy recommendations on parliamentary legislative process and oversight in line with the NAM recommendations and other related policy proposals, provide appropriate technical advice to the Parliament with regard to their implementation;
Provide technical advice, liaise with the key stakeholders, officials of the Parliament, partner organizations, international and national advisors and experts in the areas of the Project intervention;
Contribute to strengthening of the Parliament’s law-making and oversight functions, with a specific focus on building capacity of the VRU Apparatus;
Closely cooperate and coordinate with the stakeholders that are/will be active in the area of project intervention to better integrate EU's, UNDP’s and other’s interventions in the area of Parliamentary support and to ensure coherence and complementarity;
Supervise the team of individual consultants in the area of parliamentary legislative process and oversight;
Ensure quality assessment of the products produced by project’s external consultants;
Assume role of Officer-in-charge when the Project Coordinator is absent;
Contribute to the preparation of the project's progress reports and related monitoring meetings;
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor, and UNDP Ukraine Leadership.

Measurable outputs of the work assignment:

Project deliverables under the Output 1 - #Rada4Reforms – are timely achieved, with an emphasis on measurable results and quality, and properly reported;
Number of confirmed assumptions with regard to the implementation of expected deliverables under the Output 1 by the VRU;
The need for the knowledge materials on the legislative process and parliamentary oversight identified and addressed;

Performance Indicators for evaluation of results:

Project technical activities under the Output 1 are implemented in a timely fashion with an emphasis on measurable results and quality, and properly reported;
Assumptions with regard to the implementation of expected project deliverables under the Output 1 by the VRU are confirmed at appropriate level;
Beneficiaries’ learning outcome accomplished at a satisfactory level;
Quality of thematic learning and knowledge sharing materials;
Developed initiatives are coordinated to expand parliamentary oversight taking into account the SDGs agenda;
Number of policy papers, thematic briefs, pieces of legislation under Output 2 developed;
Project-related analytical materials are timely prepared and disseminated;
Programmatic activities in the related project Component are duly overseen, timely enhanced, and properly reported.

Competencies

Excellent writing, communication and organization skills;
Mature judgment combined with a proactive approach to problem solving;
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
Integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Strong organizational and time management skills;
Ability to work in team;
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines;
Familiarity with the parliamentary reform and public administration reform in Ukraine, good understanding of policy making cycle;
Knowledge of project management;
Excellent analytical skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Master’s degree or equivalent in political science, public administration, law, international relations, social sciences or related field;
A minimum of three years of professional work experience in legislative development process and/or parliamentary oversight at the national and/or international level, in project management or related area;
Experience in development of inter-institutional networks, including in the area of parliamentary development, would be an asset;
Experience in cooperation with governmental structures, international agencies, civil society organizations would be an asset;
Excellent knowledge of computer applications ;
Fluency in English and Ukrainian languages is required, fluency in Russian is desired.

This is a locally recruited position and no expatriation benefits will apply.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 28 February 2019
UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest. Applications may only be submitted for specific vacancy. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.