Senegal: UNV Regional Basic Social Services Specialist

UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT

Preamble:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.

In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

1. UNV Assignment Title: Regional Basic Social Services Specialist

2. Type of Assignment: International UN Volunteer

3. Project Title: UNV Regional Office and Field Unit Enhancement Initiative

4. Duration: 12 months with possibility of extension based on performance

5. Location, Country: Dakar, Senegal

6. Expected Starting Date: Immediate

7. Brief Project Description: The UNV Strategic Framework 2014-2017 advocates for the effective enhancement of the capacity of UNV Field Units based at the country level with high quality programme advisory support through a regional office. The Strategic Framework informs the Global Programmes in the following focus areas: a) Access to Basic Services, b) Community resilience for environment and disaster risk reduction, c) peace building, d) Youth and national capacity building through volunteer schemes. Within the context of the UNV Strategic Framework and through the Global Programmes, the UNV Regional Offices are to provide high quality programmatic support and establish strategic partnerships at the regional level to promote volunteerism for peace and development in their respective regions.

8. Host Agency/Host Institute: UNV Regional Offices Dakar, Senegal

9. Organizational Context:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN Volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity. UNV engaged 6,351 UN Volunteers in 2013, on a total of 6,459 assignments. UNV is headquartered in Bonn, Germany and has Field Unit presence in about 69 countries.

The UNV Regional Offices is a pilot initiative currently being implemented in four locations, Bangkok, Nairobi, Panama and Dakar and expected to be expanded to other regions. It is composed of a Regional Manager and 5 international UN Volunteers and 1 Programme Assistant. At UNV HQ level the UN Regional Office is headed by the Chief Programme Coordinator. The key objectives of the Regional Office are: (i) provide high quality programme advisory support to the Field Units and partners; (ii) establish strategic partnership with UN entities, Government, Regional Bodies, Civil Society Organisations and Volunteer Involving organizations to position UNV at the regional level; (iii) effective advocacy and promotion of volunteerism at the regional level through relevant conferences, fora, networking, etc. Within the context of the UNV Strategic Framework (2014-2017), the UNV Youth Volunteering Strategy (2014-2017) and the Global Programmes, the international UN Volunteers under the Regional Offices will work in the five priority areas where volunteerism has a transformational and cumulative impact on the lives of people.

10. Type of Assignment Place: assignment with family

11. Description of tasks:

Under the direct supervision of the UNV Regional Manager, who is the head of the UNV Regional Office, the UN Volunteer Regional Basic Social Services Specialist will:

1. Undertake and support the strategic planning and programming on Basic Social Services initiatives in the region in line with the UNV Basic Social Services Global Programme including programme development, preparation of concept notes and project documents, technical and coordination support to Field Units.

Specifically she/he will undertake the following key functions:

• Keep abreast of development challenges and priorities on volunteering and Basic Social Services in general in countries within the region to identify relevant entry points at the UNV Field Units (FU) level for programming and partnerships;

• Provide support to FUs in developing the concept notes and project documents in line with the strategic quality criteria to be considered for funding under UNV global programmes;

• Develop consistent result frameworks and theories of change aligned to the UNV IRRM, the global programme documents and global projects for each priority area;

• Identify programmatic opportunities that maximise potential for volunteer mobilization as well as promotion of volunteerism in working closely with the FUs and the Portfolio Managers;

• Gather relevant information and analysis on regional trends on Basic Social Services in general and related volunteerism in particular as a basis to make substantive contributions to discussions, network, think tanks, etc. on Basic Social Services and volunteerism;

• Under the guidance of the Regional Manager, undertake a scoping exercise in conjunction with the UNV FUs to gather technical knowledge and evidence based results to inform emerging and ongoing initiatives on Basic Social Services in general and related volunteerism;

• From the Basic Social Services angle provide regional-level assessments, analysis and trends on how volunteering is an asset and noting the challenges to support regional Basic Social Services initiatives with regional and sub-regional bodies;

• Under the guidance of the Regional Manager provide substantive inputs to UNV Field Unit teams in their engagement with UN agencies through the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and Country Programme and other planning tools for forecasting of demand in their programmes;

• Undertake missions to support UNV Field Units in programme and project formulation on Basic Social Services in general and related volunteerism within the context of the national development plans, CCA and UNDAF processes.

• Undertake mapping exercises in order to identify the regional, sub-regional and national pipeline of projects of different UN agencies, including UN joint programmes;

• Under the guidance of the Regional Manager, participate in different forums and meetings on Basic Social Services issues, including the initiatives under the UN regional interagency thematic group on Basic Social Services.

• Integrated UNV knowledge and innovation in programme development;

• Provide inputs to the work plans and advisory services on Basic Social Services at the FU and Regional Office levels;

• Under the guidance of the Regional Manager, support effective result reporting on global and regional programmes and aggregate results to report progress against UNV IRRM and global programmes/grobal project result frameworks.

• Assist the Regional Manager in identifying and strengthening relationships with main partners in the region on programmatic issues related to Basic Social Services in general and related volunteerism. Specifically:

• Work to assist Regional Manager to explore potential and develop existing programmatic partnerships;

• Effectively use evidence based information gathering on volunteerism-related Basic Social Services in the region and develop into advocacy products and projects for resource mobilisation;

• Build and strengthen relationships with Volunteer Sending Organisations, Civil Society Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations, universities, community organizations, youth organizations and other partners in the region;

• Gather donor intelligence and mapping of relevant partners. Contribute to conceptualization and realization of fundraising material. Contribute to development of social media packages.

• Others Tasks:

As the UNV Regional Office is a multidisciplinary team, the team members are expected to support each other and step in in absence of a team member. The team members will also be assigned other tasks by the Regional Manager.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);

• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;

• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;

• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;

• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;

• Encourage, mobilize and support co-workers, fellow UN Volunteers and members of the local community to play an active part in peace and development activities on a voluntary basis;

• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

  12. Results/Expected Output:

• Concrete programming initiatives on basic social services and related volunteerism at the regional level and field offices;

• Evidence based information on volunteerism and basic social services at the regional level is documented, disseminated and used for resource mobilisation;

• Effective support to UNV Field units to develop concept notes, project and programme within the context of UNDAF, Country Programme, UNV Global Programme, etc.

• Active participation in basic social services related fora, conferences, meetings, working groups and effective follow up on recommendations for action;

• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of programming and partnerships supported, volunteer activities participated in and capacities developed.

  13. Qualifications/Requirements:

• Preferable a masters degree in development studies, international development, social services, social inclusion, local governance, sociology, economics, programme development and management or equivalent academic areas;

• 4-5 years working experience with at least 2 years on basic social services related issues, preferably as it relates with volunteerism, in an international environment or national level;

• Substantive knowledge in project design and formulation as well as monitoring implementation;

• Knowledge and analytical overview of the development realities and challenges in the region;

• Knowledge to network and mobilisation of resources is an asset;

• Fluency in written and spoken French and English

• Advanced computers skills (word-processing/spreadsheets, PowerPoint) and

• Ability to work in teams from a multidisciplinary and cultural background.

  14. Living Conditions:

  The assignment will take place in the nation’s capital, Dakar, a family duty station (Hardship classification A). Dakar is a livable city. The spontaneous reception and hospitality of the Senegalese is among the characteristic features of this West African country.

  The living conditions in Dakar are good, as well as the access to health services. The yellow fever vaccine is compulsory, and evidence of yellow-fever vaccination is required for entry, especially for travellers from yellow-fever endemic countries. Vaccinations against Meningococcal Meningitis and Hepatitis A and B are also recommended. Medications are available at pharmacies throughout Dakar. Travelers should carry a supply of any needed prescription medicines, along with copies of the prescriptions, including the generic name for the drugs, and a supply of preferred over-the-counter medications. Senegal is a country with a high incidence of malaria. The use of mosquito nets is highly recommended. Travelers are advised to consult their physician to discuss the benefits and risks of taking anti-malarial medication.

  According to ANSD/RGPHAE 2013 official estimates, the population of Dakar metropolitan area reaches over 3.1 million people. The total population of Senegal is 13.508.715 inhabitants (ANSD 2013). Senegal is located on UTC/ GMT. Senegal has warm climate and sunny days throughout the year that make it a comfortable duty station. Daytime temperatures are on average around 30°C. Rainy season is in the northern hemisphere’s summer/fall.

  The currency used in Senegal is called Franc CFA (XOF). On 30 November 2015 the average exchange rate is 1 USD = 620.460 XOF. Major hotels, airline companies, and some restaurants and businesses in Senegal accept the main international credit cards (Visa, MasterCard.). Debit cards are not widely accepted. It is also possible to withdraw cash from automated banking machines found in all the major cities.

  The accommodation facilities are in general good and the choice is wide. It is possible to rent unfurnished and furnished accommodations from 450 to 2000 USD. UN Volunteers can also co-rent and share private accommodations, which must comply with Minimum Operating Residential Security Standards (MORSS). The UNV Field Unit can provide assistance in booking temporary accommodation for the first nights at UN Volunteer expenses, which can be extended or not at UN Volunteer discretion until getting a permanent accommodation. Transportation in town can be easily arranged through local taxis.

  To enter Senegal, a valid passport is required. ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) nationals are not required an entry visa. Nationals of other countries may require an entry visa or long stay visa. They should contact the closest Senegalese representation. Senegalese Embassies and consulates in various West African countries and in other parts of the world issue visas prior to travel.

  15. Conditions of Service

  The initial duration of the assignment is 12 months. A volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) which is composed of the Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) and a Family Allowance (FA) for those with dependents. The VLA is intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities and is equivalent to US$ 2,155.40 for volunteers with no dependents, US$ 2,405.40 for volunteers with one recognized dependent, and US$ 2,605.40 for volunteers with two or more recognized dependents in November 2015.

  The above-mentioned amounts are calculated using the MLA rate applicable for the duty station to which the family allowance (if applicable) is added: $US250 for one dependent and $US 450 for two or more dependents.

  The MLA for the duty station is obtained from the base rate of US $ 1,554 which is reviewed once a year, and is adjusted on a monthly basis according to the movement (upwards or downwards) of the Post Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) applicable for each duty station. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) to ensure that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations despite varying costs of living. The applicable MLA is calculated as follows: MLA = (MLA base rate x PAM) + MLA base rate. See ICSC website http://icsc.un.org for more information on the applicable PAM rates.

  In addition, UN Volunteers are provided a one-time settling-in-grant (if applicable); Well-Being Differential (applicable only in hardship non-family duty stations) life, health, and permanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.

16. Application

If you are not a candidate in UNV’s database, please apply by registering your profile at https://ereta.unv.org/html/index.php?module=myprofile.

Important: once you have created your UNV account by validating your email address, please complete all sections of your profile and select the following code: “**15GP_BSS**” from the drop down menu in the “Special Recruitment” tab of ‘MyProfile’. Your application can only be considered once you have submitted your complete UNV profile (green button). As a confirmation of your successful registration, you will receive an email with your UNV roster number.

If you are registered in the UNV database of candidates, please update your profile at: http://MyProfile.unv.org. In the “Special Recruitment” section on the left, click on the “Edit” button and select the advertisement code “**15GP_BSS**” from the drop-down list.

Closing date: 31 January 2016

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.