Young Professional Officer (National)
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| Reference |
11620 |
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| Job Type |
Full-time |
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| Job Status |
Sourcing |
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| Date Posted |
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 |
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| Location |
Kabul |
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| Duration |
12 Months (extendable) |
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| Company Information |
UNDP/Country Office
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Website: http://
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| Job Description |
Nationality: Afghan
UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and coordinates global and national efforts to reach the Millennium Goals, connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. In Afghanistan, we are working with the Government, non-government, civil society, private sector, community based development organizations and supporting them to find their solutions to global and national development challenges.
Our focus is helping to build and share solutions to the challenges of Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Energy and Environment, HIV/AIDS. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, access to equal opportunities, empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming.
Strategy:
The YPO Initiative is designed for highly qualified and motivated young professionals recently graduated from University. These young professionals should possess academic background in areas relevant to UNDP Programme Focus, namely 1) Poverty Reduction and the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; 2) Democratic Governance, including the governance of HIV/AIDS responses; 3) Crisis Prevention and Recovery; and 4) Environment and Sustainable Development as well as 5) Advocacy and Communications; or similar development areas.
In order to ensure best business solutions and operational services required for implementation of development projects, UNDP specializes in providing management services. These management services are in the areas of: (1) Business Solutions covering human resources management and procurement services, (2) Administration and Security Services covering transport management, conference and workshops and general administration, (3) Budget and Finance, and (4) Information and Communication Technology.
The Young Professional Officer (YPO) Initiative provides the following twofold benefits: First, it provides Young Professionals the opportunity to start a development career through “on the job” professional development that can be based on learning from UNDP’s programmes, policies and operations. While the initiative provides the Young Professionals with the benefit of gaining experience with UNDP and hence better prospects to find career opportunities, it also allows UNDP to strengthen its own resource base and research capacity.
The Young Professional Initiative will largely be based on volunteerism with UNDP providing a monthly fee to cover transport and subsistence costs. Each year, 10 candidates will be accepted as YPOs, depending on capacity needs and country office initiatives. Selected Young Professionals will be assigned to either a programme cluster/team or operation/management cluster team, as per their specialization and interest. Young Professionals are expected to make significant contributions to the work of the assigned teams/clusters.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The Young Professional Officers will provide substantive program or management support services in UNDP:
1. Supporting program or management support services, depending on assignment to either program or operations. Program support will include reviews, research, best practices, policy development tasks, results management and monitoring. In operations, these will include support for business solutions (HR management, Procurement management), support budgeting and finance and administration;
2. Support in establishing UNDP network of practitioners in Afghanistan, tap into knowledge and be the center for referrals services nationally, regionally and globally. Contribute to UNDP regional and global knowledge networks;
3. Carry out monitoring and review of performance and prepare concept or strategy papers to strengthen UNDP responses to development and operation needs;
4. Prepare advocacy materials to disseminate the experience of UNDP globally.
Managerial Arrangements and Oversight:
The YPOs will work in an office environment with an emphasis on teamwork. The Assistant Country Director/Unit Head will be responsible to provide primary oversight of the work of the candidate assigned to them.
Insurance:
UNDP does not accept responsibility for medical insurance. Young professionals must ensure that they carry appropriate medical and life insurance coverage for the entire period of the programme.
Duration of Programme:
The candidates will be offered a Special Service Agreement (SSA) contract for duration of 12 months. In principle, contracts will not be renewed. The Young Professionals will be on probation for three months, i.e. the initial contract will be for three months, renewable for another nine months if the performance is satisfactory.
All Young Professionals are expected to bear the costs such as travel from home to duty station and back, if any. UNDP Afghanistan will provide a fee of $500 per month allowance, with no other benefits for the period of their assignment. YPOs will not get any leave entitlement during the programme.
The contract does not carry any commitment on UNDP’s behalf of converting of the contract to a regular staff contract. Upon completion of 12 (twelve) months the contract will NOT be extended. |
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| Qualifications |
The Initiative is open to recent University Postgraduates (Masters) or equivalent either in UNDP Programme Focus areas, namely :
1. Poverty Reduction and the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;
2. Democratic Governance, including the governance of HIV/AIDS responses;
3. Crisis Prevention and Recovery; and
4. Environment and Sustainable Development or similar development areas; or
5. International relations, Mass Communications, business or public administration, Finance, Human Resources, etc.
Undergraduates (Bachelors) degree holders will also be considered, however preference will be given to those holding Masters Degree.
Female candidates, with either Bachelors or Masters degrees, are highly encouraged to apply.
Knowledge and skills:
1. Excellent command of English, both written and spoken is essential;
2. Excellent research skills;
3. Strong analytical skills ;
4. Outstanding academic success;
5. Flexibility and the capacity to work in different units of the Country Office;
6. Commitment and enthusiasm for development work;
7. Maturity combined with tact and diplomacy;
8. Ability to adapt quickly to new working environments;
9. Fully computer literate (MS Office);
No prior job experience is required. However, a maximum of one year job experience is allowed.
The eligibility for selection to YPO initiative is based on excellent academic qualifications and UNDP’s staffing needs. The YPO Initiative is meant for Afghan nationals only.
Corporate Competencies:
1. Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
2. Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
3. Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
4. Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Management and Leadership:
1. Focuses on impact and result for the client;
2. Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
3. Establishes priorities for self and other members of the team; schedules activities to ensure optimum use of time and resources; monitors performance against development and other objectives and corrects deviations from the course;
4. Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
5. Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills;
6. Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
7. Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
8. Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities; and
Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view. |
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| How to Apply |
Please note that UNDP Afghanistan 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 Afghanistan at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and education requirements.
Interested and qualified national Afghan candidates are kindly requested to apply on-line through the UNDP Jobs site at |
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