Programme Officer - Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE)

The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Programme Officer for the Prevention of Violent Extremism in Ethiopia. The role involves contributing to regional development projects aimed at addressing violent extremism across Africa and the Arab States, collaborating with various regional bodies. The position is based in Addis Ababa and focuses on implementing strategies that integrate development solutions to counter violent extremism.
Mission and objectives
UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System. It serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a continuous spectrum of in-depth local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UN Guiding Principles) is widely recognized as the most authoritative, normative framework guiding efforts to reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of business operations on human rights. Experts have described it as the single most important innovation in promoting sustainable business practices in the last 25 years – a role that is reinforced by its inclusion as one of the Means of Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda).

Context
UNDP's Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA) is one of five UNDP Regional Service Centres in the world, developing high-quality knowledge and policy for UNDP in Africa. Situated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it acts as the organization’s main interface with regional and continental bodies such as the African Union and Regional Economic Communities and serves 46 Country Offices in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, it implements cross-border issues including preventing and responding to violent extremism cross Africa and Arab States regions in collaboration with the Regional Hub for Arab States based in Amman. This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNDP’s four-year regional development project, Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in Africa and Arab States: A Development Approach. The project builds upon the regional, multi-country project ‘Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in Africa: A Development Approach’, which provided the first regional development response to prevent and address violent extremism and expanded its coverage to include the dynamic nexus between violent extremism in Africa and in the Mashriq of the Arab region. The regional project is implemented in six sub-regions: East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa (including the Lake Chad region, the Mali-Burkina Faso-Niger triangle, and the Littoral States), Southern Africa, North Africa, and the Mashriq of the Arab States region. The sub-regional windows focus on evidence-driven, well-coordinated strategies to position Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) as a key element in addressing underlying development challenges that contribute to violent extremism, offering a development-based solution. In these sub-regions, the aim is to foster optimal interplay between PVE support for Regional Economic Commissions or Institutions, national government agencies, and local/grass-roots interventions. This collaborative approach is expected to flourish and provide the greatest potential for cross-border responses to address the transnational phenomenon of violent extremism. Within these sub-regions, the project's PVE-specific interventions at national and community levels focus on 5 pathways to prevention: whole-of-government and whole-of-society strategies that foster enhanced trust relations between state security services and at-risk individuals; disengagement and reintegration (including mental health support); alternative narratives through media and technology; the resilience of faith-based organizations; and gendered interventions.

Task Description
As a member of the Governance and Peacebuilding Team, the UNV will assist UNDP in implementing programmes and projects in the area of PVE. This will involve conducting research; supporting project implementation at both regional and Country Office levels, including monitoring, evaluation, and reporting; assisting in the production of communication and knowledge materials; and undertaking other tasks as directed by the supervisor and the Regional Governance and Peacebuilding Coordinator. Under the direct supervision of the Regional PVE Programme Specialist and the overall guidance of the Regional Governance and Peacebuilding Coordinator, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: Support regional coordination and technical support to Country Offices • Provide technical support in the thematic area of prevention of violent extremism and peacebuilding, as needed in the project implementation. • Participate in the identification of good practices in the areas of PVE, conflict prevention and peacebuilding by sharing knowledge and approaches for better supporting Country Offices and ensuring relevance of programming. • Support the organization of events related to PVE, such as roundtable discussions; UNDP technical missions and coordination with regional counterparts and partners including civil society; drafting briefs and updates on PVE efforts for tailored audiences; maintaining contacts with relevant stakeholders, including NGOs and research institutions. • Assist in the development and dissemination of tools for PVE across the regional and sub-regional PVE community of practices. • Contribute to identifying entry points and opportunities for synergies and collaboration. This may include liaison and exchange with relevant regional entities and initiatives, with the objective of enhancing in-country knowledge and sharing expertise. Support development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting of PVE programmatic interventions in the region • Support the PVE programmatic interventions in the region through coordination, communication and knowledge sharing, as needed. • Support drafting briefing notes, reports, concept notes, analytic papers, talking points, and proposals as needed. • Perform analysis and research in the thematic areas across the region using online sources and virtual libraries to help the team and network practitioners stay informed about trends and developments, including those related to VE policies and initiatives on issues such as gender, human rights, rule of law, and media. • Assist in the planning and organization of necessary administrative support for missions, workshops/webinars, and other project activities. • Support the development of M&E plans and risk management plans that reflect contextual indicators and measures for mitigation. • Coordinate with PVE M&E and reporting colleagues at the Country Offices for inputs into M&E Framework and reports including progress reports (quarterly, bi-annual and annual), as required. • Support the preparation of donor reports, ensuring timely and accurate updates on project progress and achievements. • Assist with maintenance of all data and records relevant to the peacebuilding and PVE areas. This may include developing/updating the database for various expertise/ consultants in respective thematic areas • Analyse and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation; accompany the identification of opportunities for initiation of new areas of cooperation; support exchange at regional level through initiatives and sharing of lessons learned and good practices. Support to the development and implementation of communication plans and strategies • Contribute to the development and implementation of comprehensive communication plans and strategies aligned with PVE regional project. • Support the preparation of key messages for the project and specific communication and visibility package for key events. • Identify and craft compelling storylines and content for various publications and articles aimed at advocating for PVE efforts. • Produce a range of communication materials, including written articles, newsletters, visual stories, videos, podcasts, and social media content, to effectively communicate project activities and impact. Perform any other duties as assigned by his/her supervisor.

Competencies and values
• Adaptability and flexibility • Building Trust • Client Orientation • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Creativity • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Knowledge Sharing • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity • Self-management • Technological Awareness • Working in Teams

Living conditions and remarks
Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia, located in the country's geographical center. It is the largest city in Ethiopia and plays a central role in political, economic, and symbolic contexts. Addis Ababa is among the fastest-growing cities in Africa and serves as a hub for the nation's transportation network, which includes an international airport. The city hosts many of Ethiopia's service industries, such as banking, insurance, and publishing. Addis Ababa has a subtropical highland climate, with precipitation varying considerably throughout the year. The city encompasses a complex mix of alpine climate zones, with temperature variations of up to 10 °C (18 °F), influenced by elevation and prevailing wind patterns. Addis Ababa boasts a rich and diverse culture inhabited by people from all over Ethiopia and various parts of Africa and the globe. This diversity is reflected in the city’s culture, a captivating blend of tradition and modernity. According to the UN security management system, Ethiopia's security level is Level 3. While it is generally safe to walk alone during the day, it is advisable to take a taxi at night. Petty crimes such as pickpocketing can occur. Office facilities are located within the UNECA Compound, and the dress code is casual to smart, with occasional requirements for formal attire. As this is an international UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.”