Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. 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.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM) is a multilateral financing mechanism financed by member states, organizations, charitable institutions, enterprises, and others, aimed at eliminating the three diseases of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Established in 2001, the Global Fund has raised $53 billion USD as of December 2022, making it the world’s largest funding source for responding to these diseases.
Between 2002 and 2023, Vietnam received a total of $654 million USD from the GFATM to address HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Vietnam is among the countries that have consistently received funding since the inception of the Global Fund. With strong leadership commitment from the government and society, as well as technical and financial support from the GFATM and other partners, Vietnam has made significant strides in preventing, controlling, and managing these diseases.
The Country Coordination Mechanism (CCM) is a mechanism mandated by the Global Fund. The Global Fund grant agreement includes several provisions granting authority to the CCM to fulfill its role and authorizing the Principal Recipient(s) (PR) to collaborate with the CCM on oversight activities. The Vietnam Country Coordinating Mechanism (VN-CCM) serves as the national coordinating body for AIDS, TB, and malaria Global Fund grants. It was initially established by Decision No. 4557/QD-BYT issued by the Minister of Health on December 21st, 2004, comprising 23 members tasked with overseeing the national response to HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, as well as strengthening the health system and coordinating efforts among all stakeholders.
The CCM membership is broadly representative of various stakeholders, each representing an active constituency with an interest in combating one or more of the three diseases. The roles and functions of each partner within the CCM partnership are agreed upon by the mechanism, ensuring equity and transparency among partners. In relation to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria, the CCM is mandated to:
- Develop and submit grant proposals to the Global Fund.
- Provide effective grant oversight and support the implementation of grants funded by the Global Fund.
To support the CCM, a Secretariat was established, typically consisting of three individuals: a CCM Coordinator, an Oversight Associate, and an administrative assistant, assisting the Chairperson and the CCM in carrying out their functions. Led by the CCM Coordinator, the CCM Secretariat facilitates the effective implementation of a national strategy aimed at ending the diseases as pandemics by 2030, employing highly proficient political and technical skills to enable an effective governance mechanism.
Oversight is a crucial function of the CCM, focusing on essential financial, programmatic, and management aspects of the grant portfolio. Global Fund-supported interventions contribute to the broader national health response through enhanced use of strategic information and a risk management approach. The CCM Secretariat plays a pivotal support role in this function, ranging from facilitating logistical arrangements and coordinating with the oversight committee to synthesizing and analyzing information.
For the 2023-2025 period, the CCM Vietnam requested that the UNDP become the CCM Funding Recipient in Vietnam to support the efficient and effective operations of the CCM Secretariat for the current funding cycle. This transition was endorsed by the Ministry of Health. In late June 2023, the Global Fund CCM Hub, CCM Vietnam, and UNDP agreed on the project “Support to Vietnam GF CCM for the Duration of 2023-2025”, and a funding agreement was signed by these parties, effective from July 1, 2023. UNDP sees its role as CCM Funding Recipient as temporary, with the expectation of returning this role to the Ministry of Health for the next funding cycle.
Given this context, UNDP Vietnam is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the position of Oversight Associate.
Duties and Responsibilities
There will be a dual reporting structure, with the Oversight Associate reporting to the CCM Chair/Vice Chairs, and the Head of the Governance & Participation Team (GPT) at UNDP via the CCM Coordinator. Administrative management of the Oversight Associate and quality assurance of their role will be through this UNDP line management structure. Technical oversight and instruction will be via the CCM Chair (or his/her designate) and CCM Executive Committee on behalf of the CCM.
Technical oversight and instruction involve providing expertise and guidance in the specialized technical areas relevant to the CCM Secretariat and the CCM more generally. It focuses on supporting the CCM Secretariat staff engaged in technical tasks, projects, or operations. Technical oversight ensures that work is performed according to best practices, standards, and quality requirements. The CCM Chair (or designate) will offer instruction, review technical outputs, troubleshoot issues, and maintain consistency and excellence in technical work.
Operational Area 1: Support Oversight Planning and Implementation
- Update the CCM oversight plan in coordination with the CCM Coordinator and the Oversight Committee and obtain full endorsement for this plan by the VN-CCM. Ensure the plan details specific activities, tools and methods for data collection, analysis and reporting, individual and/or constituency responsibilities, relevant elements and indicators related to risk management, issues related to sustainability or transition, and realization of co-financing commitments/co-financing tracking.
- Assist the Oversight Committee in the implementation of the annual oversight work plan. Ensure the implementation of activities of the oversight process, i.e. collection of information, analysis, provision of recommendations to the CCM General Assembly, following up on actions decided by the CCM and sharing oversight information with the Global Fund on a frequent basis.
- Develop and provide appropriate templates and liaise with PRs to establish clear procedures and formats for frequent information sharing.
- Communicate/coordinate with Principal Recipients (PRs) in the preparation and presentation of oversight reports based on key insights from the CCM dashboard, progress update/disbursement requests (PUDRs), Grant Management Dashboards, and/or other reporting tools available.
- Conduct oversight of agreed actions to strengthen sustainability of the national response and/or health systems. Support VN-CCM to identify key sustainability priorities for targeted efforts. Share and disseminate knowledge on sustainability, transition and co-financing priorities.
Operational Area 2: Provide Technical and Administrative Support to the CCM Oversight Committee
- Support the Oversight Committee in the implementation of oversight activities throughout the Global Fund’s grant life cycle (i.e., funding request preparation, grant-making, implementation and closure).
- Support the preparation and implementation of quarterly Oversight Committee meetings, ensuring all relevant information is adequately synthesized and organized to facilitate discussions.
- Support the Oversight Committee in the preparation and implementation of information collection activities, including meetings with PRs, site visits, consultations with specific groups (e.g. community-based monitoring initiatives).
- Develop and share procedures and templates to conduct site visits and support the Oversight Committee in their implementation. Specific tasks include; Analysis of issues to be explored during the site visit; Documentation of the site visit team’s findings and recommendations; Submission of the site visit findings and recommendations to the Oversight Committee.
- Ensure that all Oversight Committee members are informed about Global Fund oversight policies, guidelines and tools.
- Develop minutes of Oversight Committee meetings, including recommendations provided and actions agreed.
- Track CCM decisions and actions based on the Oversight Committee’s recommendations.
- Carry out additional tasks under this operational area as requested by the CCM Chair.
Operational Area 3: Facilitate and support analytical data-driven discussions and decisions
- Synthesize and analyze relevant information from different sources to support data-driven discussions of the CCM and its committees.
- Analyze data and triangulate with site visit reports to identify critical implementation and risk mitigation challenges of PRs.
- Summarize critical grant implementation issues and present them to the Oversight Committee using the available formats/tools.
- Ensure that all key processes are driven by strategic information drawn from in-country sources and Global Fund-specific-supported interventions.
- Work with the Global Fund Country Team, PRs, and the Oversight Committee to hold and maintain ongoing data-driven dialogue for grant performance purposes. The data-driven dialogue includes the identification and analysis of key financial, programmatic, management and risk-related issues/information contained in PR reporting tools and/or available oversight tools. An important aspect of analysis is the assessment of consistency of financial and programmatic data as well as the potential effect of identified risks on grant performance and on national program performance.
- Support the CCM (through the Oversight Committee) to actively oversee and manage risks, by ensuring that they are adequately identified and mitigated. This includes taking part in the development of risk assurance planning and validation processes.
- Support the Oversight Committee in tracking the status of co-financing commitments using available tools or procedures.
- Oversee timely and accurate updates of reporting tools and support the Oversight Committee presentations to the CCM.
- Ensure that information from community-based monitoring initiatives is considered and incorporated in the oversight assessments and reports.
Operational Area 4: Support to the CCM Secretariat
- Perform ad hoc tasks to support the CCM Secretariat as assigned by line manager and CCM leadership.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
For further clarity, the following Key Performance Metrics apply to key tasks noted above:
- Quarterly tracking and reporting on the absorption of resources available for oversight within the CCM funding agreement.
- Timely submission of analysis/technical summaries/completed oversight tools to support the Oversight Committee meetings. At least five working days before each meeting is considered best practice.
- Timely submission of draft minutes of Oversight Committee’s quarterly meetings with PRs to the Oversight Committee. Three working days after each meeting at the latest is considered best practice.
- Timely submission of site visit reports to the Oversight Committee Chair. Three working days after each visit is considered best practice.
- Biannual oversight orientation for all new Oversight Committee members.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Business Development
- Knowledge Generation; Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
Business Management
- Evaluation; Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks – Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
- Communications: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication, to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience; Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
Ethics
- Legal analysis and Report Writing: Ability to apply legal analysis to a diverse range of complex issues, and express themselves clearly; ability to communicate well, to all levels of staff and contractors/consultants, governments et.al.
Digital and Innovation
- Data analysis: Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.
Legal
- Legal analysis skills; The ability to digest a large amount of information and facts in order to frame and understand an issue, apply the legal framework to the particular set of facts and present a coherent and comprehensive analysis of the situation presented in order to deliver practical and meaningful advice. This skill includes the ability to provide an objective assessment of the case, the organization’s best arguments for proceeding and a recommended course of action. It also includes the capacity to think creatively and flexibly, within the applicable legal framework.
2030 Agenda: People
- Health; Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Secondary education is required.
- A university degree in Public Health, Finance, Business Administration or related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Experience:
- Minimum of 7 years (with high school diploma) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in monitoring the implementation of health project/program experience is required, with knowledge of programme or project evaluation.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.
- Solid experience in health system structures and project management is required.
- Solid understanding of governance and public health issues, Global Fund processes and its funding model is desired.
- Experience in public health and disease program management, particularly in the areas of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria is an asset.
- Experience in developing technical monitoring report and handling multiple tasks simultaneously is an asset.
- Having work experience in project work in a national or international setting and in multinational organizations is an asset.
- Working experience related to of HIV, Tuberculosis and malaria prevention and control is desired.
Required Languages:
- Fluent in English and Vietnamese is required.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP 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 at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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