Project Analyst- Civil Society

This vacancy is advertised using a tiered application process:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments.
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers.
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates.

Background and Organizational Context

UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) was established through a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1978, calling upon UNDP “to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people”. Since its establishment, UNDP/PAPP has delivered over USD 1.7 billion in development assistance to the Palestinian People.

UNDP’s Palestinian Programmatic Framework (PPF) 2026-2027 sets out a vision of “a world in which all Palestinians can enjoy a dignified life and fulfil their own vision of a unified, peaceful and free society”. The PPF is centered around the concept of ‘Transformative Resilience’ and its three elements: a cohesive Palestinian identity, self-reliance, and ownership and leadership. Over the next three years, UNDP/PAPP will build on its experiences and achievements to make critical contributions to the priorities defined by the Palestinian National Development Plans and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), through interventions in three programmatic priority areas:

• Democratic governance and quality services;
• Inclusive economic opportunities;
• Sustainable natural resources management.

The UNDP/UNICEF/UN Women Sawasya III Joint Programme (Promoting the Rule of Law in Palestine) is the United Nations’ foremost programme aimed comprehensively at promoting and advancing the rule of law, justice, security and human rights in Palestine. During the period 2018-2023, the programme has endeavored to enhance the capacities of, and public confidence in, rule of law institutions, and strengthen access to justice, security and protection services, especially for women and girls. Interventions are designed with a view to sustainability and linking activities to ‘system-level’ policy development.

As part of the third phase of the programme and backed by a consortium of development partners, with numerous national and international actors, Sawasya III supports government institutions and civil society working in justice, security and protection to strengthen access to efficient, equitable and accountable services for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Partnership with UN Women and UNICEF in this joint programme underpins the gender and child rights components throughout the justice chain and within relevant public services. Civil society partners and academic institutions are vital elements of building an inclusive State of Palestine that respects, protects and fulfils human rights and gender equality, and promotes development, peace and security – the fundamentals of the United Nations’ mission in Palestine.

Support rests on a supply and demand equation that combines enhanced service delivery by resilient justice and security institutions with the public’s ability to access such services and hold duty-bearers to account. By increasing public confidence in the sector, support is designed to be catalytic, strengthening state-society relations and creating an enabling environment for development and peacebuilding. Interventions are informed by a coherent theory of change and characterized by flexibility and responsiveness to institutional changes as a result of political developments.

The Sawasya III Programme is oriented around the following four mutually reinforcing outcomes:

• People, particularly those at risk, have improved access to high-quality services relating to their legal, psychosocial, protection, and security needs.
• People are served by responsive institutions that have strengthened their capacity to operate in an effective, efficient, people-centered, and accountable manner.
• Societal and institutional behaviors and attitudes that uphold human rights, gender equality, and equity principles are embraced.
• Women’s access to gender-responsive and inclusive justice, security, and protection services is strengthened.

About the Role

The Project Analyst, Civil Society will contribute to the implementation of the UNDP/UN Women Joint Programme Strengthening the Rule of Law in the oPt: Justice and Security for the Palestinian People, also known as Sawasya (Phase III). Under the direct supervision and guidance of the UNDP Sawasya Technical Specialist, the Project Analyst will be responsible for the management, implementation, and delivery of key components under UNDP civil society while supporting delivery of relevant components related to other programme outcomes. The role involves creating synergies to establish and further develop knowledge networks in the practice area, maintaining partnerships, resource mobilization, budgetary oversight, and contributions to knowledge management within their practice sector.

Responsibilities

Programme Implementation and Strategic Management

• Support the Governance Team Leader on oversight of the broader UNDP CSOs governance portfolio.
• Advise the Joint Programme and oversee implementation of the UNDP CSOs components of Sawasya across Palestine including West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip.
• Assure efficient and effective implementation of the CSOs components of Sawasya including budgetary and financial management, work planning, procurement, recruitment, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting functions.
• Supervise and support the UNDP CSOs Sawasya team, ensuring timely and efficient delivery of the programme outputs through day-to-day planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, using a client-satisfaction approach.
• Closely monitor the delivery status and prepare written monthly progress updates – both narrative and financial – in relation to the agreed work plan and implementation strategy. Contribute to the preparation of the bi-annual progress reports.
• Prepare annual work plans, a human resource plan, and procurement plans in line with the programme outputs and objectives.
• Contribute to the development of the project documents and work plans of the Governance unit, particularly those related to the rule of law.
• Contribute to the reviews of the rule of law and Governance interventions.
• Manage human resources issues related to the CSOs team including planning/provision of training to ensure satisfactory performance, assessing performance, and supporting the Joint Programme Manager in recruitments.
• Assess the impact and effectiveness of the programme through regular field visits and highlight achievements, progress, and challenges with photographs and narrative descriptions of work with partners, particularly that directly impacting the targeted communities, and upload in a timely manner to knowledge management media provided through the programme.
• Suggest and structure itineraries for visiting colleagues, donor stakeholders, and evaluation teams.
• Provide support in advancing thematic coordination on rule of law and access to justice and ensure consistency and complementary implementation in relation to other UNDP programmes.
• Represent UNDP in inter-agency fora related to CSOs, rule of law, and governance portfolio, where required.
• Assist the Joint Programme in monitoring the Programme Risk Assessment, in particular with regard to the political, legal, social, economic, and security situation.
• Keep the Programme Management abreast of programme planning, development, and/or obstacles related to the CSOs portfolio in order for UNDP/PAPP senior management to provide regular updates to the PA Stakeholders.
• Regularly brief the Sawasya and the Governance Team Leaders to ensure integration of the programme within the overall programmatic approach.
• Carry out any other relevant duties as requested by the Joint Programme Manager.

Technical Advice on Access to Justice

• Maintain an up-to-date mapping of the activities of CSOs in the field of rule of law and access to justice to identify gaps and ensure concerted engagement by relevant actors, both international and national.
• Create strategic partnerships with specialized civil society organizations and supervise the provision of support to enhance access to justice including supervision of the selection process of CSO partners through the regular update of the roster; keep the Programme Management abreast of selection results and provide regular updates of selection criteria.
• Supervise the provision of technical and financial support to local CSOs in the field of legal assistance to strengthen their expertise and efficiency.
• Maintain and support the further development of a coordination mechanism among all stakeholders which will ensure the capacity development of national civil society organizations and the system in providing for the legal aid needs of the Palestinian community and promoting legal awareness.
• Supervise the conduct of regular public outreach and civic education sessions.
• Engage in capacity and confidence-building with the justice and security sectors, including consultative and participatory processes with national stakeholders as well as with women/youth’s networks and legal professionals.
• Organize baseline information gathering on access to justice and judicial performance.
• Extend partnership with Palestinian lawyers to improve and increase provision of legal aid services.
• Ensure the maintenance and development of legal incubators and legal/social clinics in consultation with existing rule of law and human rights organizations.
• Liaise with national counterparts, UN agencies, national and international NGOs, and targeted populations in relation to access to justice issues.
• Conduct thematic analyses and programme review, including strategic guidance on activity planning and implementation strategies.

Financial and Operational Management

• Ensure integrity of financial and administrative procedures as well as a consistent application of UNDP rules and procedures with regard to programme implementation and operations.
• Supervise requisitions, purchase orders, and payment requests in Quantum, and ensure monthly delivery updates to the Joint Programme on financial delivery performance.
• Provide leadership and oversight to ensure that qualitative services are provided to national counterparts and beneficiaries including fair and transparent procurement processes and efficient operational support.