Globally there has been a rising risk of Violent Extremism (VE), which has a direct negative impact on peace, security and sustainable development. In 2016 the UN Secretary-General presented a Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism to the UN General Assembly that provides a framework to tackle VE through preventive measures addressing the drivers. The Plan calls for national and regional Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) action plans and encourages member states to align their development policies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many of which are critical to addressing global drivers of violent extremism and enhancing community resilience. In particular, Goal 16 on the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

Tanzania has been affected by both regional and local violent extremist groups and activities, since 1998 with the bombing of the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam by Al Qaeda. In responding to this risk and in support of the new developmental approach, the Government of the United Republic Tanzania in collaboration with UNDP developed a three-year project entitled, “Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in Tanzania” (2017-2020). The main objective of the project is to support a preventive and developmental national effort for preventing and responding to violent extremism. In this regard it focuses on support to the policy level and capacity building of key institutions; resilience building at community-level; knowledge management; and support to women’s participation and applying a gender lens in all PVE activities. The main counterpart of the project is the Ministry of Home Affairs. Due to the sensitivity of the topic and need for a multiplicity of partners such as the Second Vice President’s Office Zanzibar, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Tanzania Police Force (TPF), Tanzania Prisons Service (TPS), Office of the Mufti of Zanzibar (OMZ), civil society organizations (CSOs), faith-based organizations, UN Women and UNESCO, this is a Direct Implementation (DIM) Project. It is active in five regions on mainland namely, Mwanza, Tanga, Pwani, Lindi and Mtwara, and in Zanzibar. The project has four offices; a main office in Dar es Salaam, and field offices in Mwanza, Tanga and Zanzibar, comprising a team of twenty-four people to supervise namely a National Project Coordinator; three Regional Coordinators; fifteen National UN Volunteers; one International UN Volunteer; one Administrative Associate and three drivers.

The project is situated in the Governance Pillar of UNDP Tanzania and contributes to achieving the United Nations Development Assistance Plan II (2016-2021) in Tanzania. The project is also part of an Africa Regional Preventing Violent Extremism Project, which covers eighteen countries.

The indicative outputs of the Tanzania project are:

1. National policy framework and intervention capacities strengthened to address the phenomenon of violent extremism.
2. Community resilience, livelihood opportunities and knowledge on violent extremism strengthened.
3. Gender and women’s active participation across all efforts to prevent and respond to extreme violence is promoted in Tanzania.

The project is divided into two phases: a first phase focused on research, support to the inclusive preparation of a National Strategy and Action Plan, and the implementation of pilot projects in Zanzibar, Mwanza, Tanga, Pwani, Lindi and Mtwara. The second phase is dedicated to support implementation of the National Strategy and Action Plan once approved and adopted by relevant authorities.

The Technical Specialist will lead the PVE project by providing substantive technical, organizational and managerial support in the areas of prevention of violent extremism. Furthermore, the Technical Specialist is the direct supervisor of the project team. In addition, the Technical Specialist will also provide technical support on projects related to community dialogue and peacebuilding. 

Under the overall supervision of the Resident Representative and working closely with the Governance Pillar Lead, Pillar Members and Project Team, the Technical Specialist will be responsible for achievement of the following results:

Effective and efficient Project and financial management:

• Ensure that Gender considerations are mainstreamed across all project interventions according to best practices and that work plans have 30% gender targets;
• Ensure 100% delivery on annual work plans;
• Conduct regular project review meetings with project partners;
• Conduct monitoring visits to project activity areas;
• Ensure timely reporting and information sharing with donors and key stakeholders;
• Review and provide quality assurance on field office work plans, activity plans, concept notes and budgets;
• Ensure that results contributing to SDG 16 are clearly reflected in all reports;
• Liaise closely with Programme Finance on the preparation of financial reports.

People management:  

• Ensure overall effective supervision of project staff in the Country Office and Regional Offices in Mwanza, Zanzibar and Tanga;
• Conduct coaching conversations on at least a quarterly basis;
• Ensure all project team members performance reviews are conducted on time;
• Ensure that planned results of the project team are effectively achieved.

Partnership building and resource mobilization 

• Coordinate and collaborate with responsible partners under the project to link and harmonize approaches and promote innovations and lessons in achievements of common results;
• Develop and strengthen links with local, regional and international partners to promote the activities;
• Lead on resource mobilization for the project;
• Sustain strategic engagement and partnerships with development partners and donors;
• Strengthen coordination and collaboration with project stakeholders;
• Strong management of partnership with UN agencies in the spirit of Delivery as One (DaO);
• Effective participation in the Governance Outcome Group; 
• Preparation and solicitation of the content for the web sites ensuring newsworthiness, consistency of the materials and high profile of UNDP projects and of DaO;
• Effective participation in the Governance Outcome Group. 

Effective and efficient technical support on violent extremism and peacebuilding/conflict prevention 

• Provide strategic guidance on co-ordination and implementation, including policy analysis and advice, capacity development and training with respect to activities related to peacebuilding, community dialogue and prevention of violent extremism;
• Provide technical and advisory support to national partners with respect to implementation of projects related to peacebuilding, community dialogue and prevention of violent extremism;
• Support development of a national strategy and action plan which articulate a development response to addressing the growth of radicalization and violent extremism;
• Work with CSO’s, faith based organisations and government bodies to increase the resilience of communities to respond to violent extremism;
• Provide support to design of capacity building workshops on PVE or peacebuilding/conflict prevention

Knowledge management  

• Support the development of a research platform on prevention of violent extremism in coordination with relevant partners;
• Regular analysis of situational factors driving violent extremism and radicalization and lead on the development of knowledge products;
• Ensure production and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices on PVE and peacebuilding/conflict prevention;
• Preparation and distribution of periodic topical briefs and reports;
• Contribute towards the UNDP website.

Oversight of the Crisis Risk Dashboard

• Growth and Sustainable Livelihoods; Inclusive Democratic Governance; and Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change and Resilience where data on security, environment, economics, social and political developments is gathered. It is updated on a regular basis, depending on when new data becomes available. Data sources include the Human Development Report, the National Bureau of Statistics, UN agencies, Afrobarometer, Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), the Zanzibar Anticorruption and Economic Crimes Authority (ZAECA), etc.  It also includes a Media Monitoring Tool which is updated daily with incidents related to the same categories mentioned above. All data available in the tool can be downloaded to visuals and used in reports or for presentations. Key areas of use are: Informing efficient programme design and implementation; risk analysis and early warning; application of conflict sensitive approaches; and preparation of reports and presentations on trends, country/region profiles. Oversight of the CRD includes: Contribute towards the UNDP website.

1. Ensuring the three focal points per pillar and the three focal points in the field update the data regularly;
2. In collaboration with the focal point in the Resident Representative’s office conducting periodic user research to continue to improve the tool, and provide support to colleagues when needed in generating reports;
3. Liaising with the Early Warning team in the Crisis Response Bureau on improvements to the tool.

Other tasks:

• Contribute to Country Office and specifically Governance Pillar deliverables, activities and corporate requirements such as reporting, monitoring and evaluation, communication, partnership management and resource mobilization;
• Engage on issues related to the Great Lakes Strategic Framework if required;
• Undertake any other responsibilities as may be assigned by the supervisor

• Innovation
• Leadership
• People Management
• Communication
• Delivery
• Sustainable Development
• Peacebuilding and Reconciliation
• Development Planning and Monitoring
• Relationship Management
• Results-based Management
• Project Management
• Knowledge Management

• Master’s Degree in a relevant academic field such as conflict analysis, security studies, peace building, political science or international relations;
• At least 7 years of increasingly responsible working experience in the area of peace building and conflict prevention/prevention of violent extremism.
• Strong project management experience, including project development and donor reporting.
• Thorough knowledge and demonstrated extensive experience in peacebuilding and conflict prevention/prevention of violent extremism policy development, programming and advocacy.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting conflict analysis and in designing and managing multi-stakeholder participatory conflict analysis processes and methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience in managing large teams.
• Experience with UNDP/UN agencies is an advantage.
• Familiarity with regional dimensions pertaining to East Africa in the area of peace, conflict and violent extremism.
• Work experience in East Africa is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint is required