Job Identification : 11433
Locations : Khujand, Tajikistan
Posting Date : 06/13/2023, 11:43 AM
Apply Before : 06/28/2023, 03:59 AM
Degree Level : Advanced/Postgraduate Degree
Job Schedule : Full time
Agency : UNDP
Grade : NB4
Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area : Nature, Climate and Energy
Bureau : Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS
Contract Duration : 6 months
Education & Work Experience : Master’s Degree
Other Criteria : Bachelor’s degree in combination with 2 years of relevant experience may be taken into the consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree
Required Languages : English and Tajik
Vacancy Timeline
2 Weeks
Mobility required/no mobility
no mobility required
Job Category : Management
Job Description
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.
In May 2021, UNDP launched a Regional initiative “Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia (CCRCA)” with financial support from European Union, seeking to improve cooperation and resilience of local and regional stakeholders to the threats and risks posed by climate change. The project will be implemented by UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub for Europe and CIS in the Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, and Republic of Uzbekistan.
The overall objective of the EU funded and implemented by UNDP project “Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia (CCRCA)” is to support stability and climate resilient development in Ferghana Valley, a transborder area of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It aims to (i) improve knowledge of climate-fragility risks amongst stakeholders at local, national, and regional levels; (ii) facilitate risk-informed policymaking and transboundary resource management; and (iii) support practical risk reduction interventions. The Project will target both men and women as well as other vulnerable groups (marginalized, elderly, people with disabilities). The gender responsive approach will consider the structural barriers impacting women’s, men’s and socioeconomically vulnerable groups’ abilities to fully benefit from climate-resilient risk management and will integrate activities to promote gender equality and social inclusion. Further, the gender responsive approach will ensure that women and vulnerable groups have equal access to information and participate in, benefit from, and make decisions about the work of the project.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Project Coordinator collaborates with the Committee for Environmental Protection and relevant Government counterparts, UNDP relevant staff both in UNDP Country office in Dushanbe, Staff of Resilience Cluster of UNDP, as well as in the Local Implementation and Innovation Center in Khujand city. The incumbent is expected to exercise full compliance with UNDP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems.
Organization and Management:
- Develop annual work plans and execute project activities in consultation with the UNDP CO and the “Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia” Project Steering Committee;
- Ensure adherence of the project work plan to the Project Document, prepare revisions if required, and ensure synergies with other donor funded initiatives focused on climate change;
- Prepare regular progress reports in line with reporting schedules, as well as any other reports requested by UNDP, donor, Government and or other stakeholders;
- Prepare final project report and process all other requirements for the project auditing, midterm and final evaluation and closure of the project as per UNDP standard procedures;
- Ensure timely recruitment and procurement of quality services and equipment and implementation of project activities in line with applicable UNDP rules, regulation and standards;
- Manage the human and financial resources for achieving results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project document and annual work plan;
- Lead, manage and oversee the project staff and consultants to ensure timely implementation of project activities and achievement of expected results;
- Ensure the project team members have clear set goals and targets as per which performance assessment is conducted;
- Ensure that all project personnel maintain a high level of transparency, responsibility and accountability in M&E and in reporting of project results
- Undertake timely actions to respond to any project deviation or delays informing donor and partners;
- Review and ensure technical soundness and cost effectiveness of project activities;
- Support the establishment of monitoring frameworks and provide on-going feedback and technical backstopping and regularly monitor progress towards the identified indicators;
- Organize meetings of the Project Board (Project Steering Committee);
- Represent the project at the Project Steering Committee meetings, technical meetings and other appropriate fora in coordination with UNDP Country Office;
- Ensure timely planning and implementation of the envisaged baseline surveys, annual action research and project evaluations to inform project level planning and decision making;
- Ensure that project outputs have been achieved as appropriate, the project is successfully closed and that project outputs are revisited during the project evaluation process to assess the impact of project outputs on expected outcomes;
- Ensure security of the staff and assets belonging to the projects.
Delivery of Project Results:
- Oversee and monitor implementation of work plans and budgets for all project activities. Ensure that the project produces the results (outputs) specified in the project documents to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost;
- Monitor the project expenditures, commitments and balance of funds under the project budget lines, and draft project budget revisions in accordance with UNDP’s ATLAS system including the reporting on project funds and related record keeping;
- Monitor project expenditure, commitments and balance of funds under the project budget lines for cost efficiency and consistency with the Project Document and corresponding Annual Work Plan. Prepare results framework for each output and establish performance and impact assessment indicators and system.
- Ensure conformity of results with the Project Document and UNDP rules and procedures through budget preparation and management, planning and general monitoring of the project;
- Manage delivery of results by using up-to-date best practices and know-how in the subject area and accordingly plan delivery of resources for the performance year;
- Ensure that all project deliverables and documents are noted and stored, that the project is both operationally and financially closed in Atlas, that all tasks have been completed, that all assets have been transferred, that all issues are resolved and that the project is “done”;
- Ensure that the standard UNDP and GCF M&E requirements are fulfilled to the highest quality
- Review professional performance and document implementation processes and results through a project based professional reports.
Policy and Technical Advice:
The incumbent must arrange through different means the provision of policy advice to the Government as well as to the partners of the project, in the following areas:
- Prepare plan of action for policy support services;
- Provide intellectual or substantive leadership in the subject area through identification of key policy issues and formulation of best possible and alternative policy and programme options at local and national levels;
- Stimulate strategic thinking in the subject area, taking into account the needs of Government, local authorities, non-government and development partners as well as opportunities to develop national public goods;
- Map on a consistent basis the climate-related development issues, covering the situation and strategic opportunities in the form of reports;
- Identify opportunities to enhance teamwork within the project and with other UNDP projects to capitalize on the specific advantages of multi-disciplinary support within the framework of the project;
- Support to provide policy advice on the on-going policy development on climate change adaptation and ensuring the optimal design and sequencing necessary for enhancing the existing legal framework and institutional strengthening.
- Contribute to policy briefs, strategic notes, discussion papers on emerging climate change adaptation related issues, for consideration by the Government and other stakeholders;
- Review and contribute to all outputs and deliverables produced under the project;
- Analysis and aggregation of project results/outputs, and reporting of project progress at the objective and outcome level.
Knowledge Management:
- Support the development and implementation of capacity building activities aimed at government counterparts, civil society groups, media and relevant stakeholders.
- Contribute written inputs to UNDP flagship products/newsletter/policy briefs, based on project results, data and information, lessons learned and best practices.
- Formulate a framework for data sharing among stakeholders, for project implementation
- Support the Government with analysis and substantive research into national adaptation planning, and other major national and local development issues;
- Sharing international best practices on implementation of climate change adaptation policies and practices through participatory processes and techniques involving civil society, women and minority groups.
- Ensure systemic capturing of key lessons learnt generated by the project through feasibility studies, research, surveys as well as other primary and secondary sources to produce knowledge-based products;
- Serve as peer reviewer, as and when required.
Partnership, Communication and Resource Mobilization:
- Identify stakeholders and partners for the undertaking of various project outputs and activities;
- Develop new partnerships with civil society and/or non-governmental/ community-based organizations; local communities and private sector to deliver the project outputs and activities, as required;
- Establish and maintain sound partnerships with the Government, namely Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, donors and other strategic partners;
- Ensure that project activities are closely coordinated with stakeholders and that a high level of collaboration and cooperation is in place at the national, regional, provincial and district level;
- Liaise with project partners to ensure their co-financing contributions are identified, secured and provided within the agreed terms;
- Liaise with other relevant government and relevant partners/stakeholders, UNDP Country Office regarding the project, including to share information about trends, issues and results, to coordinate and utilize resources effectively and efficiently.
- Ensure adequate information flow, discussions and feedback among the various stakeholders of the project according to the agreed management arrangements;
- Proactively identify potential sources of funding and assist in resource mobilization for the project through development of concept notes and funding proposals to the potential donors and promoting project deliverables at the relevant development platforms;
- Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector;
- Mobilize resources to support the achievement of project outputs and outcomes;
- Ensure regular communication of project results, including producing communication products and visibility materials, and liaison with media in Tajikistan and beyond;
- Ensure visibility of the project, including adherence to visibility standards and templates of the donor, UNDP and Government, as required.
Institutional Arrangement
- The National Project Coordinator of the CCRCA Project will be based in Khujand city (Tajikistan). The The National Project Coordinator prime responsibility will be to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the project document to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.
- The National Project Coordinator will be responsible for the planning and implementation in compliance with UNDP rules and procedures of the pilot adaptation and prevention measures which will be selected during the project implementation stage and demonstrated at pilot sites in project areas.
- The National Project Coordinator will ensure that climate risk information and warnings are tailored to women and vulnerable groups (marginalized, elderly, people with disabilities), and take responsibility for quality preparation of local community-level participatory climate risk and climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans with participation of women and vulnerable groups.
- The National Project Coordinator will report to the Regional Project Manager and will work under the guidance of UNDP CO Team Leader/Climate Change, DRR, Energy and Environment and Deputy Resident Representative.
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 Direction and Strategy – System Thinking
- Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
- Business Development – Knowledge Generation
- Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
- Business Management – Monitoring
- Ability to provide manager and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.
- Business Management – Communication
- 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.
- Communications – Brand and quality management
- Ability to position a UNDP brand and upload it to a high level of quality
- Digital & Innovation – Data analysis
- Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making
- Business Management – Results-based Management
- Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
- Demonstrable results-based project management experience with international organizations/projects/programs, national or provincial institutions relating to implementing projects on adaptive measures to climate change;
- Proven experience in M&E, communication and other related area;
- Experience in country’s policies on climate change adaptation, strategic framework agreements that Tajikistan has ratified, and challenges faced by the country in this field;
- Previous experience in working with Government and a wide range of donors, international organizations, INGOs and building effective partnerships.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s degree from recognized University/Institution in Rural Development, Natural Resource Management, Water Management, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Economics, Business Administration, Environmental studies or related disciplines.
- Bachelor’s degree in combination with 2 years of qualifying experience can be considered in lieu of Master’s degree.
Experience:
- With Master´s degree, it is desired a minimum 1 year of professional experience in planning, management and execution of community resilience projects in the context of climate change, environmental management or other relevant field.
- With Bachelor´s degree, it is required a minimum 2 years of proven professional experience in planning, management and execution of community resilience projects in the context of climate change, environmental management or other relevant field.
Language:
- Fluency in English and Tajik languages is mandatory.
Required Skills:
- Excellent computer skills, including full command of text and spreadsheet programmes, data bases and web-based communication tools.
Disclaimer
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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