UNDP Jobs - 44234- Project Manager

Project Manager

Location :

Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

01-Apr-2014

Application Deadline :

07-Mar-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year with possible extension

Languages Required :

English Russian

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. 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.

Background

Under the new Constitution of Turkmenistan, an elected, unicameral parliament (known as a Mejlis) was created in 2008. In December 2013 the country held its first multi-party parliamentary elections. This is a significant step forward in the development of the country and is in keeping with developments in other countries in the region.
Economic and social development in rural and smaller urban areas is a priority for the country, as noted by the President of Turkmenistan in his 2013 speech to the Council of Elders. However, the lack of executive authority over local governance underlies a key issue in Turkmenistan. The country has only recently (i.e. – the past five years) started to develop a legal framework for decentralizing governance. In noting the need for local development, the President assigned the Mejlis the responsibility for overseeing such development. The Council of Ministers asked the Mejlis in early 2013 to draft a law to create a local governance oversight body.

UNDP Turkmenistan has been partnered with the Mejlis since its establishment and provided technical support in capacity development and legislations in local economic development. A new project was recently developed in close consultation with the Mejlis and other relevant national stakeholders in order to continue the support.
The project focuses on elected bodies at all levels in Turkmenistan – Mejlis, provincial people’s councils, district people’s councils and village councils – to build their capacity to function in accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan and the laws under which they are governed.
Focus will be given on the role of Mejlis in passing legislation and monitoring its implementation, both done in a manner that encourages consultation and engagement of the citizens of Turkmenistan.

Support will also be provided to the Committee on Local Governance such technical support to conduct a thorough review of the current state of local governance with the objective to identify the full legal framework required for Turkmenistan to have functioning local institutions. Beyond the Mejlis, the project will work with selected village and district elected councils to support their efforts at horizontal accountability and local development planning. The project will support the role of the elected bodies in adopting local development plans and local state budgets, including support for a consistent methodology for all districts and villages to conduct such planning and budget approval. This will be done in a manner that ensures public consultation and engagement and, where possible, promoting the participation of local citizens and non-governmental organizations to implement such plans and budgets.

Project Implementation Arrangements:

The project implementation modality is national implementation. The project will be implemented over a period of three years. The Mejlis of Turkmenistan (Mejlis) is the national institution responsible for the implementation of the project with full project implementation support to be provided by UNDP.
The Mejlis takes overall responsibility for the project implementation, and the timely and verifiable attainment of project objectives and outputs/outcomes. The Mejlis will nominate a senior level representative who will co-chair with the representative of UNDP Turkmenistan the Project Board (PB) which is responsible for providing government oversight and guidance to the project implementation. The Project Board will serve as the project’s coordination and decision-making body ensuring that the project remains on course to deliver products of the required quality to meet the outcomes defined in the Project Document.

In the meantime, UNDP is committed to promote national partners’ engaging more and more on the daily management of the UNDP-supported projects and ensure that project activities are carried out together with targeted technical staff of national partners. This will provide the opportunity to exchange and strengthen the knowledge of national staff and improve the systems and procedures. In providing full support to the implementation of project activities, the UNDP country office will ensure that the capacity of the Mejlis is strengthened to enable it to carry out such activities directly. The Project Manager will be the key person to operationalize such commitments of capacity strengthening through peer-to-peer support during his/her day-to-day to provide ongoing knowledge and skills development to the Mejlis staff and the elected officials.

The day-to-day administration of the project will be carried out by a Project Manager (PM) assisted by the Project Assistant (PA). The PM will liaise and work closely with all partner institutions to link the project with complementary national programs and initiatives. The PM is accountable to the PB and to the National Project Coordinator (if applicable) for the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of the activities carried out, as well as for the use of funds as per the PB decisions, project document and UNDP relevant rules and policies of project implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Overall responsibilities: The Project Manager has the authority to run the project on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the Project Board within the constraints laid down by the Project Board and under direct supervision of UNDP National Programme Analyst who will also play a role of quality assurance. The Project Manager is responsible for day-to-day management and decision-making for the project. The Project Manager’s prime responsibility is 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 Project Manager is also responsible for capacity development and knowledge transfer to the national partners through daily collaborations and on-the-job trainings. The PM will be based inside the Mejlis to ensure the smooth communication and implementation of the project.

National Ownership and Capacity development of national partners:

Share with the national partners relevant international good practices related to project activities and conduct relevant training as appropriate
Engage Mejlis staff on the daily management of the projects and ensure that project activities are carried out together with targeted national partners.
Exchange and strengthen the knowledge of Mejlis staff where appropriate for specific project activities with the purpose to improve the systems and procedures. Transfer knowledge of project implementation through peer-to-peer support and on-the-job trainings.

Overall project management:

Manage the realization of project outputs through activities;
Provide direction and guidance to project team(s)/ responsible party (ies);
Liaise with the Project Board to assure the overall direction and integrity of the project;
Identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project;
Responsible for project administration;
Liaise with any suppliers;
May also perform Team Manager and Project Support roles;

Running a project

In close consultations with the Mejlis, plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the initial quality criteria.
Engage Mejlis representatives and staff on mobilizing goods and services to initiate activities, including drafting TORs and work specifications;
Develop and finalize project budgets ensuring accuracy and transparency of the planned expenditures;
Monitor events as determined in the Monitoring & Communication Plan, and update the plan as required;
Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures);
Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
Use the standard Risk Log template, conduct Risk Analysis(including any risks that may affect women’s and men’s equal participation and access to project benefits, and any risks that may result in adverse effects of the project on promotion of gender equality) as.as part of inception of the project, monitor the risks during project implementation , submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log;
Together with the representatives and staff of the Mejlis, develop detailed quarterly plans; Prepare the Project Quarterly Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Board;
Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log.
Prepare the Annual review Report, and submit the report to the Project Board and the Outcome Board;
Based on the review, prepare the AWP for the following year, as well as Quarterly Plans if required;
Undertake in country travel to project site(s) if necessary.

Closing a Project

Prepare Final Project Review Reports to be submitted to the Project Board and the Outcome Board;
Identify follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board;
Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national beneficiaries;
Prepare final CDR/FACE for signature by UNDP and the Implementing Partner.

IV. Detail Description of Specific Responsibilities:

A) National Ownership and Capacity development of national partners

A.1) Advocate for integration of international practices and approaches of project management into day-to-day work of Mejlis as appropriate;
A.2) Share good practices and systems that UNDP uses for effective programme and project implantation;
A.3) Identify areas where the capacity of project management of Mejlis staff needs further development and prepare the plans for the follow-up action;
A.4) Carry out on-the-job training as appropriate to national counterparts in the areas mention in the above point with the purpose of development of the capacities of Mejlis staff involved in the project to ensure the long term capacity impact of the project.

B) Project personnel management

B.1) Lead in creating an enabling environment including collaboration and teamwork amongst all project personnel;
B.2) Mentor and guide project team to increase their understanding and capacities on project issues;
B.3) Assign specific duties and tasks to specific individuals according to their Terms of Reference; ensure their full understanding of expectations; daily supervise and provide continuous support to all project team members ;
B.4) Undertake individual performance assessments on an annual basis (or other period for Consultants/Contractors), acknowledging achievements and providing regular constructive performance feedback;
B.5) While giving all professional personnel the “space” to carry out their professional duties, ensure that guidance and support are available whenever needed;
B.6) Ensure that Project staff enjoy the conditions of employment as stipulated by UNDP, together with the responsibilities of their positions;
B.7) Require regular (as agreed), formal and informal reporting on progress with the achievement of assigned tasks;
B.8) Promote knowledge building and sharing with implementing partner(s) and project team including lessons learnt and synthesis of best practices.

C) Financial resources management

C.1) Act as financial manager and retain the ultimate responsibility for project financial resources for accountability purposes;
C2) Ensure total accuracy and the highest level of transparency in the management of the Project financial resources in accordance with UNDP and national regulations and procedures;
C.3) Lead the project team in preparation of all necessary financial reports to accompany Project quarterly and annual work plans and reports;
C.4) Supervise inventory and asset verification processes; certify accuracy of produced reports.

D Project partnership and outreach

D.1) Serve as the Project’s ambassador and advocate within the broader Central and Local Government systems and with local communities;
D.2) Create and foster a good working relationship with the media (print, radio and television);
D.3) Contribute to the preparation and production of public information material;
D.4) Establish and maintain good working relationships and cooperation with peer project managers from other related projects within Turkmenistan and if necessary the Central Asia region;
D.5) Build and promote effective working relationships with the Project’s key partners at the local level (where applicable Local Government, village leaders, communities, locals NGOs, the private sector, etc)
D.6) Work closely with partners to ensure that their activities/programmes are integrated and complementary with those of the project.

E) Project planning, reporting and monitoring

E.1) Lead the preparation process of quarterly and annual planning of project activities, with active engagement of the implementing partner(s) and the participation of all project team; retain the ultimate responsibility for the finished plans and submit them to the implementing partner authority and UNDP for their concurrence;
E.2) Lead the implementation of the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan;
E.3) Carry out monitoring visits to Project sites on a regular basis if and when necessary; survey (informally) the intended beneficiaries and other stakeholders;
E.4) Collate the results of monitoring, analyze them, and formulate proposals for adaptive management measures for consideration by the Project Board;
E.5) Lead preparation of and present plans, progress and other reports and other background materials them to each Project Board meeting, noting progress and achievements, acknowledging difficulties and proposing possible solutions for consideration;
E.6) Implement and follow up the decisions and advice of the Project Board;
E.7) Respond to request for reports on Project management and implementation from any key project stakeholder;
E.8) Report to the implementing partner authority and UNDP on any aspect of Project management and implementation whenever required.

Competencies

Effective team leadership, excellent inter-personal and conflict resolution skills;
Good analytical and planning skills; ability to set forecasts and refine/review them in the light of experience and further analysis;
Strong managerial skills, results-orientation, and ability to work under pressure;
Excellent networking and partnering capacity.

Required Skills and Experience

University degree in political science, social science, public administration, public policy, law and any other relevant discipline;
Proven working experience in national and/or local development, governance, public administration any other relevant area.
At least 3 years of supervisory and management experience;
Management experience in implementing development, especially within the UN system or other international development agencies is a strong asset;
Microsoft Office proficiency; ability to use information technology as a tool and resource;
Fluency in Russian and English languages. Knowledge of Turkmen is preferable.