UNDP Jobs - 48727- National Project Manager

National Project Manager - (Open to Myanmar Nationals Only)

Location :

Pathein Gyi Township, Mandalay Region with Regular Visit to all Project Areas, Shwebo, Monywa, Myin Chan, Nyaung Oo, Chauk, MYANMAR

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

05-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NO-D

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year

Languages Required :

English

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

UNDP Country Programme in Myanmar (2013-15) aims to promote poverty reduction and sustainable development that are rights-based, gender-sensitive, inclusive and equitable by strengthening institutional capacity of national and local governments and non-state actors. UNDP’s programme in Myanmar focuses on three areas: local governance, disaster resilience and environmental governance and democratic governance.

Pillar II focuses on strengthening capacities at local, regional and national level to manage and utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, and to enhance resilience and adaptive capacity to long-term climate change – including variability impacts and to reduce the associated risk of natural disasters. One of the components of the pillar II is to develop the “capacities to adapt to climate change and reduce disaster risk at the local, regional and national level”.

In this regard, UNDP formulated a project in consultation with the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry and the Adaptation Fund. This project, underlying the present TOR, aims to address climate change risks on water resources and food security in the dry zone of Myanmar. It intends to reduce the risks and effects from the increasingly recurring incidents of drought through improved water management, as well as a crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. The principle objectives of this project are to:

Respond to the climate-induced reduction of freshwater supply;
Introduce climate-resilient food and livestock production systems;
Improve the dissemination of climate risk information.

This project will last five years and has a total available budget of 7.91 million US Dollars. The national project manager will operate in a highly complex environment requiring coordination of interventions involving five different line ministries, State and township authorities as well as community based organizations in Sagaing, Magwey and Mandalay Regions. This project is based on principles of local empowerment and implemented by community-based organizations (CBOs) such as Village Development Committees, Water User Committees, farmer groups, communal forest user groups, and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The anticipated impact of the project is the reduction of food insecurity and losses from extreme climate events in 50,639 households.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Pillar II Team Leader, the National Project Manager (N-PM) is responsible for the direction of the Project’s activities from design through implementation. The N-PM:

Coordinates planning, assessment of risks, project implementation and reporting, taking into account the evolving political, social and economic situation in the country as well as the transition to a new United Nations Development Assistance Framework;
Promotes thematic and sectoral synergies and coordination of project activities with the rest of the UNDP programme;
Leads the project team in activity formulation and networking to ensure that the project is relevant and responsive to changes in the Dry Zone and country contexts;
Identifies approaches and modalities to achieve the objectives of the project; and
Regularly reports to Team Leader of Pillar II on the delivery of project results, financial delivery.

Within the margins of the Project Proposal and under Pillar II guidance, the N-PM is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Project in the following ways:

Project management: by overseeing the Project, the N-PM manages UNDP’s commitments within the Results and Resource Framework, ensures effective application of RBM tools, monitors unit work plans, project effectiveness and achievement of results, the N-PM maintains regular contact with project and programme counterparts;
Financial management: the N-PM ensures the integrity of financial systems, review of budget requirements and the consistent application or rules and regulations; the N-PM ensures cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects in close collaboration with the DRR-O. Routinely monitors the financial transactions. Provides exception reports for unusual activities and investigates anomalies. Informs Pillar II staff of the results of the investigation when satisfactory answers are not obtained;
Human Resources management: in consultation with Pillar II, the N-PM is responsible for recruitment, performance and career management and supervision of the Project and its staff, promoting organizational excellence;
Team work: Promotes teamwork.

Under the overall guidance and leadership of the Pillar II Team Leader, the N-PM:

Supports partnership building for UNDP;
Advocates for UNDP with government counterparts, donor community, international financial institutions and the UN;
Represents UNDP in inter-agency meetings and in international fora as requested by the RC/RR or Country Director.

The N-PM ensures knowledge building and management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Advocates for UNDP with Government counterparts and ensures access to best available expertise;
Promotes identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from Project implementation, for organizational sharing and learning;
Supports capacity-building of national counterparts;
Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture.

The N-PM technical functions are:

Prepare a strategic framework and operational guidelines and procedures including technical terms of Partnership and Partnership Cooperation Agreements for project interventions;
Liaise and coordinate project activities with partners including NGOs and other UNDP projects working in the same or related sectors, and with relevant line departments to complement and support related initiatives in addressing watershed management and other priority concerns;
Assist in assessing immediate and future training and extension needs related to watershed management, environmental conservation and socio economic development for communities, and measures to address these needs, including organising on the job training, seminars and workshops, should be taken into account;
Provide technical guidance and training to project staff in areas related to watershed management, food security with an emphasis on conservation and rehabilitation of dry land, and on planning, implementation and monitoring of field activities;
Prepare Terms of Reference for the recruitment of project staff, consultants and collaborating NGOs;
Prepare work plans, monthly and quarterly reports, budget forecasts and revisions with monitoring and evaluation officer;
In close collaboration with the Pillar II Officer for Monitoring and Reporting, establish/put in place a monitoring, reporting and evaluation system for optimum management of project activities that will be based on and/or compatible with the UNDP programme-wise M&E system, including Atlas requirements;
Monitor and ensure cost-effective use of project resources meeting the achievement of objectives;
Take overall responsibility for day to day project supervision and management; and Participates and provides support in the project Steering Committee and Output Boards.

Impact of Results

Impacts and results of this project determine the standing and reputation of UNDP in Myanmar.

The N-PM monitors the implementation of all activities and tasks as outlined in the project document that has been approved by UNDP and the Adaptation Fund. S/he manages, in coordination with the national counterpart, the implementation of the project. The N-PM is also responsible for the preparation, planning and coordination of project activities, as well as their monitoring, reporting and updating risk logs.
In addition to project coordination, the N-PM has to provide permanent technical assistance, and has to promote cooperation among the project’s collaborators and all stakeholders.

The N-PM is responsible for necessary course correction in response to changes in the Project's context and new programme or project.
When requested by the Pillar II Team Leader, the the N-PM represents UNDP in international and national fora, liaises with external clients and a broad range of constituencies and UNDP counterparts in the Government, local and international media, civil society as well as counterparts from other international organizations.

The key results have an impact on the overall success of the UNDP’s country programme and further on, its UNSF/CPD goals. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning:

Contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
Builds knowledge in at least one practice areas, and share;
Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on related issues;
In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues, in particular in the sectors of Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Risk Assessment, Water Resources Management, Food Security, and Dry Zone management;
Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
In-depth practical knowledge of development issues in the context of Myanmar;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

Ability to lead formulation of strategies and their implementation;
Ability to negotiate with partners and internal units; ability to identify and analyse trends, opportunities and threats to the implementation of the project;
Excellent drafting and presentation skills;
Ability to plan and organize work programme;
Ability to work with minimum supervision;
Ability to apply RM and partnerships building theory to the specific country context;
Strong IT skills.

Management and Leadership:

Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills with diverse culture and traditions;
Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills;
Proven ability to lead and manage a large team and to plan and organize work productively with the team.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters degree in an environment-related field of expertise, including agriculture, forestry, or natural resources management and related field;
UNDP Certification programmes Prince2, RMGs.

Experience:

At least 7 years of experience in the sector, including work with rural/community development initiatives;
Three of those in senior-level management responsibilities of similar size and complexity;
Excellent command of MS Office suite applications (Word, Excel, Access, and Power Point).

Language:

Strong written and spoken skill in English and of the working language of the duty station;
A second UN language desirable.

Note:

Candidates must apply on-line through UNDP job website together with duly filled and signed UN-P11 form, academic qualification certificates. Applications without these document will not be considered. P11 form can be downloaded here:
http://sas.undp.org/documents/P11_Personal_history_form.docx