UNDP Jobs - 48767- Technical Coordinator - (Open to Sri Lankan Nation

Technical Coordinator - (Open to Sri Lankan Nationals Only)

Location :

Colombo, SRI LANKA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

01-Oct-2014

Application Deadline :

25-Aug-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

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 is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

The Government of Sri Lanka has placed great emphasis on improving and uplifting rural economy and living standards, particularly in post conflict areas. The Government currently implements two large-scale rural development programmes through the Ministry of Economic Development, funded through regular government budgets. The Divi Neguma or livelihood development programme delivers at household level, aiming to improve agriculture production and rural industry. The Gama Neguma or village development programme focuses on rural infrastructure such as roads, bridges, culverts, buildings, and water supply and irrigation systems. The programme is active in all 14022 Grama Niladhari (Village Administrative) units in 25 districts of Sri Lanka.

Climate change threatens the sustainability of both these programmes. Already the impact of climate-related weather anomalies is manifest in reduced agriculture productivity, in crop losses, in flood and landslide related damage to infrastructure and in increased uncertainty for farm based livelihoods. Therefore the climate induced problem which the project seeks to address is that recurrent climate-related impacts are posing a serious threat to the government’s stated aim of developing strong rural economies that bridge the urban-rural income disparity, particularly in post conflict zones.

In order to address this risk, Ministry of Economic Development, in collaboration with UNDP has developed the project “Strengthening the Resilience of Post Conflict Recovery and Development to Climate Change Risks in Sri Lanka”. The project is funded by the Special Climate Change Fund of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and aims to build adaptability to climate change into the design and implementation of both Gama Neguma and Divi Neguma. Building resilience in rural development programmes to current and projected climatic change will include developing institutional capacities to assess risk, designing appropriate interventions and implementing adaptation actions with community participation. Through the Ministry of Economic Development’s internal coordinating mechanisms the project will work with a range of technical partners- such as the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, and Disaster Management Centre. The project aims to conduct climate risk assessments in all 25 districts to identify areas with greater risk; and train district planning officials to manage climate risks. At village level, the project will support incorporation of climate risk assessments in to every Grama Niladhari (GN) level Village Development Plan.

The project will deliver concrete adaptation measures in three selected districts with high vulnerability to climate change, building on the government-funded Gama Neguma and Divi Neguma rural development programmes. These measures will include enhanced water storage and rational use, conservation of soil, coastal ecosystems for improved agricultural production, improved crop choice and built infrastructure such as roads, irrigation systems and water supply which incorporate climate risk reduction.

UNDP will place a Technical Coordinator, guided by the Assistant Country Director and National Project Coordinator in support of the day- to-day implementation, management and coordination of Programme activities and to ensure effective planning and monitoring of the Programme to achieve stated outcomes and outputs in accordance with UNDP/Government of Sri Lanka Guidelines for Nationally Implemented Programmes and UNDP’s Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP).

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Results Expected:

Function / Expected Results: Planning, implementation and management of Programme activities:

Support the National Project Director and the project implementation team placed in the Divi Neguma Department, Ministry of Economic Development to prepare annual and quarterly work plans and budgets for the Programme;
Support the team to deliver outputs as per annual work plans and in keeping with the budgets;
Provide day-to-day technical inputs to the team and the National Project Coordinator;
Work together with the team on capacity development of relevant government entities engaged in Divi Neguma Programme;
Support Project team to organize and report back on Project Board Meetings;
Undertake monitoring missions to field locations;
Provide regular updates to UNDP on the policy and programmatic direction of the Ministry of Economic Development on Strengthening the Resilience of Post Conflict Recovery and Development to Climate Change Risks in Sri Lanka;
Assist the Ministry of Economic Development to liaise with the relevant government departments, ministries and other institutions to obtain sufficient support for project implementation;
Support project monitoring activities and prepare results based regular reports, annual reports, donor reports and briefs.

Function/Expected Results: Office Management and Coordination among Technical Assistance Team:

Support the Project Coordinator with the day-to-day smooth running of the project;
Provide support to long and short term Technical Specialists/Consultants contracted to support the Programme;
Quality assure the inputs of long and short term Technical Specialists/Consultants;
Follow up on the adoption/implementation of the recommendations/inputs provided by Technical Consultants;
Coordinate periodic team meetings and other events;
Provide administrative and coordination support to UNDP Programme monitoring missions, donor missions and programme evaluators.

Function/Expected results: Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

Support the Project Team to ensure Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) requirements are fulfilled, especially GEF SCCF related tracking tools and AMAT;
Facilitate the submission of timely reports (narrative and financial) to the UNDP Country Office against the Programme M&E framework;
Support the conduct of annual project reviews, annual audits and programme evaluations;
Undertake field visits to monitor Programme activities.

Other Related Functions/Expected results:

Upon request, provide technical inputs to Ministry of Economic Development and other relevant stakeholders;
Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Supervisor in support of efficient implementation of the Programme.

Impact of Results:

Efficient and coordinated implementation of Programme activities;
The achievement of delivery targets and results as outlined in the Programme work-plan;
Effective institutional capacity building of the Programme Implementation Units and relevant stakeholder groups;
Strengthened partnerships with Implementing Partners and expanded partnership with relevant government agencies and civil society.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promote 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:

Good understanding of the UN system and Project Management;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
Proven problem solving skills;
Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure in a stressful environment; with patience, tactfulness, maintain confidentiality, take initiative and exercise good judgment;
Ability to work in a hazardous environment;
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and respects diversity;
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and encourage sharing of knowledge to achieve organizational goals;
Ability to identify priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required;
Ability to plan own work and use time efficiently, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.

Technical Competencies:

Climate change, disaster risk assessment tools;
Mainstreaming climate change or DRR into development programmes;
Facilitating multi-stakeholder national/local dialogues for rural development or climate change adaptation;
Excellent understanding of challenges to rural development in Sri Lanka;
Excellent knowledge on climate change adaptation approaches in agriculture, rural industry or livelihoods sectors ;
Strong analytical skills and comparative knowledge on climate change and DRR;
Ability to design and prepare strategies and action plans for interventions aimed at building adaptive capacity to climate change related livelihood risks.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters Degree or equivalent in the areas of Development Studies, Rural Development, Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Management, Project Management, Business Administration, Development Studies or related field; or
A Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Rural Development, Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Management, Project Management, Business Administration, Development Studies or related field. With 5years experience

Experience:

Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the field of Climate Change Adaptation, Rural Develop involving Natural Resources Management. Including at least 2 years of experience project management, including handling contracts, financial management, donor reports, project monitoring or a Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Rural Development, Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Management, Project Management, Business Administration, Development Studies or related field;or
A Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Rural Development, Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Management, Project Management, Business Administration, Development Studies or related field. With 5years experience;
Relevant work experience in the field of Climate Change Adaptation, Rural Develop involving Natural Resources Management. Including at least 2 years of experience project management, including handling contracts, financial management, donor reports, project monitoring;
Experience in climate change adaptation, and livelihood improvement activities especially in the government institutions as well as grass root will be advantageous;
Past experience with UNDP or UN-related programmes will be of added advantage.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Sinhala and/or Tamil with excellent written and oral communication skills is essential.