UNDP Jobs - 53711- International Project Manager- Urban Partnerships

International Project Manager- Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction Project

Location :

Dhaka, BANGLADESH

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

03-May-2015

Application Deadline :

10-Mar-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-6

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One year, renewable on annual basis upon availability of funds

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

The Government of Bangladesh, DFID, UN Habitat and UNDP’s Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction is a major $100 million flagship programme that provides sustainable pathways out of poverty to communities in 23 towns and cities, covering more than 3 million people. It has a strong focus on empowerment of communities, especially of women, providing urban infrastructure, and tackling fundamental issues such land tenure, employment and skills.

The project works closely with urban local government institutions to help give underserved communities a voice and through their own savings and loans to finance sustainable investments in their families and their communities.

The project outputs:

Urban poor communities mobilized and supported to form representative, inclusive and well-managed groups;
Poor urban communities supported to create healthy and secure living environments;
Urban poor and extremely poor people supported to acquire the resources, knowledge and skills needed to increase their incomes and assets;
Development and implementation of pro-poor policies and practices supported in partnership with others;
Effective project management systems established and operational.

The Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction Project (UPPR) is one of the largest urban poverty reduction initiatives in the world. The International Project Manager (IPM) will have overall responsibility, together with the National Project Director, for the project’s management and for producing its results.

The IPM will work under the direct supervision of UNDP Country Director and in close consultation with the National Project Director (NPD).

The IPM will direct the complex project operations ( multi-sectoral project that covers a series of strategies for urban poverty reduction; requires phase-in and phase-out of project towns and project areas within towns; requires sensitive negotiations and coordination with development agencies already working in project areas; requires integration of UN rules and regulations with those national government; involves large sums of funds passing through government and community hands in a culture of entrenched corruption) to ensure achievement of the project purpose and outputs. The project addresses a complex set of target beneficiary groups, including the poor, extreme poor, homeless, female-headed households, disabled and ethnic minority communities.

The IPM will be responsible for leading around 150 staff through planning, implementing, managing, and monitoring the delivery of policies, reports, knowledge products and other results approved in the project document or annual work plans. S/he will ensure that national staff acquires the capacity to deliver project outputs. She/He will provide overall operational management, for successful execution and implementation of the programme in line with the execution policies and procedures of the project.

The IPM will play lead role towards influencing urban poverty reduction policy at the national level in an extremely challenging environment; provide technical, financial and managerial oversight for the four project’s outputs team and the output support team as well as the town project teams to ensure efficient service delivery and play a lead role in the urban sector and build a large-scale network at the national and international level and form partnerships with a large number of key urban poverty reduction stakeholders.

The IPM will be jointly responsible with the National Project Director for the preparation and implementation of the Annual Work Plans, the achievement of their objectives and physical and financial targets and will have overall responsibility to ensure that town level work plans are prepared and implemented within the framework of the project’s Annual Work Plan.

She/he will be responsible for financial management and disbursement with accountability to the Project Board and UNDP senior management. He/she will liaise with UNDP, DFID, LGED, UN-Habitat and the partner(s) to ensure the smooth implementation of the project, that the policy impact is achieved and that monitoring and evaluation takes place according to agreed guidelines. The PM will be responsible for the production of draft reports as required by donors and implementing partners, and for supporting the National Project Director in producing reports required for government purposes. He/she will be responsible for the coordination and technical performance of international and national short term consultants including quality assuring terms of reference, monitoring progress and evaluating outputs.

He/she will also work in coordination with the UNDP Poverty Reduction Cluster as well as with UNDP operations unit, government officials, private sector, and civil society organizations.

In carrying out her/his responsibilities, she/he will advocate and promote the work of UNDP in Bangladesh and will also closely work and network with UNDP operations team and programme clusters, Government officials, development agencies, the private sector, non-government and civil society organizations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Direct and manage the complex project operations and ensure achievement of the project results and outputs;
Policy and Programme Services. Provide technical, financial and managerial oversight and ensure efficient service delivery;
Partnerships and Resource mobilization;
Knowledge Services. Leadership and network at the national and international level and form partnerships with high level urban poverty reduction stakeholders.

Direct and manage the complex project operations and ensure achievement of the project results and outputs:

Facilitate the day-to-day functioning of the Project/team. Manage the human and financial resources, in consultation with the Management, for achieving results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project document;
Manage the human and financial resources, with accountability to the Project Board and UNDP’s management, for achieving results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project document;
Lead and oversee the project team located in towns as well as UPPR head office in Dhaka) through planning, implementing, managing, and monitoring the delivery of policies, reports, knowledge products and annual results based work plans and result frameworks as endorsed by the management;
Lead the coordination of project activities with related and parallel activities both within UNDP and with external agencies;
Organize meetings of the Project Board, Project Outcome Board and Advisory Groups;
Coordinate the distribution of responsibilities amongst team members and organize monitoring and tracking system of all components of the project;
Lead the preparation and implementation of the annual results based work plans and result frameworks as endorsed by the management;
Manage an effective M&E system to assess achievement of related objectives and identify problem affecting project performance;
Ensure an enabling working environment for all staff so that no workplace harassment, sexual harassment or abuse of authority take place;
Ensure technical soundness of programme activities, achievement of outputs and outcomes and quality and cost effectiveness;
Oversee the monitoring, evaluation and communication framework, including overseeing preparation and implementation of a monitoring and communication plan and responsibility for the quality of monthly and quarterly progress reports and reviews;
Advises the National Project Director on all aspects of project implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as financial accountability;
Responsible for ensuring that that GoB staff acquire the ownership, knowledge, and capacity to contribute to the project outputs and provide overall operational management, for successful execution and implementation of the programme in line with the execution policies and procedures of the project;
Develop and supervise the project’s capacity building efforts aimed at government counterparts, civil society groups, media and other stakeholders; contribute to the production of reports and publications, and serve as peer reviewer;
Ensure information sharing and bridging between UNDP programme management, project management and national counterpart in the process of implementation of the project;

Policy and Programme 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 for Bangladesh;
Stimulate strategic thinking in the subject practice area, taking into account the needs of country as well as the opportunities to develop broader public goods;
Manage the mapping of development issues, covering the situation and strategic opportunities in the form of professional papers and reports;
Manage the process of implementing policy advisory services as well as delivery of regional goods or products. Ensure highest UNDP standards in the provision of technical and advisory inputs, organization of workshops, seminars, training and delivery of outputs (products);
Promote convergence between the different development interventions in the relevant area and also with the work of the different development agencies. Identifies opportunities to enhance team-work within and across various government agencies and with the other relevant institutes in order to capitalize on the specific advantages of multi-disciplinary support;
Lead and manage the analytical and policy development work of the team and ensure high quality policy or knowledge products. Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration and compatibility with other practice areas;
Oversee the project’s capacity building efforts aimed at government counterparts, civil society groups, media and other stakeholders;
Contribute to the production reports and publications, and serve as peer reviewer;
Coordinate with various government and non-governmental agencies regarding requests for advisory and support services and lead the support from the project as required by the stakeholders;
Ensure programme outputs are aligned procedurally with UNDP positions and practice area development;
Contribute, advice and take lead role towards influencing urban poverty reduction policy at the national level;
Coordinates with various government and non-governmental agencies regarding requests for advisory and support services and lead the support from the project as required by the stakeholders;
Design, introduce and continuously develop feedback mechanisms and open communication channels to ensure that the changing needs and expectations of the public are fully taken into account when reviewing annual and quarterly work-plans;
Ensure, in cooperation with UNDP that development partners are kept informed about the programme progress throughout preparation and submission of necessary reports as required;

Partnerships and Resource mobilization:

Mobilize and network with the experts of national and regional offices of the UN System, international development organizations, sub-regional and regional associations, affiliations and bodies (inter-governmental, non-government or private sector) and prominent private sector organizations;
Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector;
Provide inputs and services as may be required by the Management of the Project with the objective of achieving high level of performance and results;

Knowledge Services:

Lead and manage the inputs of the consultants and international advisers and undertake knowledge capture at national, regional and global levels in the subject area and the production of knowledge-based products;
Lead the process of knowledge creation and dissemination related to national, regional and global know-how in the subject area. In this context, partner with practitioners and members of the National think tanks, UNDP global networks, leadership of the practice and sub-practice teams in RBAP, BDP and other related Bureaux on knowledge management services;
Lead and manage the process of knowledge creation and dissemination related to national, regional and global know-how in the subject area. Support the Policy Advisers to develop partnerships with national, UNDP and UN-Habitat global networks, leadership of the practice and sub-practice teams in RBAP, BDP and other related Bureau on knowledge management services;
Manage the establishment of internal and external networks or communities of practice covering prominent experts in government, non-government, private companies, international development organizations and the UN system;
Ensure that project results are captured and recorded in knowledge products to communicate project results and impact;
Promote a learning environment and systematic information sharing within the project team;

The International Project Manager will conduct any other function or responsibility which may be assigned by the management and Project Board. The PM will provide inputs and services as may be required by the Management of the Project with the objective of achieving high level of performance and results.

Impact of Results

The position will strengthen UNDP’s project by contributing to the effective and successful project management, supervision and coordination of activates, financial management and disbursement, policy advice and support and liaison with government and donors.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Management and Leadership

Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback, timely responses queries;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

Ability to engage with high ranking Government Officials and international donor community members and provide policy advisory support services;
Ability to identify opportunities, conceptualize and develop project reports;
Capability to engage in team-based policy and programme dialogue, experience of leading workshops and being a resource person;
Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting: knowledge of project cycle, excellent work/project planning skills, knowledge of UNDP’s new programme modalities (PRINCE 2, RBM Guide, NEX execution, ATLAS etc);
Ability to oversee timely project implementation and to provide the necessary trouble shooting to keep project implementation on schedule;
Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery: excellent project oversight functions, including audit, accurate and thorough risk assessment and management;
Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioural/ attitudinal change.

Knowledge Management and Learning

Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
Excellent communication skills (written and oral);
Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners,

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters’ Degree or equivalent in Urban Planning, Social Sciences, Economics or related discipline.

Experience:

A minimum of 15 years experience in poverty reduction and / or development programmes, preferably in urban poverty reduction, preferably seven years are at senior management levels;
Of which at least 5 years of work experience in development and capacity building in developing countries, preferably in Asia and the Pacific and understanding of Asia-Pacific culture and customs is an asset;
Knowledge and experience with poverty analysis and mapping will be an advantage;
Demonstrated ability to successfully manage large scale and complex projects, and achieve outcomes and financial targets, including experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
Demonstrated ability to engage at the highest levels with donors and development agencies, government officials and UN Agencies;
Demonstrated ability to manage large diverse teams, to provide leadership and inspiration and to work in a challenging and complex working environment;
Knowledge of international best practices in the field and a proven ability to adapt and implement them in the local working environment;
Proven diplomatic and conflict resolution skills;
Work experience with UN/UNDP/other development entities is preferred;
Excellent writing skills, as well as strong analytical aptitude, communication and presentation skills are required;
Experience in office software packages and experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Language Requirement:

Excellent command of written and spoken English.