UNDP Jobs - 60770- Technical Coordinator

Technical Coordinator

Location :

Colombo, SRI LANKA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

02-Nov-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One 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

The Enhancing Biodiversity Conservation and Sustenance of Ecosystem services in Environmentally Sensitive Areas, is a GEF funded project, implemented by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment and supported by UNDP. The project will assist the Government of Sri Lanka to safeguard biodiversity in multiple land use areas of special ecological significance (high biodiversity values) through the operationalization of a new land use governance framework called “Environmentally Sensitive Areas” (ESAs), which will be primarily outside protected areas. The primary objective of this project is “To operationalize Environment Sensitive Areas (ESA) as a mechanism for mainstreaming biodiversity management into development in areas of high conservation significance”.

In order to achieve this Objective, the project plans on achieving the two major Outcomes, and five Outputs under these.

The two Outcomes are:

Outcome 1: National Enabling Framework Strengthened to Designate and Manage Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA);
Outcome 2: Biodiversity-friendly ESA management for long term integrity and resilience ensured at two sites in the Kala Oya Region.

Under Outcome 1, the project will support the development of national policy, strategy and national scale up plan for ESAs and build national institutional capacities to foster inter-sectoral partnerships and coordination to support ESA identification, management and monitoring of ESAs. Under Outcome 2, inter-sectoral partnerships also be fostered at local levels at two sites in Kala Oya Region to effectively manage at least 200,000 ha of landscape and seascape for long term biodiversity conservation, and for the maintenance of environmental services critical for local and national development using the ecosystems approach.

UNDP will place a Technical Coordinator, guided by the Assistant Country Director and National Project Director 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 Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment (MoMDE) to prepare annual and quarterly work plans and budgets for the Project;
Faciliate 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 project team and consultants on capacity development of relevant government entities engaged in the project;
Lead the 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 MoMDE in relation to the project;
Support the MoMDE to liaise with the relevant government departments, ministries and other institutions to obtain sufficient support for project implementation.

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

Support the Project Director with the day-to-day smooth running of the project and PMU;
Facilitate the recruitment of long and short term Technical Specialists/Consultants in a timely manner as per the work plan;
Ensure that the inputs of long and short term Technical Specialists/Consultants are provided on schedule in a timely and efficient manner;
Follow up on the adoption/implementation of the recommendations/inputs provided by Technical Consultants;
Coordinate periodic working level management meetings and other events;
Provide administrative and coordination support to UNDP Programme monitoring missions, donor missions and evaluators.

Function/Expected results: Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

Lead project monitoring activities and maintain progress monitoring reports against the M&E plan and the Results Framework;
Prepare results based regular reports, annual reports, donor reports and briefs;
Prepare Progress monitoring report and presentations for the review of the Project Board;
Support the Project Team to ensure Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) requirements are fulfilled, especially GEF related tracking tools and AMAT;
Facilitate the submission of quarterly reports (narrative and financial) to the UNDP Country Office against the M&E plan;
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 MoMDE 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:

Strong analytical skills and comparative knowledge on environmental science, ecology, biodiversity conservation;
Excellent facilitation skills managing multi-stakeholder national/local dialogues;
Excellent understanding of challenges to rural development in Sri Lanka;
Knowledge on climate change adaptation approaches in agriculture, rural industry or livelihoods sectors;
Ability to design and prepare strategies and action plans for interventions aimed at building adaptive capacity.

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.

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. 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:

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