UNDP Jobs - 60771- Re-advertise

Re-advertise - Field Coordinator

Location :

Puttlam and Anuradhapura, SRI LANKA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

11-Jan-16 (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 two field Coordinators, guided by the Assistant Country Director and National Project Director in support of the field level 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.

Duties and Responsibilities

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

Liaise between UNDP, the Ministry Mahaweli Development and Environment (MoMDE), the Project Management Unit (PMU) and field level stakeholders to implement the project;
Support the preparation and implementation of the detailed Annual Work Plans for field sites in consultation with the PMU and MoMDE;
Facilitate the implementation of project activities as per the AWP in a timely, systematic and efficient manner;
Prepare and report on quarterly financial progress at field sites and act as liaison between the project, MoMDE, and UNDP Country Office to ensure smooth transfer of funds to the Ministry;
Prepare in consultation with the PMU/MoMDE, quarterly financial and narrative progress reports for the field site;
Consult with MoMDE and provide UNDP with technical specifications for all procurements to be carried out by UNDP on behalf of the Ministry;
Support the Project Technical Coordinator on relevant aspects of project implementation, especially monitoring of project outputs and results.

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

Develop a network of partnerships to ensure ownership and sustainability of project actions;
Facilitate the coordination amongst local level stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of activities in a timely manner;
Coordinate between national level and local level stakeholders to ensure implementation of activities in a timely and efficient manner;
Brief external missions from the UNDP and other future donors on progress of project activities as well as other collaborative actions.

Function/Expected results: Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

Undertake rigorous monitoring against the AWP at the field locations to ensure that project activities are on track
Undertake regular monitoring against the M&E plan to ensure that the project is achieving the desired results;
Maintain excellent progress monitoring reports, and provide quarterly finacial and narrative progress reports to the Project in a timely manner
Support the development of regular reports, annual reports, donor reports and briefs with NPD and Technical Coordinator.

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 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:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in the areas of Environmental Science, Development Studies, Natural Resource Management, Ecology, or related field; or
Bachelors Degree or equivalent in the areas of Environmental Science, Development Studies, Natural Resource Management, Ecology, or related field.

Experience:

At least 2 years of experience in project management, including handling contracts, financial management, donor reports, project monitoring at field level;
The candidate should have minimum 3 years’ experience in the field of Environmental Science;
Experience in supporting development/capacity building activities especially in the government institutions will be advantageous;
Past experience with UNDP or UN-related programmes will be of added advantage.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English,Sinhala or Tamil.