UNDP GEF Jobs - 62008- GEF - National Coordinator for GEF-DRIN Project

GEF - National Coordinator for GEF-DRIN Project

Advertised on behalf of

UNDP GEF

Location :

Tirana, ALBANIA

Type of Contract :

Other

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

06-Dec-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Other

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

1 year with possibility of extension

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 Global Environment Facility (GEF) supported Full Size Project “Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the extended Drin River Basin” aims at fostering the joint management of the shared water resources of the Drin River Basin (shared by Albania, FYR Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo and Montenegro) including coordination mechanisms among the various sub-basin commissions and committees (Lakes Prespa, Ohrid and Skadar). Albania, FYR Macedonia and Montenegro are the Project beneficiaries. The same goal will be fostered by the GEF supported Medium Size Project “Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the White Drin and the extended Drin Basin”. Kosovo is the beneficiary of that Project.

The duration of the two Projects is four years.

The Projects share the same set of activities constituting the means to achieve the goal mentioned above, through: (i) building consensus among countries on key transboundary concerns and drivers of change, including climate variability and change, reached through joint fact finding; (ii) facilitating the agreement on a shared vision and on a program of priority actions deemed necessary to achieve the vision; (iii) strengthening technical and institutional capacities.

The Projects are implemented by UNDP and executed by the Global Water Partnership (GWP) through GWP-Mediterranean (GWP-Med); the latter is responsible for the realization of the Project, including hiring of Project staff. The Projects will be managed by a Project Coordination Unit (PCU), based in Tirana, Albania; staff will be stationed also in Podgorica, Montenegro; Ohrid, FYR Macedonia; Pristina, Kosovo; and Athens, Greece. Given that the two Projects will be jointly implemented, hereon they are referred to as ‘the Project’.

The PCU will provide the day-to-day management and coordination function for Project activities. It will constitute of a Project Coordinator/Chief Technical advisor (PC/CTA) having overall responsibility for the Project implementation, a Project Manager (PM) having responsibility for the day-by-day Project management, supported by Administrative and Financial staff. Four National Coordinators (NC), one located in each of Tirana, Podgorica, Pristina and Ohrid, as PCU members will assist the PC/CTA and the PM in implementing projects activities and managing the international and national experts; they will also assist securing regular engagement and coordination with the regional and local organizations, institutions and authorities involved in the implementation of the Project. The PCU will report to the Steering Committee (SC) that will govern the Project. The SC will include representatives of the beneficiary countries.

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Coordinator will be based in Albania. The National Coordinator (NC) will coordinate, under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator/Chief Technical Advisor (PC/CTA) and the Project Manager (PM), part of the project activities and manage the day to day operations of the PCU office in Albania. The NC will provide technical input for the implementation of the project and will support the PC/CTA and the PM in coordinating the work of the international and national consultants. The NC will report to the PC/CTA and the PM. She/he will ensure effective communication with the ministries and the national institutions in the country that she/he is based at and will work closely with the PC/CTA and the PM and the international and national consultants. The NC will be part of the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and will be recruited based on an open competitive process.

The NC will have the following specific duties performed under the supervision of the PC/CTA and the PM:

Management

Support the preparations of project work-plans and operational and financial planning processes.
Contribute to the preparation of progress reports.
Assist in procurement and recruitment processes.
Prepare agendas and arrange field visits, appointments and meetings both internal and external related to the project activities and write minutes from the meetings.
Assist in logistical organization of meetings, training and workshops; ensure the proper day-to-day functioning of the PCU office that is based at, by advertising national and international procurement related to the Project, with support of the financial officer in GWP-Med; supervising the provision and acquisition of all necessary supplies and services including maintenance contracts, office supplies and communications; arranging for customs clearance if required. She/he shall be responsible for the proper running and upkeep of the PCU hardware including the computers, copiers, etc. Maintain records over project equipment inventory.
Monitor project activities, and assist the PC/CTA and the PM in: monitoring budgets and financial expenditures and prepare draft budget revisions and working budgets.
She/he shall oversee the work of Administrative Assistants (should these are recruited in the course of the project).
Advise all project counterparts on applicable administrative procedures and ensure their proper implementation.
Assist all PCU staff and international and national experts in the country they are stationed with personnel matters relevant to the performance of official duties. This work, with support from the financial officer and staff in GWP-Med, will include the obtaining of visas for official missions and assistance to newly arriving or departing staff opening bank accounts, etc. The incumbent will also supervise keeping records of time and attendance of international and national experts and any other administrative functions as required by the PM.
Perform other duties as required.

Technical Input

Coordinate and provide technical input for project activities, including demonstration activities implemented in the country that the NC is based at,in a way that it is ensured that objectives are met and envisaged outcomes and outputs are delivered as described in the Project Document. Activities for which technical input will be necessary include: drafting of technical reports and parts of studies, collection and synthesis of background information, institutional mapping and analysis, Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis, Stakeholders Analysis. Each of the NC will ensure -in cooperation with and using advice by the PM- that the outputs is of the optimum possible quality.
Coordinate and facilitate, for the activities she/he coordinates, inputs of government agencies, partner organizations, scientific and research institutes, subcontractors, and national and international experts in a timely and effective manner.
Assist the PM in the recruitment / mobilization of qualified national and international external experts and organizations as needed to provide specific consultancy services; in this regard assist the PM in defining the technical responsibilities and deliverables expected from national and international consultants and service providers and to elaborate them in comprehensive Terms of Reference.
Assist the PC/CTA and the PM in coordinating the international and national experts that work for the activities that the NC coordinates.
Assist the PC/CTA and the PM in providing specific technical guidance on the implementation and documentation of project activities directly within her/his technical area and provide oversight and guidance to international consultants recruited to support specific areas of project implementation.
Ensure, for the activities she/he coordinates, that national and international consultants prepare adequate work plans, prepare their deliverables in accordance with the ToR.
Prepare reports for the respective activities as requested by the PM.
Support the PC/CTA and the PM in the preparation of annual project work plans and reports.
Assist the PM in the review of reports of national and international consultants, project budget revisions, and administrative arrangements as required by the needs of the project implementation.
Provide overall technical input to maintain and develop the project web-site, seeking and incorporating data and information from project activities.
Be prepared to make national or international travels according to the project needs.

Competencies

Corporate competencies

Abilities to coordinate well with diverse individuals and teams and to negotiate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders to achieve results.
Applies principles of ethics, transparency and non-discrimination.
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies

Strong interpersonal skills, communication skills, ability to lead a team.
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.
Strong analytical, writing, reporting and presenting abilities.
Demonstrated diplomatic and negotiating skills.
Must be able to demonstrate ability to make significant technical and management contributions to project implementation.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education

Graduate degree in environmental management or a directly related field e.g. hydrology / hydrogeology, biology, limnology, geography, natural resources management. Post-graduate university degree will be an asset.

Required Experience

Demonstrated working experience on all or any of the following: water resources governance; natural resources management and basin management issues; stakeholders consultation and involvement.
At least three years of working experience on the issues mentioned above preferably at one of the sub-basins of the Drin Basin (Lakes Prespa, Ohrid, Skadar/Shkoder, and Black Drin, White Drin, Drin and Buna/Bojana Rivers).
Experience in coordinating the work of consultants.

Desired Experience

Good understanding of water resources governance and river basin management in the Drin at the riparians, sub-basin and basin levels.
Good understanding of the socio-economic and political background in the Drin area as well as of the bilateral and trilateral cooperation processes for the management of Drin sub-basins.
Experience in TDA/SAP methodology and/or flood management and/or using GIS software will be considered as an asset.
Experience with GEF projects will be appreciated.

Language skills required

English is the working language for this assignment, therefore excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.
Knowledge of the language of the respective country duty station is necessary.

Evaluation Procedure

Applications will be examined by an evaluation committee as follows:

The Committee will examine the applications and accompanying CVs and motivation letter received in relation to the qualifications listed in the TORs. Applications which do not meet the required qualifications will be excluded from further evaluation. The remaining applications will be further evaluated by the Evaluation Committee, concluding with a short list.
The Evaluation Committee may decide to hold personal interviews with the short-listed applicants. Applicants called to an interview may be requested to submit in printed format prior to their interview all documentation supporting their declared qualifications.
The final evaluation will be based on an analysis of qualifications and competencies. The candidate to be selected will be the one evaluated and determined as:

Responsive to the procedure described herein;
Compliant to the ToR of the post;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted criteria (see below)

Criteria - max. 100 points:

Criteria A – Academic Qualifications/Education as indicated under the ToR section entitled “Qualifications” (max points: 20)
Criteria B – Required Experience as indicated under the ToR section entitled “Qualifications”, and evaluation of the motivation letter (max points: 45).
Criteria C – Desired Experience as indicated under the ToR section entitled “Qualifications” (max points: 35)

Application procedure

Applicants are requested to study carefully the Terms of Reference provided in Annex I.

Interested candidates can apply by sending not later than 6 December 2015, an e-mail to the attention of Ms. Zoe Karka zoe@gwpmed.org with the indication ‘‘Application for GEF-DRIN Project – National Coordinator Albania” in the subject, attaching the following documents:

A Cover letter explaining why they are a suitable candidate for the advertised position, describing their experience, qualifications and competencies responding to the position’s needs. Contents should focus on the background and experience relative to the position’s requirements. The cover letter should be 1 page max.
Their detailed CV, using the model CV form provided in Annex II, including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested information.

For further information or clarification please contact: secretariat@gwpmed.org