UNDP GEF Jobs

Climate change in Swaziland is expected to lead to overall warming and drying, with a greater frequency and intensity of droughts as well as floods. The negative impacts on the agricultural and water sector are likely to be considerable. This will require appropriate management of the local river basins such that infiltration of rainwater is promoted and extraction of water from rivers is carefully planned and monitored. Furthermore, negotiations with neighbouring states on trans-boundary river management will need to recognize the likely impacts of climate change and growing human populations. At present, neither river basin management nor international negotiations have placed emphasis on climate change’s anticipated impacts on water resources. This is largely because key parties including local communities, River Basin Authorities (RBAs) and national government institutions in Swaziland, have insufficient technical capacity, management capacity, climate change knowledge as well as physical and financial resources.

The goal of the project is to ensure that the management of Swaziland’s water resources is adapted to take into account the anticipated impacts of climate change. To this end, the principles of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) will be used within the project, and importantly, climate change risks will be incorporated into this management approaches.

The above approaches are summarised in the three outcomes of the project, namely:

• Institutional capacity for climate change adaptation strengthened through the integration of climate change risks into national water resources management policies and the establishment of inter-sectoral- coordination mechanisms based on inclusive and informed national dialogue.
• Climate change risk management measures integrated into national water and agricultural programmes and implemented in pilot projects to promote adaptation on the ground.
• Negotiations on trans-boundary water management for the Incomati, Maputo and Umbeluzi river basins informed by climate change risk analysis.

The Project Manager (PM) will report to the Project Board Executive and will lead the project team through the planning, implementation, and delivery of policies, reports, knowledge products, and other results approved in the project document and annual work plans. The PM will provide overall operational management for the successful execution and implementation of the programme. The PM will be responsible for financial management and disbursements, with accountability to the government and UNDP. The Project Manager will also work closely with the staff from inter alia Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy (MNRE), Swaziland Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise (SWADE), Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (MTEA), NMS, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), National Climate Change Committee (NCCC), SZWP, River Basin Authorities (RBA), WUA and National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA). Additionally, the Project Manager will work closely with the Technical Assistance as and when identified by the Project.

• Facilitating the day-to-day functioning of the project staff.
• Managing human and financial resources in consultation with the Project Board Executive to achieve results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project document.
• Leading the preparation and implementation of annual results-based work plans in line with indicators and targets specified in the logical framework endorsed by the Project Board (PB).
• Coordinating project activities with related and parallel activities both within Department of Water Affairs (DWA) and with other government and parastatal projects/programmes.
• Monitoring project activities, including financial matters, and preparing quarterly progress reports, and organising quarterly progress reviews.
• Supporting the Project Board Executive in organising PB and Project Technical Committee (PTC) meetings and recording the minutes of the meetings.
• Coordinating the distribution of responsibilities amongst team members and organising the monitoring and tracking systems.
• Reporting and providing feedback on project strategies, activities, progress, and barriers to UNDP, Project Board and the PTC.
• Managing relationships with project stakeholders including donors, NGOs, government agencies, and others as required.
• Facilitating coordination of project activities across institutions.
• Providing technical guidance to project implementation and ensure realisation of the project’s main objectives.
• Facilitating procurement of professional service providers (consultants), materials and goods.
• Assuring the quality of these processes and products, and using evaluations for performance improvement, accountability and learning.
• Ensuring that required resources are committed and arbitrating on any conflicts within the project or negotiate solutions to any problems encountered with external bodies. 
• Develop recommendations for Project Board (PB) approval as and when required.

• Demonstrated expertise in programme/project management for results.
• Ability to communicate effectively complex, technical information to the audiences at various levels.
• Management ability for a team to produce with ability to produce quality outputs in a timely manner.
• Negotiation, organization, coordination, skills to influence a win-win position to facilitate achievement of results. Exceptional presentation, reporting and facilitation skills to effect consensus building among the stakeholders at various levels.

• Master’s Degree in water resources management, agriculture economics, climate change studies, development studies, engineering or related discipline.

• Extensive knowledge of climate change adaptation issues, in particular in the water sector.
• Knowledge of institutional and policy frameworks on Swaziland  as related to the project, institutional and policy issues on Integrated Water Resource Management, land management, disaster risk management would be an advantage.