Background

The High Mountain catchments of Nepal are particularly prone to drought, landslides and floods, due to coincidence of seasonal snow melt with the summer monsoon season. In these highly vulnerable mountain regions warming trends are increasing and the impacts are magnified by the extreme changes in altitude. Around 85% of rainfall occurs during the four monsoon months of June to September and results in extensive flooding annually. Climate change is intensifying the monsoon rainfall and increasing snow and glacial melt rates, which is contributing to increased frequency and severity of flood and landslide disasters which result in extensive economic, life and livelihood losses annually. At the other extreme, water scarcity and droughts also pose a threat to the agriculture-reliant livelihoods of these regions.  Climate change is increasing the temporal and spatial variability of rainfall and runoff, thus intensifying the problem of excess water during the monsoon and water scarcity during the dry season, increasing economic damages to agriculture, property, and the environment, disrupting lives and livelihoods and threatening food security.

A long-term solution to this climate change problem is to rehabilitate and maintain functional integrity of watersheds that have critical functions of water storage and release, infiltration, drainage control, and soil moisture retention. Using watersheds as organizing units for planning and implementation of natural resource management and resilient livelihood development is an approach to effectively tackle an immediate and long-term climate risk reduction issues, in relation to floods and droughts. Taking watershed management concerns into consideration the proposed LDCF project on “Developing climate resilient livelihoods in the vulnerable watershed in Nepal” will embed Integrated Watershed Management approaches in Nepal through policy and practice at the national and sub-national levels. It will do so through establishing the legislative and institutional framework for integrated watershed management to address climate change induced hazards and introducing and scaling up integrated adaptive watershed management practices covering 844km2 of watershed areas and benefiting 121,606 vulnerable people. While the project interventions in the legislative and institutional frameworks will be at national and sub-national level, project investment in adaptive management practices will be done within sub-watersheds of the Dudh Koshi river basin which is the most vulnerable to floods and droughts.

Women’s vulnerabilities to climate change are similar to those of men. Women however have specific additional concerns, linked to their key roles in the household. In this project, GESI is considered strongly in planning, decision-making on implementing the interventions, with due preference to most vulnerable, marginalized, indegenous communities. To ensure the quality and standard service connected with GESI program DCRL project is recruiting the GESI and Monitoring Officer. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall direction of National Project Director (NPD) and National Program Manager (NPM) and under day to day supervision of the Field Coordinator (FC), the GESI and Monitoring Officer will be responsible for the execution of the GESI and Monitoring, Evaluation specific activities at the field level. The GESI and Monitoring officer will work along with the team members and will be responsible to coordinate and establish the linkages amongst all the project team members, groups, stakeholders, line agencies, and with local and provincial level concerned officials. The GESI and Monitoring officer will provide the timely, accurate, reports to the PMU through the Field Coordinator.

1. Project Implementation: 

• Provide technical support and develop detailed Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis of the project area, synthesize GESI mainstreaming plan particularly emphasizing on indigenous, vulnerable groups and proposed the plan of intervention based on needs and preferences, and opportunities and constraints;
• Develop a plan of action based on GESI analysis that identifies opportunities and entry points for mainstreaming GESI into the project management cycle; 
• Prepare the detail plan of action for GESI mainstreaming in accordance with the project’s Result Framework and include GESI specific project components, targets with indicators, and timelines with concrete implementation arrangements;
• Identify government agencies, NGOs, community based organizations, Natural Resource Management groups, and other women’s associations or groups whose work focuses on gender and the specific area of intervention that can be utilized during project implementation; 
• Prepare the detail project specific Gender Action Plan and strategies to ensure GESI empowerment;
• Play the active role to bring the women representation in all project activities and enable them with strong and coherent leadership in support of national/project priorities and efforts, through building effective partnerships;
• Provide in-depth analysis on GESI needs, participation rates, access to resources development, decision-making powers related to project activities;
• Develop the concrete plan for tackling gender inequalities and discrimination, and provide the enabling environment with sets of actions for their overall empowerment and development;
• Analyse the cause and barriers for ‘being left behind’ and develop the actions accordingly against it in association with local, province government, line agencies, and development partners;
• Prepare terms of reference, cost estimates for training, study, other GESI activities that are linked with GESI responsive components of the project;
• Assess and identify potential gender-differentiated impacts of the project, and also carry out the appropriate documentation, publish case study, best practices, learning, and knowledge management resources;
• Organize and facilitate the GESI specific training, exposure visits, and other associated project activities;
• Lead in prioritizing and implementing gender-equitable project interventions throughout the project area;
• Maintain the field level M and E plan, indicators, Environment and Social safeguard management plan in close coordination with concerned team members, and guidance of Field Coordinator;
• Provide periodic feedback to Project Management Unit, MERC officer based on Evidence-driven facts;
• Monitor progress in implementation of the project Gender Action Plan ensuring that targets are fully met and the reporting requirements are fulfilled;
• Review the Gender Action Plan annually, and update and revise corresponding management plans as necessary;
• Work with the M&E officer and Safeguards Officer to ensure reporting, monitoring and evaluation fully address the GESI issues of the project; and
• Plan the actions with close coordination and guidance of the PIU, Field coordinator, and PMU.

2. Providing quality assurance and support to implement GESI and other activities:

• Maintain close coordination/linkages with targeted local level agencies, I/NGOs, and CBOs, user groups focussing on GESI specific on-going work and opportunity for complementarity;
• Provide backstopping on field activities implemented by local project partners;
• Provide technical inputs to the implementation of the GESI Programme activities and outputs – including organizing and participating in meetings, trainings, workshops and other events and by providing analysis of results of the workshop/trainings/meetings /events, by providing technical inputs to workshop presentations, to studies, to advisory services and to other activities and outputs at the field;
• Organize and coordinate GESI specific programme activities aimed to enhance capacity of local partners in compliance against programme and fiduciary standards; and
• Take leading role to develop the overall Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, knowledge management, publications, documentation to capture all the data, information storage, lesson learned and success stories.

3. Monitoring and reporting of field based activities:

• Ensure that all project data, information on physical and financial progress are duly maintained with transparently, expediently, and effectively in line with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Plan, coordinate and organize regularly joint monitoring of the GESI specific activities in the field;  
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of GESI specific, and other required reports, as per the requirements of GON, UNDP and Global Environmental Facility (GEF);
• Support to the Project Implementation Unit, Filed Coordinator for the regular meetings of between line agencies, provincial and local level stakeholders. and
• Facilitate spot checks of the implemented activities at the field level.

4. Develop and maintain strong relationship with government counterparts, user groups and community based organizations:

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders, government (provincial and local), non-government organizations, academia and private sectors;
• Maintain close coordination with provincial and local level government stakeholders in GESI specific planning, monitoring (joint) and sharing (reports) for effective implementation and possible synergies in Integrated Watershed Management (IWM).

5. Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) Sensitivity: 

• Ensure alignment of programmatic policy, processes and procedures as per the GON, UNDP’s GESI strategy;
• Prioritize selection of consultant process with due consideration of Gender and Social Inclusion perspectives as per the UNDP GESI strategy; 
• Coordinate with GESI focal point within relevant local governments as required to deliver the results of the project.
• Respect the local community’s culture, diversity, norms and values.

Impact of Results

Effective delivery of field-based GESI specific activities in accordance with the agreed work plan; supervise and activities; effective coordination and maintaining good working relationship with governments counterparts and all relevant stakeholders; organize capacity needs of community and partner agencies to ensure compliance with UNDP norms; proper documentation and dissemination of success stories and lesson learned for replication of project activities.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the Government of Nepal (GoN) and UN’s values and ethical standards; 
• Serves and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of GoN and UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Good inter-personal skills;
• Clear and upfront communication skills; 
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
• Display cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
• Collaborates effectively in a team environment;
• Organized and good with following-up on pending issues; meets deadlines;
• Promote learning and knowledge management/sharing;
• Focuses on delivering results by taking calculated-risks and problem-solving approach;
• Fair and transparent decision making; regularly shares information with team members; 
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.

Functional Competencies: 

• Socio-Cultural and knowledge and understanding of GESI policies, plan, programs and activities climate change, with integrated planning skills,
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience in working on GESI specific policy advocacy, and strong ability to work with local governments, communities, groups, indigenous people,  
• Experience in project management, with ability to keep track, deal effectively with problems and fulfil reporting requirement in timely manner;
• Promotes sharing of knowledge and experience, and actively works towards continued learning and development on personal level as well as for supervisees; 
• Good practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues; 
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of projects; 
• Strong inter-personal skills, communication, networking, and team building skills; competent in leading teams and creating team spirit, management of inter-group dynamics and conflicting interests of various actors, stimulating team members to produce quality outputs in a timely and transparent manner;
• Strong knowledge / experience in results­based management and results­oriented approach to project delivery;
• Demonstrates strong problem solving, numerical and analytical skills;
• Excellent oral communication skills and excellent written communication skills;
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high ranking members of government and stakeholders;
• Results driven, ability to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines; remains calm and in control under pressure;
• Has experience working with Monitoring and Evaluation tools;
• Experience in developing business plans, Experience in coordination, technical assistance;
• Experienced in delivering training and other needed capacity/ institutional building support to a wide range of stakeholders;
• Demonstrates excellent organizational and administrative skills; 
• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate;
• Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders;
• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
• Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda; 
• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
• Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in gender studies, gender and development, forestry, natural resource management, sustainable development or related area.

Experience: 

• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and sustainable development; 
• At least 5 years of practical working experience in gender mainstreaming, women’s empowerment and sustainable development in relevant Country/Region/Area of Work;
• Proven experience in gender issues in Country/Region/Area of Work
• Previous experience with UN projects will be an asset;
• Demonstrated understanding of the links between sustainable development, social and gender issues;
• Experience in gender responsive capacity building;
• Experience with project development and results-based management methodologies is highly desired/required;
• Excellent analytical, writing, advocacy, presentation, and communications skills. 
• Excellent language skills in English (writing, speaking and reading) and in local languages.
• Experience in programme design, monitoring and evaluation is an asset; and
• Experience working for the government of Nepal and UN is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Good knowledge of Nepali and English, fluency in the language of the duty station.