Jobs - 27964- National Project Coordinator

National Project Coordinator - Only open for Maldivians

Location :

Male, MALDIVES

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

14-Feb-12 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SC-11

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months

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 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is the UN lead agency in the fight against illicit drugs, international crime and terrorism in virtue of the UN conventions and universal instruments in this regard.

The UNODC Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) is located in New Delhi covering six countries of the region: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Its current technical cooperation projects relate mainly to drug control (with a focus on drug abuse prevention and treatment and its nexus with HIV/AIDS) and the prevention and human trafficking and victim support.

UNODC in partnership with the Government of Maldives is supporting a project titled “Strengthening the national response to drug use in the Maldives”. The aim of the project is to provide technical assistance to strengthen the national response to the problem of drug use especially, prevention and treatment to minimize the risk of drug use and related HIV/AIDS in the Maldives. The project will provide support for strengthening the technical capacity for the coordination and management of drug prevention, treatment and care programmes in the country. Additionally, the project will work towards strengthening of the legal framework and creating an enabling policy environment as it relates to drug users. Drug use prevention programmes for in and out of school children will be supported especially through civil society. The project will also strengthen the civil society capacities to improve access to aftercare and support services for drug users, their sex partners and codependents to decrease their risks and vulnerabilities to drug use and HIV/AIDS

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Representative, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia, the National Project Coordinator will be responsible for the implementation of the project “Strengthening the national response to drug use in the Maldives”. Within delegated authority, the National Project Coordinator will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsible for the substantive and financial implementation of the project in line with the approved project document and the relevant UNODC policies, standards and procedures as well as coordination mechanisms with a view to the expansion of the programme at regional level.
Lead and manage performance of the project team, including consultants and take corrective measures as necessary.
Generate interest for the project approach and its relevance in the region with a view to programme expansion and broadening of the funding base for it.
Identify new project and programmes including funding opportunities and prepare respective proposals in compliance with UNODC standards and procedures.
Systematize and document relevant project experiences for public dissemination through UNODC and partner agencies.
Participate, actively in the relevant UN theme group/s and support the work of the project implementing partners and stake holders.
Ensure the development and dissemination of best practices and knowledge tools for policy development.
Review, analyze, and evaluate technical reports and other relevant materials in line with the state of the art approach in prevention and care of HIV and AIDS among drug users and in prison settings with a view to its applicability in the programme.
Prepare technical reports and other documents, such as reports to the HQs, Governments and donors.
Maintain close contacts, coordination and relations with the donors and identify funding possibilities for the programme.
Supervise programme/project personnel and contractors.
Oversee the implementation and delivery of the ongoing outputs and activities in a timely manner.
Any other tasks that emerge in related areas in line with requirements of the organization.

Competencies

Professionalism: Good knowledge and command of planning, programming budgeting, financial management and other relevant administrative policies. Demonstrated ability to provide effective specialized advice in a broad range of development assistance issues in particular as it relates to drugs and HIV; ability to ensure adequate preparation of reports or rationale with respect to key technical assistance decisions.
Respect for diversity: Treats all people with dignity and respect, with no discrimination against any individual or group.
Vision: Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks and to translate them into a realistic assistance programme.
Leadership: Proven supervisory ability and technical leadership. Strong managerial and supervisory skills; tact and negotiating skills; good judgment and decision-making skills Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations both as a team member and a team leader.
Planning and Organizing: Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those under his/her supervision. Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required.
Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibility and honors commitments; delivers outputs in line with agreed schedules, budgets and quality standards in line with prevailing rules, regulations and procedures.
Performance Management: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority, makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member, accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills, monitors progress against milestones and deadlines, encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative, supports development and career aspirations of staff and appraises performance fairly
Communication: Proven and sustained communication (oral and written) skills, including ability to prepare reports and conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely conveying the maximum necessary information, making and defending recommendations maximum necessary information, making and defending recommendations. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Teamwork: Proven interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Postgraduate Degree (first or second level) in Psychiatry, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Anthropology, Public Health, Medicine, Management, or related field, combined with a minimum 5 years of work experience in the development, implementation, management and monitoring of technical cooperation projects, in preferably in the field of drug use prevention, treatment and care with a focus on its links to HIV/AIDS and/or health-related field will be highly desirable.
Bachelors Degree in Psychiatry, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Anthropology, Public Health, Medicine, Management combined with a minimum of at least 7 years of experience in the development, implementation, management and monitoring of technical cooperation projects, in preferably in the field of drug use prevention, treatment and care with a focus on its links to HIV/AIDS and/or health-related field can be considered.

Experience:

Experience in advocacy and fund-raising at national and international level.
Practical work experience in drug use prevention and treatment, HIV/AIDS, public health related work in research and policy analysis an asset.
Knowledge in programme and project management, of respective UN policies and standards.
Experience in leading staff and managing performance.

Knowledge and Skills:

Strong interpersonal skills, incl. excellent oral and written communication, team and networking skills.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English.
Knowledge of one or more local languages.