Antecedentes

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.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the National Project Manager (NPM), and direction of NPD the Monitoring, Communication and Reporting Officer will have the responsibility for project monitoring and evaluation along with reporting and communication roles of the Developing Climate Resilient Livelihoods in Vulnerable Watershed in Nepal. The Officer will be responsible in the implementation and monitoring of the environmental and social management plan/framework.

Overall roles and responsibilities:

• Monitor project progress and prepare the periodic progress reports as per requirement  ensuring with accuracy and standards;
• Ensure project’s M&E meets the requirements of the Government, the UNDP Country Office, and UNDP-GEF; develop project-specific M&E tools as per requirement/necessary;
• Oversee and ensure the implementation of the project’s M&E plan, track the Project Results Framework (PRF) based progress including periodic appraisal of the Project’s Theory of Change and with reference to actual and potential project progress and results;
• Suggest the timely corrective measures if any, based on monitoring/evaluation findings;
• Support to publish the project progress, information brochure, knowledge products and other project learning and also support to disseminate  timely, support to update in project web site;
• Oversee/develop/coordinate the implementation of the stakeholder engagement plan;
• Oversee and guide the design of surveys/ assessments commissioned for monitoring and evaluating project results;
• Support for overall project planning procedures, plan and facilitate mid-term and terminal evaluations of the project; including management responses;
• Facilitate annual reviews of the project and produce analytical reports from these annual reviews, including learning and other knowledge management products;
• Support project site M&E and learning missions; 
• Visit project sites as and when required to appraise project progress on the ground and validate written progress reports;
• Ensure environmental and social risks are identified, avoided, mitigated and managed throughout project implementation;
• Monitor progress in development/implementation of the project ESMP/ESMF ensuring that UNDPs SES policy is fully met and the reporting requirements are fulfilled;
• Oversee/develop/coordinate implementation of all safeguard related plans;
• Ensure social and environmental grievances are managed effectively and transparently;
• Review the SESP annually, and update and revise corresponding risk log mitigation / management plans as necessary;
• Ensure full disclosure with concerned stakeholders; 
• Develop a project communications strategy / plan, develop/support TAC engagement plan and operational, support to  incorporate findings in annual work plans and update it annually in consultation with project stakeholders; coordinate its implementation;
• Coordinate the dissemination, publication, implementation of knowledge management outputs of the project;
• Support to plan and implementation of public awareness activities across all project components;
• Take the lead role in ensuring overall quality assurance, design and maintenance of the project website/webpages and ensure it is up-to-date and dynamic;
• Facilitate learning and sharing of knowledge and experiences;
• Support the development and implementation of GESI Audits; 
• Ensure that GESI is well captured and mainstreamed in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Frameworks of the PIU; and
• Coordinate with the GESI and Monitoring Officer (PIU) to ensure that the GESI-related results are well captured in all monitoring and reporting efforts.  

Impact of Results:
Ensure periodic appraisal of the project’s Theory of Change and Results Framework; Effective monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communication of the project; Ensure environmental and social risks are identified, avoided, mitigated and managed throughout project implementation; Proper documentation and knowledge management of success stories, lesson learned and shared learning opportunities.

Competencias

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the Government of Nepal (GoN) and UN’s values, norms 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;
• Excellent inter-personal skills;
• Clear and upfront communication skills; 
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism; 
• 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 :

• Demonstrates ability to draft results-based reports;
• Demonstrate familiarity with baseline data collection, monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies along with compliance with UNDP’s SES policy;
• Knowledge and experience in monitoring and evaluation, data collection and analysis, and reporting;
• 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; 
• Demonstrates strong numerical and analytical skills;
• Has experience working with Monitoring and Evaluation tools;
• Experienced in delivering training and other needed capacity/ institutional building support to a wide range of stakeholders including financial institutions;
• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating GoN and 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 Government of Nepal and UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda; and
• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Master's degree in field of environment or natural resource management or development communications or relevant areas.

Experience:

• At least five years of experience in monitoring, communication, documentation, research and coordination in development context, and information-related activities;
• Very good knowledge of results-based management and project cycle management, particularly with regards to M&E approach and methods. Formal training in RBM/PCM will be an asset;
• Knowledge and working experience of the application of gender mainstreaming in international projects;
• Understanding of watershed management, sustainable livelihoods and associated issues; 
• Previous experience in developing and implementing environmental and social safeguard strategies for organizations or projects.
• Experience in data analysis, management and presentation;
• Proven experience in networking, partnership and shared learning;
• Demonstrated track record of delivering high quality reports on time.

Language Requirements:

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

Other:

• Proficiency in computer application and information technology.