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.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the National Project Manager, and direction of NPD the Project Assistant will be responsible for providing support in day-to-day management and oversight of project activities, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge resource management and preparation of progress reports as well as necessary administrative and logistic support for project activities. 

• Assist the National Project Manager in day-to-day management and oversight of project activities;
• Assist the M&E officer in matters related to M&E and management of knowledge resources of the project;
• Maintain information/databases of project beneficiaries and activities and provide reports on specific stages of project implementation;
• Ensure all project documentation (progress reports, consulting and other technical reports, minutes of meetings, etc.) are properly maintained in hard and electronic copies in an efficient and readily accessible filing system, for when required by Project Executive Board (PEB) meetings and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), UNDP, project consultants and other PMU staff;
• Provide logistical support in organizing the PEB, TAC meetings and ensure all program related materials are properly documented and easily accessible in preparation for meetings; 
• Consider GESI principles and incorporate in the project activities and project budget is made GESI responsive;
• Assist in ensuring gender and inclusion issues in managing events and preparing reports where ever possible;
• Assist in managing the various contracts with implementing partners;
• Ensure timely support to logistical services for the Programme, including organizing missions, support to travel arrangements, DSA Payments, hotel bookings, etc.;
• Support Admin. Finance Officer in preparing annual work plan, periodic expenditure reporting, donor reporting and other financial reports;
• Develop timely work plan, performance reports, and acts in close coordination with the Admin Finance officer based on functional requirement.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrate 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;
• 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 

• Demonstrate ability to identify and anticipate bottlenecks, as well as seek guidance;
• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy, confidentiality concerning financial and employee files;
• Ability to organize and complete assignments within deadlines;
• Maintain honesty, Integrity and impartiality, ability to work with external partners e.g. supplier, vendors, service providers; 
• Ability to convey difficult issues and positions to senior officials proactively seek guidance and make clear recommendations to line managers;
• Dynamic and results-oriented;
• Strong verbal and written skills; ability to draft short memos and conduct presentations;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities; can multi-task;
• Willing to work long hours;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view; and
• Solicits feedback from staff about the impact of his/her own behaviour highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Bachelors' degree in management, environment and natural resource management or relevant area.

Experience

• At least three years of experience preferably in project involving natural resource management and/or sustainable livelihoods; 
• Demonstrated track record of delivering high quality reports on time;
• Experience of working in a national government-managed programme would be an advantage;
• Previous working experience with UN project will be a definite asset.

Language Requirements

• Excellent language skills in English (writing, speaking and reading) and in local languages. 

Other

• Proficiency in the use of computer software applications particularly in MS Work and MS Excel. Actively generates creative, practical approaches and solutions to overcome challenging situation;
• Actively generate creative, practical approaches and solutions to overcome challenging situation.