Project Manager

Background
 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
 

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.
 

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages; represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, including public-private, government and civil society dialogues; and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 

BPPS’s Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, with the support of the Vertical Fund Programme Support Oversight and Compliance Unit, works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste. This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses: 

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests.
• Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems. 
• Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS. 
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.
• Sustainable Energy. 
• Extractive Industries. 
• Chemicals and Waste Management. 
• Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. 

This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

The newly established UNDP Nature Hub is the arrowhead of UNDP’s commitment to a “Nature Pledge” that aims to put nature at the heart of sustainable development. UNDP’s Nature Pledge for 2030 focuses on three systemic shift areas that are necessary to trigger accelerated and scaled action for achievement of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Importantly, the Nature Hub leads several global project funds, such as the Biodiversity Finance Initiative, Nature for Development Programme, Food and Agriculture Commodity Systems, the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support (GBF-EAS), the Umbrella Programme to support National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP) update and 7th National Report, and the Global Biodiversity Finance Programme. These global projects are linked to country level work and help connect people on the ground to the national, regional, and global decision makers and influencers, as well as, fostering exchange and learning between communities, landscapes, and governments in different countries and continents.

Position Purpose

Under the overall supervision of the Senior Technical Advisor for Ecosystems and Biodiversity and in close coordination with the Global Technical Specialist, relevant Thematic Leads, and Regional Technical Advisors under the Nature Hub, the Project Manager, will lead the GEF-funded Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports to support countries in revising and updating their NBSAPs in order to align with the recently agreed upon Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and enable effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the national level. In addition, this grant supports countries in preparing and submitting their 7th National Report on the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The incumbent is responsible for supervision of the designated programme personnel, promotes work environment that is conducive to innovation and engagement with a diverse set of stakeholders and ensures cross-unit cooperation, coordination teamwork, inclusion, and the empowerment of project personnel and of counterparts. The incumbent ensures a client-oriented approach and consistency with UNDP rules and regulations and good management practice. All managerial/leadership functions are performed in line with the established UN and UNDP management norms, rules, and regulations, and in conformity with UNDP’s internal accountability framework for senior managers which emphasizes, inter alia, the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and accountability in the personal and professional domains.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead Project implementation:

• Lead the project at a global scale, working to maximize and showcase impacts and to strengthen relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Ensure the management and administrative requirements (technical, financial, communications, audits, evaluations, etc.) of the GEF are met.
• Establish and convene meetings of the Global Project Board.
• Manage and monitor risks and issues, submitting newly identified ones to the Project Board for consideration and decision if required.
• Ensure technical excellence of implementation/outcomes and outputs/products by providing inputs to, and critically reviewing these.
• Contribute to efforts advancing the Nature Pledge in implementing countries.

Leading and Overseeing the Development of NBSAPs and 7th National Reports:

• Ensure that UNDP-specific processes (integrated work planning, budgeting, procurement, monitoring, and evaluation, SESP, etc.) are met.
• Undertake cross-country analysis of policy reviews, expenditure analysis, financial needs, identifying trends, gaps and generating global overview data. 
• Lead the organization of regional and global experience sharing events as outlined in the Project Document.
• Liaise with the UNOPS and other partners to ensure successful execution of technical deliverables.
• Liaise with relevant initiatives and programs in UNDP and other organizations in support of the execution of the project, including BIOFIN, GBFP, the GEF 7 Early Action Support Programme, the Nature Facility, TNC, TNFD, UNDP INFF, OECD and UNEP FI.
• Ensure timely delivery of required reporting to the GEF with high quality content.

Provide advisory support and technical guidance:

• Identify and source necessary technical expertise and support and oversee the recruitment of international consultants and service providers, ensuring necessary training and ongoing capacity building are carried out.
• Liaise with other relevant UNDP staff including in-country colleagues regarding the project, including to share information about trends and issues in the thematic area.
• Provide strategic guidance and technical oversight to support all countries, reviewing on a regular basis progress reports, deliverables, disbursements, and budgets to ensure implementation is on track, and troubleshooting and adapting management as required.

Knowledge Management and Capacity Building:

• Ensure all components of the project are implemented in a balanced manner, and in particular, coordinate activities related to the Global Knowledge Platform in close collaboration with UNDP’s team working on biodiversity finance, particularly with the BIOFIN Global team.
• Ensure alignment of national work with global methodologies such as the BIOFIN workbook and others.
• Work with UNDP staff and partner organizations to feed lessons learned from the project implementation. 
• Synthesize learning from national implementation through web articles, blogs, webinars, regional and global conferences.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities

• Supervise the Global Technical and Management Support Unit and any additional contractors as necessary.
• Organize periodic team calls.
• Ensure Performance Management and Development (PMD) and other evaluations are completed timely.
• Contribute to a positive team atmosphere including by delineating specific workflows of team members, identifying, and addressing any potential points of conflict and organize team building activities.
• Liaise with the Senior Management of the Nature Hub, UNDP Regional Hubs, and region-based Technical Advisors on a regular basis.
• Ensure regular communication flows with country offices are in place, including through a quarterly update message.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision, performance management, and development of personnel will be required.

Competencies

Core:
Achieve Results: 

• Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact. 

Think Innovatively:         

• Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems. 

Learn Continuously:       

• Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.

Adapt with Agility:          

• Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands. 

Act with Determination:               

• Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.

Engage and Partner:       

• Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: 

• Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

People Management:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical: 
Agenda 2030: Planet: Nature, Climate and Energy            

• Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Agenda 2030: Planet: Nature, Climate and Energy            

• Environmental Governance: Global Environmental Governance.

Business Management: Communication               

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.

Business Direction and Strategy: System Thinking            

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management: Risk Management           

• Ability to identify and organize action around mitigation and proactively managing risks.

Business Management: Portfolio Management  

• Ability to select, prioritise and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment.

Business Management: Partnerships Management         

• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:          

• Advanced University degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Natural Resource Management, Environment, Economics and Development Studies or relevant field is required, OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above disciplines or related fields, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in project management in thematic areas including natural resource management, environment, biodiversity, environmental finance, or a related field is required. 
• At least 5 years of experience on regional or global project and/ or programme management, involving interactions with multiple country stakeholders is required.
• Experience with the Convention on Biological Diversity and country implementation processes towards the Global Biodiversity Framework is required. 
• Experience managing UNDP projects and GEF-financed projects is highly desired.
• Experience in developing and managing technical and expert reviews of national plans and reports is highly desirable.
• Significant international and developing country experience is an asset.
• Experience in managing globally dispersed individuals and teams is an asset.

Language:           

• Fluency in English language is required.
• Knowledge of Spanish, French, Arabic, or Russian is an advantage.

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