Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in more than 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet.

Development challenges in Papua New Guinea are as diverse and complex as the country itself. To respond to these challenges, UNDP in Papua New Guinea concentrates its efforts on building the country’s capacity to promote inclusive, green, and pro-poor growth, effective governance, and sustainable and resilient development. We help our partners in identifying relevant solutions to complex development challenges and offer policy and implementation services to address these challenges. The Country Office’s policy, advisory, programmatic, and implementation services focuses on the following areas:

• Peace: promoting inclusive governance, justice, and peace
• Prosperity: inclusive, greed and sustainable growth
• Planet: sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity conservation, strengthened climate and disaster resilience and management.

In addition to these areas of focus which reflect country’s developmental priorities, UNDP emphasizes gender, climate change, social protection and inclusive growth, in all aspects of our work.

The country office is located in the capital city Port Moresby and hosts approximately 80 personnel. UNDP also maintains project office presence in Buka (Autonomous Region of Bougainville), Mendi (Southern Highlands Province), Wewak (East Sepik Province) and Wabag (Enga Province).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), supported the “Sustainable Financing of Papua New Guinea’s Protected Area Network” (SFPNGPAN) project, which aims to strengthen the Government of Papua New Guinea’s ability to fulfil its protected area mandate and implement the Protected Area Policy and law. The key objectives are to: (i) secure stable and long-term financial resources for the management of protected areas across the country; (ii) ensure that these financial resources are allocated for the management of protected areas across the country; (iii) ensure that they are managed cost-effectively and efficiently with respect to their conservation and other complementary development objectiveness.

In recognition of this need, the project included a component focused on the establishment, operationalization and mobilization of funding for a Biodiversity and Climate Fund to primarily support funding of PNG’s Protected Area Network to ensure the protection of biodiversity, while working to provide nature-based solutions to support climate mitigation and resilience.

Work under the project resulted in the creation of the Papua New Guinea Biodiversity and Climate Fund (BCF) in 2022. The BCF is designed to be a well-governed, transparent, national-level funding institution that can catalyse resources from a variety of sources-from donors to private sector entities-and deploy them successfully where they are needed most while ensuring their effective use and impact. The Fund will provide greater transparency and accountability for donors and private sector supporting the implementation of the identified finance solutions. During its start-up phase the Fund will be incubated over four years (2022 to 2026) within the SFPNGPAN project at UNDP to ensure that the Secretariat receives support to successfully implement its governance systems, mobilize resources, and deliver a pipeline of successfully funded conservation projects. Part of this support involves the opportunity to also build the capacity of not only the secretariat but also of the fund’s key beneficiaries who lay at the heart of this initiative. The initial funding from the UNDP GEF 6 Project, will be used to assist the BCF in carrying out its secretariat operations, grants and financial management, monitoring &evaluation and reporting.

The support from the Fund will support PNG’s approach to conservation, which is based on the premise of ‘doing conservation differently’ and placing people at the heart of conservation, incentivising business models that have a net benefit to the environment, are transformative and demonstrate that conservation and economic development are not conflicting but complementary. The Fund will also support the implementation of the country’s climate strategies, by funding nature-based solutions to mitigation and adaptation.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Programme Manager (Head of the BCF) will report directly to the Chief Technical Specialist and work closely with the Fund Team, including the BCF Board, while taking responsibility for deadlines and duties as outlined in the Terms of Reference and associated contract.

The Head of the BCF will be expected to deliver tasks in the duty station of Port Moresby in order to maintain communication with the Fund Secretariat as well as ensure transfer of skills.

The Programme Manager will be responsible for leading and building the capacity of the Secretariat to implement its governance and management systems, mobilise resources, and support the Board.

The Programme Manager will be based in Port Moresby, and under the supervision of UNDP’s Chief Technical Advisor, as well as the UNDP PNG Country Office shall have the specific duties set forth herein and in BCF legislation, and such other duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

Organization Mission and Strategy: Works with the Board and staff to ensure that the mission and provision of strategic technical direction and leadership:

• Be responsible for the general and active management of the affairs of the BCF, subject to the supervision by the BCF Board and UNDP PNG Country Office.
• Develop and implement long-term plans, annual plans, budgets, operating manuals and policies as well as provide annual reports.
• Maintain relationships with government, private entities, donors, and NGO actors in biodiversity, climate, and natural resources. Remain current on best practice trends and developments in biodiversity conservation, conservation finance, and climate issues at the global, regional, and national levels.
• Active engagement articulate and speak nationally and globally for the importance of conserving and managing biodiversity and natural resources.
• Coordinate with other donor-funded initiatives and government initiatives to achieve greater efficiencies and synergies, access additional potential sources of funding, and raise awareness of  potential negative impacts on biodiversity that could result from proposed or current initiatives.
• Draft the Exit Strategy of the Fund as part of the closure documents for the SFPNGPAN Project.

Financial Performance and Viability: Develop and manage sufficient resources to ensure the financial health of the organization and grow its capacity in line with the strategic vision and mission; engages the Board and other team members as necessary to help with resource mobilization and building a long-term fund.

• Maintain a resource plan showing cash flow requirements and resources available, based on revenue received and/or receivable, interest revenue, and actual/projected expenses.
• Lead the development and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy in consultation with the Board.
• Manage relations with investment managersand or consultants to implement the Investment Policy and serve as an ex officio member of the Investment Committee.
• Acts as primary point of contact for the various donor organizations and international financial institutions, engaging with donors to keep them appraised of the progress of Fund programs and working to identify new funding mechanisms.
• Administer Board-approved transfers for funds to the beneficiaries and ensure accountability for these funds.
• Presents the Board with timely annual audit and financial reports for review.

Resource Mobilization: Initiate and follow up on all fund-raising activities of the Fund in coordination, whenever necessary, with the Board and the UNDP PNG CO.

• Review, revise and implement BCF fund raising strategy.
• Research and identify potential donors, initiate dialogues, make presentations to potential donors, prepare grant applications to potential donors and negotiate the terms of the grant agreement with donors.
• Collaborate with the Board to plan and agree on a future fundraising strategy for BCF.

Operational Effectiveness: Oversees the operation of the organization, ensuring that staff are working effectively and meeting the objectives of the Fund.

• Liaise with Government organizations, local communities, NGOs, businesses, donors, media to represent and promote BCF’s interests in day to day dealings and on-going liaison with the stakeholders.
• Provide overall leadership of the PNG BCF by selecting, motivating, inspiring, and managing performance of the Secretariat staff.
• Oversee administrative and financial planning processes, provide direction and guidance to senior administrative and finance staff.
• Oversee the development and implementation of the grant-making process including design of specific programs, program windows, and calls for proposals.
• Ensure that an effective monitoring and evaluation system is in place to determine the effectiveness of the funding provided for biodiversity and climate related projects.
• Coordinates with stakeholders to oversee the performance of monitoring and evaluation of management effectiveness of protected areas.
• Serve as the Secretary to the BCF Board

Reporting: Ensure that all reporting requirements as stated in the Fund’s charter are complied with, including the following.

• Maintain a record of reporting deadline.
• Ensure that all substantive and interim financial reports are prepared and submitted to the donor in a timely manner, in accordance with the agreement, and
• For interim financial reports, clearly identify the interim nature in the report itself to differentiate the report from the certified financial statement. Ensure that the reports meet the requirements of the donor as agreed in the contribution Agreement and are accurate, complete and timely.
• Responsible for promptly, regularly and fully informing the Chairperson of the Board about the current affairs, activities and finances of BCF, and for obtaining the Chairperson’s advice and approval in all cases where this may be required by the BCF policies or Operational Manual.

Monitor the grants to ensure that all activities funded by/through the Fund comply with the agreement and mandate of the Fund.

• Review project documents, prepare annual reports, and evaluation reports. Follow up with donors on a regular basis to ensure that donors are kept informed, and donor queries are promptly resolved.

Lead knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relative to the assigned thematic area(s) and UNDP.

• Provide substantive advice and technical support to the development and implementation of a capacity development/ learning plan.
• Lead the process of knowledge capture of national and international know-how in relevant thematic areas and document project lessons, experiences, and best practices that may be useful in design and implementation of similar projects for organizational and external sharing and learning. Produce materials with lessons learned and best practices and other knowledge-based tools.

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

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigating complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competences:

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.
• Knowledge facilitation – Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Business Management

• Partnership 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
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Event planning and execution

• General (across the functions) – Ability to plan, manage and execute public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP’s overall brand and mandate.
• Monitoring and Evaluation – Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to making sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.

Partnership management

• CSO Engagement – Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs.
• Relationship management – Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• An Advance university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Development, Law, Business Administration or related fields of expertise is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree)  of professional experience in budget oversight, project management, operations and leadership is required.
• Administrative experience in project management, planning, and finance management.
• Demonstrable experience in track record of managing donor-funded projects.
• Experience in project cycle management in the public or private sector or international organization
• Experience managing environmental projects
• Demonstrable hands-on experience managing complex stakeholder relationships and entrepreneurial abilities; ability to think creatively and problem solving.
• Demonstratable experience in Papua New Guinea and knowledge of its operating environment for foundations and/or NGOs, as well as the conservation and climate change sector.
• Experience working in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea on Environmental and/or social policies and programs.
• Demonstrable skill, experience and success in marketing and fundraising with an emphasis on raising funds from multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, foundations, and corporations.
• Experience in UN or international organization

Required Languages

• Fluency in English and Tok Pisin required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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