BACKGROUND

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.

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Tuvalu, with a land area of 26km², is the fourth smallest nation in the world with a population of about 10,000. Due to its geographical remoteness and relatively limited size of the economy, it is one of the least developed countries. It is also one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impact of climate change induced sea-level rise and intensifying storm events. Recent cyclones have already shown large scale population displacement, significant loss and damage of agriculture resources and infrastructure, contamination of water supplies, coastal erosion and scouring, impacting long term sustainable development of the country.

As such, in response to this climate challenge, the Government of Tuvalu and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have jointly committed to US$ 38 million for the ‘Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project’ towards building coastal resilience which is an urgent national priority.  This project will address the financial and capacity constraints at all levels – from technical to community awareness. The TCAP project was approved in June 2016 and the project implementation commenced in September 2017.

With GCF financing, the project is expected to:

• Make at least 35% of the high value vulnerable coastlines more resilient to withstand the effects of increased wave intensity compared to the baseline of 7%. The GCF investment will be in the islands of Funafuti, Nanumea and Nanumaga, and directed along areas with high concentration of residences and social and economic assets.
• Directly and significantly benefit at least 29% or 3,100 people and indirectly 33% or 3,400 of the total Tuvalu population by mitigating impact of future wave overtopping events.
• Strengthen institutional and community capacities for sustaining and replicating project results.

The primary focus of the project is to put in place robust coastal intervention measures in three islands of Funafuti, Nanumea and Nanumaga to reduce Tuvalu’s extreme vulnerability to coastal inundation and erosion.  While the construction of the coastal interventions is expected to increase the resilience of Tuvalu’s vulnerable coastlines, the Government of Tuvalu also recognizes the need to invest in long-term resilience of the country, which can only be achieved by strengthening the ability of Island Government’s (Falekaupules and Kaupules) plan and execute locally relevant adaptation actions.

This GCF funded project is executed by UNDP and in close partnership with the Government of Tuvalu, given its extensive experience in implementing climate change adaptation projects globally. The project implementation will be led by a team based in Tuvalu.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Team Leader – Resilience and Sustainable Development, the Project Coordinator (International) is responsible for the management and implementation of the TCAP. The Project Coordinator (International) is expected to take an overarching coordinating role ensuring all aspects of the Project are progressed in accordance with the Approved Funding Proposal and international best practice. The position will also supervise, support and train the TCAP PMU personnel, coordinate short-term contracting and provide oversight across all management and implementation tasks. The Project Coordinator (International) will be based in Funafuti, Tuvalu and travel to Fiji as required. S/he also liaises closely with UNDP CO Programme and Operations Teams and maintains effective working relationships with project donors and other partners.

Key duties and accountabilities include:

The Project Coordinator(International) is responsible for the implementation and project management of the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP). S/He is expected to bring in international best practices in the implementation of the project and train the technical personnel in the Project Management Unit.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Effective project management.
• Technical oversight and expertise.
• Policy advice and capacity building.
• Ensure provision of high-quality technical advice and build partnerships; and
• Knowledge management.

Effective Project Management:

• Lead all aspects of project implementation and management, collaboratively with the National Project Manager (NPM).
• Provide strategic input to technical, financial, and managerial aspects of the project to ensure that activities are in accordance with the Project Approved Funding Proposal.
• Carry out the following elements of project management to ensure achievement of targets and results with support from other members of the PMU:
  • Annual work planning.
  • Annual budgeting.
  • Procurement of goods and services.
  • Budget and expenditure analysis.
  • Contractual management.
  • Quarterly and annual progress reporting.
  • Quarterly operational reporting
• Oversee the appropriate use of project funds as well as the consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations while carrying out the project management activities described above.
• Supervise and manage project personnel; establish performance objectives and standards, and ensure timely and appropriate feedback, guidance, and support for optimum performance.
• Monitor project risks and implement risk mitigation measures, jointly with the CTA; update the risk and mitigation measures at the Project Board meetings.
• Ensure that the Environmental and Social Management Plan and the Gender Action Plan are adhered to during the project implementation; If not, immediately inform UNDP and the Government and identify/discuss solutions.
• Provide advice for the annual financial audit.
• Monitoring and Evaluation of project activities and identify and implement solutions to bring the project back on track, as needed.
• Planning and providing strategic inputs into all aspects of project activities.
• Coordinate with the Joint Operations Centre in the Pacific Office in Fiji to ensure that financial and operational procedures of the project are in line with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Perform other duties as necessary to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the project.
• Ensure that UNDP´s results-management systems are kept updated for project results-information including ATLAS project management module.

Technical oversight and expertise:

• Assist to identify needs for external technical support for effective implementation.
• Liaise with Government, UNDP and other development partners on progress and facilitate implementation of project activities.
• Provide management, coordination, and supervision, backstopping and oversight of all aspects of project activities.
• Is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of all risk mitigation measures during all project phases such as inception, implementation / construction, and operation.
• Support the NPM in liaising with the Government of Tuvalu by providing high quality reporting inputs.
• Prepare/organize the reporting materials used in the Project Board Meeting with support from the Project Management Unit including the National Project Manager.
• Carry out assessments of the financial, political, operational and management situations on the ground that affect the project implementation and keep the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji and UNDP Regional Hub in Bangkok abreast of the situations.
• Provide leadership in identifying solutions to address existing gaps arising out of assessments.
• Assist to deliver good international practices in coastal adaptation projects and build the capacity of the TCAP PMU in the same.
• Build and maintain partnerships with technical partners and donors by reporting project progress and identifying opportunities for collaboration.
• Ensure coordination between UNDP and all project stakeholders.

Policy advice and capacity building:

• Identify strategic opportunities for the project to achieve greater development impact through partnerships building and adaptive management.
• Strengthen capacities of the PMU and the Government of Tuvalu to plan, budget and deliver coastal protection related public services.
• Build technical and managerial capacities within the PMU.
• Provision of advice and support and assistance to the national counterparts, as required.
• Provision of other advice as needed to UNDP concerning the evolution and role of the relevant Ministries/stakeholders.
• Participate and actively contribute to the PMU in coordination with the NPM.
• As required, provide policy advise to Government of Tuvalu and ensure coherence with the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji portfolio.

Ensures and coordinates provision of high-quality technical advice and building of partnerships:

• Ensure that technical outputs are produced according to plans and up to highest technical standards, review, and clear technical outputs for quality.
• Establish, maintain, and facilitate strategic dialogue between UNDP, project staff and Government officials at central and local levels, in project´s areas of work.
• Advocate UNDP with the partners and stakeholders.
• Provide inputs to UN coordination platforms and participate in meetings, as requested.

Knowledge management:

• Identify, analyze, and communicate lessons learned that may be useful in design and implementation of similar projects. The duty of identifying and analyzing lessons learned is an on-going one, and the duty to communicate those lessons is on an as needed basis.
• Share knowledge on the Project and its achievements. Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from Project implementation, for organizational sharing and learning. Promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture.
• Produce materials with lessons learnt and best practices and participate in knowledge-based tools.
• Contribute to the analytical work of UNDP and ensure high quality knowledge products. Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration thereof with other pillars.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Project Management, Environmental Natural Resource Management (or Economics), Engineering or related field.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• A minimum of 7 years (with a Master’s degree) or 9 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of progressively relevant experience in managing and implementing large-scale development orientated projects at the regional or international level.
• Experience leading multi-dimensional teams and complex work programs.
• Experience managing and delivering large scale projects in small developing island environments.
• Ability to lead, conduct, facilitate and document discussions with stakeholders.
• Experience in infrastructure project delivery in remote challenging locations.
• Experience working in institutional development, project development and management, budgeting.
• Project management experience in coastal management related projects would be an advantage.
• Experience in the Pacific region and more so experience working in atolls is desirable.

Language Requirements: 

• Proficiency in oral and written English is required.
• Working knowledge of other UN language desirable.

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, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy: Effective Decision Making

• Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

Business Direction & Strategy: Negotiation and Influence

• Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations

Business Development: Integration within the UN

• Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Business Management: Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

External Relations & Advocacy (Partnership management): 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

2030 Agenda – Planet: Nature, Climate and Energy

• Climate Change Adaptation: coastal resilience
• Climate and Forests: REDD+/UNFCCC and access to emission reduction results-based payments (GCF or carbon markets)

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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