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.

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.

Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Development Programme works in about 170 countries and territories, helping Governments achieve their own development solutions to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion.

On October 21, 1974, the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Barbados entered into an agreement to “support and supplement the national efforts of developing countries at solving the most important problems of their economic development and to promote social progress and better standards of life.”

Subsequently, similar agreements were entered with Governments of the ten countries and territories that the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean serves: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The UNDP will be implementing a new global Umbrella programme on biodiversity under GEF 8 set aside allocation. The Multi-Country Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is leading the implementation in seven (7) countries across the Eastern Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Strengthening Resilient Water Resource Management (W4R) in the Caribbean project will support the islands of Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enhance water security in vulnerable communities and reduce technical, financial and institutional barriers to develop innovative and integrated water resource management approaches and solutions that empower communities and promotes women’s meaningful inclusion in water resource management. The project further seeks to increased gender-responsive access and use of community-driven, nature- friendly, resilient water systems and enhance ecosystem conservation for improved water resources management and enhanced biodiversity through a) Improving national and local capacities to deploy resilient local water systems; b)Supporting the enhancement of capacities for digitization of historical hydro-meteorological data to improve water monitoring, climate change modelling and adaptation planning; and access to climate finance and c) Supporting governments enhance national water resource management that advances community-driven solutions that consider gender equality, environmental rights and incorporate nature-based solutions to redress water scarcity and biodiversity.

The project has been designed so that community-driven Interventions help test, inform and drive national and sectoral policies on water harvesting and ecosystem restoration, providing best practices that can be replicated throughout the Eastern Caribbean. Substantively the project will work towards promoting women’s stewardship of nature by enhancing equality and fostering innovation as a complement to their participation in decision-making.

Scope of Work

Under the overall guidance and in coordination with the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean, the Project Coordinator will implement the agreed project activities and ensure that objectives are reached as set out in the project document. The position assumes full responsibility for developing workplans, managing and implementing effectively and efficiently all project activities and resources (human, financial, physical / material assets, etc.) under all components of the project in order to meet expected results. Project Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day management and decision-making for the project.

The Project Coordinator will be expected to deliver results in the areas of:

1)           Advisory support on policy and overall direction of the project

• Liaise with the Project Board and partners or its appointed Project Assurance roles to ensure the overall direction and integrity of the project;
• Lead the strategic planning, formulation and monitoring of programmatic issue.
• Lead on the development of project workplans.
• Ensure the overall relevance, and performance of the project, the effective realization and quality of outputs, and adherence to applicable UNDP’s standards, rules and regulations;
• Promote gender equality and women’s participation in the dialogues.
• Provide technical advice to the project in developing baselines and indicators for project monitoring and evaluation, as well as in preparing project reports focused on capturing results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application;
• Implementation of programme results
• Implementation of reporting, monitoring and evaluation policies and strategies
• Liaise partner and coordinate with external and internal partners.
• Ensure knowledge building and management.

2)           Provide technical support for project planning, management and implementation of the project

• Provide direction and guidance to project team(s)/ responsible party (ies);
• Manage the realization of project outputs through activities;
• Develop annual work plans for the projects in consultation with the IP and in agreement with Donor and UNDP guidelines;
• Manage the Projects’ finances according to the budgets;
• Mobilize goods and services to initiate activities, including drafting TORs and work specifications;
• Monitor events as determined in the Communication Plans, and update the plan as required;
• Manage and monitor the project risks as initially identified in the Project Brief appraised by the LPAC, submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log;
• Ensure effective information flow and coordination between the UNDP Project and the UNDP Country Office;
• Lead the recruitment, procurement, and other administrative tasks inclusive of drafting TORs, according to UNDP rules and regulations;
• Supervise the maintenance of the Project related documentation (contracts, reports, correspondence, an inventory list of all equipment purchased, etc. under the Project);
• Ensure strong partnerships and coordination between the project, UNDP Barbados MCO, The Implementing Partners, Universities, Regional Organizations and strategic partners.
• Organize Project Board Meetings, project review and/or evaluation meetings;
• Follow-up on the implementation of Project Board decisions and recommendations;
• Manage the activities of the project team, as well as local and international experts;
• In close consultation with the Project Board, ensure the efficient functioning of the project management assurance;
• Prepare Final Project Review Reports being submitted to the Project Board. Identify follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board;
• Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national beneficiaries;
• Perform other duties as required.

3)           Knowledge management and learning

• Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example: Excellent knowledge of capacity building theory and the application of methodology: good understanding of capacity assessment methodologies;
• Excellent ability to identify significant capacity-building opportunities, ability to get capacity built, excellent ability to demonstrate national capacities built (mastery of the tools and their application);
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Display understanding of the relevant contemporary ICT tools and continuously act towards personal capacity building;
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral): Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, Respectful and helpful relations with all UN staff.

4)           Partnership building and resource mobilization

• Advocates for UNDP’s work and represent UNDP with national authorities, the donor community, and international financial institutions, where requested;
• Engage with government officials at the national, regional and local levels where requested;
• Establish and maintain dialogue with government officials, both local and national, NGOs, partners, donors and communities to provide knowledge and understanding, ensuring accurate interpretation of the program’s mission;
• Liaises regularly and forges close linkages with other UNDP programs, agencies and entities, as well as other international and national stakeholders concerned with or providing support to the UNDP Barbados MCO;
• Contributes to the harnessing of effective partnerships and competitive selection of Responsible Parties for the implementation of UNDP projects;
• Supports programming work and participates effectively in coordination forums and frameworks.

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

Institutional Arrangement

• The Project Coordinator will report to Head of the Prevention, Recovery and Resilience Cluster

Competencies

People Management

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA

Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Business or Public Administration, Project Management, Water Resources Management, Environment or Natural Resources Management, Disaster Management, Climate Change, Development or equivalent field is required.
• A first university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Business or Public Administration, Project Management, Water Resources Management, Environment or Natural Resources Management, Disaster Management, Climate Change, Development or equivalent field with a combination of 2 additional years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience

•             Up to 2 years (with Master’s degree) or minimum 2 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in natural resource management, environment, climate change and resilience building or mainstreaming related work.

Required skills

•             Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

•             Experience in the coordination/implementation of environmental/climate related projects and activities.

•             Experience in the development and/or implementation of capacity building programmes at national and/or community levels is desirable

•             Experience in project administration/management would be an asset Previous   experience         within   the        UN         common system or International/regional Development Organizations is Desirable

Required Language(s)

• English

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment. Candidates selected pursuant to this vacancy may be subject to UNDP’s policy on Probation upon assignment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: 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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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