UNDP with finding from GEF LCDF is implementing the “Building Shoreline Resilience of Timor-Leste to Protect Local Communities and their Livelihoods” Project. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), the Secretary of State for Environment, Ministry of Public Works, MSS, UNTL, NGOs and private enterprises.
The project responds directly to the challenges facing coastal communities and ecosystems as a result of climate change and sea level rise. Climate change is causing Timor-Leste to become hotter and drier, with increasingly variable rainfall – water, soils, and coastal areas are all sensitive to these changes. Riverine and catchment runoff from the country’s mostly steep terrain, with increasing deforestation and poor agricultural and catchment practices, causes significant soil erosion, increased incidence of landslides and flash flooding. This results in sedimentation of rivers and streams, and major impacts on riverine and coastal water quality, as well as the compromised health of coastal ecosystems (such as mangroves, coral reefs and seagrasses).
These pressures from upland areas, coupled with the rapidly rising sea level, are putting coastal communities (and the ecosystems and resources upon which they depend), particularly at risk. Over the past 2 decades, mangroves, which serve as a natural defense to the sea, have been severely degraded – leaving the country’s shoreline and coastal communities vulnerable to coastal inundation, erosion, salt water intrusion, and impacts of sea-borne natural hazards (e.g. waves, storm surges, and in extreme cases, small scale tsunamis).
In this regard, the Timor-Leste Strategic Development Plan (SDP) 2011-2030 clearly articulates the long-term preferred situation of preserving an ecological balance to safeguard the sustainable development of the economy. The SDP stresses, in particular, the challenges of increased risk of flooding to low-lying coastal villages, as well as food shortages in the country in general, which climate change presents. The Timor-Leste National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) further emphasizes the need to specifically tailor adaptation support to those most vulnerable, particularly children and youth, and stresses the importance of reflecting those needs in the development goals and aspirations of the country.
In line with this national development goals; the objective of this project is to strengthen resilience of coastal communities by the introduction of nature-based approaches to coastal protection. The project is supporting inter- and intra-ministerial coordination for collaborative development planning ensuring protection of coastal areas, as well as identify and research potential revenue streams for long term sustainability.
Accordingly, this UNDP/GEF Funded project intends to recruit a National Communication and Project Management Specialist to support the Project team in ensuring that its monitoring and evaluation requirements met and communications, and stakeholder engagement efforts are well-designed, targeting the appropriate audiences and delivered effectively; to enhance the knowledge of the larger stakeholders and partners about ecological coastal adaptation and management.
Summary of Key Functions:
- Communication and Public Awareness Raising
- Capacity Building Knowledge Management
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Support Resource Mobilization and Partnership Building
Communication:
- Review and update the project’s communications/public awareness strategy, including links to broader UNDP work and programmes, as well as activities to promote the project;
- Engage with medias and other stakeholders to advocate about the project;
- Synthesis of lessons learnt, best practices and case stories;
- Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
- Produce and oversee production of media friendly communications products aimed at:
Public Awareness Raising:
- Identify and develop opportunities to raise awareness about mangroves, coastal ecosystems, climate change as well as raise awareness about the project through organizing events, publications, etc;
- Coordinate project activities such as workshops, community consultations, dialogue and trainings;
- Build rapport to raise awareness or communicate about the project
- Organize public awareness raising activities, consistent with the project’s communication strategy and action plan;
- Work closely with UNDP other units and government sector offices to ensure related communications materials include information about the project;
- Identify opportunities to highlight the project at relevant events;
- Design promotional materials in local language and context including prompting indigenous adaptation practices;
- Work with larger public and school communities, universities and research institutions to organize flagship learning and sharing events, symposium, conferences on coastal adaptation, shoreline management, ecosystem conservation and resilience building.
Capacity Building and knowledge Management:
- Constant communication with international Program Manager, Project Management team, project Board and UNDP staff for collaboration and coordination of smooth implementation of the project;
- Facilitate and support learning agendas, collaboration, learning and adapting, and knowledge management activities; all aimed at facilitating effective; collaboration and promote learning and sharing among stakeholders.
- Identify capacity building and training needs of communities and find the human and institutional resources to meet those needs;
- Provide technical assistance and support to the Field Coordinators, community, CBOs and NGOs for project development, including design and application of indicators and grants monitoring activities;
- Organize and facilitate training for local experts and community as required
- Synthesis lessons learnt, document case stories and best practices for learning and sharing;
- Organize experience sharing workshops with stakeholders as well as field visits to facilitate lesson learning and enhance communication among different stakeholders;
- Participate in the preparation of analytical case studies on project activities and issues, and disseminate knowledge products and communication materials;
- Provide continuous information updates for the country office database, as well periodic progress reports
- Disseminate guidelines and information material to CBOs and NGOs seeking financial and technical support under the project;
Monitoring and Evaluation:
- In consultation with project management and team develop a M&E framework and plans, define project indicators, prepare tools and collect and review monitoring data;
- Design and implement a methodology for establishing a project baseline survey drawing on existing studies and available information carried out during PPG linked to project outcome indicators;
- Design and implement data collection and reporting protocols linked to project outcome indicators to support routine project progress reporting;
- Manage key informant in-depth interviewing, managing survey data collection, reviewing data, preparing datasets, analyzing quantitative or qualitative data, and report writing;
- Interpret outcomes of implementation through data or other evidenced-based sources and provide program recommendations as needed;
- Assist in the management of field monitoring, evaluation design, empirical and statistical analysis, environmental compliance, and management of information systems;
- Reviewing project reports, back-to-office reports, activity implementation reports, visiting sites, meet with communities and beneficiaries and engaging in written and oral communications with project stakeholders, beneficiaries, grant recipients and local communities to support M&E;
- Provide support to the Project Manager on quality assurance/quality control for consultants;
- Collect and verify data on technical implementation, coordinate with both technical and operation staff and contribute to overall project reporting requirements as GEF and UNDP guidelines. This might entail, but not limited to, quarterly reports, PIR and review of field reports, evaluation and case studies, success stories, etc;
- Prepare regular M&E reports, update risk matrix and logs, lessons learned logs and organize regular monitoring and implementation progress reporting with key government partners, NGOs and community organizations;
Support Partnership Building:
- Support the project manager in partnership building and engagement with national and municipal authorities and other donor agencies.
- Provide evidence input / in project concept note, proposal preparation
- Prepare and share best practices of the project to the wider stakeholders
- Assume any other function as requested by the Chief Technical Advisor/ Project Manager
Expected Outputs/Results:
- Support the implementation of the project’s communication strategy and work plan;
- Preparation of M&E plans and tools to support monitoring and evaluation activities and implementation of the project’s M&E plan;
- Collect and analyze data and compile report (progress against planned activities and expected results and targets, update on Risks and Issues) and submit the report to the CTA to be shared with the project Board;
- Inputs to the Progress reports, Annual work plans, as well as Quarterly Plans as required;
- Provide technical support to the project team in the project activities implementation;
- Document case stories and best practices for learning and sharing;
- Foster partnership with local stakeholders, donors and other agencies to maximizing the results of the project;
- Strengthen partnership with MAF and other relevant partners for the success of the project and mobilize resource for scale-up and replication of best practices/achievements.
Core Competencies:
- Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
Functional Competencies:
- Ability for team working and team building
- Excellent inter-personal, communication and negotiation skills
- Self-management, emotional intelligence and conflict management;
- Extensive information exchange contacts with national and international agencies involved in local and international studies of climate-induced natural disasters, in general, and reduction, in particular
- Analytical and strategic thinking/results orientation
- Knowledge sharing.
Development and Operational Effectiveness:
- Strong communication and documentation skill
- Ability to perform a variety of tasks related to communicating results of project, managing data and reporting, visibility and branding
- Good knowledge of public awareness raising principles and guidelines
- Adequate understanding of shoreline/ coastal ecosystem and mangrove conservation.
Leadership and Self-Management:
- Ability to establish effective working relations with various stakeholders and partners;
- Ability to work in team;
- Focuses on result and responds positively to feedback;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates openness to change
Education:
- A bachelor’s degree and 4 years or advance degree and 2 Years, in Communication, International Relations, Development Studies, Project Management, Environmental Science, or other related fields to the post.
Experience:
- Minimum of 4 years (for undergraduate) or 2 years for (Master’s degree) of working experience in communication, international development, climate change, project management, project coordination in government, national and international development organization, preferably in UN organizations is required.
- Experience in pubic mobilization and awareness raising, training in public or non-governmental organizations
- Experience in handling of web-based data management systems is an asset;
- Strong coordination and partnership building experience and close working experience with national government counterparts, partners and donors;
- Experience working in rural areas and in collaboration with local communities and government officials;
- Demonstrated strong interpersonal and motivational skills and sensitivity to the local environment as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision;
- Ability and willingness to travel extensively to project sites;
- Knowledge of UNDP’s rules and regulations related to administration and finance as well as other business processes will be an advantage.
Language and other skills Requirements:
- Fluency in Tetum and English is mandatory requirement.
- Ability to communicate in Portuguese and/or Bahasa is an advantage
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages
Important applicant information
All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.
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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Contract Duration: 6 months (with possibility of extension based on availability of resource and performance)