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.
Climate change, manifesting in the form of intensified cyclones, storm surges, and sea-level rise (SLR), is accelerating saltwater intrusion into the fresh water resources of the coastal belt of Bangladesh. Climate change-induced soil and water salinity is projected to adversely impact freshwater dependent agricultural livelihoods (leading to loss of productivity or livelihoods) as well as the availability and quality of drinking water in the vulnerable coastal communities. Furthermore, given the crucial role that women play in water security and household level resilience, and their socio-economic marginalization, the climate change-induced threat to agricultural livelihoods and drinking water security of the affected coastal communities disproportionately affects women and girls.
Therefore, the key objective of the proposed project is to support the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) in strengthening the adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with impacts of climate change-induced salinity on their livelihoods and water security. GCF resources will be combined with GoB co-financing to address information, technical, financial and institutional barriers to implementing and managing resilient livelihoods and drinking water solutions for the vulnerable communities in the Southwestern coastal districts of Khulna and Satkhira. An estimated 719,229 people (about 245,516 direct and 473,713 indirect) will benefit from the proposed project interventions.
The proposed project will empower target communities, especially women, as ‘change-agents’ to plan, implement, and manage resilient livelihoods and drinking water solutions. The project will enable those communities to address climate change risks on livelihood and drinking water security to promote synergistic co-benefits. It will enhance the adaptive capacities of these communities in the face of worsening impacts of climate-change induced salinity on their freshwater resources which in turn adversely affect livelihood and drinking water requirements. GCF resources will be invested in promoting a diversification from currently non-adaptive, freshwater-reliant livelihoods of small-scale farmers, fishers, and agro-labourers towards climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods. GoB co-financing is leveraged to support adoption and scale of these alternative, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods through strengthened value-chains and market linkages for their long-term viability in the face of increasing salinity and extreme weather. The project also utilizes GCF and GoB resources to support investments in and management of climate-resilient drinking water solutions to secure year-round, safe drinking water supplies for the targeted communities. Access to reliable, safe drinking water enables the communities, especially women and girls in targeted households, to invest the resulting time and cost savings and health co-benefits in enhanced livelihoods and income generating and/or educational opportunities. In turn, the enhanced incomes and livelihoods will enable the communities to sustain the investments in the drinking water supply solutions in the long-term. Finally, through investments in institutional capacities, knowledge dissemination and evidence-based learning, the project will enable pathways for replication and scale of project impact to secure livelihoods and drinking water across the vulnerable districts of the southwest coast of Bangladesh. The project yields significant environmental, social (including gender), and economic co-benefits including enhanced integrity of coastal ecosystems and freshwater resources; improved gender norms and women empowerment; and increased income and health benefits, estimated at USD15 million and USD4 million respectively over the project lifetime.
The project contributes towards GoB’s achievement of priorities outlined in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and its climate change strategies. The project objective speaks to the top five key near-term areas of intervention identified by the INDC to address adverse impacts of climate change including: 1) Food security, livelihood and health protection (incl. water security); 2) Comprehensive disaster management, 3) Coastal Zone Management, including Salinity Intrusion control, 4) Flood Control and Erosion protection, 5) Building Climate Resilient Infrastructure. Directly aligned to six of the fourteen broad adaptation actions prioritized by INDC, the project is implementing improved EWS, supporting climate resilient infrastructure, Tropical cyclones and storm surge protection, stress-tolerant variety improvement and cultivation, and Capacity Building at Individual and institutional level to plan and implement adaptation programmes and projects.
Under the overall guidance of the National Project Director and direct supervision of UNDP Programme Manager-Climate Change Specialist, the Project Coordinator takes responsibility for the management and administration of the “Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity” Project. S/he will be directly accountable to both Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and UNDP for the overall management of the Project and timely delivery of results. S/he will act under the guidance of UNDP senior management and refer major executive project decisions to the Project Executive Board.
Ensure overall operational management for successful implementation of the project:
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Prepare Annual Work Plan (AWP), procurement and recruitment plans for the project, and monitor activities based on the plans developed
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Ensure efficient programmatic and financial delivery of the project
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Perform appropriate project management actions to ensure output and outcomes as outlined in the project document and AWP
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Manage the human and financial resources for achieving results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project document and AWP
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Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual progress report, as per UNDP/UN guidelines and organize quarterly progress, mid-year and annual reviews.
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Initiated Project’s Budget Revision in line with UNDP’s Requirement
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Organize meetings of the Project Steering Committee and Advisory Panels (if relevant)
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Provide planning and strategic assistance to the project professionals to maximize the efficiency of the project team and the project outcome.
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Provide support to National Project Director (NPD) in the preparation of authoritative scientific and technical papers and maintaining effective liaison/interaction with government ministries/departments, NGOs, CSOs, local stakeholders, institutions and implementing partners of the project.
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Provide support to NPD for designing specification for all specialized procurement of the project and also prepare annual procurement plan of the project
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Prepare and ensure timely submission of quarterly financial consolidated reports-FACE, quarterly consolidated progress reports, annual progress report, mid-term reports, Donor Reports and other reports as may be required by UNDP;
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Oversee and manage inter and intra working relationships with the Ministries, NGO’s, CSOs and relevant Stakeholder;
Accountability for Technical Quality Standards of the project:
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Develop quality standards for monitoring, tracking and measuring adaptation, adaptive capacity, climate resilient livelihoods, climate resilient drinking water.
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Ensure that all project implementation follow approved Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), Indigenous People’s Programme Framework (IPPF), Gender Action Plan (GAP).
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Ensure that there is system is place and the operationalization of the system to assess and monitor economic and social benefits of the project along with adaptation benefits.
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Ensure the development and implementation of robust M&E system including result-based management.
Supervision and coordination of different teams under the project:
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Manage the human and financial resources of the project and coordinate the work of all project and policy advisory services.
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Prepare Job Description/Terms of Reference of the project short term national professionals and supervise them;
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Lead in the coordination of relevant project activities with MoWCA and with external implementing partner agencies
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Supervise and coordinate the work of all project staff, consultants and sub-contractors
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Coordinate the distribution of responsibilities amongst team members and organize monitoring and tracking system of all components of the project.
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Lead in the coordination of relevant project activities both within MoWCA/UNDP and with external agencies.
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Maintain liaison with relevant agencies, and public and private sectors, regulatory bodies related to Climate Change
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Support the NPD in organizing Project Board and National Steering Committee meetings
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Establish project monitoring and reporting;
Knowledge building and capacity enhancement services:
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Lead and facilitate production of knowledge products in the relevant subject matters.
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As a whole, supervise the project’s capacity building efforts aimed at government counterparts, civil society groups, media and other stakeholders.
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Assist NPD and UNDP for dissemination and awareness campaign
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Disseminate project reports and respond to queries from concerned stakeholders
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Oversee the exchange and sharing of experiences and lessons learned with relevant projects nationally and internationally, in consultation and guidance of the NPD and other officials.
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Ensure participation of UNDP Managers meeting
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Undertaking any other activities that may be assigned by the Steering Committee.
Policy and Programme Services:
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Ensure high standards in the provision of technical and advisory inputs, organization of workshops, seminars, training and delivery of outputs (products).
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Provide intellectual or substantive leadership in the subject area through identification of key policy issues and formulation of best possible and alternative policy and project options for UNDP country office;
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Lead the analytical and policy development work of the project team. Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration.
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Coordinates with various government, private sectors and non-governmental agencies regarding requests for advisory and support services and lead the support from the project as required by the stakeholders.
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Coordinates with Country Offices regarding requests for advisory and support services;
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Supervise the project’s capacity building efforts aimed at government counterparts, civil society groups, and UNDP COs;
Financial Management:
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Review budgets and workplans monthly and bringing to the attention of senior management any proposed changes;
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Timely submission of all Project Payment Request to UNDP Country Office
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Ensure Qualitative Delivery to achieve Annual Delivery Target
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Approve e-requisition in Atlas for procurement of project goods and services in line with approved project document as well as Annual work plans
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Ensure effective management of the project’s financial resources
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Supervise proper accounting of the project resources and annually/quarterly/monthly reporting to UNDP as per required FACE etc.
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Ensure timely Government CD/VAT allocation (if any) for procurement of non-expendable equipment by UNDP
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Responsible for the physical safeguarding of project assets.
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Responsible for verifying satisfactory receipt of goods, services and works on a timely basis.
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Regularly reviewing Atlas project reports and ensuring that revenue, commitments, expenses and disbursements are complete and accurate, and detect erroneous or unauthorized charges;
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Timely advise to UNDP on Fund Request to the Donor
Partnerships and Resources:
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Mobilize and network with the experts of national and regional offices of the UN System, international development organizations, sub-regional and regional associations, affiliations and bodies (inter-governmental, non-government or private sector) and prominent private sector organizations.
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Prepare strategies for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector;
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Maintain effective relationship with development partners to facilitate and support resource mobilization;
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The Programme Manager will conduct any other function, responsibility which may be assigned by the NPD, and UNDP Management.
Functional Competencies:
Corporate Competencies:
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Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
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Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
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Excellent interpersonal skills;
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Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Functional Competencies:
Knowledge Management and Learning
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Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
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In-depth knowledge on development issues
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Ability to advocate and provide policy advice on the relevant sector/theme
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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)
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Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
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Excellent communication skills (written and oral): Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, Respectful and helpful relations with all UN/UNDP staff,
Development and Operational Effectiveness
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Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting. Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting: full project cycle mastery, excellent work/project planning skills, familiarity of UNDP’s new programme modalities (RBM Guide, NIM/DIM execution etc.)
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Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects, mobilize resources;
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Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments;
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Strong IT skills;
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Ability to lead implementation of new systems (business side), and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change;
Management and Leadership
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Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
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Leads projects teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
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Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
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Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
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Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
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Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
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Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
Education:
Minimum Master’s degree in Economics/Management/Environmental Engineering/Climate Change/ Environmental Science or relevant discipline.
Experience:
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Minimum 10 years of working experience preferably in UN/GoB/INGOs with at least 7 years working experience within in the field of project management related to climate change, environment and rural development.
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At least 5 years experiences in leading large-scale programme and complex projects covering all aspects of project cycle management including financial management, budgeting, administration, human resources, monitoring and evaluation, auditing, NGO Procurements and reporting.
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Strong Proven track record of working with Government, Development Partners, NGOs, and other key stakeholders in Bangladesh;
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Demonstrated Experience of monitoring/supervising and coordinating project outputs/projects/programmes;
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Demonstrated track record in the management, monitoring and reporting of climate change and/or development and/or natural resource management projects, preferably working with UN, Government, INGOs, and other key stakeholders in Bangladesh;
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Excellent English drafting and presentation skills.
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.
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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.
Contract Duration: Initially one year with possibility of extension based on performance and availability of fund