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UNDP's Country Office in Tajikistan, active since 1994, plays a crucial role in supporting the country’s national development strategy for poverty alleviation. The organization is guided in its work by the Country Programme Document, which in turn builds upon the Sustainable Development Goals. UNDP has made a significant contribution to developing the National Development Strategy with an outline of policies and investments necessary to reach the SDGs on time by 2030. Together with the Government of Tajikistan, civil society and the people of Tajikistan, UNDP works towards identifying local solutions to global and national development challenges. Our main focus is reaching sustainable development by enhancing accountability of the current governance system, mitigating natural disaster threats, contributing to environmental sustainability and reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS on the population.
Tajikistan acceded to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1998, the Kyoto Protocol in 2009, and ratified the Paris Agreement in 2017. As Party to the Convention, Tajikistan has the obligation to implement decisions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) regarding the implementation of policies and measures to adapt to, and mitigate climate change, thereby contributing to the attainment of the objective of the Convention.
Tajikistan has prepared and submitted four (4) National Communications (NCs) to date: the Initial National Communication (NC1) in 2002; the Second National Communication (NC2) in 2008; the Third National Communication (NC3) in 2014, and the Fourth National Communication (NC4) in 2022 as mandated by articles 4 and 12 of the Convention. Tajikistan has also prepared and submitted one (1) Biennial Update Report (BUR): the First Biennial Update Report (BUR1) in 2019.
The objective of this BTR project is to assist Tajikistan in the preparation and submission of its First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) and a combined Fifth National Communication and Second Biennial Transparency (NC5/BTR2) for the fulfillment of the obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement (PA). The project will support Tajikistan to address global environment concerns and achieving its commitments to international conventions, and to integrate climate change considerations in national development planning and policy through ensuring continuity of the institutional and technical capacity building partly initiated, and consequently sustained by the reporting instruments under UNFCCC.
The project will be nationally implemented by the Agency for Hydrometeorology under the Committee for Environmental Protection of the Republic of Tajikistan (Hydromet). UNDP will oversee the project execution undertaken by the Hydromet to ensure that the project is being carried out in accordance with UNDP and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) policies, procedures, and the standards, and provide support services for the full duration of the project.
The Project Manager’s responsibility will be to provide operational and technical support to the implementation of the project activities led through the Hydromet and ensure that the project is focused throughout its life cycle on achieving its objectives and delivering outputs that will contribute to higher level outcomes. The Project Manager will be the senior most representative of the Project Management Unit (PMU) and will be responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the project on behalf of the Implementing Partner (Hydromet), including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, responsible parties, consultants, and sub-contractors. The role will also include stakeholder liaison, oversight of logistics, oversight of financial management, M&E and reporting (donor and UNDP). He/she will present key deliverables and documents to the board for their review and approval, including progress reports, annual work plans, adjustments to tolerance levels and risk registers.
Duties and ResponsibilitiesOrganization and Management:
Manage the overall conduct of the project. Plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the approved workplan. Ensure adherence of the project work plan to the Project Document, prepare revisions if required. Prepare revisions to the multi-year workplan, as needed, as well as annual and quarterly plans if required. Assess major and minor amendments to the project within the parameters set by UNDP-GEF. Ensure that changes are controlled, and problems addressed. Organize meetings of the Project Board (Project Steering Committee) and prepare all required documents on time and with quality for the review of the Project Board members. Represent the project at technical meetings and other appropriate fora in coordination with UNDP Country Office. Manage requests for the provision of UNDP financial resources through funding advances, direct payments or reimbursement using the FACE form. Execute activities by managing personnel, goods, and services, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, and overseeing all contractors’ work. Liaise and follow up with the Responsible Parties for implementation of project activities in matters related to project funds and financial progress reports. Provide support for completion of assessments required by UNDP, spot checks and audits. Provide necessary financial information during project audit(s), if needed. Perform regular progress reporting to the project Steering Committee as agreed with the board, including measures to address challenges and opportunities. Review and ensure technical soundness and cost effectiveness of project activities. Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports. Prepare and submit financial reports to UNDP on a quarterly basis. Consolidate financial progress reports submitted by the responsible parties for implementation of project activities. Review annual budgets and project expenditure reports. Manage and monitor the project risks – including social and environmental risks - initially identified and 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 security of the staff and assets belonging to the project. Ensure that all project personnel maintain a high level of transparency, responsibility, and accountability in M&E and in reporting of project results. Ensure that the indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually. Coordinate the annual status surveys as part of M&E tasks. Ensure that project implementation is able to respond to changes in the operating environment and address problems. Capture lessons learned during project implementation. Mobilize personnel (consultants), goods and services, training, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, overseeing all contractors’ work, and ensuring that mobilized specialists deliver required technical support.Delivery of Project Results:
Prepare the Inception Report no later than one month after the Inception Workshop. Monitor events as determined in the project monitoring plan, and update the plan as required; Ensure that the project produces the results (outputs) specified in the project document to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost. Monitor progress, watch for plan deviations and make course corrections when needed within project board-agreed tolerances to achieve results. Ensure that the indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually in advance of the GEF PIR submission deadline so that progress can be reported in the GEF PIR, if needed; Prepare a timely and high-quality an end of project report. Prepare regular progress reports in line with reporting schedules, as well as any other reports requested by UNDP, donor (GEF PIR), Government and/or other stakeholders, if needed. Monitor implementation of plans including the gender action plan, stakeholder engagement plan, and any environmental and social management plans. Monitor events as determined in the project monitoring plan, and update the plan as required. Monitor and track progress against the GEF Core indicator 1. Capture lessons learned during project implementation. Support the Mid-term review and Terminal Evaluation processes, if needed. By the project end to ensure that all project deliverables and documents are noted and stored, that the project is both operationally and financially closed, that all tasks have been completed, that all assets have been transferred, that all issues are resolved and that the project is “done”.Policy and Technical Advice:
Provide intellectual or substantive technical leadership in the subject area through identification of key technical issues and formulation of best possible and alternative solutions and programme options; Particularly under the Outputs # 1,2,3 and 4 of the projects. Carry out training, awareness-raising workshops, and publications as needed, including support to technical working groups. Facilitate the compilation and validation process for report chapters and ensure the inclusion of feedback into the final versions of the reports. Identify opportunities to enhance teamwork within the project and with other UNDP projects to capitalize on the specific advantages of multi-disciplinary support within the framework of the project. Provide policy advice and ensure optimal sequencing necessary for enhancing project-related decision-making by key stakeholders. Formulates or contributes to the formulation of policy briefs, strategic notes, discussion papers on the project`s scope of work for consideration by the Government and other stakeholders.Knowledge Management:
Support the development and implementation of knowledge products and capacity building activities aimed at Hydromet and government counterparts, civil society groups, communities, media, and relevant stakeholders. Contribute written inputs to UNDP flagship products/newsletter/policy briefs, based on project results, data and information, lessons learned and best practices. Formulate a framework for data sharing among stakeholders, for project implementation. Ensure systemic capturing of key lessons learnt generated by the project through feasibility studies, research, surveys as well as other primary and secondary sources to produce knowledge-based products. Ensure visibility of the project, including adherence to visibility standards and templates of the donor, UNDP, and the Government, as required. Identify stakeholders and partners for the undertaking of various project outputs and activities.Partnership, Communication and Resource Mobilization:
Establish and maintain sound partnerships with the Government, namely the Agency on Hydrometeorology, the Committee of Environmental Protection and its subdivisions, Agency on Statistics, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, Forestry Agency, State Institution for Specially Protected Natural Areas; National Academy of Sciences, Strategic Research Center, and other strategic partners. Develop new partnerships with civil society and/or non-governmental/ community-based organizations; local communities and private sector to deliver the project outputs and activities, as required. Ensure that project activities are closely coordinated with stakeholders and that a high level of collaboration and cooperation is in place at the national, regional, provincial and district level. Liaise with project partners to ensure their co-financing contributions are identified, secured, and provided within the agreed terms. Liaise with other relevant government and relevant partners/stakeholders, UNDP Country Office regarding the project, including to share information about trends, issues, and results, to coordinate and utilize resources effectively and efficiently. Ensure adequate information flow, discussions, and feedback among the various stakeholders of the project according to the agreed management arrangements. Proactively identify potential sources of funding and assist in resource mobilization for the project through development of concept notes and funding proposals to the potential donors and promoting project deliverables at the relevant development platforms. Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector as needed/requested. Mobilize resources to support the achievement of project outputs and outcomes. CompetenciesPeople Management Competencies
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies
Nature, Climate and Energy Climate Change Adaptation: Embedding adaptation into development policy/planning/decision making Nature, Climate and Energy Climate Change Adaptation: strategies 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 generation Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need Project Management Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals Resource Management Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity Communication Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Required Skills and Experience Education: Master’s degree or equivalent in natural resource management, environment studies, social or applied sciences, climate science, data management or related disciplines is required. Bachelor’s degree in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree. Experience: Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of experience in management of development programmes/projects related to climate change, carbon cycle, natural resource management and/or other related fields.Required Skills:
Excellent computer skills, including full command of text and spreadsheet programmes, data bases and web-based communication tools.Desired Skills:
Experience in working with Government and a wide range of donors, the UN, international organizations, and/or civil society. Experience in planning, monitoring, and reporting processes for project of similar characteristics. Experience with the climate change agenda in Tajikistan/Central Asia and/or country reporting obligations under the UNFCCC. Experience of community and stakeholder engagement -especially women- in programme or project interventions. Experience in the preparation of donors´ or other technical and financial reports. Experience in developing strategic notes, policy papers and briefs for the Government.Languages:
Fluency in English, Russian and Tajik (written and spoken) is required.Institutional Arrangement
The Project Manager will be based in Dushanbe in the offices of the Agency for Hydrometeorology, with occasional visits to regional centers when required. He/she will assist the Government, particularly the Hydromet, to deliver on the envisaged project results. Within his/her role the Project Manager will lead the achievement of expected programmatic results, by providing strategic guidance to the project staff, Hydromet staff and consultants for the implementation of activities in accordance with the signed Project Document. Along with that, he/she will liaise and work closely with all partner institutions to link the project with complementary national programmes and initiatives.
The Project Manager will be accountable and report to the UNDP Programme Specialist on Climate Change, Energy and Environment, and will work under the overall guidance of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative. The PM will also work in close collaboration with the UNDP Programme, Operations, Communications, and other project teams in the UNDP Country Office.
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