Back Project Coordinator - SEEDS

You are invited to join a team of dedicated development professionals whose primary role is to support the Maldives to achieve the 2030 Agenda.  As part of the UNDP team your focus will be to work with multiple stakeholders to find country specific solutions that ensures no one is left behind - and we reach those furthest behind first.     

UNDP is looking for individuals who have the analytical, planning and implementation capacities that can address links, choices and connections across many issues and sectors.  We seek individuals who can apply global best practice to national contexts. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic, motivated and committed to making a positive contribution to Development in the Maldives.  

UNDP supports countries around the world to formulate strategies, policies, and programme interventions that promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To advance these aims, UNDP provides technical policy advice and programming tools, especially to help address critical sustainable development challenges.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative, the Project Coordinator ensures effective and timely delivery of the Sustainable Economic Empowerment and Development for SMEs (SEEDS) Project.

You are invited to join a team of dedicated development professionals whose primary role is to support the Maldives to achieve the 2030 Agenda.  As part of the UNDP team your focus will be to work with multiple stakeholders to find country specific solutions that ensures no one is left behind.     

UNDP is looking for individuals who have the analytical, planning and implementation capacities that can address links, choices and connections across many issues and sectors.  We seek individuals who can apply global best practice to national contexts. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic, motivated and committed to making a positive contribution to development in the Maldives.    

You must have strong knowledge and demonstrated experience in one or all of the following: climate sciences, environmental sciences, development, economics, political science or related social sciences, project management, business management, business administration.  Your role will be to contribute to building a portfolio of activities that help to shape effective development policy and programs in the Maldives. 

Project Background

The overall goal of the Sustainable Economic Empowerment and Development for SMEs (SEEDS) Project is to provide economic rehabilitation in order to mitigate the negative impacts of the COVID-19 crisis in the Maldives. The project has the objective of increasing agriculture production and promoting food security through an approach of building entrepreneurship amongst farmers and creating a new generation of agri-businesses that are innovative, productive and practices environment friendly agriculture. The project intends to demonstrate agri-businesses as a potential source of productive urban employment for young women and men who have limited employment prospects in the aftermath of the crisis. The project has three ouputs:

The first output focuses on increasing food production capacity through support to new and existing agricultural entrepreneurs in two regions of the Maldives – Laamu Atoll and Greater Malé Region. This includes starter kits, agri-business incubation programme for young/new generation urban farmers and digital tools for farmers. Priority will be given to households that have been directly affected by the COVID-19 crisis.  Priority will be given to those who are not employed and or out of the labour force – this includes unemployed young women and men who are available and are actively seeking employment, persons with disabilities (PWDs) who are typically considered out of the labour force because there are no employment opportunities available to them and women who are seeking to earn an income but may not be able to do full-time salaried work.

The second output will provide institutional capacity development of the newly established state-owned enterprise that has been set up in response to the crisis to increase yield and mitigate food shortages.

The third output includes technical support and capacity to the Business Center Corporation of the Government of Maldives to conduct support services for MSMEs to adapt to the new normal.

The project will be implemented with the Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives Fund Management Corporation (MFMC), the Agro National Corporation (AgroNat), the Business Center Corporation (BCC) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture (MoFMRA), the Maldives Polytechnic

• Day-to-day management of project activities;
• Coordinate with relevant Government implementing partners and UNDP to ensure that expected outputs are delivered in a timely manner;
• Ensure project is implemented in compliance with UNDP and Government’s Procurement and Human Resources Guidelines, and financial requirements;
• Ensure that project is executed according to work plans and within established budgets;
• Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures); 
• Put in place and facilitate results-based implementation of programme activities; and,
• Performance of other duties as required in support of project implementation
• Implementation of reporting, monitoring and evaluation policies and strategies: 

Effective monitoring for ensuring implementation of project activities;

• Assess the programmatic impact and oversee the appropriateness and the accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results;
• Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified, submit new risks to the Project Technical Team for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log; 
• Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log; 
• Prepare the Project Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Management Team;
• Ensure timely submission of quarterly financial and activity progress reports to UNDP as well as adequate financial management of allocated resources;
• Oversee timely preparation of reports for UNDP to donors and other stakeholders;
• Prepare presentations to donor partners, government and other stakeholders as required.

• Create strategic partnerships with government, non-government, and private sector stakeholders and beneficiaries;
• Actively support the  implementation of the resource mobilization strategy and maintain close relationships with donor partners; 
• Closely liaise with the teams for programme results 1 and 2 to ensure coherence and synergy among all governance project activites of UNDP Maldives;
• Support the Peace and Development Advisor in key functions and capacity building;
• Build relationships with other UN agencies and build upon common activities to ensure maximum impact of project activities especially when targeting vulnerable groups such as children, youth and women;and,
• Advise team members and management on new developments regarding key partners and stakeholders.

• Provide quality advisory services to the CO and RPs/IPs and  facilitation of knowledge building and management
• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned 
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories; and, 
• Contribute to the design and implementation of appropriate learning strategies for stakeholders.

• Innovation Ability to make new and useful ideas work

• Leadership -Ability to persuade others to follow

• People Management -Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

• Communication -Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

• Delivery -Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

• Quality Assurance -Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled

• Project Management -Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) -Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations and Local Governance -Knowledge of local governance systems and institutions, decentralizations policies and laws, basic service delivery and recovery planning and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

• Operational Efficiency -Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency

• Knowledge Facilitation -Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share

• Team building -Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in climate sciences, environmental sciences, development, economics, political science or related social sciences, project management, business management, business administration or related field with at least 1 years of relevant experience. 
• Or University Degree in climate sciences, environmental sciences, development, economics, political science or related social sciences, project management, business management, business administration with more than 3 years of experience.

• Good knowledge of the environmental services sector, agriculture sector and/or functional knowledge of business incubation/development and experience in co-ordinating or implementing activities for youth, women and entrepreneurship.
• Excellent Managerial and analytical skills
• Strong Communication skills, verbal and written; and good command of English and Dhivehi
• Proven co-ordination and networking skills
• Good working knowledge of information technology. 
• Experience in project management including financial management highly desirable.
• Experience in working with a UN agency and/or in the area of international development would be an advantage.

• Proficiency in English and Dhivehi 
• Excellent command of written and spoken English

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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Salary - Monthly take home pay approximately MVR 26,000. 

Recruitment Process - The recruitment process can include a written test followed by a competency based interview.
 

Contract Duration: 12 months