The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB/the Bank) seeks to recruit a Project Coordinator (PC) for the Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change (CC) and Climate Variability (CV) project (the Project) for Saint Lucia. The Project administration will be located in the Environmental Sustainability Unit (ESU) of the Projects Department. The successful candidate will be based at CDB’s headquarters in St. Michael, Barbados.
BACKGROUND
The Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) of CDB are in the main, characterised by small size, heavy dependence on their natural resources base, fragile biodiversity, with high exposure to natural hazards. This has made them some of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the impacts of CC and sea-level rise. Climate modelling for the Region shows that climate change impacts on BMCs will exacerbate these issues and BMCs can expect to experience increased intensity and frequency of hydro-meteorological hazards, which when combined with sea-level rise will place an already vulnerable population at greater risk. Given these threats, CDB, consistent with its Climate Resilience Strategy, applied to the Board of the Adaptation Fund (AF) for accreditation as a Regional Implementing Entity (RIE). Accreditation to the AF was approved in March 2016, providing CDB and thirteen eligible BMCs with access to a new source of grant financing for national CC adaptation projects and programmes. The total size of funding from the AF is capped at USD10 million.
CDB made a successful application to the Adaptation Fund for a grant of USD9,858,570 to support the implementation of the Project for Saint Lucia.
The objective of the Project is to build resilience in Saint Lucia’s agriculture sector for livelihood security through enhanced adaptive capacities for CC and CV. It seeks to increase the resilience of an estimated 11 communities (82 sub-communities) across the four targeted agriculture regions in Saint Lucia, through activities which are expected to improve farm productivity, water, and livelihood security; and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards, CV and CC. The Project’s design responds directly to the need to build adaptive capacities of agro-ecosystems and livelihoods given the projections of significant decreases in rainfall, more frequent and intense hydro-meteorological events, including droughts as reported in the country’s Third National Communication (TNC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The scope of the Project covers the following three components:
- building resilience and sustainability of farming systems through interventions for water security, soil conservation and management;
- establishing green agro-parks, including the use of solar energy for increased efficiency in resilient farming systems; and
- knowledge management and transfer of capacity building to institutional and local level adaptive capacities.
THE UNIT
ESU, headed by a Coordinator, is responsible for the design and execution of policies/procedures, programmes, and projects for environmental management, disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
THE ROLE
As the implementing entity, CDB will have responsibility for coordination and management, project oversight, financial and communication management, and the overall administration of the project grant for Saint Lucia. Reporting to the Coordinator, ESU and working directly with CDB’s Social Sector Division and the Economic Infrastructure Division, the PC will work directly with the Head of the Project Management Unit (PMU) in Saint Lucia to provide oversight for the implementation of the Project. The PC will also be responsible for communications with the Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) and the AF Secretariat on the Project.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The PC will be required to:
- Develop a Work Plan and Budget – one for the entire project, and a detailed plan for Year 1 – for carrying out the implementing entity’s responsibilities as required under the Project; and submit for the review and approval of the Coordinator, ESU.
- Guide the undertaking of a gender assessment and an environmental and social management plan to be done during the inception phase of the Project in compliance with the AF policy and the conditional approval of the Grant Project.
- Provide support for the supervision, monitoring and reporting of all activities financed under the Project.
- Work with PMU in the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives (DAFNC) in Saint Lucia:
- ensuring that the PMU is appropriately resourced in a timely manner;
- developing detailed implementation plans for the Project – by component and activity – (including timelines, cost, personnel, and related resources) with a view to ensuring that the Project is implemented in accordance with the Grant Agreement; and associated AF, CDB, and GOSL policies and procedures; and
- planning and managing the procurement process for consultants, goods and works to be financed under the Project, in accordance with CDB’s Guidelines for Selection and Engagement of Consultants, 2019.
- Track and monitor the implementation of project activities undertaken within the Project, having regard for efficiency and timeliness of project deliverables, including identifying and making recommendations on actions which should be undertaken to address deviation.
- Prepare and submit narrative and financial reports on a schedule requested by CDB and the AF Secretariat pursuant to the rules and procedures laid out in the Funding Agreement.
- Assist in the preparation of terms of reference, the coordination of the required mid-term evaluation, and a final evaluation of the Project.
- Foster good relations with all stakeholders, especially with the Head of the PCU, members of PMU and Project Steering Committee for efficient and effective delivery of project outputs.
- Review and approve disbursement applications for project expenditures from GOSL.
QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
The PC will have strong analytical and strategic-thinking skills and will be able to demonstrate breadth and depth of expertise by having effectively managed diverse client situations in the area of climate change adaptation.
The PC must have strong project management skills which include planning, organising, prioritising, and following through on a variety of tasks, assignments and reports. He/she should have the ability to use effective judgment and problem-solving skills and proven personal skills of initiative, innovation, self-motivation and application. The ideal candidate must have sound analytical, innovative and strategic-thinking skills with good oral and written communication competencies.
The successful candidate must be able to work in a fast-paced and time-sensitive work environment, and possess a high degree of discretion and tact in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
The successful candidate must have:
- A Master’s degree in Project Management, Environmental Sciences, Agriculture, Rural Development, Disaster Risk Management or other related fields.
- At least eight (8) years of relevant experience working in the area of environment, sustainable development, rural development, natural resource management, community development, and/or disaster risk management with at least five (5) years’ experience with Project Management responsibilities.
- Demonstrated competence in managing donor-funded programmes; and the ability to effectively communicate with technical agencies, government officials, donors, private sector representatives, and non-governmental organisations.
- High proficiency in the use of project management software, spreadsheets, databases and Microsoft Suite.
Experience working in the Caribbean Region would be an asset for this position.
Function-Specific Competencies
The successful candidate must have:
- Demonstrated ability to achieve results and motivate others towards achieving objectives.
- Ability to perform a facilitative role for groups at all levels of technical capacity.
- Ability to operate with sensitivity in a multicultural environment and to build effective working relationships at all levels.
- Ability to effectively adapt to tight deadlines, heavy workloads and sudden or frequent changes in priority in order to accomplish objectives.
- Excellent representational skills.
Behavioural Competencies
| Competency | Definition |
| Acting as a Champion for Change | Actively identifies problems and opportunities for change and implements solutions where appropriate. Maintains effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or the work environment; and supports people in their efforts to try new things. |
| Acting Decisively | Moves quickly to make decisions and commits to a clear course of action; comfortable making decisions based on partial information; willing to take risks in order to maintain momentum; shows a strong bias toward action. |
| Acting Strategically | Aligns day-to-day activities around broader organisational goals and objectives; prioritises resources based on the strategic objectives of the organisation; recognises and rewards people based on how their actions support the broader needs of the organisation. |
| Championing Customer Needs | Calls attention to issues that impact customer satisfaction; views situations from the perspective of customers; encourages people to think about customers when making decisions; and develops and sustains productive customer relationships. |
| Communicating Effectively | Consistently communicates with clarity and thoroughness to optimise audience understanding. Communicates information in a clear, concise, and timely manner. Demonstrates effective speaking and presentation skills. |
| Delivering High Quality Work | Critically reviews work processes to ensure quality; addresses problems that could impact quality; makes sure project deliverables and services meet all requirements and expectations; does not make the same mistakes twice. |
| Displaying Technical Expertise | Keeps his/her technical skills current; effectively applies specialised knowledge and skills to perform work tasks; understands and masters the technical skills, knowledge, and tasks associated with his/her job; shares technical expertise with others. |
| Driving for Results | Bottom-line oriented and pushes self and others to achieve results. Keeps current on project status; makes sure people are aware of project status and what they need to do to keep things moving; redirects project resources and activities to overcome setbacks; elevates project concerns to senior levels of leadership when appropriate. |
Before you proceed to apply, please consider the following requirements:
- You must be a national of one of CDB’s member countries.
- You will be required to produce evidence of any educational and professional qualifications to support your application if you are selected for an interview.
- All appointments are subject to satisfactory background checks and references.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organisation. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities who participate in the job application or interview process. Please contact us to request accommodation. Women are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for submission of applications is October 29, 2021, at 11:59 pm AST.
