OECS nationals: Project Coordinator

Project 1: Conserving biodiversity and reducing land degradation using a Ridge-to-Reef approach (UNDP)

The main objective of the project is to enhance biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services conservation through an expanded and strengthened Protected Areas (PA) system and with sustainable land management (SLM) measures integrated in a Ridge to Reef (R2R) approach. This will be achieved by using a multi-focal strategy that includes the development of a national enabling environment (i.e. policy/legal framework, availability and access to information, capacities, technologies, and finance mechanisms) for delivering multiple global environmental benefits in four interrelated outcomes:
1) Strengthened institutional framework for protected areas, biodiversity conservation and SLM/climate-smart agriculture (CSA);
2) Effective management of new and existing PAs;
3) Integrated watershed management measures in a R2R setting incorporating sustainable livelihood opportunities; and
4) Knowledge management for SLM, CSA and biodiversity conservation.

The GEF investment will address the drivers of biodiversity loss (habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation due primarily to unsustainable land use practices and human encroachment, threats that are further compounded by the impacts of climate change and invasive alien species) that will reduce biodiversity loss and land degradation both within PAs and within the mixed-use landscape. The project will deliver global environmental benefits using a participatory approach and ensuring the equal distribution of benefits among men and women, and resulting in the consolidation and strengthened protection of a 13,214ha terrestrial PA covering the entire upper watersheds of St Vincent and 7 key biodiversity areas (KBAs), providing landscape connectivity to a 2,183ha marine park through a ridge to reef approach and improving protection of at minimum 63ha of the sole remaining habitat of a critically endangered (CR ) single island endemic. This encompasses the Buccament, Yambou and Kingstown watersheds.

Project 2: Addressing Land Degradation in the Georgetown Watershed, St Vincent (IWEco national sub-project 1.7) (UNEP)
The goal of this sub-project is to reduce and revert land degradation within the Georgetown watershed, St Vincent, by an integrated water, land and ecosystems management approach. This is being pursued through several systematic outcomes:
• Measurable stress reduction at project sites through appropriate sustainable water, land and ecosystems management interventions that account for climate change
• Enhanced livelihood opportunities and socio-economic co-benefits for targeted communities from improved ecosystem services functioning through an increase in revenue generating ventures
• Increased consumptive use of riverine and near-shore marine fisheries (subsistence fishing – tri-tri, crayfish, mullets, macawk fish) as a result of improved ecosystem/watershed management
• Strengthened national and regional systems for monitoring of environmental status with respect to key international agreements
• Strengthened policy and legislation for the effective management of water, land and ecosystems resources that account for climate change
• Strengthened capacity of national and regional institutions and other stakeholders for water, land, and ecosystems management that take climate change into account
• Strengthened capacity of national and regional institutions and other stakeholders for water, land, and ecosystems management that take climate change into account
• Improved information access and enhanced engagement of practitioners and other stakeholders via targeted knowledge sharing networks
The GEF resources are being focused on slowing and reversing current trends in land degradation, caused by deforestation and unsustainable land management practices.  Specifically, the project will address GEF 5 Strategic Objective 3 “to reduce pressures on natural resources from competing land uses in the wider landscape” with co-benefits in the biodiversity, sustainable forest management (SFM) and international waters focal areas. Interventions will seek to increase forest and tree cover and implement landscape approaches for terrestrial and marine protected area management within the R2R framework.  Integrated programming is likely to trigger transformational changes in the agriculture and forest sectors. These approaches are consistent with the Sustainable Forest management/REDD+ Strategy, where management regimes that strengthen conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks will be supported. At the strategic outcome level, the project will enhance the cross-sectoral enabling environment for integrated landscape management and enhance institutional capacity of agencies involved. The project has been designed to secure multiple environmental benefits and to strengthen the spatial planning framework, including the development of regulatory and institutional framework and the necessary tools to promote SFM and SLM in St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

UNDP and UNEP wish to engage an experienced project management practitioner, who has a strong background in sustainable development. The ideal candidate will have a nuanced understanding of interconnected issues of biodiversity conservation, climate change, SLM, SFM, vulnerability, inequality and can quickly and effectively provide technical expertise to advance project objectives and enhance environmental protection and sustainable resource use in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
 

As a project using a nationally implemented modality (NIM), the main responsibility for this project rests with the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Under this arrangement.

The Project Coordinator is responsible for day-to-day management and decision-making for the projects ensuring that the projects meet their obligations to the GEF Council and the GEF Agencies as per the respective project document and project cooperation agreement, with particular regard to the management aspects of the project, including supervision of staff, serving as stakeholder liaison, implementation of activities, and reporting. The Project Coordinator’s prime responsibility is to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the project document, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.

The Project Coordinator will lead the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) to ensure a human-rights based, gender-responsive and interdisciplinary approach to the project that maximises sustainable development gains and minimises negative environmental and social impacts, delivering results in a manner that is cost-effective, efficient, transparent and demonstrates the added value of UNDP’s work to the country. The Project Coordinator will work within the context of the wider UNDP programmes and the regional IWEco project, and will ensure their work actively considers, integrates and builds synergies, including using common assessments, templates, methodologies, etc to maximise projects’ impact and cross-country cohesiveness, working collaboratively with the teams in Barbados (UNDP) and Jamaica (UNEP).

The Project Coordinator will be expected to deliver results in the areas of:

Partnership building
• Develop and maintain relationships with counterparts in-country and other project partners to ensure buy-in and successful implementation
• Identify and engage champions and key stakeholders, including civil society, private sector, sub-national and regional partners engaged in relevant research and activities
• Build strategic partnerships and synergies to enhance the impact and sustainability of the project outcomes
• Liaise with key personnel of project partners to ensure adequate and timely technical inputs to the project
• Actively seek and capitalise on opportunities for South-South cooperation and learning, both within the Caribbean as well as with other SIDS globally as relevant
• Maintain a strategic understanding of, and engagement with, the substantive technical issues, institutions, and processes within the countries served, including developing strategic partnerships with other agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and scientific institutions etc. as they relate to advancing key elements of the planning and implementation process
• Regularly monitor and analyse the political, social and economic situation, and related global developments, to identify potential implications and opportunities

Project monitoring and reporting

• Monitor and analyse project development and implementation, including field visits
• Facilitate periodic monitoring visits by the PM, RPC or other GEF IA team members
• Monitor events as determined in the AWP and MYWP, and update the plan as required
• Actively monitor and revise as relevant, in conjunction with the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) Analyst, the projects’ theory of change and results framework
• Ensure implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan and update as needed, in coordination with the PM&E Analyst
• Use UNDP’s financial system Atlas (ERP) and the Corporate Reporting Platform to update project progress, achievement of targets, risk logs, etc. on a quarterly basis
• Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports and oversees the overall financial processes for the project in collaboration with the Financial and Administrative Assistant
• Coordinate PSC meetings and serve as secretary to PSC meetings
• Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified; submit new risks to the PSC for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; and update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risk Log
• Monitor financial resources for effective and transparent utilisation of available resources, in collaboration with the Financial and Administrative Assistant
• Prepare quarterly and annual progress reports and other stipulated reports for submission to UNDP, UNEP, the GEF and the PSC as relevant, including the annual Project Implementation Report (PIR); identify risks, challenges and causes of potential bottlenecks to implementation and action mitigation measures, including modification to activities where appropriate
• Based on the review, prepare the AWP for the following year, as well as quarterly plans if required
• Participate in periodic project evaluations and audits, including developing, implementing and updating the management response

Capacity building, learning and knowledge management
 

Facilitate information sharing and coordination of activities amongst stakeholders and between projects
• Explore and facilitate mechanisms for replication and upscaling of successful results achieved
• Contribute to design and delivery of capacity building programmes at national and community levels based on prioritised capacity gaps/needs
• Contribute to communications materials and reporting highlighting UNDP’s and UNEP’s work and the results achieved for people and the country through traditional and non-traditional media (e.g. news articles, blogs, photo stories, social media), in accordance with respective communication and branding guidelines
• Actively and systematically incorporate the lessons from project audits, evaluations and other processes into the project to improve effectiveness and operational processes
• Evaluate, capture, codify and synthesise lessons learned and stimulate the uptake of best practices and knowledge
• With the PCU and stakeholders, identify and support the transfer of successful models, approaches and solutions in-country and to the global UNDP knowledge network

Project closure
• Prepare Final Project Review Report for submission to the PSC 
• Identify follow-on actions and submit for consideration to the PSC
• Ensure the completion of tasks in the project closure checklist, including preparation of reports and other documentation as required
• Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, assets, etc to beneficiaries as appropriate

Team leadership
• Guide and supervise the work of the members of the PCU
• Ensure the cohesive functioning of the PCU, including actively building team cooperation and facilitating individual skills development as needed
• Complete and ensure PCU completion of all UNDP mandatory courses

Other activities
• Undertake such travel as may be required in connection with project execution and monitoring
• Undertake any other activities required for the fulfilment of the mandate of the post

Leadership
Ability to persuade others to follow Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

Communication
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Innovation
Ability to make new and useful ideas work Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

People Management
Ability to improve performance and satisfaction Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Delivery
Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Natural resources management
Knowledge of NRM concepts, frameworks, risk management and principles and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Climate change
Knowledge of climate change concepts, frameworks, risk management and principles and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations Level 4: Apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Gender Issues and Analysis
Knowledge of gender issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, including analysis of projects from a gender perspective  Level 3: Implement & Manage: Exercises skills and knowledge independently, demonstrating ability to manage self and team responsibilities, in area of work

Change Management
Ability to apply a systematic approach to adapt, control and effect change Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Stakeholders Management
Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and balance often contradictory expectations, building and maintaining relationships Level 4: Apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Team Building
Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Brief and Speech Writing
Ability to prepare quality briefs, reports and speeches Level 4: Apply & Adapt: Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Education: 

Postgraduate degree (MSc, MA, or higher) in natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, ecosystems/PA/landscape management, or related field

Bachelor’s degree and an additional 3 years of experience would be accepted in lieu of a postgraduate degree

Certification in project management is an asset

Experience :

 • At least 6 years of progressively responsible professional experience in natural resource or landscape management; work in contexts of land degradation, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation or climate resilience is desirable
• At least 4 years of working experience in project or programme management
• At least 4 years of demonstrated experience working effectively with and building capacities and partnerships among national governments, communities, and diverse stakeholder groups
• Experience in applying multi-disciplinary approaches in capacity building, sector-level initiatives and/or development projects in the Caribbean
• Experience effectively using a results-based management approach, particularly in sustainable development projects
• Sound understanding of national and local development planning processes
• Previous experience in working with GEF projects and/or UNDP or UNEP is an asset
• Demonstrated evidence of research and/or reporting skills (e.g. published papers, contribution to national or thematic reports)
• Demonstrable computer proficiency including Microsoft Office

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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