National Project Manager

Climate change, manifesting in the form of intensified cyclones, storm surges, and sea-level rise (SLR), is accelerating saltwater intrusion into the freshwater 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 700,000 people 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 and Assistant Resident Representative, the National Project Manager 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.

The National Project Manager (NPM) will ensure national ownership of the programme equality convenient for national and local government counterparts. NPM will directly report to Assistant Resident Representative and Programme Analyst/ Specialist, UNDP Dhaka. The NPM will liaise with National Project Director (NPD), national institutions and local administrations involved in the programme to guarantee their active participation.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Results-based management of complex project programming and operations processes and procedures.
• Ensure results-based monitoring, evaluation and reporting for the project.
• Build new partnerships and increase resource mobilization.
• Ensure knowledge management for informing adaptive programming decisions to be made by the Project Steering Committee (PSC or equivalent decision-making mechanism for the project).
• The following section describes the main responsibilities under each of the key functions along with expected results.

Results-based management of complex project programming and operations processes and procedures:

• Day-to-day management of the project team, for achieving results in line with the outputs and higher-level results outlined in the project document.
• Manage financial and human resources with accountability to the Project Board/Project Steering Committee (PSC) (or equivalent), and in accordance with the execution policies and procedures of the project document and approved AWPs;
• Lead and manage the project team located in Dhaka and the field, as applicable, including on planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, reporting and knowledge management.
• Ensure an enabling working environment for all personnel, devoid of workplace harassment, sexual harassment or abuse of authority, and geared towards optimal cross-team collaboration and teamwork.
• Facilitate GoB officials and personnel acquiring the ownership, knowledge and capability to contribute to the project outputs and higher-level results.;
• Establish strategic rapport and strong relationships with government stakeholders (Local Government Division, Deputy Directors Local Government, Upazilla Nirbahi Officers, etc.) together with other pertinent government entities, for facilitating the sustainable scaling up of successful strategies, approaches and models nationally, as well as institutional mainstreaming, including into relevant government training institutes.
• Promote integration between different development interventions in thematic areas of the project, UNDP’s Country Programme at-large, and of different development agencies, multilateral banks, non-government organizations, the private sector, etc;
• Introduce and continuously develop feedback mechanisms and open communication channels to ensure that the changing needs and expectations of the target group(s)/project recipients are fully taken into account when designing, planning and implementing interventions/activities, including during the review of annual and quarterly work plans.
• Ensure project quality assurance processes, and risk management processes (including private sector due diligence, Social and Environment Screening, audits, etc.) are executed to the highest standards.
• Ensure high quality inputs are provided to facilitate the Country Office’s quality assurance and oversight role for the project.
• Facilitate the functioning of the Project Board/PSC (or equivalent), as well as participate and provide management and technical inputs to the Project Implementation Committee or other mechanisms, as applicable, that may provide recommendations to the PSC.

Ensure results- and evidence-based monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communications for the project: 

• Ensure results- and evidence-based monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communications frameworks and action plans are formulated, implemented and adaptively updated at least on a yearly basis.
• Ensure the quality of monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports, donor and other reports.
• Facilitate government, donor and UNDP regional and HQ field missions, as applicable.

Build new partnerships and increase mobilization:

• Mobilize and Network with the experts of national and regional offices of the UN system, international development organizations, multilateral development banks, sub-regional and regional associations, affiliations and bodies (inter-governmental, non-government, or private sector) and prominent private sector organizations.
• Prepare proposals for and mobilize human, technical and financial resources from international development organizations, multilateral development banks and the private sector.
• Plan, strategize and manage the scaling up the project to a national level with close guidance from the National Project Director and UNDP Country Office.

Ensure knowledge management for informing adaptive programming decisions to be made by the Project Steering Committee (PSC or equivalent decision-making mechanism for the project). 

• Manage the analytical and policy development work of the team, as relevant, and ensure high quality policy-related knowledge products.
• Ensure high quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensure effective integration and compatibility with other practice areas.
• Lead and manage the inputs of the consultants and national/international specialists/advisers, and undertake knowledge capture at national, regional and global levels in the subject area and the production of knowledge-based products.
• Lead the process of knowledge creation and dissemination related to national, regional and global know-how in the subject area. In this context, partner with practitioners and members of national think tanks, UNDP global networks and practice leaders teams at the regional and HQ levels on knowledge management services;
• Manage the establishment of internal and external networks or communities of practice covering prominent specialists/experts in government, non-government, private sector, multilateral development banks, international development organizations and the UN system.
• Ensure project results and impact are captured and recorded in knowledge products.

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics/Business Administration/Management/Environmental Engineering/Climate Change/ Environmental Science or relevant related discipline is required, OR
• First-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 (five) years (with Master´s degree) or 7 (seven) years (with Bachelor´s degree) of experiences preferably in development sector and/or the field of project management related to climate change, environment and rural development.
• At least 3 years working experience within in the field of project management related to climate change, environment and rural development is desired.
• Strong analytical, and structured writing skills.
• Ability to effectively interact with technical and non-technical end users in a pleasant, cooperative, and helpful manner.
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems and work independently.
• Ability to read, analyze, interpret and apply general technical instructions and procedures.
• Focuses on results for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Remains calm controlled and good humoured even under pressure.
• Ability to network at different levels.
• Sound knowledge and experience of project management.
• Sound knowledge and/or background in social and poverty analytics.
• Experience in M&E
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in implementing GOB led social protection/livelihood development, rural development, food security, climate change projects would be desirable.
• Demonstrable experience in fund raising from Private Sector, Government, Multilateral Development Banks and Bi-lateral Agencies would be an advantage.
• Experience in web-based management/Enterprise Resource Planning systems
• Experience on capacity development and/or policy advocacy, involving government officials and/or local government representatives would be an advantage.
• Demonstrable knowledge on social protection, rural development, gender mainstreaming, food security, livelihood would be an advantage.

Required Languages:

• English and Bengali.

Source:https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/17516