Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the development arm of the United Nations system, with offices in 180 countries. Globally the organization employs 17,000 people and manages a budget of USD 5 billion each year. The UNDP office in North Macedonia employs a team of 71 and currently manages a portfolio of projects in inclusive prosperity, environmental protection, and good governance worth over USD 15 million per year. The Environment & Disaster Risk Reduction Portfolio includes projects on climate change, air pollution, natural resources management and disaster risk reduction.
UNDP Regional Hub in Istanbul in close collaboration with UNDP Country Offices in Tirana, Podgorica and Skopje since the last quarter of 2019 is implementing a regional project for the Drini River Basin. The objective of the project is to assist the riparian countries in the implementation of an integrated climate-resilient river basin flood risk management approach to improve their existing capacity to manage flood risk at regional, national and local levels and to enhance resilience of vulnerable communities in the Drin River Basin (DRB) to climate-induced floods. Participating countries (Albania, Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro) will benefit from a basin-wide transboundary flood risk management (FRM) framework based on improved climate risk knowledge and information; improved transboundary cooperation arrangements and policy framework for FRM and concrete FRM interventions.
The project supports the development and implementation of transboundary integrated flood risk management strategies providing the national authorities with robust and innovative solutions for Flood Risk Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, and climate adaptation, including ecosystem-based gender sensitive participatory approaches. In addition, the project will develop the underlying capacity of national and regional institutions to ensure sustainability and to scale up the results. It supports stakeholders by providing guidance, sharing climate information, knowledge, and best practices. The project also invests in the priority structural and community-based non-structural measures. Importantly, the project is aligned with and will support the implementation of the EU Floods Directive (EUFD) in the Drini River Basin countries.
The project is executed by the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) under the UNDP Direct Implementation Modality (DIM). UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub is responsible for overall management, ensuring project coherence, the preparation and implementation of work plans and annual audit plans; preparation and operation of budgets and budget revisions; disbursement and administration of funds; recruitment of national and international consultants and personnel; financial and progress reporting; and monitoring and evaluation.
The Project Management Unit (PMU) is hosted by the UNDP Albania and will be led by a Regional Project Manager (PM) supported by a Project Assistant (PA). The PM is supported by an International Chief Technical Advisor.
National/country-based activities under the project are delivered through the UNDP Country Offices in beneficiary countries (Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia). The regional project shall be completed by the end of 2026 while the national component of the project in the Republic of North Macedonia will be completed in December 2024.
The management of the national component of the project requires an experienced Project Analyst with a specialization in technical disciplines and understanding of the complexity of the climate change/climate resilient and river basin management. Her/His tasks include delivering the remaining results specified in the project document within the established timeframe and budget, as well as regular reporting to the donor and the main beneficiaries.
The Project Analyst/National Coordinator will report to the Regional Project Manager and to the Head of the UNDP Environment Portfolio. She/He and will manage a project team comprising of a Project Assistant and part-time Communication Officer. The Project Analyst/National Coordinator will be in Skopje but will frequently travel to the Lake Ohrid/Drini river Basin.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Project Manager and the Head of the Environment, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction Unit, the Project Analyst will be responsible to carry out the following specific tasks and responsibilities.
Ensuring effective project management of the assigned project by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial, and administrative outputs, while tracking the project progress by monitoring, evaluation and reporting:
- Manage and coordinate project activities based on the relevant Project Document, including the supervision and guidance of the project staff, term consultants and experts, with a view to achieving project results.
- Develop comprehensive/detailed Project work-plan including structured dynamics of all Project activities, role and responsibilities and milestones.
- Prepare Project progress reports for the donor and the main project beneficiary (Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning).
- Ensure timely submission of the Project Implementation Report, Technical reports, quarterly financial reports, and other reports as may be required by UNDP and/or the donor.
- Monitor Project progress to ensure that it is in accordance with the timetable set out in the Project Document and prepare regular updates and reports to Project Boards on projects’ progress, implementing issues, emerging risks/problems, and proposals for necessary remedial actions.
- Secure the goods, services and personnel needed to implement Project activities, including drafting TORs and work specifications.
- Monitor financial resources and ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
- Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified, submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible action if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining a Project Risk Log.
- Provide rigorous quality assurance for the project’s financial, procurement and administrative processes to make sure that they are conducted in line with UNDP rules and regulations as well as in line with the project timelines.
- Maintain regular coordination and quality assurance of expert inputs and products as well as among project partners to ensure coherence and complementarity of project activities.
- Identify opportunities for deepening cooperation and recommending adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information gathered during project implementation.
- Maintain regular communication on relevant project issues with local and international counterparties, consultants and experts and ensuring quality and timely delivery of all agreed outputs.
- Managing project tracking in QUANTUM in accordance with UNDP procedures.
- Managing the transfer of project deliverables and assets to national beneficiaries and other project stakeholders.
Provide advisory support on climate resilience and river basin management issues to the Government and other partners:
- Identify, collect and analyze policy-related, relevant information and data.
- Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learnt into project goals.
- Support the development of policies that will address challenges and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
- Codify and share best practices and lessons learnt.
Build the strategic partnerships needed to achieve results:
- Cultivate relationships with the central and local authorities, academia, NGOs and other Project stakeholders, ensuring full understanding, cooperation and an appropriate fit of the project activities with the main needs of the beneficiaries.
- Establishing effective linkages with the regional project team, the project teams in the riparian countries, and other relevant projects and initiatives in the sector with a view to developing substantive partnerships and generating synergies.
- Disseminate project reports and respond to queries from concerned stakeholders.
Align the project with UN values and UNDP priorities:
- Ensure the principles of gender equality, democratic governance, social inclusion and disaster resilience are effectively reflected in project activities.
- Ensure that gender equality is pursued in all project activities and reflected in work plans, budgets, reports, researches, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail.
- Ensure that accessibility for persons with disabilities is reflected in all project activities.
- Consult regularly with other UNDP projects and programs on related activities where synergies are possible.
- Strive to engage groups and communities in project activities that affect them.
- Communicate project goals and activities clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public.
Ensure the mainstreaming gender, disability and youth considerations in the field of expertise:
- Support preparation of gender equality background materials for use in discussion, correspondence and briefing sessions.
- Ensure that all data gathered during project implementation is disaggregated by gender/disability/youth, age, ethnic affiliation and other to the extent possible.
- Support the reporting on gender mainstreaming as part of the ROAR and other corporate documents.
- Identify partnership strategies with regard to providers of specialized expertise, with special encouragements for providers with a gender/disability/youth knowledge.
- Ensure the project/programme contributes to the promotion of gender /disability/youth equal access by reaching, involving, and benefiting.
- The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Performance Indicators for evaluation of results:
- Project activities executed in line with UNDP corporate principles.
- Project staff/ team(s) effectively and efficiently guided and backstopped, as needed.
- Implementation of the transferred competencies and resources is consolidated and effectively carried out.
- Links with other relevant projects/initiatives established and joint objectives effectuated.
- Delivered funds in accordance with the planned Annual Work Plans.
- Timely and qualitative reporting in line with the programme needs and Country Office/national partners’ requirements. Project activities executed in line with UNDP corporate rules and procedures.
Institutional Arrangement
The Project Analyst will be engaged on a regular NPSA contract and will report to the Regional Project Manager and the Head of the Environment, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction Unit. The Project Analyst will be located in Resen but will need to travel to Skopje as per the requirements of the project implementation.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results – LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
- Think Innovatively – LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
- Learn Continuously – LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others, and support their learning.
- Adapt with Agility – LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
- Act with Determination – LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
- Engage and Partner – LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion – LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
People Management competencies: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross Functional and Technical competencies:
- 2030 Agenda: Planet–Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
- Early Warning and Preparedness.
- 2030 Agenda: Planet-Nature, Climate and Energy
- Climate Change Adaptation: Embedding adaptation into development policy/planning/decision making.
- Business Management-Project Management
- Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
- Business Direction & Strategy Effective Decision Making
- Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.
- Business Management-Partnerships Management
- Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
- Business Management- Risk Management
- Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
- 2030 Agenda: People- Gender
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master´s degree (or equivalent) in Natural Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Electrical and/or Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a similar field is required.
- Bachelor’s degree in above mentioned field in combination with 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree.
Experience:
- Up to 2 years (with Master’s degree) or minimum 2 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of development projects.
Languages:
- Fluency in English and Macedonian is required.
- Knowledge of other local languages will be an asset.
Required skills:
- Capability for traveling and field work.
- Capability to work under pressure.
- Excellent computer literacy (MS Office; Windows).
- Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills.
- Strong communication skills, especially in timely and accurate responses to emails.
- Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search.
Desired skills:
- Experience in the implementation of larger projects run by international organizations and/or large environmental protection projects will be an asset.
- Experience with liaise and co-operate with government officials, municipal authorities, academic institutions, CSOs will be an asset.
- Experience in working with HydroMet and/or emergency agencies will be an asset.
- Previous experience in UNDP will be an asset.
The following documents shall be required from the applicants:
- Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
- A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
- Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.
Disclaimer
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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Scam warning
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.