Project Coordinator

The Project Coordinator will work under the supervision of the Team Leader for Natural Resources Management, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Unit, UNDP CO Lao PDR (or as assigned by UNDP to ensure clear delinking of implementation and oversight) and works closely with Programme Analyst as well as the Implementing Partner and other key government counterparts. 

The position will be located at either the government or UNDP office (Arrangement will vary between projects) UNDP may consider hiring several candidates from this recruitment process for performing similar tasks for newly launched projects.

Duties and Responsibilities:

UNDP is preparing several other policy and project initiatives in the Natural Resources Management, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction portfolio, which are expected to be launched in 2022-2023. The Project Coordinator will be assigned one or several projects from this pool to lead and bear responsibility for their implementation. UNDP reserves the right to hire several candidates from this recruitment process for similar positions in other projects.

Summary of key functions 

• Ensuring effective project management of the assigned projects by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project progress by monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Building strategic partnerships needed to achieve results and maintaining collaborative working relationships among key project partners, through effective communication, consultation and reporting.
• Ensuring gender mainstreaming within the project.

Specific tasks and responsibilities:

• Expected results: Ensuring effective project management of the assigned projects by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project progress by monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• Managing and coordinating the implementation of the respective activities based on the relevant project documents, including, as needed, supervision and guidance of other project staff, consultants and experts with a view to achieving project results.
• Developing comprehensive/detailed project work-plans that include all project activities and roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and setting-out corresponding milestones.
• Monitoring the progress of implementation of project activities and key event schedules observing the work-plans and set deadlines including monitoring of the financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
• Mobilizing goods and services to support project activities, including drafting TORs and works/product requirements and specifications.
• Managing and monitoring project risks initially identified, submitting information on the new risks and possible mitigating measures to the Project Board for consideration and updating the status of these risks by maintaining a Project Risk Log.
• Assuming responsibilities in line with the office Internal Control Framework and act as a `first authority` for Project transactions.
• Ensuring adherence of project activities to the existing financial, procurement and administrative processes that are in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations and, at the same time, observing the project timelines.
• Preparing project progress reports (progress against planned activities, update on risks issues, expenditures…) and ensuring timely submission of the reports to the relevant instances, such as the project boards and relevant donors.
• Managing project tracking in QUANTUM in accordance with UNDP procedures.
• Managing the transfer of project deliverables to national beneficiaries and other project stakeholders.

Expected results: Building strategic partnerships needed to achieve results and maintaining collaborative working relationships among key project partners, through effective communication, consultation and reporting: 

• Cultivating 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 other relevant projects and initiatives in the sector with a view to developing substantive partnerships and generating synergies.
• Disseminating project reports and respond to queries from concerned stakeholders.
• Maintaining strong relationships with the implementing partners, especially government partners and other relevant partners.
• Maintaining regular coordination and quality assurance of expert inputs and products as well as among project partners to ensure coherence and complementarity of project activities.
• Identifying opportunities for deepening the cooperation and recommending adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information on all relevant stakeholders gathered during project implementation.
• Maintaining regular communication on relevant project issues with the local counterparties, consultants and experts with an aim to ensure quality and timely delivery of all agreed outputs.
• Engaging groups and communities in project activities that affect them.
• Communicating project goals, activities and results clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public
• Submitting reports to UNDP, partners and donors in a quality and timely manner.

Expected result: Ensuring Gender mainstreaming within the project 

• Ensuring gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the project activities, work plans, budgets, reports, researches, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail.
• Ensuring gender equality is mainstreamed throughout team, consultant and staff management activities.
• Ensuring knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in Project Knowledge management activities and products.
• Ensuring collection of gender disaggregated data

Performance Indicators for evaluation of results 

• Project activities executed in line with UNDP corporate rules and procedures.
• Project funds delivered in accordance with the endorsed Annual Work Plans.
• Project staff/ team(s) effectively and efficiently guided and backstopped, as needed.
• Links with other relevant projects/initiatives established and joint objectives effectuated.
• High quality reports prepared and submitted on time

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in natural resources management, environment, water resources, forestry, sustainable development, climate change, public administration, international relations or a closely related field is required.
• First-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in in natural resources management, environment, water resources, forestry, sustainable development, climate change, public administration, international relations or a closely related field, in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree.

Experience:

• 2 years of relevant experience (with Master’s) or 4 years of relevant experience (with Bachelor’s) in project implementation/management of projects within the disciplines of environmental science, natural resource management or other related field at national or international level.
• Technical experience related to integrated water resources management, ecosystem-based adaptation, land use planning, environmental management, climate change, results-based management and planning, gender inclusion and/or similar specializations is an asset.
• Proven track record of managing projects and teams, including project design, activity/budget planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
• Experience working with Government departments, UN agencies, NGOs, international development agencies in Lao PDR is an asset.
• Knowledge of UN regulations, rules, and procedures       
• Excellent coordination skills, with ability to work under pressure and handle multiple activities and tasks concurrently.
• Ability to lead a team and to work in the team effectively.
• Excellent knowledge of MS software packages and ability to learn and adopt to new systems.
• Excellent inter-personal, communication and negotiating skills.

Required Languages:

• English and Lao

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/18475