UNDP Tajikistan is implementing its Country Programme (2023-2026) which has the following three main programmatic areas:

1. Sustainable, inclusive and green economic growth.
2. Integrated management of climate and environmental risk.
3. People-centered governance and rule of law.

The Country Office (CO) has three thematic units to support the implementation of projects in the above three programmatic areas: the Sustainable Economic Development (SED) Cluster, the Climate Change, DRR and Environment Cluster, and the Governance Cluster. Each cluster has several projects under implementation. This TOR is for a project manager to manage two projects. As both are being implemented in Khujand and both are relatively small and interlinked projects, one position is created to manage both projects.

UNDP has the following two projects that are implemented in Khujand, particularly in the Fergana Valley:

1. Accelerating Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery through Improved Livelihood, Employability, and Regional Cooperation in Ferghana Valley Project (under the SED cluster)
2. Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia project (under the Climate Change, DRR and Environment Cluster)

The Accelerating Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery through Improved Livelihood, Employability, and Regional Cooperation in Ferghana Valley project aims to strengthen livelihood and resilience potential of people living in the Tajik part of Ferghana Valley, contributing to recovery from COVID-19 impact and solidifying social cohesion in cross-border areas. The key Development Goal of the project is to restore and improve livelihoods, promote productive and decent employment and increase income generation opportunities through innovation for sustainable enterprise development and cross-border trade promotion in Ferghana Valley in Tajikistan. The Project targets vulnerable women and men, youth, retuned migrants and SMEs in Sughd province, living and working in rural districts bordering with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, considering their vulnerability to unemployment, social exclusion, social tensions in border areas. A special focus will be on activation of young men and women, who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The project will apply a gender-sensitive approach to reach girls and women, to equip them with employable knowledge and modern skills, and empower them to engage more actively in economic activities. The key partner for this project is the Minister of Economy, Development and Trade (MEDT).

The Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia (CCRCA) is a Regional Project was launched in May 2021 with financial support from the European Union. The overall objective of this project is to support stability and climate resilient development in Ferghana Valley, a trans-­border area of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It aims to (i) improve knowledge of climate-fragility risks amongst stakeholders at local, national, and regional levels; (ii) facilitate risk-informed policymaking and transboundary resource management; and (iii) support practical risk reduction interventions. The Project targets both men and women as well as other vulnerable groups (marginalized, elderly, people with disabilities). The gender responsive approach will consider the structural barriers impacting women’s, men’s and socio­economically vulnerable groups’ abilities to fully benefit from climate-resilient risk management and will integrate activities to promote gender equality and social inclusion. Further, the gender responsive approach will ensure that women and vulnerable groups have equal access to information and participate in, benefit from, and make decisions about the work of the project. The key partners for this project are the Committee for Environmental Protection (CoEP) and the regional and local authorities.

The Project Manager has the overall responsibility for day-to-day management of the above-mentioned projects and ensure coordination and collaboration with other economic development and livelihood promotion and climate change projects implemented in Sughd area.

• Facilitate the day-to-day functioning of the project teams and consultants hired by the project.
• Manage the human and financial resources for achieving project results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the project documents and annual work plans.
• Establish performance management system, based on UNDP’s results and competency assessment system, to monitor project personnel performance.
• Be responsible for financial project management through Quantum, in line with delegated authorities and internal control framework.
• Ensure timely and efficient planning, implementation and follow up procurement activities within the assigned project.
• Develop the annual and quarterly work plans for the projects.
• Develop terms of reference for consultants and advisors who will be working towards programme delivery and supervise their work.
• Develop agreements with partners (Letters of Agreement, Responsible Party Agreements, Low-Value Grant Agreements etc.) as appropriate.
• Organize Programme Steering Committees meetings, preparatory meetings for the government partners, UNDP and donors.
• Participate and substantively contribute to the planning and conduction of external audits, evaluations and reviews related to assigned projects.
• Apply consecutive efforts to integrate gender equality considerations in project-related activities and in daily leadership practices.

Partnership and Resource Mobilization:

• Work collaboratively in a team environment with other projects of UNDP SED cluster and Climate Change, DRR and environment cluster to ensure integration, strategic focus and gender-responsiveness of all programme activities.
• Keep close collaboration and regular communication with the relevant staff of UNDP Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to ensure coordinated approach for the regionally-focused activities.
• Prepare proposals for mobilization of human, technical or financial resources from international development organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector to support and leverage the project outcomes.
• Ensure that project activities are closely coordinated with stakeholders and that a high level of collaboration and cooperation is in place at the regional and district level.

Monitoring and evaluation:

• Manage the implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation, information and reporting systems as well as communication strategy for the assigned projects.
• Monitor national context, emergence of players/stakeholders and actualization of risks that have implications for the projects.
• Compile a summary of lessons learnt and experiences for further development of recommendations to ensure better quality of projects’ outputs.
• Undertake missions to project locations on a quarterly basis.
• Ensure project evaluations are undertaken properly and in line with UNDP standards.

Knowledge sharing and communication: 

• Lead the process of knowledge captures of national and international know-how in the subject area and production of knowledge-based products.
• Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, and donor reports.
• Supports relevant, high-impact advocacy activities and campaigns with key partners.
• Collects knowledge on current and emerging trends by gathering relevant information on projects, strategies, approaches and ongoing experience for lessons learned, best practices.
• Contributes to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

• 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 & Technical Competencies

• Resource mobilization
  • Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirement
• Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Result -based management
  • Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
• UN policy knowledge – ethics
  • Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity
• Recovery Solution
  • Women’s Economic Empowerment; Climate change; Environment
• Effective Decision Making
  • Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources