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.
With support from the Peacebuilding Fund, UNDP, in collaboration with IOM and UNHCR, designed a joint programme that support displacement solutions. In particular, the joint programme is one of the first initiatives implemented under the Peacebuilding Fund that promotes displacement solutions through peacebuilding. It is also one of the pioneering collaboration efforts among the three agencies involved. The project will be implemented through Nexus approaches, within the context of the implementation of peace agreements.
Furthermore, the project aims to significantly contribute to efforts to address the causes and impacts of conflict-induced displacement in Bangsamoro; help enable conditions conducive for longer-term solutions, especially peace and security, access to rights and services, socio-economic inclusion and strengthened governance processes; and create a safe, voluntary, and dignified pathway for IDPs to achieve tailored solutions to resolve their displacement. By strategically addressing various factors influencing conflict-induced displacement; promoting sustainable IDP returns, relocation, or integration in areas of displacement; and building peace and social cohesion, the project contributes to the attainment of safer, more resilient, and peaceful communities. The enhancement of capacities, frameworks, and approaches ensures that the rights of IDPs are upheld, conflict drivers are mitigated, and sustainable solutions are pursued, leading to improved well-being and stability for all stakeholders involved. These in turn contribute to sustaining the gains from the implementation of Bangsamoro peace agreements.
In this connection, UNDP is seeking to hire a project manager, who is willing to be based in Cotabato City who will lead the day-to-day operations of the project and its required outputs, oversee the work of project staff and coordinate with project partners.
Under the overall supervision of the Team Leader for the Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, the Project Manager will work with key partners and stakeholders, to deliver distinct outputs of the project, to ensure the quality implementation – from capacity building, management of human and financial resources, oversee the monitoring, evaluation and communication framework towards achievement of delivery targets.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the guidance of the Team Leader of UNDP’s Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, the Project Manager will perform the following functions:
Ensure strategic management of the program and provide day-to-day financial and administrative support for the delivery of the Program’s activities focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Provide quality leadership in the overall coordination and management of the Peacebuilding Fund 2023 project focusing on the BARMM;
- Contribute to the development and monitoring of action plans in order to identify and resolve issues on financial delivery towards the full and optimal utilization of project funds;
- Lead the identification of project issues, challenges and risks, appropriate recommendations and implements them; Prepare progress monitoring reports (e.g. donor reports), activity designs, briefing papers, technical reports, meeting documentation, situation updates, official correspondences, M&E documents, and other documentation as may be required in project implementation;
- Organize and participate in workshops, needs assessments, consultations, planning sessions and provide technical inputs as maybe necessary;
- Undertake communication assignments such as writing of articles, press releases, development of knowledge products and other related activities;
- Mentor and coach team members as they perform their duties; Perform other tasks as may be assigned by the supervisors.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships and coordination with key counterparts to ensure the successful implementation of the project:
- Network and build strong working relations with Government, UN, and donor partners;
- Establish, develop and maintain mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with NGOs, civil society and community groups, the press and media, the business sector, etc.;
- Establish networks with experts of UN System, international development organizations, and prominent private sector organizations;
- Link with other UNDP projects and work closely with the UNDP Programme teams and Operations team to support efficient delivery of project activities in line with strategic objectives.
Oversee the successful implementation of all the components of the Peacebuilding Fund 2023 Philippine programme:
Overall project management;
- Manage the realization of project outputs agreed upon through activities;
- Provide direction and guidance to project team(s) / responsible party (ies);
- Liaise with the Project Board or its appointed Project Assurance roles to assure the overall direction and integrity of the project;
- Identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project; Responsible for project administration;
- Liaise with any suppliers;
Running the project:
- Plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the initial quality criteria;
- Mobilize goods and services to initiative activities, including drafting TORs and work specifications;
- Monitor events as determined in the Monitoring & Communication Plan, and update the plan as required;
- Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures);
- Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
- Manage and monitor the project risks as initially identified in the Project Brief appraised by the LPAC, submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required;
- update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log; Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log.;
- Prepare the Project Quarterly Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Board and Project Assurance;
- Prepare the Annual review Report, and submit the report to the Project Board and the Outcome Board;
- Based on the review, prepare the AWP for the following year, as well as Quarterly Plans if required.
Closing the Project:
- Prepare Final Project Review Reports to be submitted to the Project Board and the Outcome Board;
- Identify follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board;
- Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment, and materials to national beneficiaries; Prepare final Combined Delivery Report / Financial Reports for signature by UNDP.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies:
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management competencies:
- UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross – Functional and Technical competencies:
Digital & Innovation
- Futures & foresight: Ability to look at information from the past and present, identify patterns and trends and use them to inform decision making with a long-term view; Being sensitive and able to scan horizons and pick up weak signals of change, explore their potential implications and assess their impact and urgency; Using creativity and imagination to communicate insights in compelling and engaging ways to challenge current mental models; ability to develop scenarios, speculative designs to present future visions or by making it experiential; Being able to facilitate debate and discussion about possible futures; help people to feel comfortable with the discomfort of uncertainty.
Business Direction and 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 Development
- Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Business Management
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Digital & Innovation
- Ethnography: Ability to build rapport and empathy with people and vulnerable communities to learn about their everyday lives, experiences and context; Being able to identify and understand patterns of relations, and their meaning, between different entities (i.e. of people, objects, animals, etc.); Being able to immerse deeply in the context of a community and look at it from an “”insiders perspective”” to understand how realities are socially constructed and understand and appreciated these realities; explore perceptions, motivations, preferences, needs, rituals to understand “”why people do things the way they do””; Being inclusive when using digital tools engaging with communities; have a thorough understanding of ethical guidelines when engaging with vulnerable communities; Ability to translate observations into compelling insights for community empowerment or to inform decision making, problem solving and policy design.
Ethics
- Legal Analysis and Report Writing: Ability to apply legal analysis to a diverse range of complex issues, and express themselves clearly; ability to communicate well, to all levels of staff and contractors/consultants, governments et.al.
Legal
- Knowledge of applicable legal framework: Understanding of the legal norms as applied to the United Nations in general, and to UNDP in particular. This includes an understanding of the structure, functioning and operations of UNDP within the broader UN system and the application of international treaties, including the UN Charter, GA resolutions, the relevant basic country assistance agreement and UN system-wide legal instruments, as well as an understanding of the internal legal framework (financial regulations and rules, policies, and procedures) of UNDP.
Required Skills and Experience:
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences, including Public Administration, Political Science, Public Policy and Management, Peace and Conflict Studies, Philosophy, Law or other related fields is required. Or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 years (with Master´s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of work experience in project management and coordination, preferably in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
- Proven experience of effective partnership development with national and sub-national counterparts including local government units, development partners, civil society and IDP communities is required
- Demonstrated capacity in project financial management including preparation of budgets, annual work plans and financial reporting is required
- Extensive experience in delivery of humanitarian, peacebuilding and/or development programmes for internally-displaced communities in the different provinces of the BARMM
- Relevant technical experience in working with the government ministries, local government units in conflict-affected and conflict vulnerable areas, joint peace mechanisms and civil society organizations is an asset.
- Extensive work experience in the sub-region (i.e. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) is an advantage.
- Previous experience in UN is an advantage
- Demonstrable experience in usage of MS Office software such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and similar digital applications.
Required Languages:
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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.
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