While Bangladesh has made great strides in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the country is still facing multiple challenges in the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.  Particularly the attainment of SDG 16 – the promotion of peace, justice, and strong institutions – has been lagging behind. This SDG is universally recognized as being the driver for realizing all other SDGs and is thus of vital importance. This programme addresses the need to develop effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels to promote peaceful, just, and inclusive societies for Bangladesh’s sustainable development, enabling wider engagement of development partners and relevant stakeholders. The programme aims to support the country in achieving SDG 16 by:

• Strengthening public institutions that can contribute to fulfilling national and international commitments and provide better service delivery.
• Creating a positive policy environment that embeds the SDGs’ core principle of “leave no one behind”.
• Promoting new capabilities and leveraging technology and innovation for more effective and inclusive governance and public service delivery.

The project consists of the following three outputs:

• Output 1: Capacities of Bangladesh’s bureaucracy are strengthened to deliver on SDG16 & SDG5
• Output 2: Institutions of public oversight are more people-centric and effectively fulfil their mandates.
• Output 3: The policy environment is strengthened to sustain SDG results and integrate SDGs into routine GoB operations and partnerships (multi-stakeholder Policy Dialogue Platform)

SIPS will be implemented by UNDP in partnership with public institutions, preferably the SDG Coordination Cell (SDGCC) and the Governance Innovation Unit (GIU) of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the Parliament.

The Project Manager will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst – Democratic Governance (currently vacant). Until the vacancy is filled, s/he will work under the direct supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative/Cluster Lead – Democratic Governance , or his/her designated staff.

The Project Manager will be responsible for strategically and adaptively leading project management, including planning, implementation, monitoring, generating expected outputs and outcomes in line with the approved Project Document, and evaluation. S/he will work closely with the component/output lead of the SIPS project, UNDP operations unit, Programme cluster, Government officials, private sector, and civil society organizations. S/he will be responsible achieving the project’s  outputs and outcomes.

Key Functions:

Result-based Project Management, including Planning, Implementation and Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Provide management oversight to ensure project implementation is on track.
• Management of project finances and achievement of quarterly and annual programme-finance delivery targets, with accountability to the National/Project Steering Committee/Project Board and UNDP.
• Ensure the preparation of annual work plan, budgeting, finance, procurement, audit, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc.
• Management of risks and issues, and execution of adaptive management in consultation with the Programme Analyst overseeing this project and the Assistant Resident Representative/UNDP Cluster Lead.
• Management of project team to ensure the team operates in a productive manner, through a clear division of labor, and setting of specific quarterly and annual goals and targets for all team members, including annual performance planning at the start of each year and performance evaluation at mid-year and at the end of each calendar year.
• Management of experts/specialists and service providers through planning, managing and monitoring the delivery of outputs, reports and knowledge products.
• Review and contribute to all outputs and deliverables required by the project.
• Supervision of the planning and organization of events; capacity building activities including trainings; consultations; meetings of the National/Project Steering Committee, Technical Working Committee, Core Groups, etc; and technical, evaluation, corporate, development partner and other missions.
• Ensure that the project draws from and collaborates with other UNDP-supported projects, avoiding duplication and maximizing synergy.
• Completion of other relevant duties and tasks.

Partnership and Stakeholder Management, and Networking:

• Identification of stakeholders and implementation partners for the undertaking of various outputs and activities.
• Preparation and implementation of a stakeholder mapping and stakeholder engagement/partnership strategy, including civil society/non-government organizations with activities, targets and expected results.
• Liaison with parliamentarians and government counterparts, as relevant, including focal persons assigned for the specific project outputs for effective and smooth project coordination.
• Coordinate with relevant partners/stakeholders/actors, the UNDP Country Office and its programmes/portfolios/projects at large, including to share information about trends, issues and results in the thematic area, to coordinate and utilize resources effectively and efficiently.
• Development of new partnerships with development partners/donors, government, civil society and/or non-government organizations, academia, local communities and private sector to deliver the project outputs, as needed.

Evidence-based Advocacy and Support for Policy Reforms:

• Analyze and consolidate project results/outputs, and provide results-based reporting of project progress at the outcome and impact levels.
• Development and implementation of capacity building activities aimed at government counterparts and other relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure highest UNDP standards in the provision of technical and advisory inputs, organization of workshops, seminars, training and delivery of product.

Knowledge Management and Resources Mobilization:

• Manage and contribute to the development of knowledge products, involving UNDP Programme Analyst, Cluster Lead and other relevant colleagues, implementing partners, consultants/experts/specialists, etc.
• Manage and contribute to the design and publication of communication materials and knowledge products; as well as knowledge-sharing platforms, tools and mechanisms.
• Manage the synthesis and documentation of project results, lessons learned, good practices, case studies, etc., from the project.
• Preparation and update of project information, results and other material on UNDP, government and other websites, media, etc., on a quarterly basis.
• Sharing of knowledge and information between UNDP, project management and government counterparts in the process of project implementation.
• Assist the UNDP Country Office in resource mobilization through developing a business case model, pulling the lessons learnt from the project for wider demonstration.
• Navigate opportunities to engage other potential development partners/donors with a view to mobilize more resources for the project.