UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others.

The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team.

Within the Pacific Office Multi-Country Office (MCO), since the adoption of the new 2023-2027 MCPD, the Effective Governance and Inclusive Growth unit has enjoyed an increasing trust from the Governements and Donors for embarking on new areas of support.  A number of recommended engagements are short term (up to 6 months of implementation or inception phases) but request robust and effective implementation to bring about urgently needed results and impacts.  To name a few, projects from the Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB), the UN Peace Building Fund (PBF), the UK Security fund as well as the transition between the outgoing phases and the formulation of new phase in key significant engagements in justice, anti-corruption, human rights, gender equality and women empowerment, etc. There are also projects under the One UN umbrella such as the Spotlight and Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) which are in need of management to be in line with the corporate requirements. All these projects are at medium scale level and short-term but important as they are substantively contributive to UNDP’s mandates and required delivery of the 2023-2027 MCPD.

Position Purpose

The Project Specialist will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the Team Leader, Effective Governance and Inclusive Growth, and act as the Manager providing technical advisory service and management of the (i) small scale projects; (ii) UN short-term joint projects or inceptions and (iii) PIPs and project in transitions between phases. Leading these projects, the Specialistwill ensure the management for the related interventions, ensuring the impact, coherence and quality of the portfolio in the Pacific. This post requires proven managerial competencies; substantive knowledge on governance matters is a strong asset. Also, it requires an experienced project manager having capacity of managing relations with donors and partnerships to deliver without delay medium scale engagements in a timely manner. The staff member will be based in Suva, with possible travel to other countries of the region.

He/She will also support engagement with international development partners, building strategic partnerships, and identifying new opportunities for UNDP to maximize its impact and visibility in this area through development of new proposals and project documents.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

• Lead strategic planning for the project, including formulation of annual project work plan (AWP) as well as plans for budget, HR, procurement, and overall project implementation.
• Provide quality and timely management of the project life cycle, including meeting programmatic and financial deliverables in adherence to project documents and applicable UNDP policy and programme management procedures and Government standards, rules, and regulations.
• Provide direction, guidance and direct supervision to UNDP project personnel, including technical experts, to ensure activities are implemented in a timely manner as planned. Undertake technical review of project documents produced by the project team and partners, and ensure high technical standards are met.
• Ensure all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows.
• Ensure proper execution of all administrative activities associated with project implementation that includes building and sustaining effective liaison with the CO’s functional areas and units (i.e., programme, M&E, finance, HR, procurement, and supply management).
• Identify opportunities for synergies with other projects within UNDP and beyond to advance the key objectives and grow its focus.

Build and maintain UNDP’s strategic partnerships. 

• Substantively contribute to the harnessing of effective partnerships and lead the identification and onboarding process for implementing partners.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national and regional stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support and ensure accurate interpretation of key objectives, and to promote inclusive project implementation.
• Communicate relevant and critical information with key implementing partners and members of project governing bodies, and substantively contribute to project visibility efforts. Make recommendations to the CO management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
• Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.
• Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.
• Identify strategic opportunities and potential new areas of cooperation. Actively coordinate with other UN agencies on the subject matter and contribute technical expertise on anti-corruption support.
• Develops and undertakes country missions in support of programme monitoring, impact assessments and programme enhancement;
• Under the supervision of the Programme Specialist, Team Leader, Inclusive Governance and Economic Growth supports donor outreach and coordination with national and international partners, including actively contributing to developing new funding opportunities;
• Develop knowledge products including research, lessons learned, good practice notes, as well as formulating concept notes on emerging issues related to Rule of Law, human rights, community security, social cohesion and peacebuilding in the Pacific Islands.

Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set.

• Provide leadership and technical advice to the project in developing baselines and indicators for project monitoring and evaluation, and coordinate the finalization of detailed results framework. Ensure strategies, processes, systems, and mechanisms are in place to effectively fulfill programme and financial monitoring, evaluation, quality assurance and reporting requirements.
• Lead implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, and results framework to identify plan deviations, underperformance, and other problems. Support diagnosing problems and ensure accountability for corrective actions within agreed upon tolerances to achieve results. Conduct field visits as required to verify project activities relative to stated targets and provide regular field updates to UNDP/CO management.
• Proactively perform risk assessments to identify and document risks related to the project, including operational, financial, legal, contractual, social, environmental, reputation and safety risks. Design mitigation measures and keep appropriate project governing bodies informed. Develop and complete regular reviews of risk management matrix for the project.
• Coordinate the preparation of corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements. Ensure provision of ad hoc reports and information requested by relevant entities.
• Ensure proper operational and financial closure of the project.1. Ensure effective leadership and management of the assigned portfolio of projects, including leadership and supervision of the projects’ team; coordination of implementation; strategic oversight of planning, budgeting
• Develops targets and indicators to capture progress, implementing and monitoring, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Take responsibility for a timely and efficient delivery of the Annual Work Plans for the entire portfolio of anti-corruption support projects;
• Ensure monitoring and evaluation, as well as aggregate programme and project reporting, for all donors participating in the portfolio are done in timely basis
• Provide strategic guidance and advice to UNDP MCO on ensuring a coordinated approach to efficient implementation of related anti-corruption reforms.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

• 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.

• Cross Functional and  Technical Competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy – System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

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 – Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment.

Business Management – Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

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.

2030 Agenda: Peace – Governance:

• Core Governance Functions

• Proficiency in oral and written English Language is required.