Senior Project Manager

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is undertaking the current recruitment on behalf of UNEP. UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. 

The Project Manager is responsible for delivering a UNEP advisory project to assist Palestinian entities and regional partners /neighbours in promoting environmental protection and adaptation to climate change, including through nature-based solutions, leading to enhanced human and ecosystem health and climate resilience. The Project Manager will deliver such advice both directly to Palestinian and international stakeholders, and via advisory support on environmental issues to the Office of the UN Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO).

Under the overall management of the UNEP Senior Programme Manager, Environmental Security (P5), with a second reporting line to the Chief of Coordination Unit and Head of Resident Coordinator’s Office, UNSCO (P5), the Project Manager will lead the generation and dissemination of science-based, conflict-sensitive analysis of environmental and climate-related risks and opportunities relevant to Palestine. The Project Manager will work with all relevant Palestinian, international and regional stakeholders to translate science-based policy advice into actionable plans and programmes – including via clear communication of scientific analysis and its relevance to policies and practices; convening stakeholders to build consensus around environmental policies and plans; and sustained policy support to relevant Palestinian institutions. The Project Manager will be part of a UNEP team working globally to enhance environmental and climate security. 

Project Information: The Project will run for a period of three years, starting in May 2024. The duty station will be Jerusalem, with regular travel within the occupied Palestinian territory and occasional travel to other locations in the region. 

Context: The Project Manager will be part of UNEP’s Disasters and Conflicts Branch, Ecosystems Division. The substantive and management aspects of the Project will be led by UNEP Senior Programme Manager, Environmental Security, who leads UNEP’s work on environmental security in the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean Basin. The Senior Programme Manager is based in Athens, Greece with regular travel to the Middle East region, including Palestine. 

The Project Manager will be based in Jerusalem [or other duty station], and will be co-located with the Resident Coordinator’s Office in the Office of the UN Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO). The Head of Coordination, RCO, UNSCO will serve as Second Reporting Officer and will ensure alignment between the Project Manager’s advisory work and that of the broader UN system. UNSCO has been present in Jerusalem/Gaza since 1994. 

UNOPS will be responsible for administration of the human resources aspects of the Project.  

Functional Responsibilities:

Project Delivery and Performance: 

The Project Manager’s role will be advisory. She/he will be expected to perform the following duties throughout the duration of the project:

• Design, commission and supervise the delivery of science-based analyses of environmental risks and potential solutions relevant to the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip;
• Deliver in-person briefings and expert written analyses to Palestinian entities, Israeli entities (as required and appropriate); regional and international partners, using appropriately tailored communications methods;
• Based on consultations and on request from relevant Palestinian, regional and international stakeholders, support and co-design detailed environmental plans and policy proposals;
• Convene meetings, develop cooperative relationships and networks to help build consensus around science-based environmental policy and governance measures;
• Work with all relevant partners to promote mobilization and implementation of science-based environmental policies towards protection and restoration of the Palestinian environment and critical ecosystems.   
• Performance of these tasks will be supported and evaluated by the UNEP Senior Programme Manager, Environmental Security.

Procedures :

• The Project Manager will report to the UNEP Senior Programme Manager, and coordinate work closely and regularly with the RCO (second reporting line). The Project Manager will respond to requests for environmental advice from the UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator.
• The Project Manager will participate in meetings (in-person where possible, and online) with Palestinian, Israeli and international interlocutors, officials of UNSCO and UNEP, and participate in meetings of the UN Country Team as appropriate.
• The Project Manager will work with UNEP Senior Programme Manager and, where relevant, other UNEP environmental specialists to identify appropriate research partners. 

Monitoring and reporting:

• The Project Manager will also be responsible for reporting to the donor (European Commission – EU Delegation, Jerusalem) as per the requirements of the donor.

An independent evaluation (to be undertaken by an expert consultant) is planned within the project.  

Stakeholder engagement:

• The Project Manager will be working in a conflict-affected context. The Project Manager will need to engage with a range of national and international stakeholders, exhibiting sensitivity to and understanding of the political and institutional context. The Project Manager will work in coordination and concert with other UN entities and international partners, in line with UNEP global mandates.

Quality assurance:

• The Project Manager and her/his supervisor will maintain regular contact with UNEP environmental subject-matter experts, which will ensure that environmental advisory services are based on UNEP’s global expertise. The Project Manager will work closely with UNSCO to ensure alignment with UN priorities (including humanitarian, development, peace and security dimensions).

Knowledge management and innovation :

• The Project Manager will be expected to manage and disseminate knowledge relating to the environment in the specific context in which she/he is working. Knowledge products (including research) will be delivered during the course of the project, and sound communication and dissemination of these products will be a critical part of the Project Manager role. She/he will also be expected to deliver innovative solutions where relevant.

Personnel management:

• No sustained management of personnel will be required of the Project manager. She/he will need to manage the delivery of research linked to the project

Impact of Results :

• Senior Project Manager directly impacts on achievement of project results by adhering to project management methods and strategies, reducing risks and improving success rates. In the current context, the Project Manager’s sustained, high quality advisory support contributes to delivering the project Outcomes, namely that Palestinian “national and transboundary environmental policy decisions and programme designs are better informed by science-based data, analysis and expert recommendations” and that “Effective action to address local and transboundary environmental and climate-related issues, including on transboundary dimensions, is increased.” These Outcomes in turn contribute to achieving the desired Impact: “Palestinian entities and regional partners /neighbours promote environmental protection and adaptation to climate change, including through nature-based solutions, leading to enhanced human and ecosystem health and climate resilience.”

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in environmental affairs, international affairs, social sciences, economics or a related field.  A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in environmental affairs, political-economy analysis, international affairs, development studies or related area.
• Experience of work in an insecure/conflict-affected context and with UN and international partners is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=27874#1