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 projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.
UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:
Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs
Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized
Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability
South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.
You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.
Project Description
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) project – on “Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities” supports the Government of India and the state governments in the project states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra, to enhance the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate change through ecosystem based adaptation (EbA). The project combines GCF grant finance with significant leveraged co-finance from central and state governments to shift the paradigm towards a new approach, integrating ecosystem-centred and community-based approaches to adaptation into coastal management and planning by the public sector, the private sector and civil society. The project supports the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India and the nodal departments of the target State governments, to enhance the resilience of the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations, particularly women, in the coastal areas of India to climate change and extreme events, using an ecosystem-centered and community-based approach in three target states. This project as well contributes towards the achievement of climate priorities outlined in India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008), the State Action Plans, as well as commitments outlined in India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (2015). The Climate Change, Resilience and Energy portfolio at UNDP is currently working in various thematic areas of climate change adaptation and mitigation; disaster management and resilience; and access to clean and efficient energy. The project works at national, state and community levels to enhance capacities for ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and enable climate policy and finance shifts to catalyze climate action in all of India’s coastal states and union territories.
The project will enhance the resilience of coastal communities throughout India, through the implementation of interventions under the following inter-linked outputs:
Output 1: Enhanced resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems and their services.
Output 2: Climate adaptive livelihoods for enhanced resilience of vulnerable coastal communities; and
Output 3: Strengthened coastal and marine governance and institutional frameworks for climate resilient management of coastal areas.
The above will be achieved through interventions outlined below in target landscapes in the three states – Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha:
Protect and restore ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass
Help communities adopt climate-adaptive livelihoods and value chains
Mainstream EbA principles into coastal planning and governance, enabling intersectoral coordination for addressing climate risk across all of India’s coastal states.
The target districts and landscapes in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra areas follows:
| District |
Landscape |
| Nellore |
Pulicat Lake, Nelapatu Bird Sanctuary andsurround communities |
| Krishna |
Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Bantumilli Wetlands |
| East Godavari |
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding communities |
| Srikakulam |
Telineelapuram, Sompeta |
| District |
Landscape |
| Sindhudurg |
(i) Devgad (ii) Malvan(iii)Vengurla |
| Ratnagiri |
(iv) Dapoli(v) Guhagar (vi)Rajapur |
| Raigad |
(vii) Panvel(viii) Uran |
| Palghar |
(ix) Dahanu(x) Palghar |
Job Purpose and Scope of Work
The State Project Manager (SPM) will be overlooking the implementation of the project in Andhra Pradesh / Maharashtra. S/he will be based at the respective State duty stations(Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh)/(Mumbai, Maharashtra). S/he shall work under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist and the overall guidance of the State focal point of the respective Government counterpart. S/he would be responsible for overall implementation of the approved project in Andhra Pradesh/ Maharashtra. As this is a full-time position, s/he cannot hold any other job/assignments during this assignment. The SPM will be required to work with and support the Programme Specialist in overall project implementation and will be responsible for the supervision of the State PMU as well as project deliverables in Andhra Pradesh/ Maharashtra.
A. Main Purpose:
S/he will manage day-to-day project management and oversee regular monitoring of project results and risks, including social and environmental risks in the respective state. To ensure engagement of all direct stakeholders and delivery of state objective. As this is a full-time position, s/he cannot hold any other job/assignments during this assignment.
B. Duties and Responsibilities:
Project management and implementation to ensure achievement of the project:
• Establish linkages and work in close coordination with the Programme Specialist. Assist the Programme Specialist in planning, implementation, supervision, monitoring and evaluation of all the project activities in the state of Andhra Pradesh/ Maharashtra.
• Foster partnerships with key state government and relevant technical institutions working on climate change issues in Andhra Pradesh/Maharashtra.
• Prepare detailed workplans for the State, outlining key activities, deliverables and their timelines for the State PMU.
• Based on the overall project annual workplan, develop state specific annual work plans and ensure accurate and timely reporting to UNDP and MoEF&CC for activities of the project in Andhra Pradesh
/Maharashtra.
• Provide information and inputs for developing Terms of reference for consultants/ consultancy firms to be hired to undertake project activities;
• Commission activities like research studies, state level assessments training workshops etc. and manage the operational aspects of procurement, event management, logistics etc. in coordination with UNDP;
• Identify capacity development needs of implementing partners and arrange for necessary trainings.
• Coordinate with national team and other state teams under the project to share lessons and experiences
Ensuring the project monitoring and review, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Ensure coordination with state program unit and other district Govt. officials for smooth functioning.
• Manage and track contracts with project partners and flag any potential risks and suggest its mitigation measures.
• Undertake review meetings with partners and field visits to track progress made in implementation of the project and take corrective action as required;
• Review quality and consistency of reports and deliverables by partner institutions/ responsible parties including financial reports from all project partners,
• Prepare quarterly project progress reports, provide necessary information and inputs for preparing presentations and other documents for project steering committee and review meetings as required by Programme Specialist ;
• Facilitate and participate in the periodic review meetings and discussions related to project implementation, monitoring and follow-up;
• Supervise the work of team members or consultants, as may be recruited under the Project at the state level;
• Any other responsibility related to the project assigned by the Supervisor(s).
Institutional Arrangement
Administrative Reporting To[1]: State Project Manager (SPM), Andhra Pradesh/ Maharashtra, UNDP
Overall Reporting To[2]: State Project Manager (SPM), Andhra Pradesh/ Maharashtra, UNDP and Programme Specialist, UNDP
Reportees to this position (if applicable): State Project Unit, Andhra Pradesh / Maharashtra
Competencies
Core
| 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 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify
experiences
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| 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 3: Political savvy,navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration |
| Enable Diversity and Inclusion: |
LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making |
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
| |
Business Direction and strategy |
Strategic thinking |
Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground,and creating tangible solutions Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP |
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Business
Development
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Knowledge
Generation
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Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge,
relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
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Business Management |
Communication |
Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
Ability to manage communications internally and externally,
through media,social media and other appropriate channels
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Business Management |
Monitoring |
Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular
feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
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Nature, Climate and
Energy
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2030 Agenda:
Planet
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Climate Change Adaptation: coastal resilience |
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Nature, Climate and
Energy
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2030 Agenda:
Planet
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Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Conservation and Sustainable use
of biodiversity, land, forests and oceans
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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
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Required Skills and Experience
| Min. Education requirements |
- Advanced university degree(Master’s degree or equivalent) from a recognised institution in Environmental Studies / Environment Management/ Sustainable development /Social science / public policy. or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s Degree)from a recognised institution in Environmental Studies / Environment Management/ Sustainable development /Social science / public policy in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due
consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
|
| Min. years of relevant work experience |
- Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years(with a Bachelor’s degree) of experience of programme / project management experience.
|
| Required skills |
Job Knowledge/ Technical skills
- Good knowledge on climate change and ecosystem management
- Excellent technical and analytical writing skills
- Decisiveness, independence, good judgment, ability to work under pressure
Communication Skills
- Strong facilitation and moderation, communication skills
- Ability to carry out research and communicate strategic pieces that guide decisions on strategic programme directions
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi- ethnicenvironment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
- Excellent networking and partnering competencies and negotiating skills
Management skills
- Ability to guide Project Management Team
- Good manager of people and resources to obtain best results
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- Demonstrated skills in building, mobilizing, and leading multi-disciplinary teams
- Ability to guide the Project Management Unit in implementing and achieving project outcomes
- Ability to represent and promote the project at national and international meetings.
- Reliable in delivering own parts of the work as part of a team effort
- Demonstrates excellent work/project planning skills
- Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision,mission, and strategic goals of the organisation
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| Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section |
- Demonstrated experience of working with Central and/or State Governments/ NGOs/ UN/ Civil Society on similar assignments will be preferred.
- Familiarity with the working environment and professional standards of international organizations and national and State Governments.
- Is open to change and ability to manage complex, ever-changing environments
- Experience at the national level on climate change and relevant programmes.
- Outstanding communication, project management and organisation skills
- Experience of working with Central and / or State Governments on similar assignments will be preferred.
- Familiarity with the working environment and professional standards of international organisations and national and state government
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is essential.
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| Required Language(s) |
- Fluency in Marathi,(for Maharashtra) and Telegu(for Andhra Pradesh) and English is mandatory. Fluency in Hindi is desirable
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| Professional Certificates |
- Project Management, Results Based Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Risk Management
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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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