National Project Manager

The objective of the ‘’Improving Adaptive Capacity and Risk Management of Rural Communities in Mongolia’’ project is to strengthen resource-dependent rural population and their climate resilience through feasible adaptation measures for maintaining ecosystem services. The project plans to achieve its goal by conjoining the main activities: a) enhanced climate-informed planning for land and water use localized to the aimag level, b) ecosystem-based adaptation measures to protect land and water resources c) building herder capacity to pursue climate-resilient livelihoods. The primary outputs are as followed:

• Integrate climate information into land and water use planning at the national and sub-national levels.
• Scaling up climate-resilient water and soil management practices for enhanced small scale herder resource management
• Build herder capacity to access markets for sustainably sourced, climate-resilient livestock products.

The project funded by Green Climate Fund (GCF) and implemented by UNDP. The implementing partners of the project are the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry. The project will start in March 2021 and run until the end of 2027. The target areas are focused on four aimags  Zavkhan, Khovd, Dornod and Sukhbaatar, which are vulnerable to climate change and cover a range of ecological zones. The project is expected to benefit an estimated 800.000 people (approximately 130.000 direct and 800.000 indirect beneficiaries), of whom 50% are women.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Programme Analyst, Climate Change, the Project Manager will provide substantive and administrative support to the “Improving Adaptive Capacity and Risk Management of Rural Communities in Mongolia” project. The Project Manager will be responsible for innovate development project/programme in a major sector of activity; design project portfolios and promote organization’s capacity as a reliable partner with national counterparts.  Ensure coordination of sectoral activities with broader country programme. Advocate on behalf of organization’s goals.

• Management and coordination of project implementation 
• Coordination and Provision of technical and oversight support to the management 
• Coordinate the development and implementation of systems, procedures and guidelines.
• Provide substantive technical advisory support on Strategy and Facility related issues.            

Management and coordination of project implementation 

• Lead the Project Management Unit and run the project on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the UNDP and MET.
• Manage the overall project implementation.
• Manage requests for the provision of UNDP financial resources through funding advances, direct payments or reimbursement using the FACE form.
• Manage financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
• Manage and monitor the project risks including social and environmental risks - initially identified and submitted 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.
• Ensure that the indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually in advance of the GCF APR submission deadline and progress can be reported in the GCF APR.
• Prepare the GCF APR.
• Prepare an annual procurement plan and ensure its timely and effective implementation.
• Lead and manage project communications, advocacy and partnership strategies.
• Manage and monitor project risks, issues, and lessons learned, and regularly update the Project Board on the status of risks.
• Manage and facilitate generation of analytical products to support reform for policies/programmes.

Coordination and Provision of technical and oversight support to the management 

• Coordinate the project stakeholders on results, expected outcomes and impact of the project.
• Monitor progress, watch for plan deviations and make course corrections when needed within project board-agreed tolerances to achieve results.
• Perform regular progress reporting to the project board as agreed with the board, including measures to address challenges and opportunities.
• Coordinate the development of short-, medium- and long-term strategic plans of the project, including timely annual and quarterly work plans, whilst taking into account emerging issues.
• Coordinate the review and appraisal of proposals and annual plans submitted by the implementing entities and ensure provision of quality feedback and effective comments.
• Lead the preparation of quarterly, annual and financial reports and submission to contributors and other relevant stakeholders, with a special view to capturing lessons learned and best practices for improving the performance of the facility portfolio.
• Coordinate drafting of TORs for consultancies / services.
• Supervise consultancy works and review and assess products/services provided by consultants and experts counterparts and notify/advise the head of the secretariat on quality and recommend appropriate actions to undertake for improvement of results.

Coordinate the development and implementation of systems, procedures and guidelines.

• Contribute to continuous improvements in procedures of project coordination, monitoring and evaluation for improved results management and project implementation.
• Execute activities by managing personnel, goods and services, training and low-value grants, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, and overseeing all contractors’ work.
• Prepare the annual and quarterly work plan and ensure its review by Programme Analyst and approval by the Project Board.
• Monitor activities of the project and its progress against the approved work plan.
• Complete UNDP Project Quality Assurance Report in online corporate planning system and ensure high quality of deliverables during the implementation. 
• Prepare communication content, success story on the results and lessons learned during the project implementation.
• Provide support for completion of assessments required by UNDP, spot checks and audits.
• Prepare and submit financial reports to UNDP quarterly basis.
• Assess major and minor amendments to the project within the parameters set by NCE-VF, ensure changes are controlled, and problems addressed.
• Coordinate implementation of project plans including the gender action plan, stakeholder engagement plan, and environmental and social management plan. 
• Prepare revisions to the multi-year work plan, as needed, as well as annual and quarterly plans if required.
• Prepare the inception report no later than one month after the inception workshop. 
• Monitor and track progress against the GCF Core indicators.
• Identify risks associated with the implementation of the project and take appropriate mitigation action.
• Monitor project financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports. 
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of required periodic, including quality of technical and financial aspects, i.e., annual results and progress reports, final reports, and other intermediate reports to the Project Board/UNDP.

Provide substantive technical advisory support on strategic partnership building.

• Support UNDP CO in establishing strategic partnership with private sector and expanding partnership with the IPs. 
• Regular review and provide quality feedback and effective comments to the consultant’s deliverables.
• Closely communicate, coordinate activities of the project and exchange experiences with other development partners in the field.
• Support the Mid-term review and Terminal Evaluation process.
• Maintain the project documentation, manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national counterparts, UNDP CO and beneficiaries, as relevant. 
• Prepare and implement a strategy for sustaining the project results beyond the project duration.
• Ensure the final terminal evaluation report and other documentation required by the GCF and UNDP.
• Act as a principal representative of the project during review meetings, evaluations and discussions and, hence, be responsible for preparing review and evaluation reports.

• 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 & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & 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.
• 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 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.
• 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

Partnership management     

• Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding