National Project Coordinator

Timor-Leste is a small half-island country, one of the top ten counties most vulnerable to climate change. Approximately 70% of Timor-Leste’s rural population (840,000 people) is highly vulnerable to climate changes, particularly increasing variability of rainfall and extreme weather events. Lives and livelihoods are highly exposed in the country's remote interior and coastal regions. Impacts of intensified extreme events include damage and degradation of decentralized small-scale critical infrastructure, particularly water supply and drainage structures, embankments, and feeder roads and bridges. Damages leave rural populations isolated, lacking basic services. According to climate change scenarios and risk models, occurrences of climate extremes and related damages will at least double towards mid-century.

The project objective is to safeguard vulnerable communities and their physical assets from climate change-induced disasters. It aims to address existing institutional, financial, and legislative barriers, increasing the climate resilience of vulnerable small-scale rural infrastructure. Six municipalities, mainly Baucau, Ermera, Aileu, Viqueque Lautem, and Liquica, were selected for the project interventions. The project has the two interrelated outputs below that aim to achieve the impact potential and create an enabling environment/condition for scaling up/replicating the impact beyond the immediate target areas. 
•    Output 1: Climate risk information is developed, monitored, and integrated into policies, regulations, and institutions to inform climate-resilient small-scale rural infrastructure planning and management
•    Output 2: Climate risk reduction and climate-proofing measures for small-scale rural infrastructure are implemented to build the resilience of vulnerable communities in six priority municipalities.

UNDP helps Timor-Leste honor its Paris Agreement commitments by supporting expanding the "green economy" to tap into new opportunities for jobs and businesses. It partners with other United Nations agencies to provide technical expertise to translate strategies into action, establish a monitoring framework for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and develop plans for transition to sustainable land management, climate-proof agriculture, biodiversity, reforestation, disaster risk reduction, and waste management. By catalyzing SDG and Paris-aligned investments (public and private), UNDP delivers client-focused solutions that respond to immediate, mid and long-term recovery and socio-economic development priorities, and by leveraging on-the-ground presence and networks, we unlock bottom-up solutions towards lasting impacts at the country level, benefitting most disadvantaged and leaving no one behind.

Contribution to the project development and implementation efforts, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

a. A thorough analysis of the country's political, social, and economic situation and support the collaborative preparation/revision of annual work plans, project reports, project weekly implementation and reporting formats, and other project corporate planning instruments.
b. Support the project manager in operationalizing activities through all targeted project regions, such as  Aileu, Baucau, Ermera, Lautem, Liquica, and Viqueque. 
c. Regular communication updates from the field coordinators, as directed by the project manager, on the implementation of the infrastructure projects (GCF and alternate) will assist with the procurement processes at the municipality level and update payment schedules. 
d. Report to the project manager on updates and challenges and maintain project implementation timelines.
e. Communicate with Field Coordinators to update their weekly/monthly planning and reports.
f. Ensure generic ESIA/ESMP are updated and implemented, and ANLA certificates are obtained within the project manager's specific timeframe.  
g. Identification of strategic and innovative activities for cooperation and contributing to their translation into action.
h. Documented good practices, covered concepts, strategies, and implementation approaches, and supported the project manager in project responses and implementation actions.
I. Contribute substantive support in the subject area by identifying key implementation issues and formulating options for projects in national and subnational areas; build and maintain networks and alliances to support national and subnational policy work.

Support the project manager in the day-to-day management of the project by focusing on the following results:

a. Provide input in planning and developing project Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and establishing Annual Targets in accordance with the Project Document and other relevant AWP annexes, including the procurement plan and project risk log.
b. Keep the project manager up to date by presenting the project budget and expenditures vis-à-vis the AWP, with support from the procurement officer and Finance/Admin Officer/Associate; 
c. Support project manager with organizing Project Board and Project Technical Steering Committee meetings, especially through the timely preparation of agenda, background materials, and minutes for the Board Meeting;
d. Ensure that procurement of goods and services is on time and according to the agreed work plan and procurement plan, with support from the Procurement officer; 
e. Support project manager in identifying bottlenecks in project implementation and proposing solutions to ensure timely implementation and achievement of results.
f. Conduct field visit monitoring to project sites at least once quarterly to gather project results/impact 
g. Support project manager with carrying out the following elements of project management:

• Contractual management
• Quarterly and annual progress reporting
• Quarterly operational reporting

h. Support project manager preparing annual and quarterly work planning and budgeting,
I. Track the project budget expenditure against approved allocation;
j. Track project delivery through Quantum and other tools;
k. Support the Project Manager to ensure that the expenditures are in line with the approved Annual Work Plan and Project Document;
l. Carry out an analysis, as needed, on the expenditure projection based on the deviation of the actual expenditures from the AWP and keep the members of the PMU, Government, and UNDP informed of the risk of under-delivery;
m. Provide support in taking corrective actions as and when required.
n. Provision of financial data for donor reporting and progress reporting
o. Follow up with MSA and Municipalities to ensure all the co-finance information and amounts are reported in time through their progress on implementation of the 64 infrastructure and 1200 ha of agroforestry projects. 
p. Regularly coordinate with the MSA/DGDGL and municipalities to provide updates and ensure timely submission of payment requests by all municipalities. Obtain MSA/DGDGL clearance for each payment within one week after submission.
q. Monitor and follow-up of advances/direct payments to Responsible Partner(s) and review their financial reports and supporting documents and certifying forms (e.g., FACE/ICE forms for NEX liquidation/Direct payments to IP or RP) together with the NPD and project manager. 
r. Ensure the internal expenditure control system is maintained to ensure transactions are correctly planned, recorded, and posted.
s. Support Project Manager and National Project Director (NPD) to manage and prepare the document for internal audit and independent audit;
t. Support in the project’s human resources management, such as creating positions in the HR portal, recruitment process, staff contract, and performance review
u. Support in ensuring all required documents are available for UNDP audit and other evaluations

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

a. Provide input required for maintaining communications with the Government and local communities about progress, future plans, and issues of the Project;
b. Support with organizing formal or informal briefing sessions with the Government, as needed, to inform them of any minor changes in the implementation plan, needs for adaptive management, and emerging risks;
c. Support project manager in the preparation of any ad hoc communication materials for the Government or other national partners, 
d. Provide guidance to project staff on UNDP financial rules and regulations, including budgetary issues.
e. Facilitate training for the Government of Timor-Leste personnel on financial management, reporting forms, and filling systems for the project, following the project document and the NIM procedures.
f. Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in program and project finance.
g. Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
h. Ensure capturing and dissemination of lessons learned from the field in cooperation with the field coordinators during project implementation and coordinate with the Suva-based team for wider dissemination;
I. Facilitate the Project’s representation and/or participation in international knowledge networks to draw on and share best practices and lessons learned
j. Provide training to the field coordinators team, as required.

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

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) will actively support project manager in all project implementation activities. In particular, the NPC is responsible for coordinating the operational side of the project implementation, including Quantum project management, recruitment, procurement, and financial management as per the Annual Work Plan and procurement plan.
The National Project Coordinator will coordinate the project operations team (Procurement Officer, Administration Officer, and Finance Officer) and field coordinators under the ultimate supervision of the project manager, working in collaboration with the UNDP program and operations team.

• Minimum 5 years (with Master´s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressive experience in project development and management, with a focus on planning, monitoring, reporting, financial management, procurement, and stakeholder and team coordination in an international development organization;

• Demonstrated experience in the management of a similar climate change project of similar size is an asset;
• Excellent knowledge of project management principles and best practices.
• Extensive managerial experience, including experience in leading multicultural teams is an asset;
• Experience in project management, project budgeting and planning oversight is required
• Experience in project operations and financial services is required. 

• Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills, good interpersonal and team-building skills, interpersonal communications, and Coordination skills.
• Knowledge and accounting experience with international organizations is an advantage; 
• Knowledge and working experience in similar positions for UN agencies or UNDP projects with good references would be an asset.
• Good knowledge of computer-based accounting software will be an asset; Advanced computer skills, with high proficiency in using standard office Software Applications (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Experience in working at the country level with a UN or International Organization;