Project Manager

Under the overall Programme Framework of Climate Resilient Green Growth, UNDP has been supporting the Government of Ethiopia’s efforts to achieve middle-income status and zero-net emissions by 2025. In this context, UNDP is providing support to strengthen implementation capacity of the key sectors involved in the National Green Economy Strategy. In this connection, the “Ethiopian NAMA: Creating Opportunities for Municipalities to Produce and Operationalize Solid Waste Transformation (COMPOST) was designed by the Government of Ethiopia with the technical and financial support of UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The COMPOST project is designed to promote greater use of Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) and Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) approaches in Ethiopian cities and towns that will assist the Government of Ethiopia in achieving the objectives of its Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II). This will be achieved through four outcomes: i) strengthening the regulatory and legal framework and institutional coordination mechanisms to integrate ISWM and UGI within urban systems; ii) a developed market-based system with micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that are supported professionally to ensure financial sustainability of compost production and utilization; iii) implementation of a Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) that transforms the capacity of integrated urban systems to generate large emission reductions; iv) operationalized urban systems that integrate ISWM and UGI, with quantified GHG emission reductions, within a NAMA framework.

At the end of its lifetime, the COMPOST project will deliver direct annual emission reductions from UGI initiatives and ISWM equal to approximately 306,000 and 132,321 tCO₂e, respectively. These will accrue from the annual generation of 45,489 tonnes of compost from 151,629 tonnes of household organic waste, and the reforestation of 33, 309 ha of degraded land by the end of the 5-year project lifetime. By assuming a lifetime of 20 years for compost facilities and managed landfills as well as for carbon sequestration and the generation of renewable biomass for thermal energy, the direct emission reductions generated by the project will be 8.33 MtCO₂e, giving a GEF abatement cost of 0.80 US$/tCO₂e. The number of direct jobs created through composting by the end of the 2021 will be 744, of which at least 50% will be for women and youth. Additional direct jobs will be created by the UGI activities of the project, such as in nurseries, and digging and planting of trees. The project will produce co-benefits such as increased resilience of urban areas to drought and flooding hazards, and improved quality of life in urban areas.

The project consists of four components and will be implemented over a period of five years.

Component 1:      The enabling framework created and enforced to support ISWM and UGI   

Component 2:      The private sector value chain for compost is created and professionalism is   promoted to support sustainable production and utilisation of compost   

Component 3:      Architecture for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) development and implementation is established

Component 4:      Integration of UGI and ISWM in urban systems, including design and implementation in 6 cities and towns (Adama, Bahir Dar, Bishoftu, Dire Dawa, Hawassa and Mekelle)

This UNDP and Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH)-implemented, GEF-financed project will seek to implement a private sector-driven and market-based approach towards promoting integrated solid waste management and urban greenery.  .

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Urban Climate Resilient Bureau at the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing  (MoUDH), and UNDP Country Office Climate Resilient Green Economy team leader and Energy and Low Carbon Development Analyst, the Project Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of the GEF project, including all project administrative matters and substantive outputs. All work of the Project Manager will be carried out in line with the Country Programme Action Plan and in full compliance with UNDP Rules and Regulations. The management and coordination process will be pursued through undertaking appropriate actions in project formulation, implementation and evaluation. Strong emphasis will be placed on ensuring cohesion with other UNDP initiatives.

1.   Planning and implementation of Ethiopian Urban NAMA: Creating Opportunities for Municipalities to Produce and Operationalization of Solid Waste Transformation (COMPOST)

• Lead the participatory project implementation processes at all levels, having analyzed the social, economic and environmental trends in the localities, regions and country as a whole, and establish the implementation plans for the project, having taken into consideration the grassroots aspects.
• Track financial delivery trends, and ensure that the planned activities are implemented on a timely basis to ensure results.
• Plan and manage the project reviewing exercise, as well as solve emerging problems and manage implementation risks.
• Propose areas for continuing support, based on changing country and regional trends, priorities, social and economic conditions.
• Manage the preparation of Programme Steering Committees and other meetings and follow up on all decisions taken to ensure implementation and/ or timely action.
• Submit required and other project reports (progress, financial, procurement, etc.) for management information, oversight and action.

2. Programme management, monitoring and oversight 

• Coordinate the project activities with relevant activities and initiatives of MoUDH and the selected City Administrations and other Government institutions.
• Develop and /or revise the project Annual Work Plans (AWPs), setting out in precise detail activities, targets, budgets, standards for measuring progress and results and determine the processes, tools and methodologies to be used to ensure effective and efficient project implementation and operations.
• Manage project implementation in accordance with objectives, schedule and planned budget.
• Review proposals and their budgets, submitted by the implementing regions, for funding and implementation.
• Facilitate payments to the Implementing Partners, following the UNDP and Programmes / Project Implementation Manuals (PIM) rules and regulations.
• Ensure that the funds received by the Implementing Partners are spent effectively and efficiently, in line with the approved plans.
• Track project resources and results regularly.
• Review the financial and substantive reports received from the Implementing regions and liquidate the advances accordingly.
• Manage all project activities, staff and consultants for timely implementation of requirements on Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Coordinate awareness creation on all project activities.
• Ensure timely preparation of annual project reports, work plans and other relevant project documents.
• Oversee financial and administrative performance (financial plan, allocation and transfer of funds, oversee finance and administration officer).
• Prepare Terms of Reference for consultants to be recruited and participate in the recruitment process and oversee their performance and ensure their optimal performance.
• Hire, train, supervise and manage staff under the project office.
• Lead monitoring and evaluation of project outputs.
• Monitor progress and identify risks for timely action and early resolution.
• Participate in the project asset procurement processes, and oversee the use of the assets.
• Participate in the audit exercises, and follow up on the recommendations and issues.

3. Building strategic partnerships and alliances

• Ensure cooperation between the participating institutions of the project.
• Organize and chair review meetings and serve as secretary to the National Steering Committee.
• Maintain dialogue with partners and stakeholders to advocate, promote and advance organizational issues, priorities, interests and competencies for a successful project delivery.
• Facilitate institutional linkages with the related initiatives, and participate in the meetings, inter-agencies missions and working group consultation processes.
• Coordinate and communicate with the relevant stakeholders at all levels, for effective project planning, implementation, monitoring and overall management for the achievement of results.
• Develop close working relationship with the UNDP Programme, Policy Advisory, Knowledge Management, Communication and Operations Units.

4. Building knowledge and capacity

• Contribute substantially to knowledge-building initiatives at national, regional and local levels
• Through day-to-day interactions, develop a network of knowledge-sharing on NAMA COMPOST and Results Based Management (RBM);
• Contribute to the UNDP website, newsletter, booklets, etc.  
• Contribute knowledge and experience to the corporate and CO knowledge sharing networks and platforms.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Exerts strict adherence to corporate rules, regulations and procedures.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies:

Management, Technical and Operational Effectiveness

• Demonstrates strong analytical and management skills applied to managing programmes / projects, and human and financial resources
• Demonstrates excellent communication skills, including strong competence in verbal and written English
• Interpersonal and diplomatic skills, work adaptation in multi-cultural environment, proven ability to facilitate cooperation in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent process management, negotiation, analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to substantially contribute to formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects
• Ability to lead teams effectively and solve conflicts
• Demonstrates capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a highly demanding environment and to support other colleagues in achieving similar goals
• Ability to work flexibly at the senior and strategic levels as well as to provide practical support at the operational level
• Ability to quickly grasp and synthesize inputs from a range of sources, especially those related planning, service delivery and monitoring and evaluation
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision and seriousness about quality and timeliness of work
• Builds effective relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Ability to establish and maintain contacts with senior-level officials of the government required. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential part of the job
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Good knowledge of the Results Management Guide and Toolkit
• Good ICT skills

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Education:

• A Bachelor or a Master  degree in Project Management, Economics, Environmental science, geography and Environmental studies, Urban Development  or other relevant field.

           Experience:            

• At least 4 years of professional experience for Master degree , or 6 years of professional experience for Bachelor degree, in the specific areas the project is dealing with, including solid knowledge of the urban waste and greenery sector in Ethiopia and climate change mitigation (ideally including NAMAs);
• Experience in managing or participating in projects of similar complexity and nature, including a demonstrated capacity to actively explore new, innovative implementation and financing mechanisms to achieve the project objectives;
• Demonstrated experience and success in the engagement of, and working with, the private sector and NGOs, creating partnerships for activities of common interest;

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in both written and spoken English and Amharic.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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