National Project Coordinator for Ensuring Sustainability and Resilience (ENSURE) of Green Landscapes in Mongolia project

The project objective is to enhance ecosystem services in multiple landscapes of the Sayan and Khangai mountains and southern Gobi by reducing rangeland and forest degradation, and conserving biodiversity through sustainable livelihoods.

For the first time in Mongolia, the project will apply the Global Environment Facility (GEF) multi-focal area approach by simultaneously integrating biodiversity conservation and sustainable land and forest management. It aims at applying best practice and innovative green development approaches at landscape scale and demonstrate how green development can deliver improved biodiversity and ecosystem services and resilience at landscape scale within the context of a changing climate. The project’s overall budget is $7.8 million and the project duration is seven years, starting in November 2018. The project will be implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Governor Offices of Arkhangai, Bayankhongor, Gobi-Altai, Zavkhan aimags and a broad range of public, civil and private sector partners.

Land degradation and desertification, exacerbated by climate change, is Mongolia’s most serious environmental problem, impacting the nation’s productivity and efforts for equitable and sustainable development, as well as its rich biodiversity. Achieving the project objective is constrained by the following barriers: inadequate policies, legislative framework, tools and capacity to enable green development at the local level; insufficient capacity and knowledge to apply best practices in sustainable rangeland and forest management and biodiversity conservation by local stakeholders at the landscape scale; insufficient linkage between livelihoods and sustainable rangeland and forest management and biodiversity conservation, and; inadequate knowledge management and M&E systems for green development. The project strategy will therefore be to engage multiple stakeholders in removal of these barriers to deliver four project outcomes, as follows.

The project has the following four outputs:

1. Enhanced enabling framework and systemic tools help conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.
2. Rangelands, forests and biodiversity are restored, and protected areas strengthened at landscape scale.  
3. Sustainable livelihoods provide benefits to local communities and support biodiversity.
4. Improved knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation supports sustainability and up-scaling.

Organizational Setting

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the National Project Director and UNDP Country Office Portfolio Officer, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project throughout the project management cycle, including planning, implementation, coordination, reporting, monitoring and evaluation. S/he is expected to provide both substantive and administrative support to the project.

The NPC is accountable to both the Implementing Partner and UNDP for the overall management of the project and for the delivery of results (outputs) specified in the project document, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.

Key Results Expected:

The project is effectively and efficiently implemented in a transparent and accountable manner, in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations of the Government of Mongolia and the UNDP;

Detailed workplans are agreed and submitted on time, to the National Project Director, UNDP and the Project Board for approval;

Quarterly/semi-annual and annual project reports and financial reports are submitted the National Project Director, UNDP and the Project Board for approval;

Annual progress report is submitted to the funding organization in accordance with the relevant requirements;

• Detailed Work Plan and budget agreed by all major partners;
• National Steering/Advisory Committee formed and operational;
• Planned activities are carried out in line with timelines and required quality standards;
• All annual workplan deliverables organized in line with workplan and well documented;
• All consultants and team members recruited and delivering to schedule and working relations between team members clarified and effective;
• Lines of communication and working methods agreed and functional;
• Reporting and updates provided to UNDP, government, etc;

Summary of key functions:

1. Management and Coordination
2. Reporting/Communication
3. Monitoring and Evaluation

Management and Coordination

Mobilize personnel, goods and services, training and micro-capital grants to initiate activities, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, and overseeing all contractors’ work;

Ensure implementation mechanisms such as a Project Board and technical working groups are established and meet regularly, and to have all planned workshops, technical studies and other activities organized in a timely manner, meeting expected quality standards;   

In consultation with the UNDP Country Office and Implementing Partner (IP), elaborate/revise the work plan and budget;

Supervise the work of national and international experts and institutions to ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget, and to high quality standards;

Receive technical advisory inputs from Technical Committee members;  

Facilitate consultations, provide direction and guidance, monitor the work of the national team;

Organize all relevant project workshops in a consultative manner, involving a wide variety of stakeholders, including the private sector, NGOs and academia;

Ensure a timely identification of risks in implementation at the national level and related risk mitigation strategies;

Liaise with the Project Board to assure the overall direction and integrity of the project to achieve intended outputs and contribute to the envisaged outcomes;

Identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project.

Reporting and Communication

Responsible for day-to-day project administration;

Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, through advance of funds, direct payments or reimbursement using the fund authorization and certificate of expenditures;

Responsible for preparing and submitting financial reports to UNDP on a quarterly basis;

Capture lessons learned during project implementation;

Develop briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles and other media products as required;

Prepare the annual work plan for the following year; and update the Atlas Project Management module if external access is made available;

Prepare the GEF Project Implementation Report (PIR) and submit the final report to the Project Board;

Based on the GEF PIR and the Project Board review, prepare the Annual Work Plan  for the following year;

Ensure the mid-term review process is undertaken as per the UNDP guidance, and submit the final Mid-Term-Report) to the Project Board;

Identify follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board;

Ensure the terminal evaluation process is undertaken as per the UNDP guidance, and submit the final terminal evaluation report to the Project Board.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Ensure the project results framework indicators are monitored annually, and in time to inform evidence-based result reporting;

Plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the project results framework and the approved annual work plan;

Monitor events as determined in the project monitoring schedule plan/timetable, and update the plan as required;

Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified and submit 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;

Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports;

Coordinate monitoring and reporting on gender equality results

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Zero tolerance for any harassment i.e. any type of offensive behavior, words and actions, including sexual and psychological harassment, bullying, etc.  

Functional Competencies:

Management and Leadership 

• Good managerial and leadership skills;
• Demonstrate strong coordination and organizational skills;
• Ability to work as a part of a team, sharing information and coordinating efforts within the team; 

• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive and constructive attitude;
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.

Communication 

• Good communication skills both in writing and oral, including networking and interpersonal skills;
• Proven ability to persuade and influence others to cooperate.

Client Orientation

• Researches potential solutions in response to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients; 
• Proven ability to build strong relations with partners, clients for positive feedback;
• Ability to undertake and apply gender analysis to ensure gender equitable solutions.

Partnership

• Builds, coordinates and advises on strategic and programmatic partnerships;
• Facilitates the engagement of major stakeholders or groups involved in using, protecting and managing ecosystem services and sustainable development decision making, their access to and sharing of information for effective cooperation.

Professionalism

• Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
• Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively and demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
• Willing to undertake other assignments as assigned by the Project Board

Leadership

• Proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives;

• Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support;

• Drives for change and improvements;

• Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

  Judgment/Decision-making

• Identifies the key issues in a complex situation;

• Gathers relevant information before making a decision;

• Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them;

• Proposes a course of action based on all available information;

• Checks assumptions against facts.

  Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Proven record of working in complex teams and programmes in defining and achieving developmental targets;
• Proven capacity to liaise and effectively work with international development agencies and government agencies.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environment/natural resource management, biodiversity, forestry, land management, natural resources’ economics/finance, environmental economics or a closely related field is required.

Work experience

• A minimum six (6) years (with PhD degree), or, minimum ten (10) years (with Masters’ degree) of extensive working experience in development project/program coordination and management;
•  Prior experience in policy development and analysis is required, preferably in the implementation of Environmental and Natural Resources Management (NRM), Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) and sustainable development finance projects;
• In-depth knowledge and practical experience on a broad range of natural resources management   and sustainable development issues, such as:  Community based natural resources management with multiple objectives, green financing, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, sustainable land use planning, partnership with private business, social inequality, gender and community empowerment;
• Prior experience implementing international development projects of similar size and  complexity would be an asset;
• Proven experience in developing systems, procedures, guidelines, manuals and templates for reporting and verification practices;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management system.

Language

• Excellent knowledge of English, both spoken and written and national language of the duty station

Important applicant information

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

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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