GCCA Project Manager (Open to Seychelles Nationality Only)

Project Background

Seychelles is a small, service-based, middle-income, island-state economy with a diverse and robust portfolio of environment and climate change related strategies, policies and regulations providing an increasingly enabling environment for the climate change sector.

The Seychelles Climate Change Strategy (SCCS) was formulated in 2009 to prevent and reduce the potential impacts of climate change on the country's development. The SCCS set preliminary guidelines for mainstreaming climate change into sustainable development as a national cross-sector programme addressing matters of policy, institutions, capacity building, civil society involvement and a 5-year action plan.

The Seychelles Sustainable Development Strategy (SSDS) 2012-20 is another substantial and more recent policy framework also covering the climate change sector and follows the previous Seychelles Environmental Management Plan (EMPS) [2000-10] the SSDS 2012-20 as the national instrument setting implementation priorities for sustainable development in line with Agenda 21.

The Government of the Seychelles (GoS) leads the response to the climate change challenge , authoring and endorsing reform policies and strategies, involving domestic actors including non-state actors (NSA), enabling increasing participation of the private sector in the implementation of the SCCS / SSDS, and engaging in dialogue with donors, showing control and leadership in modernization reforms on public financial management and good governance, accountability and environmental sustainability.

GoS commitment to the SCCS / SSDS is visible in the policy and strategic on-going reforms, but the SCCS / SSDS do not have a medium term expenditure framework and are not linked to the major ongoing macroeconomic reform program. The absence of inter-policy linkages and integration of the macroeconomic framework in the SCCS / SSDS does pose serious challenges for their implementation and needs to be addressed.

As evidenced from the policy directives, coastal climate change adaptation is a high priority, in view of the impacts of Climate change in terms of coastal erosions and flooding in vulnerable areas. A number of studies have consequently been initiated and emergency remedial works have started on the affected areas on Mahé and La Digue using adaptation approaches such as Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EBA).

Under the EU GCCA + project, cost-effective EBA methods will be applied in project activities, in combination with various engineering technologies to address site-specific issues and opportunities enhancing climate change resilience to coastal flooding by addressing several key issues.

• The SCCS and SSDS should be harmonised and the action plan for the climate change sector reviewed. SCCS and SSDS steering structures should be streamlined to ensure maximum effectiveness;
• A detailed mapping of key stakeholders and capacity needs assessment should be conducted to prepare and implement a capacity building program;
• Focus should be given to key subsectors to add value (Integrated Coastal Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, etc.);
• A climate finance scenario should be elaborated through the formulation of a sector financial budget to understand public expenditure and public investments in the medium term;
• The monitoring and evaluation mechanism should be strengthened to measure progress with a common set of indicators for monitoring and evaluation of SCCS/SSDS climate change actions.

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP Programme Manager in Seychelles, the National Project Manager will guide the implementation of the activities outlined in the project document and the Work plan. The National Project Manager (NPM) shall be responsible for the overall coordination of all aspects of the GCCA+ project. He/she shall liaise directly with designated officials of the Members of the PSC,and Project Partners, UNDP Country Offices, existing and potential additional project donors and stakeholders, and others as deemed appropriate and necessary by the PSC. The NPM will also be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project as well as for the delivery of a number of technical activities.

A budget and associated work plan (as approved by the Project Steering Committee) will provide guidance on the day-to-day implementation based on the approved Project Document.  The NPM will be responsible for oversight of the project activities, and will provide guidance and orientation with a view to ensuring that these are fully aligned and harmonized with work undertaken within the main project objective. He/she shall be responsible for delivery of all substantive, managerial and financial reports from and on behalf of the Project. He/she will provide overall supervision and guidance for the Programme Assistant and supervise the work of consultants recruited under the project.

The PM will be responsible for approval of all administrative and financial reports, external communications and travel requests, as well as the acquisition of equipment, goods and services. The work will be supported by a Programme Assistant

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

The National Project Manager (PM) will as part of his/her overall duties

• Oversee the implementation of the overall project work plan and ensure timely completion of all activities and timely monitoring and evaluation of the project. In doing so, the PM should work closely with the UNDP Programme Manager and other key ministries and departments and EU, to mutually agree upon any adjustments that have to be made to the work plan;
• Prepare a detailed schedule of project review meetings in consultation with stakeholder representatives and incorporate it in the Project Annual Workplans;
• Develop a Project Overall Workplan as well as yearly workplan and budgets;
• Guide the work of consultants and experts and oversee compliance with agreed workplans, timelines for deliverables;
• Organize and coordinate the procurement of services and goods under the project;
• Conduct day-to-day monitoring of implementation progress on the project’s Annual Plan;
• Work Plan and its indicators;
• Collaborate and provide the necessary support to key personnel (consultants) recruited under the project to carry out the specific activities;
• Plan, organize and attend meetings of the PSC, and provide them with necessary documentation on time. Also serve as secretary to the PSC;
• Prepare the Terms of Reference for consultants and experts and ensure their timely hiring;
• Participate in the selection/shortlisting and recruitment of consultant(s) to conduct the activities under the project and manage the schedule of events in consultation with the PSC, the UNDP office and EU, as well as the consultants recruited, produce and manage the schedule of events;
• Exercise quality control over the consultancies, and stakeholder consultations, ensuring that documents and reports for the PSC are in adequate form;
• Serve as the main channel of communications with the selected consultant(s), UNDP and the project beneficiaries;
• Identify and contact a core group of key multi- sectoral stakeholders from all relevant agencies and organizations to participate in the project as and when required; Identify national expertise and resources that can be drawn upon and assist in the process;
• Keep detailed records of all proceedings of the consultative process and PSC meetings and the Technical Review Meetings;
• Prepare documentation for all Technical Review Meetings and write the Reports of those meeting;
• Oversee the administrative and financial performance of the project in collaboration with the UNDP Programme Manager and the Programme Assistant;
• Coordinate all project activities (e.g. workshop and logistical support), logistics and related disbursements and administrative requirements necessary for the smooth running of the project in partnership with the UNDP Programme Manager;
• Develop and implement the yearly workplan for submission to the PSC for approval;
• Review the performance of project activities, monitor key indicators of progress in fulfilment of targets established;
• Establish an effective project information strategy including provision of relevant information materials to UNDO CO as well as local media as required;
• Supervise the work of the Programme Assistant;
• Prepare the interim report as well as the Final Report to be submitted to the EU in close collaboration with the UNDP country office.
   

Key Competencies

• Demonstrated diplomatic, management, interpersonal, networking and negotiating skills;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Effective oral and written presentation & communication skills;
• Good planning and organizational skills, ability to work under tight deadlines;
• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team;
• Adherence to UN Core Values: commitment to team work, accountability, creativity, client orientation, continuous learning, technological awareness, openness to change and ability to manage complex situations, respect for diversity;
• Good professional knowledge of main office computer applications;
• Familiarity with the goals and procedures of international organizations, in particular those of the EU, UNDP and identified Project and Programme partners.
   

Education

• Post Graduate Degree or (BSc Degree with minimum 5 years’ working experience) with significant related working experience in Ocean and Coastal Management/Governance, Environmental, Natural Resources or Marine Ecosystems Management or  Environmental Engineering or related field.

Experience

• At least 5 years of working experience in the fields related to the assignment, at national and/ international levels;
• Demonstrated experience in management and coordination of multi-disciplinary projects, preferably of bi-national or regional scope, including team-building skills;
• Demonstrated experience in the preparation of planning documents related to environment or coastal ecosystems (management plans, strategies or legal instruments);
• Close familiarity and working knowledge of the goals and procedures of relevant international organizations, in particular those of the GEF and UNDP, as well as those of other partners such as EU;
• Experience in administration of budgets and human resources management required;
• Previous work experience in one or more of the participating countries, and previous work experience in the region on issues related to the similar Projects.

Language Requirements

• Fluent in both oral and written English;
• Knowledge of creole Seychellois;
• Knowledge of French would be considered an asset, although not essential.
   

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.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.