Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, operating in about 170 countries and territories. In line with its 2026–2030 Country Programme Document (CPD), UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) focuses on advancing green, sustainable, and inclusive growth; human capital development; accountable and transparent governance and the rule of law; as well as social cohesion. UNDP remains fully committed to supporting BiH in achieving its Agenda 2030 commitments and advancing its European Union (EU) integration priorities.
Under its sustainable growth thematic portfolio, UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina implements development interventions aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth across the country. These initiatives promote circular economy principles to reduce environmental pressures, improve resource efficiency, and stimulate innovation. Projects support economic development and job creation, with a particular focus on strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), boosting exports, advancing inclusive and sustainable business models, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources. UNDP also promotes the digitalization of business processes and the adoption of digital tools as drivers of productivity and innovation. In addition, a number of initiatives focus on the rural economy, including sustainable tourism, by supporting environmentally responsible practices, strengthening local value chains, and promoting community-based initiatives. All interventions are implemented in close collaboration with relevant government stakeholders, private sector, business development support organisations (BDSOs), chambers of commerce, academia, development partners, and other UN agencies.
The Sustainable Tourism for Green Growth Along the Via Dinarica Trails in Bosnia and Herzegovina Project (2023-2026) capitalises on the achievements and years of UNDP’s experience accumulated during the work of the previous two phases of the Via Dinarica Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to further promote the Via Dinarica destination on the global tourism map. At the same time, the intervention has a future-looking perspective that rests on the notion that the future of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina is connected to sustainable and nature-based approaches, gender responsive green growth and livelihoods, amplified by technology and innovation. Funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and co-funded by UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Project is structured in two main pillars:
- Pillar I: Sustainable tourism infrastructure and services along Via Dinarica trails contribute to recovery from the COVID-19 crisis; and
- Pillar II: Policies and financial frameworks enable, safeguard and promote Via Dinarica as a sustainable tourism destination.
Learning from the lessons generated during the COVID-19 pandemic that upended tourism globally and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Project embraces a renewed approach, with stronger focus on resilience. Yet, the COVID-19 crisis offered a window of opportunity for renewed tourism development approaches, designed at the intersection of green livelihoods and jobs, policies and investments that promote and safeguard sustainable tourism and environmental protection, increased community and tourists’ nature consciousness, as well as intensified technology use – a multi-angle-win to help the country recover from the pandemic and transition towards more sustainable and resilient tourism sector.
Through this Project, UNDP further expands and diversifies partnerships forged so far and affirms a platform of supporting sustainable tourism in the country, as part of a regional partnership network.
As such, the Project intends to support all key stakeholders to restart and grow tourism along the Via Dinarica trails through a renewed approach that paves the way towards sustainable tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the UNDP’s Sustainable Growth Sector Leader, the Project Manager will assume the overall responsibility for the implementation of the Via Dinarica III Project. In line with the Via Dinarica III Project Document, UNDP rules and regulations, as well as the UNDP internal control framework, the Project Manager will have the following main functions:
Ensure project management and supervision of the Project Team:
- Coordinates and manages project activities under the Via Dinarica III project, in cooperation with the donors, project partners and other stakeholders;
- Manages and ensures achievement of the overall project objectives as stated in the project document including supervision of the Project Team;
- Supports coordination of activities related to the incorporation of different approaches into project activities;
- Applies programming tools and policies in line with the UN Result-Based Management Approach, prepares annual activity and procurement work plans, as well as budgets based on expected year-end outputs;
- Builds, motivates, and leads a high-performing team consisting of personnel, experts, service providers, and conducts performance assessments of team members;
- Reports to the Project Steering Committee to assure the overall direction and integrity of the implementation;
- Ensures full accountability, transparency, and the principle of competition in the allocation of resources, procurement of services, works and goods and selection of recipients;
- Secures proper and efficient use of the project budget, as per the Project Document and workplans; manages financial allocations and approves expenditures according to the authority delegated and ensures timely payments in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
- Ensures that all UNDP project management quality standards are observed and applied in the implementation;
- Complies with security and safety requirements and regulations and ensures the same are respected by the Project Team.
Provide technical guidance:
- Provides conceptual guidance and technical advice to the Project Team and Projectˈs counterparts;
- Identifies sources of information related to policy-driven issues, identifies and synthesises best practices and lessons learned directly linked to projects objectives;
- Provides strategic leadership and steer the policy formulation processes within the Project in line with the Project Document, observing the application of EU standards in these processes and ensuring sustainable and lasting changes;
- Guides the design of the Project's comprehensive assistance to government institutions and technical advice in its delivery;
- Ensures strategic synergies and coordination with other relevant interventions;
- Provides technical and expert support to the Sector Leader;
- Advises on issues of further projects’ development, proposal writing, project documents writing and resource mobilization.
Project's monitoring, reporting and quality assurance of activities:
- Reviews on a regular basis schedules, deliverables and budget as articulated in the Annual Work Plan - AWP (evidence of progress towards expected outputs, according to schedule, within budget) with the Project Team;
- Ensures close monitoring of activities in line with the monitoring plans, guiding the design and regular use of adequate monitoring tools and systems, enabling evidence-based tracking of progress, achievements, and results, against the logical framework indicators;
- Monitors budgets, verifies the availability of funds, obtains necessary approvals and updates budget-related information;
- Ensures that all projects-related issues and risks are identified and reported in a timely manner and suggests corrective measures;
- Ensures timely submission of narrative progress and financial reports, and other reports as may be required by UNDP, Project Board or the donors;
- Carries regular, announced and unannounced performance monitoring of the team, as well as conducts field visits and quality checks of project events, sites and activities;
- Ensures data and information inputs, as necessary, to the regular Country Office programme monitoring and reporting processes:
- Ensures the existence of successful quality assurance for financial, procurement and administrative processes in order to make sure that they are conducted in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations as well as in line with the project timelines.
Promotes gender equality, mainstreaming and knowledge management:
- Ensures gender mainstreaming throughout the Project activities, work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyse it in detail;
- Supports continuous learning by the team and contributes to the UNDP in-house thematic knowledge and practitioners’ networks;
- Prepares analytical reviews and systematically captures lessons learnt from the implementation, identifying follow-up actions, and submits them for consideration to the Steering Committee;
- Establishes connections of exchange and learning with national and regional local development networks and resource persons;
- Ensures all project products and heritage are duly stored and made available to the broader programme;
Establish partnership and advocacy:
- Establishes and maintains good working relations with relevant institutional and organisational partners at state, entity, and local levels, as well as with main international organisations as relevant;
- Arranges, prepares and follows up on meetings with direct stakeholders such as public officials, service providers, civil society, regional/international professional networks, and others that consolidate wider support to the Via Dinarica III objectives and expand its outreach;
- Encourages active participation of all stakeholders in order to promote empowerment and ownership of national counterparts and stakeholders;
- Actively works on the relationships with the institutional partners and other stakeholders, ensuring full understanding, cooperation and a best fit of the programme activities with the needs of the beneficiaries;
- Ensures wide dissemination and visibility of achievements.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the functioning of the Project and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Project Manager will coordinate the Project activities on a day-to-day basis and in close consultations and under the guidance and direct supervision of the Sustainable Growth Sector Leader, ensuring that the Project produces the required outputs. The incumbent will lead the Project Team and provide technical advice and coordinate the implementation of the different project activities to ensure coherence with the project framework. The Project Manager will contribute to the efficient monitoring of the use of funds and the procurement of services and goods executed by UNDP.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making
People Management Competencies:
- UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
Partnership management
- Resource mobilization:
- Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.
- 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.
Business Management
- Partnership Management:
- Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and public sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
- Results-based Management:
- Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
- Communication:
- 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.
Business Direction & Strategy
- Entrepreneurial Thinking:
- Identify and seize opportunities to service and add value to clients, create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and, develop clear service offers responding to client needs based on UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate.
- Systems 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.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Law, Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Governance, Human Rights, Management, or any other related field is required, or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying work experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum two years (with master´s degree) or four years (with bachelor´s degree) of proven project management experience is required.
Languages:
- Fluency in English and Bosnian/Croatian or Serbian is required.
Required Skills:
- Demonstrated experience in managing and implementing complex development projects, preferably in the fields of sustainable tourism, rural development, or green economic growth.
- Proven experience in project management, including planning, coordination, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting.
- Strong experience in working with multiple stakeholders, including government institutions at various levels, private sector actors, local communities, and civil society organisations.
- Experience in promoting sustainable and nature-based tourism models, including destination development, tourism product diversification, and value chain development.
- Solid knowledge of the tourism sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including institutional frameworks, key strategies, and market trends.
- Demonstrated understanding of circular economy principles, environmental sustainability, and green growth approaches.
- Comprehensive understanding of the political, administrative, and institutional framework of government institutions in BiH.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability treating all people fairly and without favoritism.
- Proven ability to identify and address discrimination fostering and maintain an enabling working environment based on fairness, respect and freedom from any forms of harassment and abuse.
Desired Skills:
- Experience in branding, marketing, and international promotion of tourism destinations.
- Familiarity with EU integration processes, tourism standards, and relevant EU funding mechanisms.
- Experience in identifying funding opportunities, preparing donor reports, or supporting donor engagement.
- Experience in using Results-Based Management (RBM) tools for monitoring, evaluation, planning, and reporting.
- Experience applying gender equality, inclusion, and diversity principles in projects, including gender analysis.
- Demonstrated experience working with UNDP or other UN entities.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
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