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 United Nations’ lead agency for sustainable development, supporting countries to reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, promote social cohesion, advance gender equality, protect human rights, and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Liberia, UNDP works closely with the Government, civil society, development partners, and communities to strengthen institutions, improve access to justice, promote inclusive governance, and advance sustainable development.

The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations, launched in 2017 to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. As one of the largest global investments dedicated to ending violence against women and girls, the Initiative promotes a comprehensive, multi-sectoral, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and violence.

Building on the achievements and lessons learned from Spotlight Initiative Phase I (2019–2023), Liberia is implementing Spotlight Initiative 2.0 (2025–2029), a four-year joint programme funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, UNFPA, and UN Women under the leadership of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and in partnership with the Government of Liberia, civil society organizations, women's rights organizations, and development partners.

The programme aims to contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment by significantly reducing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices, while increasing access to justice, quality services, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for women and girls. It is implemented through four strategic outcomes: strengthening legislative and policy frameworks; transforming harmful social norms and behaviours; improving access to survivor-centred services and justice; and strengthening the capacity and influence of women’s rights organizations and civil society.

Aligned with Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)—the programme seeks to strengthen national institutions, enhance accountability, improve protection and response systems, and foster a society where women and girls can live free from violence, discrimination, and harmful practices.

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations in Liberia. Despite progress achieved during Spotlight Initiative 1.0, significant challenges remain, including:

  • High prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence.
  • Persistence of harmful traditional practices, including FGM and child marriage.
  • Limited access to quality survivor-centred services and justice.
  • Weak institutional capacities for prevention, response, coordination, monitoring and accountability.
  • Persistent discriminatory social norms and gender inequalities.
  • Inadequate financing and institutional sustainability of SGBV prevention and response mechanisms.

Spotlight Initiative 2.0 adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach and focuses on strengthening legislation, prevention systems, survivor services, institutional accountability, and the capacity of civil society and women's rights organizations.

The programme operates nationally while prioritizing interventions in Montserrado, Nimba, Lofa, Grand Gedeh, Grand Cape Mount, Bong, Grand Bassa, and Maryland Counties.

Overall Goal

To contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment in Liberia by significantly reducing sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices while increasing access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. UNDP leading implementation of two components (outcomes) Spotlight as well as supporting the achievements of other planned activities related to the outcomes. 

Strategic Outcomes

Outcome A: Legislative and policy frameworks on violence against women and girls are strengthened, implemented, monitored, and enforced.

Outcome B: Gender-equitable social norms, attitudes and behaviours are promoted to prevent violence against women and girls and harmful practices.

Outcome C: Women and girls who experience violence have access to quality, inclusive, coordinated services and justice.

Outcome D: Women's rights organizations and civil society organizations effectively influence and advance gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and girls.

In order to enhance UNDP’s capacity to implement the spotlight and fulfil its commitment use this partnership, the UNDP seeks the recruitment of a Project Manager. The Programme Manager will contribute to strategic leadership, programme oversight, technical coordination, stakeholder engagement, and operational management for the implementation of Spotlight Initiative 2.0 in Liberia.

The incumbent will ensure effective planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, knowledge management, partnership development, resource mobilization, and performance management across all programme components while ensuring alignment with UN standards, donor requirements, national priorities, and Spotlight Initiative principles.

Duties and Responsibilities

Contributing to the strategic direction of project operations aligned with Country Office (CO) and corporate Operations policies.   

  • Contributing to strategic communication, building partnerships for successful project implementation as well as resource mobilization efforts;
  • Ensures implementation of sourcing and effective results communication/visibility strategies;
  • Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the CO;
  • Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems;
  • Convene stakeholders, including the Technical and Steering Committee, prepares timely inputs to reports, management of issues and risks, and ensures financial management and compliance are adheard to;
  • Contribute to programme initiation, project document formulation, programme implementation resources mobilization, reporting, and overall management and coordination of project activities, and team building and supervision as may be required;
  • Manage the day-to-day functioning of the project;
  • Prepare relevant project documents including quarterly, annual, and project closure reports;
  • Organize technical project progress reviews with Responsible Parties (RPs), including Board meeting. 

Coordinate and strengthen partnership with development and national partners

  • Document and follow up on identified bottlenecks/challenges/catalogue lessons learnt during the project implementation;
  • Lead Annual Work Plan formulation processes and ensure inclusiveness, through meaningful participation of all the agencies involved, including CSOs consistent with project document;
  • Lead and organize capacity building efforts for CSOs and community members.

Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, focusing on achievement of the following result:

  • Management of all financial resources through planning, guiding, monitoring, and controlling of the resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
  • Preparation and monitoring of projects’ budgets in Quantum; 
  • Regular analysis and reporting on the project budget and the delivery situation of management projects.

Coordination with Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs), UN agencies, INGOs and CSOs on implementation strategy.

  • Organize and coordinate training mentoring support for National partners;
  • Review and adapt on UNDP’ Business processes to the local context and develop best practice approaches for and effective and efficient delivery;
  • Coordinate with PMSU to familiarize MACs and CSOs on UNDP’ Business processes; 
  • Identify from time to time in consultation with other partners challenges and find appropriate solutions;
  • Plan and coordinate activities of the project in close consultation with stakeholders; 
  • Coordinate reporting per PBF timeline and requirements. 

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

Institutional Arrangement

Project Manager works under the direct supervision of the UNDP Team Leader for Inclusive Governance and Public Institutions (IGPI) and the overall supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative for Programme.

Competencies

Core competencies

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline 
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback 
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident 
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships 
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination  

Cross Functional & Technical Competencies

Communication

  • Advocacy strategy    
    • Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change

Partnership management   

  • Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding    
    • Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms 

Business Direction & Strategy   

  • System 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 

2030 Agenda: Planet    

  • Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery    
    • Climate Risk Management Disaster and Climate Risk Governance

2030 Agenda: Planet    

  • Nature, Climate and Energy    
    • Climate Change Policies: Climate Finance
    • Climate Change Policies: Governance / integrated planning for climate change investments in the context of urbanization
    • Climate Change Adaptation: strategies   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced University degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental science and management, climate science, geographic studies, international development, economics, statistics, or a related field is required. OR
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 2 years of experience (with a Master’s Degree) or 4 years of experience (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience, preferably in implementing/coordinating development projects in the fields of climate change and/or environmental sustainability and decentralization issues is required.

Required Skills

  • Strong networking capabilities, experience and ability to associate him/herself with a range of actors (inter alia central and subnational governments; CSOs, NGOs, policy makers; national statistics office and donors, and local communities) with a view to building relations and facilitating links is required; 
  • Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded programmes or projects, including budget management and financial oversight is required; 
  • Proven experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including government institutions, UN agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, or NGOs is required;
  • Demonstrated experience preparing technical and donor reports, including annual work plans, progress reports, and results-based reporting is required; 
  • Experience supervising project personnel and/or managing implementing partners in the delivery of programme activities is required.

Desired Skills

  • Proven track record in addressing gender equality as project objective and/or cross-cutting issue would be an asset; 
  • Demonstrated experience working on programmes related to gender equality, women's empowerment, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), or human rights is desired; 
  • Previous experience working with the United Nations system or another international development organization is desired; 
  • Experience managing European Union (EU)-funded programmes or other multi-donor funded initiatives is desired; 
  • Experience supporting policy development, institutional strengthening, or governance-related programmes is desired; 
  • Experience using Results-Based Management (RBM) methodologies and/or UNDP corporate systems (e.g., Quantum or similar ERP/project management systems) is desired.

Languages

  • Fluency in English is required.

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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