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

On 28 March 2025, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, causing significant human and material losses across Mandalay and surrounding areas. The disaster further exacerbated existing humanitarian and development vulnerabilities, particularly in communities already affected by conflict, displacement, and poor access to essential services. In response, UNDP has launched the Earthquake Response – Community Led Recovery and Reconstruction Project to support inclusive and resilient recovery through early restoration of livelihoods, infrastructure, and essential services, with an emphasis on community leadership and local economic revitalization. 

A key part of project intervention involves Debris and Waste Management activities, which include: 

  1. Debris removal for community restoration in townships, following the proper disposal procedures.
  2. Debris cleans up from uncontrolled disposal sites, following the environmental standards and proper disposal at designated sites.
  3. Demolition of damaged structures and material recovery per safety standards and recycling procedures.
  4. Establish debris and waste recycling centers and associated livelihoods activities through community mobilization, capacity building and provision of equipment.
  5. Management of hazardous waste/asbestos
  6. Public awareness campaigns on debris and waste management, including on safety and hazardous waste

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Associate will coordinate the Debris and Waste Management team in the Earthquake Response Project, providing essential operational, administrative, and logistical coordination to ensure the smooth implementation of project activities and processes.  

Scope of Work 

The Project Associate will provide technical guidance, planning, and monitoring of implementation, and coordination for debris and waste management activities. 

Summary of Key Functions: 

1.Support Debris and Waste Management Activities Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring:

  • Coordinate assessments including site visits for data collection on needs and project feasibility, ensuring the use of standardized assessment methodologies for rigorous documentation.
  • Organize and deliver training sessions on debris assessment methodologies, safety protocols, and engineering reporting. 
  • Coordinate developing awareness materials promoting safe debris and waste management practices among affected communities.
  • Support and the preparation of developing detailed activity plans for Debris and Waste Management activities.
  • Monitoring and provide the guidance the debris activities to ensure adherence to design plans, safety standards, and quality requirements. 
  • Coordinate monitoring, including the use of standardized technical checklists and tools, with UNDP engineers and community recovery or development structures. Conduct regular monitoring and ensure compliance with technical standards. 
  • Track progress and report updates to relevant stakeholders.

2. Coordination in the technical expertise guidance

  • Provide technical guidance on assessment methodologies, review findings for technical accuracy, and identify critical patterns to recommend appropriate intervention strategies.
  • Support in the planning, design, and implementation of Debris and Waste Management activities requiring technical input and oversight.
  • Cooperate to identify appropriate technical interventions for debris infrastructure needs and provide hands-on support to community groups during execution.
  • Organise regular technical training sessions to enhance skills and promote knowledge sharing.
  • Evaluate complex engineering designs to ensure compliance with industry standards, environmental considerations, and technical best practices.

3. Support to improve project efficiency and effectiveness through process optimization.

  • Support to ensure proper verification processes, such as Environmental and Social Management Framework compliance checks, and assess engineering workflows to enhance efficiency and reduce bottlenecks throughout project phases.
  • Coordinate and analyse project performance data to evaluate progress, identify gaps, and develop strategies for continual improvement based on evidence-driven insights.

4. Support stakeholder engagement:

  • Liaise effectively with other UN agencies, NGOs, community representatives, and other partners to facilitate transparent and inclusive assessment processes and co-develop rebuilding strategies.
  • Compile and present comprehensive reports that clearly communicate assessment findings, progress updates, and recommended actions to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Work closely with reconstruction teams to convert technical assessments into practical recovery interventions, ensuring alignment with project goals and community needs.
  • Support the integration of gender equality and social inclusion considerations into project activities by promoting the meaningful participation of women, men, and vulnerable groups in assessments, planning, implementation, and monitoring processes, in line with UNDP policies and standards

5. Support Quality Control and Assurance 

  • Coordinate across teams and stakeholders to align interventions, prevent duplication, and maximize effective use of resources throughout project implementation.
  • Integrate quality control mechanisms into all types of support provided. Maintain thorough documentation to verify compliance with technical standards and reinforce accountability.
  • Establish rigorous quality control protocols throughout the engineering lifecycle, ensuring consistent adherence to best practices, industry benchmarks, and UNDP standards.
  • Coordinate and support regular spot checks and monitoring of engineering activities to proactively detect issues, enforce compliance, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Generate clear and comprehensive quality assurance reports to keep stakeholders informed, facilitate accountability, and guide decision-making.

6. Support Knowledge Sharing, Reporting and Monitoring:

  • Produce detailed progress reports on debris management activities, highlight operational gaps, and propose strategies for improvement. 

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

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Associate works under the supervision of the Project Manager, Earthquake Response Project, with expert technical guidance from the Debris and Waste Management Specialist. As a member of the Project Management Unit, the Project Associate works closely with other team leads, technical advisors and experts, partners, beneficiaries, and civil society to ensure successful implementation of the project. 

Competencies

Core
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  

Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Management

Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Business Management Customer Satisfaction/Client Management
  • Ability to respond in a timely manner and appropriately, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the actual needs of clients and beneficiaries.
  • Provide inputs to the development of a client-oriented  service strategy. 
  • Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
  • Ability to anticipate clients’ upcoming needs and     concerns.

Business Management

Operations Management 
  • Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner
  • Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanisms
Business Management

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.
2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness Effectiveness  
  • Knowledge of programming (PPM) policies and procedures
Business Development

Knowledge Generation
  • Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant to the context, or responsive to a stated need. 
  • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.
  • Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations
Administration & Operations Events management (including  retreats, trainings and meetings) 
  • Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Secondary education is required. Or 
  • A university degree in Environmental Engineer, Civil Engineer, Technical Institution and Social Sciences with related field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

A minimum of 6 years (with secondary education) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible administrative/management or programme experience and experience in the technical/ engineering field in international organizations, focused on supporting debris and waste management, recovery, shelter and infrastructure projects.

Required skills

  • Experience in coordination of technical teams and managing field operations.
  • Proven experience in managing relationships and contracts with non-government organization partners, as well as private sector service providers and contractors.
  • Experience in work planning, resource allocation, and coordinating field deployments. 
  • Experience in stakeholder coordination, technical reporting, and post-disaster shelter, infrastructure, or debris and waste management planning and operation.
  • Experience in civil work management (including site supervision, monitoring, technical evaluation, quality control, evaluation etc 
  • Experience in KoBo tool and Microsoft Office software suite
  • Experience in cultural sensitivity and capacity to work effectively in diverse settings with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

  • Experience and knowledge of Myanmar’s waste management context, building codes, and local construction practices is a strong advantage.
  • Experience working in complex projects and ability to deliver in strict timelines with good quality is an advantage.
  • Experience and a good understanding of community-based development work is desired.
  • Experience and knowledge of UNDP’s debris management work, livelihoods development, early recovery and/or shelter standards, as well as standards related to protection, WASH, environment, land use is desired. 
  • Experience and knowledge of waste-related infrastructure construction and rehabilitation options, including sensitivity to cultural and gender specific needs to ensure that the social and cultural background of the communities is taken into account while designing, developing and implementing infrastructure works is desired. 
  • Experience in applying conflict sensitivity approaches is desired. 

Required Language(s)

Fluency in Myanmar and 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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