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, working in 170 countries and territories. In line with its 2026-2030 Country Programme, UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) focuses on inclusive green growth, human capital development and accountable institutions and social cohesion. UNDP is fully committed to supporting BiH in achieving its Agenda 2030 commitments and advancing its European Union (EU) integration priorities. Across all areas of work, UNDP applies conflict-sensitive, integrated, and innovative approaches tailored to the country's development needs.

The Effective Governance Sector of UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina implements projects in the areas of democratic governance, accountable institutions and social cohesion, rule of law, security, access to justice, social protection, and human rights, geared towards reducing inequalities, strengthening accountable and responsive institutions, and ensuring that vulnerable groups have access to essential services and opportunities. All interventions are implemented in close collaboration with government institutions, civil society organizations, academia, development partners, and other UN agencies.

As part of its commitment to advancing truth, justice, recognition, and reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNDP as a Leding Agency is implementing the project "Dealing with the Past, Looking to the Future in Bosnia and Herzegovina" a Joint Project (JP) funded by the United Nations Peace Building Fund (PBF), in partnership with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Joint Project aims to establish an inclusive, phased, and politically realistic framework for dialogue and coordinated action on dealing with the past by bringing together institutions, civil society, victims and survivors, and international partners through a structured multi-level dialogue process. Grounded in a human rights-based, victim-centred, and gender-responsive approach, the Joint Project will strengthen evidence-based advocacy, institutional ownership, and coordination while ensuring that the experiences of victims and survivors, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, families of missing persons, including women, youth and other affected groups, inform both dialogue and implementation.

The Joint Project will deliver two key outputs: (1) a phased and flexible framework for dealing with the past in Bosnia and Herzegovina developed through multi-level and adaptive dialogue processes; and (2) an independent repository established and operational to preserve, organize, and disseminate resources related to truth-seeking and dealing with the past. 

Together, these outputs will support more coordinated, transparent, and sustainable progress in addressing the legacy of the past and strengthening democratic governance, institutional trust, and long-term peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP’s Effective Governance Sector Leader the Joint Project Coordinator will assume the responsibility for the coordination of the joint project implemented by the UNDP and OHCHR, including the efficient and effective annual planning, day-to-day technical planning, implementation, and monitoring, ensuring timely achievement of project activities and associated results. 

One of the key roles is ensuring coherence between different project activities, jointly with the project team members, along with other PBF-funded and other projects promoting transitional justice. Joint Project Coordinator will report to the Steering Committee and also be responsible for consolidating inputs of UNDP, and OHCHR into narrative reports to the donor.

The Joint Project Coordinator will be based in the UNDP BIH office in Sarajevo, with frequent field travel to the joint project target area.

Duties and Responsibilities

In line with the Project document, UNDP rules and regulations, as well as the UNDP internal control framework, the Joint Project Coordinator will have the following main functions:

Coordination of the Joint Project 

  • Coordinates and supports the project activities implemented by UNDP and OHCHR.
  • Coordinates and ensures achievement of the overall project objectives as stated in the project document, 
  • Ensures coherence and cooperation with the institutional partners and other stakeholders. 
  • Coordinate activities and liaise closely with partner UN Agencies and the Residence Coordinator’s Office (RCO) to identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, coordination, planning and implementation of the project.
  • Applies programming tools and policies in line with the UN Result-Based Management Approach, prepares annual activity work plans, based on expected year-end outputs in collaboration with the project tea.,
  • Builds, motivates, and leads a high-performing team consisting of the project’s personnel, experts, service providers, and provides input to the heads of agencies regarding the project staff performance appraisals, and ensures interagency coordination.
  • Based on inputs from the project team, reports to the Steering Committee to assure the overall direction and integrity of the implementation.
  • In cooperation with the project team, ensure full accountability, transparency, and the principle of competition in the allocation of resources, procurement of services, works and goods and selection of recipients.
  • Ensure 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 team members.

Provide policy advice and technical guidance 

  • Provides conceptual guidance, policy and technical advice to the project team and project counterparts, 
  • Supports promotion and facilitation of cooperation among participating UN agencies through exchange of information, good practices, peer-to-peer learning and joint coordination meetings.
  • Identifies sources of information related to policy-driven issues, identifies and synthesizes best practices and lessons learned directly linked to the project’s objectives to inform the project team and ensure coherence with the project activities.
  • Guides the design and implementation of the project’s support to institutional partners and other stakeholders.
  • Participates in project-level committees, policy and capacity development working groups and events,
  • Ensures strategic synergies and coordination with other relevant interventions.
  • Provides technical support to the UN Resident Coordinator/RCO, the heads of participating UN Agencies, Steering Committee and the UNDP’s Portfolio and Sector leaders.
  • Advise on issues of further programme development, including writing of concepts and proposals, as well as resource mobilization.

Project monitoring, reporting and quality assurance of activities

  • In cooperation with the project team, reviews on a regular basis schedules and deliverables as articulated in the Annual Work Plan - AWP (evidence of progress towards expected outputs, according to schedule).
  • Ensures close monitoring of activities in line with the monitoring plan, guiding the design and regular use of adequate monitoring tools and systems, enabling evidence-based tracking of progress, achievements, and results, against the results framework indicators.
  • Monitors UNDP budget, collects budget-related inputs from other UN agencies, verifies the availability of funds, obtains necessary approvals and updates budget-related information, as well as in coordination with participating UN agencies ensure budget distribution with agreed work plans.
  • Ensures that all project-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 Steering Committee, or the donor. 
  • Collects and consolidates inputs from OHCHR into narrative and financial reports to the PBF donor.
  • Conduct field visits and quality checks of project events, sites and activities implemented by UNDP, and OHCHR, in collaboration with the project team.
  • Ensure data and information input, 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 to attain the Project goals and desired impact 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 for the project implementation.
  • Maintains regular and ad hoc communication with PBF, in collaboration with RCO/Peace Development Unit.
  • 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 JP objectives and expand its outreach.
  • Promotes inclusive participation and meaningful engagement of stakeholders throughout programme implementation, strengthening national ownership, accountability, and sustainability of social protection interventions.
  • Builds and nurtures effective working relationships with institutional counterparts and partners, ensuring programme activities are responsive to beneficiary needs and aligned with national priorities.
  • 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 Joint Project Coordinator will lead a project team and provide technical advice and coordinate the implementation of the different project activities to ensure coherence with the project framework. The Joint Project Coordinator will contribute to the efficient monitoring of the use of funds and the procurement of services and goods executed by UNDP. S/he will coordinate the Project activities on a day-to-day basis on behalf of UNDP and in close consultations and under the guidance and direct supervision of the Sector Leader ensuring that the project produces the required outputs. 

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 Development       

  • 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.

Business Management        

  • 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.        
  • 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 other parts of the system.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Law, Social Sciences, International Relations, Human Rights or any other related field is required; OR
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned 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. 

Required skills:

  • Experience in designing, managing, and coordinating programmes and projects focused on transitional justice, human rights and peacebuilding processes in Western Balkans; 
  • Previous experience in partnering and interacting with governmental institutions at various government levels. 

Desirable skills:

  • Experience in developing strategic frameworks, monitoring mechanisms, or institutional coordination platforms to support policy implementation, accountability, and multi-stakeholder engagement.
  • Experience in resource mobilization, including identifying funding opportunities, preparing donor reports, and supporting donor engagement and partnership development.
  • Proven experience engaging with government institutions, civil society organizations, and international partners, supported by strong communication, coordination, and facilitation skills. 
  • Experience integrating gender equality, human rights, inclusion, and diversity principles into programme and project design and implementation.
  • Demonstrated experience working with UNDP or other United Nations entities.

Languages:

  • Fluency in English and any official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian/Croatian or Serbian) 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.

Data Privacy

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