Project Manager (NPSA9)

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges.

In the programme countries, UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in in partnership with the host governments, the United Nations system, the development partners and other partners to help the country to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shock.

UNDP has been a trusted development partner of the Maldives for more than 40 years, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, reduction of inequalities and exclusion in areas such governance, environment protection, climate change mitigation and adaptation. In each of its thematic areas of work, UNDP at the request of its national partners provides relevant policy advisory support, technical assistance, advocacy, and knowledge to help Maldives achieve its global commitment on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). With Maldives’s transition to Middle Income Country Status, Official Development Assistance from traditional donor sources has been on the continuous decline. UNDP is therefore working with its national partners to identify and tap into alternative and innovative financing mechanisms for development. This process involves broadening outreach and forging wide-ranging partnerships with stakeholders - including other UN agencies, the government, the private sector, philanthropic Foundations, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and International Finance Institutions to advance the country’s development strategies and objectives.

UNDP is looking for individuals who have the analytical, planning, implementation and evaluation capacities that can address links, choices and connections across many issues and sectors.  We seek individuals who can apply global best practice to national contexts. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic, motivated, and committed to making a positive contribution to Development in the Maldives. 

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative, Governance, the Project Manager ensures effective delivery of the health projects supported by UNDP Maldives, by leading and coordinating the implementation of the programme activities.  The Project Manager supervises and leads the Health portfolio. S/he works in close collaboration with the operations team, programme staff in other UN Agencies and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UNDP project implementation.

UNDP Maldives’ Health Project Manager will oversee the procurement plan within the health portfolio described herein aims to facilitate equitable access to and management of health in the Maldives in response to the the COVID-19 recovery.

• Procurement of emergency medical supplies for the Government of Maldives, under the South South Triangular Cooperation.
• Supporting the project implementation of the Health Care Waste Management Project, which will focus on procurement of equipment for safe and effective management of health care waste and construction of health care waste management facilities, especially at decentralized level.

The Project Manager, in close coordination with the Ministry of Health, will lead the implementation of above projects through their support for operational and administration services, in close coordination with the Asia Pacific Regional office and procurement advisor based in the Country Office and at the Regional Level. S/he is will join a dynamic team of dedicated development professionals whose primary role is to support the Maldives to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Ensure timely and effective Project management and coordination to ensure day to day project implementation:

• Ensure the effective implementation of project activities as outlined in the Project Documents, Annual Work Plan, Budget and Procurement Plans in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Lead and manage a team of staff, including procurement officer and international experts, to ensure achievement of the project objectives and compliance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Ensure that systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating the project’s delivery of agreed results (e.g. development and management of the M&E plan) and lead monitoring and evaluation work in accordance with the UNDP norms and standards;
• Maintain regular working relationships with other UNDP programmes to ensure overall integration of the Democratic Governance activities within the Country Office programme;
• Assess the impact, effectiveness of the interventions and portfolio through regular field visits and highlight achievements, progress and challenges through impact and results-driven reports;
• Provide and identify expert technical advice on health project-related issues; 
• Be responsible for quality assurance of technical deliverables from experts/consultants, contractors, implementing partners and programme staff, and provide them with substantive feedback and guidance.

Technical Advice and Strategic Communication: 

• Provide technical advice to the project team to strengthen partnerships building and coordination between the programme and government partners, CSOs, donors and other stakeholders, as well as facilitating communication and exchange of lessons learned and good practices;
• Contribute to the establishment of user-friendly knowledge sharing platform as included in the programme framework, especially with the donors and the regional health programme.
• Guide development and implementation of the communication and outreach strategy to ensure adequate programme visibility and awareness in relation to implementation and achievements.
• Ensure that programme activities are closely coordinated with the stakeholders – both national and international – and that a high level of collaboration and cooperation is in place at all levels. 

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Support the Programme in the identification of knowledge gaps among staff, target groups and beneficiaries and design measures to address such gaps;
• Participate and contribute to the monitoring and implementation of the Country Office Gender Equality Markers and development of the Country Office Gender Strategy
• Actively support the sharing of Programme results and products, lessons learned and good practices.

Inspire, Innovate, Partner and Resource Mobilize

• Innovate, co-create, and design solution to fit to the evolving needs of the programme and health/waste sector.
• Expand partnership by closely working with UN agencies, government, private sector, CSOs and other development partners, by co-creating governance and gender sector solutions.
• Contribute to mobilize resources to fill any funding gaps of the programme and expand implementation by identifying opportunities for funding.
• Ensure effective and accurate financial resources management and oversight, for all resources managed by the Programme accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.

Liaison, partnerships and coordination with external and internal partners:

• Create strategic partnerships with government, non-government, and private sector stakeholders and beneficiaries;
• Actively support the implementation of the resource mobilization strategy and maintain close relationships with donor partners;
• Closely liaise with the teams for programme results to ensure coherence and synergy among all projects of UNDP Maldives;

• 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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions, Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

People Management

• Show Managerial Courage: Face up to organizational and people problems, Not be afraid to take decision and action when and as needed,  Not hold back anything that needs to be said, respectfully and diplomatically Address conflict in a timely manner, not allow conflicts in teams linger, Help others through emotional or tense situations, tactfully bringing disagreements into the open and finding solutions all can endorse

Business Management

• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment
• Evaluation: Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks, Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Communication: Ability to 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

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

Finance

• Financial planning and budgeting: Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting

• Master’s degree in public health, health care management, social science, public administration, development project management institutional/organizational development or related field;
• Bachelor’s degree in the same disciplines with two (2) additional years can be considered

• Two (2) years of relevant experience at the national, sub national or international level in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of relevant projects with Master’s degree or four (4) years with Bachelor’s degree
• Skilled in managing multi-year donor funded projects including technical and financial management, monitoring and reporting.
• Ability to make new and useful ideas work. Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully.
• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement. Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products and services.
• Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals
• Experience in working  in the development sector (national and/or international)  is highly desirable.
• Experience working in health sector development projects would be an added asset.

Language Requirement

• Proficiency in English and Dhivehi

Note: This position is open for Maldives nationals only