Project Coordinator

UNDP in partnership with the Royal Government of Bhutan is implementing a project on “Support to collectively respond to the climate emergency and establish resilient development pathways for sustaining human security and green transformation” in the agriculture sector funded by JSB Government of Japan.

Given its geographic location and mountainous terrain, Bhutan is vulnerable to climate change impacts, particularly on agricultural infrastructure, production, and supply chain. Over the past years, Bhutan has experienced changes in the timing, frequency, and intensity of rainfall as well as changes in temperatures. These changes have consequently led to wetter wet season damaging critical agriculture infrastructure and causing landslides disrupting market access, and drier season affecting timely crop cultivation. These impacts have a major bearing on 58% of the smallholder farming households, and in a sector that is critical for the Royal Government of Bhutan’s (RGoB’s) goals of food self-sufficiency and inclusive green socio-economic development. Climate induced reduction of food production coupled with increased inflation and food price constitute an urgency for vulnerable people to have sustain access to food and nutrition. As a result, an increased rural to urban migration (currently at 21.7%) is taking place where opportunities and resources are already limited.

The project is designed to support country’s urgent national priority in boosting food security of the population in support of green socio-economic recovery. Bhutan’s second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) stressed the vulnerability of the agriculture sector and farming population. The Low Emission Development Strategy for Food Security is one of the four NDC priority sectors. The proposed project is critical in advancing the implementation of measures that has been prioritized in the NDC.

The Project Coordinator will perform day-to-day project monitoring and implementation of the project. The Project Coordinator will be under the overall guidance of the Environment and Livelihood Portfolio Manager. He/She will coordinate closely with government counterparts and other stakeholders in the execution of the Project.

Specifically, the Project Coordinator will cover the following:

Ensure strategic management of the project and provide day-to-day technical, financial, and administrative support for the delivery of the Projects’ activities focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Provide quality leadership in the overall coordination and management of the Project.
• Contribute to the development and monitoring of action plans in order to identify and resolve issues on financial delivery towards the full and optimal utilization of project funds.
• Lead the identification of project issues, challenges and risks, and appropriate strategies, and direct and oversee implementation of these strategies.
• Lead identification and manage the programme and financial risks.
• Supervise the preparation of progress monitoring reports (e.g., donor reports), activity designs, briefing papers, technical reports, situation updates, M&E documents, and other documentation as may be required in project implementation.
• Supervise and oversee planning and implementation workshops, needs assessments, consultations, planning sessions, and provide technical inputs as maybe necessary.
• Review and approve communication assignments such as writing of articles, press releases, development of knowledge products and other related activities.
• Mentor and coach team members as they perform their duties; and
• Perform other tasks as may be assigned by the supervisors.
• Organize the project board and systematically document meeting minutes, field visit report etc.

Develop and maintain effective working relationships and coordination with key counterparts to ensure the successful implementation of quality assurance of activities enlisted under the project focusing on achievement of the following results:

•  Network and build strong working relations with authorities and experts from the government agencies, UN system, international development organizations, private sector organizations, and other donor partners.
•  Establish, develop and maintain mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with private sector, universities, civil society and community groups, the press and media, the business sector, etc.; and
•  Closely coordinate with global and regional team and collaborate with the Implementing Partner and Responsible Parties, stakeholders and related UNDP projects, and work closely with the respective programme teams and operations team to support efficient delivery of project activities in line with strategic objectives.

Oversee the successful implementation of all the components of the Project focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Based on the approved work plan, review and endorse approval of suitable partnership agreements and project activity designs.
• Provide guidance and supervise the implementation of partnership agreement and project activities.
• Ensure compliance to physical and financial delivery deadlines by implementing remedial measures to address bottlenecks, if needed.
• As needed, consult with or obtain approval from the Project Board on major changes to the agreed upon work plan; and
• Spearhead the conduct of spot checking and quality assurance activities to ensure that implementation of activities are within the quality standards of UNDP and remain on track.
• Provide substantial technical input and infuse innovation in the programme.
• Monitoring of budget and exercise of management right provided by the UNDP policy and regulation.

Ensure adaptive delivery of the project by providing quality input and strategic advice focusing on achievement of the following results.

• Foresee possible roadblocks, as well as opportunities, and be able to put forth and implement contingency measures.
• Lead the stakeholder engagements and ensure that these collaborations contribute to the strategic goals of the project; and provide timely and technically sound feedback; and
• Provide new and innovative ways of working to achieve the goals of the project in the most efficient and effective means possible.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of credible sources of information concerning programme implementation and related issues.
• Identification and synthesis of best local and international practices and lessons learned directly linked to the project.
• Effective network with development partners and government both at national level and subnational level; and
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Promote visibility by planning with communication team.

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Performance Management Competencies: 

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

• Partnership Management: Ability to lead and engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.
• Nature, Climate and Energy: Climate Change Policies: Climate Finance
• 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. 
• Business Acumen: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. 
• Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks. 
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals. 
• Results Based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. 
• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.

• A master’s degree or equivalent, preferably in the field of Community/Rural Development, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Project Management, social sciences, Environment, and or other relevant discipline.

• 5 years of work experience in project management and coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven experience of effective partnership development with national counterparts, development partners, private sector, and civil society is desirable.
• Demonstrated capacity in project financial management including preparation of budgets, annual work plans, and financial reporting is desirable.
• Experience in climate change, development/sustainable finance, climate finance, banking is desirable.
• Demonstratable experience at the national or international level in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects is desirable.
• Previous experience or engagement with UN and international agencies is an advantage.

• Fluency in English (oral and written) with excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.

• Project/programme management certification is an advantage.