Communication and Monitoring & Evaluation Associate

UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios: 
· Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs 
· Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized 
· Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability 

South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.

You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first. 

. Project Description

The Action for Climate and Environment Team (ACE) portfolio at UNDP is currently working in various thematic areas of climate change adaptation and mitigation; disaster management and resilience; and access to clean and efficient energy. The following projects have a strong component on climate change adaptation

 The Green Climate Fund (GCF) project - on “Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities” supports the Government of India and the state governments in the project states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra, to enhance the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate change through ecosystembased adaptation (EbA). The project combines GCF grant finance with significant leveraged co-finance from central and state governments to shift the paradigm towards a new approach, integrating ecosystem-centred and community-based approaches to adaptation into coastal management and planning by the public sector, the private sector and civil society. 

The project supports the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India and the nodal departments of the target State governments, to enhance the resilience of the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations, particularly women, in the coastal areas of India to climate change and extreme events, using an ecosystem-centered and community-based approach in three target states. This project as well contributes towards the achievement of climate priorities outlined in India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008), the State Action Plans, as well as commitments outlined in India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (2015). 

The project works at national, state and community levels to enhance capacities for ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and enable climate policy and finance shifts to catalyze climate action in all of India’s coastal states and union territories.

The project will enhance the resilience of coastal communities throughout India, through the implementation of interventions under the following inter-linked outputs: 
· Output 1: Enhanced resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems and their services. 
· Output 2: Climate adaptive livelihoods for enhanced resilience of vulnerable coastal communities; and 
· Output 3: Strengthened coastal and marine governance and institutional frameworks for climate resilient management of coastal areas. 

The above will be achieved through interventions outlined below in target landscapes in the three states - Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha: 
· Protect and restore ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass 
· Help communities adopt climate-adaptive livelihoods and value chains 
· Mainstream EbA principles into coastal planning and governance, enabling intersectoral coordination for addressing climate risk across all of India’s coastal states. The target districts and landscapes in Maharashtra are as follows:

District                Targeted landscape

Nellore                Pulicat Lake, Nelapatu Bird Sanctuary and surround communities 
Krishna                Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Bantumilli Wetlands 
East Godavari     Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding communities 
Srikakulam          Telineelapuram, Sompeta 

Job Purpose and Scope of Work 

The Communication and M&E Associate will be a part of the State project management team and will work under the direct supervision of the State Project Manager (SPM), Andhra Pradesh, UNDP and will work in close collaboration with the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer at the National Project Management Units (NPMU) (New Delhi) and the Communication and M&E Officer focal point in UNDP Country Office. S/he will ensure engagement of all direct stakeholders and delivery of project objectives in coordination with the state nodal agency (Forest, Environment and Climate Change department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh), when needed. 

A. Main Purpose: 
Communication and M&E Associate will act as the focal point in the State for the implementation of the Communication and M&E strategy in all 7 target landscapes of the State and would be responsible for establishment of the M&E Policies, Standards and ensuring compliance of the same.

B. Duties and Responsibilities: 
Communication: 
· Support in Implement the Communication and media awareness plan developed by respective agency at target districts and target landscapes.
· Develop, edit and review a wide range of relevant communications material focusing to a large extent on climate change and its impacts; ecosystem restorations and adopting sustainable livelihoods. 
· Coordinate and sensitize the local media house (newspapers, radio, tv etc) of the state / district on periodically generating content for the target audience. 
· Ensure quality assurance for publications, reports and media materials for UNDP India 
· Coordinate all translation work and ensure the best quality possible, in line with the audience needs and contexts. 
· Assist State Project Manager in planning and implementing digital media strategies for improved digital presence. 
· Drafting/production of regular updates, press briefings, updates, infographics, presentations. 
· Facilitating sharing of lessons between target landscapes on effective techniques for climate adaptive livelihoods, including through exchange visits between communities, with focus on women, youth, and marginalized groups. 

Monitoring and Evaluation: 
· Responsible for monitoring state level project activities according to the results framework of the project document and key monitoring milestones as per the UNDP and GCF requirements 
· Periodically monitor and update the results framework as needed through physical verification on ground of all indicators and or district level reports in coordination with the District Project Management Units (DPMUs) and State Project Management Units (SPMU) 
· Develop formats and indicators for climate change related baseline data, measurement of climate vulnerability, climate adaptive capacity of the communities, household income, carbon sequestration etc. working with thematic experts /consultants and responsible for baseline study, impact assessment etc.
 

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

Business Management- Monitoring 
· Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results 

Business Management- Evaluation 
· Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks - Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns. 

Business Management- Working with Evidence and Data 
· Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making 

2030 Agenda: People Gender 
· Climate Change and Risk Management of Disasters with a Gender Perspective 
· Gender and Institutional Development 
· Gender Corporate Reporting 
· Gender Issues & Analysis 
· Gender Mainstreaming 

2030 Agenda: Planet Nature, Climate and Energy 
· Climate Change Adaptation: coastal resilience 
· Climate Change Adaptation: Embedding adaptation into development policy/planning/decision making 
· Climate Change Adaptation: livelihoods 
· Climate Change Adaptation: Public and private finance for adaptation solutions 
· Climate Change Policies: Governance / integrated planning for climate change investments in the context of urbanization 
· Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Source to Sea and Ridge to Reef frameworks
· Environment: Environmental and social impact assessments and safeguards 
· Environment: Environmental and social impact assessments, including data collection and analysis 

Business Management- Communication 
· Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

Min. years of relevant work experience 
· At least 3 years of post-Bachelor’s relevant experience at the National or State or International level in public relations, communications, advocacy; M&E, log-frame, Impact Assessments, thematic studies, MIS Management etc

Required skills 
· Good understanding of all aspects of project management. 
· Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, good knowledge, and experience in handling of web-based management systems is desirable. 
· Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. 
· Strong report writing, Presentation and Analytical Skills 
· Ability to work independently and under pressure.  

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section 
· Work experience in Climate Change Policy Analysis, Climate Change budgeting, Gender Mainstreaming is desirable 
· Experience of working with Central and/or State Government/international agencies/ on similar assignments related to M&E is desirable

Required Language(s) Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Telugu 

Professional Certificates N/A