Project Coordinator

UNDP Albania is currently implementing a significant number of environmental projects related to ecosystem management, pollution, nature protection, climate change, etc. The projects are part of the UNDP Country Programme They support the national government to implement the international Conventions ratified by Albania and to achieve the sustainable development of the country.

UNDP brings the development agenda into the biodiversity discourse, clearly articulating the roles of biodiversity and nature as part of the global efforts to achieve sustainable development. This enables UNDP to foster increased public, business, and governmental support for biodiversity conservation, thereby broadening the support base and fomenting behavioural change on the part of stakeholders who are key to the systemic change that is necessary for achieving global biodiversity goals. 

The project ``Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Tourism Development`` aims at positioning the development of the tourism industry in Albania as a positive influence on the status of biodiversity in coastal Key Biodiversity Areas, and as pillar of sustainable livelihoods, through mainstreaming biodiversity in tourism planning and development. 

The project’s components address key threats and corresponding barriers to biodiversity friendly tourism development in Albania’s coastal high value ecosystems, with particular attention on six coastal Key Biodiversity Areas covering 161,838 ha. The project will work with a wide array of stakeholders to mainstream biodiversity considerations in spatial planning for tourism development. The project strengthens multi-stakeholder coordination and communication necessary for biodiversity-friendly tourism development in coastal landscapes. The project will also improve the identification and monitoring of multiple data streams related to tourism flows and ecological status. 

Private sector partners are key in the development of the tourism sector, and the project supports the private sector through multiple initiatives related to biodiversity-friendly tourism development, biodiversity-friendly tourism standards and certifications, and marketing and branding of biodiversity-friendly tourism products and services. The project will delivery Global Environmental Benefits through participatory approaches that ensure the engagement of women and other disadvantaged stakeholder groups. Direct beneficiaries are expected to include at least 300 individuals from local and national stakeholder groups.
 

The Project Coordinator is responsible for:

• Day-to-day coordination of Project activities, monitoring the financial performance of the Project according to the project budget; 
• Coordination with relevant implementing partners and responsible parties to ensure that the expected outputs are delivered in a timely manner, according to the project document;
• Ensure that the project is implemented in compliance with UNDP Procurement, Financial and Human Resources rules and regulations;
• Ensure that the project is implemented according to work plans and within the established budgets;
• Manage requests for the provision of UNDP financial resources through funding advances, direct payments or reimbursement using the FACE form;
• Ensure the implementation of the project communication plan and visibility requirements;
• Ensure the results-based implementation of project activities;
• Act as project assets custodian and ensure the project assets are properly inventoried and reported;
• Monitor progress, watch for plan deviations and make course corrections when needed within project board-agreed tolerances to achieve results;
• Ensure that changes are controlled and problems addressed;
• Provide professional advice based upon his/her specific area of expertise that is relevant to the project activities’ goals and objectives.

Implementation of Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation Policies:

• Coordinate and monitor the project implementation process, including effective monitoring of project work plan and relevant activities as per outputs;
• Assess the impact and oversee the appropriateness and the accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results, undertakes the project’s independent evaluations;
• Ensure timely submission of financial and activity progress reports on the financial and operational status of the project, as well as on adequate financial management of allocated resources;
• Ensure the timely preparation of reports to donors and the Project Steering Committee; 
• Ensure that the indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually in advance of the GEF Project Implementation Review (PIR) submission deadline so that progress can be reported in the GEF PIR;
• Prepare the GEF PIR;
• Assess major and minor amendments to the project within the parameters set by UNDP-GEF;
• Provide periodic analytical updates on the situation in respective sectors of the project;
• Monitor and track progress against the GEF Core indicators;
• Collect, analyze and consolidate general and issue-specific materials, documentation;
• Contribute to the preparation of policy papers, corporate planning and reporting tools, resource mobilization and advocacy materials.

Liaison, Partnerships and Coordination with External and Internal Partners:

• Coordinate and develop partnerships with project stakeholders in the relevant thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities;
• Closely liaise with other teams to ensure coherence and synergy among all projects of UNDP Albania.

Knowledge Building and Management:

• Facilitate knowledge building and management in the areas of the project interventions;
• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned;
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories; 
• Contribute to the design and implementation of appropriate learning strategies for stakeholders and target groups.

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

• 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.

• Nature, Climate and Energy / Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
  • Natural Resource Management.
  • Conservation and Sustainable use of biodiversity, land, forests and oceans.
  • Natural resource management and rule of law.
• Event Planning and Execution:   
  • Ability to plan, manage and execute of public events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate.
• Gender Equality Standards:       
  • Ensuring gender considerations and standards are integrated in the programmatic work of the organization.
• 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 on other parts of the system.
• Public and Non-Public Partners Engagement:
  • Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with public and non-public partners.