Project Manager

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. The UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) current support to the Government of Mauritius in the energy sector includes several on-going and pipeline projects, which are in line with the Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement to reduce GHG emissions by 40% and increase the share of renewable energy to 60% in the national energy mix by 2030.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at        @UNDP.

The UNDP Mauritius Country Office (CO) consists of two distinct units including the Environment Unit and Socio-Economic Development Unit with a diverse portfolio worth USD 65 M including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund (AF), European Union (EU), Japan Supplementary Budget (JSB), E-Health Portfolio and TRAC projects. The Environment Unit manages a portfolio covering various focal areas such as Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Biodiversity, Sustainable Land Management, and Chemicals and Waste.

The unit will hire a project manager for the project “Mainstreaming Invasive Alien Species (IAS) Prevention, Control and Management” was approved on 26 June 2019 and will be implemented under National Implementation Modality (NIM). The Implementing Partner for this project is the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security. The project started implementation in 2020 for a duration of 6 years.

The objective of the project is to safeguard globally significant biodiversity in vulnerable ecosystems through the prevention, control, and management of invasive alien species (IAS) in the Republic of Mauritius. IAS control also has other multiple benefits, including that of curtailing crop wastage in the agricultural sector which impacts food security and sustainability. The Project identifies three impact pathways to achieve this objective:

1.    Creating the policy and institutional frameworks needed for effective prevention, control and management of IAS to secure ecosystem goods and services under pressure from IAS. It builds the right enabling environments (policies, institutional coordination) for mainstreaming IAS prevention, control, and management. 
2.    Establishing a multi-tier strategy for effective tackling of IAS - The strategy includes improved preventative measures at points of entry into the country and inter-Islands, early detection and rapid response programme to eradicate new incursions. It also includes improved capacity to upscale proven methodologies for managing IAS on a landscape level. 
3.    Up-to-date information for raising public awareness and enhancing understanding of the centrality of IAS programme for protecting biodiversity, ecosystems, the economy, and livelihoods. It ensures that knowledge management supports monitoring, assessment and learning and forms the basis for adaptive project implementation, achievement of results, impacts, and upscaling of experiences in the Republic of Mauritius and in the region. This will ensure that the interventions of the project inform and influence the behaviour of a wider IAS constituency.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager (PM) will be locally recruited following UNDP procedure, with input to the selection process from the Project partners. The position will be appointed by the project implementing agencies and funded entirely from the Project. The PM will be responsible for the overall management of the Project, including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, consultants and sub-contractors. The PM will report to the Project Director in close consultation with the assigned UNDP Programme Manager for all of the Project’s substantive and administrative issues. From the strategic point of view of the Project, the PM will report on a periodic basis to the Project Board, based on the PD’s instruction.

Generally, the PM will support the PD who will be responsible for meeting government obligations under the Project, under the NIM execution modality. The PM will perform a liaison role with the government, UNDP and other UN agencies, CSOs and project partners, and maintain close collaboration with other donor agencies providing co-financing. The PM will work closely with the Project Implementation Unit Coordinators. Additionally, the project manager will also be administratively responsible to follow up and support on all Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management related projects being implemented by the UNDP Mauritius CO. Hence, on the technical side, the project manager will be assisted by a Project officer for the delivery of substantive project outputs.  

Summary of Key Functions
•    Implementation of Project Strategies and Objectives.
•    Management of the Project including reporting on project results and outcomes.
•    Coordination with the Project Steering Committee and other stakeholders.
•    Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management.
•    Supervision of Project Personnel and other service providers.

Specific tasks and responsibilities:

• Ensures implementation of project strategies and objectives focusing on achievement of the following results:
  o    Supervise and coordinate the production of project outputs, as per the project document,
  o    Mobilize all project inputs in accordance with UNDP procedures for nationally executed projects,
  o    Ensure the timely and effective implementation of all components of the project through proper monitoring and evaluation of the project for timely project re-adjustment,
  o    Coordinate the recruitment and selection of project personnel/service providers,
  o    Scrutinize and review all the deliverables of the projects including deliverables of the various project personnel recruited under this project,
  o    Carry regular inspections of all sites concerned with the project.
• Ensures effective management of the Project for proper implementation as per the Project document achieving the following:
  o    Prepare and revise project work and financial plans, as required by UNDP, and support the operational and financial planning processes,
  o    Oversee and ensure timely submission of the Inception Report, Combined Project Implementation Review/Annual Project Report, Technical reports, quarterly financial reports, and other reports as may be required by UNDP, GCF and other oversight agencies,
  o    Contribute to the preparation and implementation of progress reports, and monitor all project activities, budgets and financial expenditures,
  o    Assist in the preparation of payments requests for operational expenses, salaries, insurances etc. as well as follow up on timely disbursements by UNDP CO,
  o    Maintain project correspondence and communication,
  o    Assist in logistical organisation of meetings, training and workshops,
  o    Prepare agendas, make necessary arrangements for the Project sub-Board and Project meetings and other internal and external meetings related to the project and write the minutes of those meetings accordingly,
  o    Maintain a proper inventory of all project equipment.
• Ensures coordination with the Project Steering Committee and other stakeholders focusing on the achievement of the following results:
  o    Liaise with UNDP, relevant government agencies, and all project partners, including donor organizations and NGOs for effective coordination of all project activities,
  o    Disseminate project reports and respond to queries from concerned stakeholders,
  o    Report progress of project to the Project Steering Committee and ensure the fulfilment of Project sub-Board directives.
• Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
  o    Promote knowledge management, document best practices and lessons learned from project implementation, and facilitate dissemination in appropriate format to relevant stakeholders 
  o    Ensure strategic partnership by liaising with project partners, donor organizations, NGO’s and other stakeholders for effective implementation and coordination of project activities
  o    Support liaison with key partner institutions engaged in complementary national programs and initiatives.
• Ensures through the supervision of the Project Personnel and service providers that the various components of the projects are properly undertaken:
  o    Supervise and coordinate the work of all project staff, consultants and sub-contractors,
  o    Facilitate administrative backstopping (support) to project staff, consultants and sub-contractors and to training activities supported under the project,
  o    Advise all project counterparts on applicable administrative procedures and ensure their proper implementation,
  o    Provide support and technical assistance to all project staff, consultants and sub-contractors as and when required through substantive analysis and inputs,
  o    Perform any other duty relevant to the assignment.

Impact of Results
- Effective stakeholder engagement, financial and time management have an impact on the quality and implementation of the project and programme 
- A client-oriented and efficient approach impact on the image of UNDP in the country

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

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Manager will work under the general supervision of the Head of the Environment Unit (who can delegate a direct supervisory role) in the UNDP MCO for Mauritius and Seychelles for Direct Implementation Modality (DIM) Projects; and will collaborate closely with the Project Director for National Implementation Modality (NIM) Projects.
 

Competencies

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
People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)
•    Show managerial courage
•    Ability to demonstrate empathy and emotional intelligence
•    Ability to motivate and direct
•    Ability to build an enabling Workplace
•    Ability to build capability
•    Manage performance and ensure accountability
•    Lead with Humility

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 
Thematic Area                             Name                       Definition
Business Direction & 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 to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Direction & Strategy   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

Business Development             Knowledge Facilitation    •    Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management            Project Management         •    Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Management            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    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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

•    Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in project management, business administration, natural resource management or related field.
•    First university degree (Bachelor) in natural sciences, ecosystems management, economics, engineering, business administration or related field with an additional two (02)       years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the master’s degree.
 

Experience:

•    At least 5 years of demonstrable project/programme management experience, including natural resource management, for master’s degree holder (7 years for bachelor’s        degree holder), 
•    At least 5 years of experience working with ministries, or other local governmental institutions that are concerned with natural resource and/or environmental                            management, for master’s degree holder (7 years for bachelor’s degree holder).
 

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.

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