DISTRICT PROJECT COORDINATORS ( TWO POSITIONS)
Location : Machinga and Mangochi, MALAWI
Application Deadline : 27-Mar-15
Additional Category
Environment and Energy
Type of Contract : Service Contract
Post Level : SB-4
Languages Required : English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
15-Apr-2015
Duration of Initial Contract : 1 Year
Expected Duration of Assignment : 1 Year
Background
Project title: UNDP-GEF/ Climate Proofing Local Development Gains in Rural and Urban Areas of Machinga and Mangochi Districts.
Inadequate mainstreaming of climate change (CC) considerations in Malawi baseline programs exposes development gains from over a hundred million USD inves
tments in agricultural input subsidy, decentralization, irrigation expansion, and disaster risk reduction, making the dependent livelihoods highly vulnerable to climate change related risks; primarily, CC induced droughts, floods and post-harvest losses. While healthy ecosystems can provide a cost effective means of adaptation to CC, the country's natural ecosystems continue to be threatened by over-exploitation and inappropriate /weak management; and, the weak technical capacity, limited knowledge and inadequate financing, reduces the effectiveness of resource users and their government's efforts of climate proofing the development programs, at the local, district and national levels.
This new Climate Proofing project has a goal of securing the development and food security gains from these baseline programs by empowering communities to integrate climate risk considerations in the development policies, plans, projects and actions. The project objective is to provide knowledge, tools, capacities and methodologies for the adoption of an ecosystems and community based approach to adaptation, which is more effective in enabling climate vulnerable people to plan for and adapt to the impacts of climate change; benefiting over 458,371 people in 91,674 households in Mangochi and Machinga districts.
The pathway of change that will bring about this objective is based on five different outcomes:
- The impact of ecosystems degradation in aggravating vulnerability to climate change risks and reducing resilience of development gains understood and integrated into key decision-making processes at the local, sub-national and national levels.
- Skills and operational capacity of District, EPA and TA level technical officers to support implementation, maintenance and monitoring of the activities under component 1 and to mainstream climate risks into all local development process (skills, legislation, and information)
- Public and domestic water harvesting, storage and distribution reduces climate change driven flooding and regulates availability of water throughout the year in flood & drought hotspots
- Rehabilitation of badly degraded forests, protection of riverbanks, lake shores and urban infrastructure.
- Productivity of agriculture supported by adoption of climate smart agriculture practices.
Knowledge will be generated and used to formulate comprehensive community based adaptation plans. Ecological and physical infrastructure measures for water management will be adopted to regulate base flow and reduce risk of climate change driven floods while mitigating against droughts. In addition, climate smart agriculture and safe post-harvest management technologies and practices will lead to enhanced production, reduction in grain loss and thus increased food security. Replication and sustainability of these initiatives will be secured through mainstreaming climate change considerations and financing into local development programs and a capacitated extension service and district councils.
Duties and Responsibilities
The role of the District Project Coordinator will focus on overall coordination of the programme at district level, supervision of activities implemented by responsible parties, contractors, accurate accounting and reporting on use of programme funds and monitoring the achievement of results. Specifically, the District Project Coordinator will be responsible for the following:
- Smooth operation of project through day-to-day oversight and coordination of implementation of project activities.
- Successful coordination of the project team in carrying out their duties at an optimum level through ensuring efficient and effective resource utilization.
- Successful coordination of the preparation and implementation of annual and quarterly results-based work plans in line with indicators and targets specified in the logical framework endorsed by management and successful coordination of inputs into all project reports as required.
- Monitor project activities, including financial matters, and organise quarterly progress reviews, preparing quarterly progress and financial reports to be approved by the Implementing Partner and UNDP Country Office.
- Recruit and supervise technical and training expertise as required for implementation of the project.
- Develop and maintain close linkages with relevant sectoral government agencies, UNDP, NGOs, civil society, international organizations and implementing partners of the project, engaging them when necessary to disseminate results and learning.
- Support the Project Coordinating Committee in organizing the coordination meetings, reporting to the committee and national level committees as requested, and providing feedback on project strategies, activities, progress, and challenges.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism
Functional Competencies
Knowledge Management and Learning
- Promotes knowledge management in the project and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
- In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues
- Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
- Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of the project
Development and Operational Effectiveness
- Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting
- Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects
- Ability to apply development theory to the specific project context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations
- Ability to manage for results: translates strategic aims into achievable plans, with established priorities, monitors them, making periodic adjustments as required.
Management and Leadership
- Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
- Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills
- Demonstrates outstanding communication skills oral and written communication skills
- Negotiation skills: capacity to work with diverse partners including Government, donors and civil society;
- Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
- Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills
Required Skills and Experience
Qualifications:
- MSc degree in Natural Resources management or Agricultural Engineering, with additional training and/or exposure to climate change or rural development
- A minimum of 5 years of managerial experience dealing with applied natural resources management issues in southern Africa
- Proven ability to lead and motivate a multi-disciplinary team to produce the required outputs in a timely manner
- Familiarity with institutional, planning and regulatory structures, and rural livelihoods in Malawi
- Knowledgeable about GEF and UNDP procedures would be an added advantage
- Understanding of climate change and ecosystem based adaptation would be preferred
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.
