Global Project Manager

Job Description

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realise 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.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policies and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS's staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government, and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, and data-driven, including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate, Energy, Waste and Chemicals Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

BPPS’ Hubs On Nature, Climate, Energy, Waste And Chemicals Works With Governments, Civil Society, And Private Sector Partners To Integrate Natural Capital, Environment And Climate Concerns Into National And Sector Planning And Inclusive Growth Policies; Support Country Obligations Under Multilateral Environmental Agreements; And Implement The UN’s Largest Portfolio Of In-country Programming On Environment, Climate Change, And Energy. This Multi-billion-dollar Portfolio Encompasses

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests
• Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems
• Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
• Sustainable Energy
• Extractive Industries
• Chemicals and Waste Management
• Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches

UNDP has a growing portfolio of global projects implemented directly by the UNDP Nature Hub. These deal with emerging issues such as nature economies and green finance, supporting countries' actions on the Convention on Biological Diversity, private sector engagement, and work with the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The projects are managed in the corporate ERP system, and support to participating countries and agencies is coordinated by the UNDP Nature Hub at UNDP HQ in New York (within BPPS). Global projects in the area of nature conservation and sustainable development involve direct engagement with Responsible Parties (RPs) and subcontractors, and in some cases (when projects presuppose ground activities) with country offices.

As part of these efforts, UNDP, with anchor investment from partners such as the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of Germany and in consultation with several members of Tiger Conservation Coalition (TCC), is leading the development and operationalization of the Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund (TLIF). The Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund or TLIF is a blended finance mechanism developed in response to the urgent need to catalyze private sector investments into nature-positive businesses that contribute to the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of Tiger Landscapes.

The TLIF is uniquely structured to mobilize private sector capital predominantly from domestic financial institutions. The TLIF is structured to have two arms. The Technical Assistance Facility (TA facility) aims to work with the local stakeholders, conservation organizations, and institutions – government and private - to develop pipelines of investable projects. An innovative and fit-for-purpose guarantee facility – administered by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) – provided to the local financial institutions to enable lending to those pipelines of projects created through the support of the TA facility. The TLIF is also designed to have a unique governance structure that represents the donors, the investors and members of the Tiger Conservation Coalition (TCC).

The Global Project Manager will lead the coordination and management of the Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund activities. As the Fund is being operationalized, the incumbent will contribute to and gain experience in the operationalization of the Fund. The incumbent will support UNDP country offices on the Fund pipeline and coordinate with UNCDF to establish and sustain a fit-for-purpose guarantee facility. By the end of the project, a substantial number of enterprises in the Tiger Range Countries are expected to have been established, contributing to the conservation and restoration of the tiger landscapes. Local financial institutions are expected to have the system, processes and capacity to lend for business activities that bring nature-positive outcomes. Public bodies and regulators in target countries are expected to be capacitated to contribute, both financially and technically, to the Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund.

Duties And Responsibilities

• The incumbent will be based in UNDP Malaysia Country Office.
• The incumbent will report to, and be directly supervised by, the Nature Investment Specialist and Deputy Resident Representative (or her/his designate), CO Malaysia (secondary supervisor);
• The incumbent will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The incumbent will be responsible for providing his/her own workstation (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the incumbent is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations considering different time zones.

Overall programme coordination

• Oversee the overall day-to-day coordination of the project, including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, responsible parties, consultants and sub-contractors;
• Design the project's annual work plan and budget, monitor delivery, and take corrective action;
• Lead the implementation of project activities, as well as responsibility for the production of approved project outputs and coordination with the Responsible Parties;
• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation and ensure available resources for M&E, enabling appropriate methodology and guidance to be applied in line with the results-based management approach for maximum institutional effectiveness;
• Ensure strategic oversight of financial planning, budgeting and costing, implementing and monitoring of the programme and projects, and tracking the use of financial resources;
• Provide updates on evolving or materialized project risks and suggest possible mitigation and management actions to address specific risks;
• Provide project implementation guidance and technical support to the project's partners and Responsible Parties.

Country engagement

• Coordinate with the target countries to support and supervise the development and execution of country-specific TLIF work plans, budgeting, monitoring, reporting and other requirements;
• Support the target country partners to launch and manage the country-relevant pipeline development process, to establish the required review committees, including the pipeline review committees, and investment committees;
• Support the target countries to timely secure the necessary capacities for pipeline reviews, and internal and third-party verifications;
• Support the target countries to secure and sustain the necessary capacity to manage the project as well as to streamline processes for contractual agreement and timely execution with regards to engagement with local partners;
• Support the target country partners to ensure that UNDP safeguards are appropriately integrated into the pipeline of projects developed.

Partnership coordination and adaptive management

• Convene, manage the agenda, and facilitate the TLIF Steering Committee meetings, ensuring that the necessary information is provided in a timely manner before the meeting. Document and file the decisions of the steering committee;
• Ensure that all important points, in consultation with the supervisor, are presented to the Steering Committee for its decision;
• Ensure that the Steering Committee remains updated on the impact of the Fund, and potential environmental and social risks, on both a regular and needs basis;
• Ensure coordination with all the partners and collaborators, including the Tiger Conservation Coalition, to get their technical and management feedback to enhance the conservation effectiveness of the TLIF;
• Ensure adequate information flow, discussions and feedback among the various stakeholders of the project;
• Ensure the documents that form the basis of the TLIF, including Environmental and Social Framework, Terms of Reference, Safeguards and Gender Policies remain updated and fit for purpose;
• Supervise the preparation of reports, including project financial status, analysis of income, allocations, budgets, expenditure and delivery rates in accordance with UNDP rules and procedures.

Strategic communications and programme development

• Support the supervisor, Steering Committee, and TCC to expand the Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund to other Tiger Range Countries;
• Lead and support the development of the case studies and other communications assets;
• Manage a filing system to consolidate all the documents and lessons learnt. Synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices in the project;
• Present the TLIF, including its impact on relevant events and forums. Support the Launch of the TLIF;
• Ensure that the impact of the Project and lessons learnt are widely communicated through social media and other relevant channels, both internal and external.

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

Competencies

Core competencies

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have a lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, and 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 tasks/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigating the complex landscape, championing inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate the benefits of a diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction and Strategy

• Negotiation and Influence - Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create 'win-win' situations.
• Systems 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 Management

• Project Management - Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Risk Management - Ability to identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks.
• Results-based management - Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
• Communication - 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.

Education

Required Skills and Experience

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, International Development, Environmental Management, Environmental Policy or a similar field is required; or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in the said fields in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a Master's degree.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years (with Master's degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor's degree) in the field of project management.
• Previous experience in managing large projects involving diverse stakeholders.
• Previous experience in biodiversity conservation.
• Experience in tracking, coordinating and maintaining strategic partnerships on private sector engagement, sustainable finance, nature finance, and other related areas.
• Experience of the UN and/or UNDP's rules, policies and procedures is an asset.
• Experience in pipeline development for community-based enterprises.
• Experience in biodiversity conservation in the tiger landscapes in Southeast Asia.
• Experience in investments or blended finance.

Required Language

• Fluency in English is required.

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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