DRR Project Manager Job at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

We invite applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the position below:

Job Position: DRR Project Manager 
Job ID: 24524
Job Location: Abuja
Grade: P5 
Vacancy Type: FTA International 
Posting Type: External
Contract Duration: 1 year with possibility of extension

Background
The West Africa Sahel region is one of the poorest and most environmentally degraded in the world and is considered one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change, as temperature increases are projected to be 1.5 times higher than in the rest of the world. Climate vulnerability is compounded by the region’s high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and its natural resources to support food security and livelihoods, rapid population growth, and chronic humanitarian crises due to recurrent drought, flooding, food insecurity, epidemics, and violent conflict. Droughts have been a perennial problem plaguing countries in the West Africa Sahel. Although the frequency of drought occurrence in the sub-region may be declining, a significant proportion of the population is still affected.

The development challenge presented above highlights the unique opportunity for supporting the Western Sahel through AU, ECOWAS and its member states to take integrated and holistic approaches to disaster and climate risk-informed development that contributes to building resilience the whole region. UNDP has sought to strengthen the policy and institutional capacities of Western Sahel countries in understanding the multi-dimension risks that the region faces and devising mechanisms that anticipate and respond to these challenges. In this regard, UNDP Regional Service Centre of Africa developed a regional project Strengthening capacities for disaster risk reduction and adaptation for Resilience in the Sahel Region: fostering risk-informed solutions for sustainable development, which is anchored in the Regional Programme. The main objective of this regional initiative is that regional institutions and national governments have institutionalized and domesticated risk-informed development planning, programming and investment for resilience building.

With funding from the Swedish Government, the Sahel Resilience Project proposes to strengthen the Sahel regional capacity in fostering risk-informed development through a multi-country approach. The change expected to be achieved through this Project is that Sahel regional institutions and national governments have institutionalized and domesticated risk-informed development planning, programming and investment for gender-responsive resilience building. The project focuses on seven Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Tchad, Niger, and Nigeria)

The Regional Project will be implemented in partnership with African Union, Regional Economic Commissions and Institutions (ECOWAS, CILLS/AGRHYMET), UN Family (UN Women and UNISDR), academia/research-based institutions (Peri-Peri U). The Project Team will be housed within the Division of Disaster Risk Reduction of the ECOWAS Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs in Abuja. The project Manager will act as the Team Leader for the Project, reporting to UNDP Regional Service Centre from Africa (RSCA) and ECOWAS Humanitarian and Social Affairs Directorate. The Project Manager will also work with UNDP Resident Representatives in each of the participating countries to ensure project management issues are rapidly and efficiently negotiated and resolved.

Specifically, the Project Manager will report to UNDP Team Leader for Disaster Risk Reduction for Africa based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The incumbent will also be under the technical guidance of the ECOWAS Head of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Risk Reduction with the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, based in Abuja, Nigeria. Furthermore, the Project Manager will be responsible for the supervision of the Project Implementation Team including the Resilience Specialist and the Project Associate.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The Project Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management and decision-making for the effective and efficient achievement of the five Project Outputs. The Project Manager's primary responsibility is to ensure that the Project produces the results specified in the workplan, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.

Strategic Leadership

• The Project Manager provides strategic direction to the project team for the efficient implementation of activities of the Project:
• Provide strategic direction to the Project and specialized technical advice to Project Responsible Parties on the development of systems, processes, and mechanisms to support effective project planning, implementation, monitoring, and timely reporting.
• Provide policy, technical, and managerial advice to the ECOWAS Humanitarian and Social Affairs Directorate
• Provide policy, technical, and managerial advice related to project implementation to UNDP Country Offices and UN country teams in which the Project is implemented.
• Build solid relationships with all Project Responsible Parties and key partners and identify institutional development and capacity building opportunities and priorities, where relevant.
• Ensures the integration of cross-cutting issues, such as gender, peace building, rights of persons with disabilities, human rights, and resilience into the Project activities, monitoring, and reporting.
• Ensure systematic and effective analysis, and project monitoring, such as undertake periodic field monitoring visits and provide timely feedback to all staff, partner organizations, and the project board.
• Anticipate and identify risks and challenges to the ongoing operations of the Project and provide advice to the Senior Management in UNDP Africa, ECOWAS and all Responsible Parties.
• Ensure the integrity of financial and administrative operations as well as the consistent application of UNDP rules and procedures for programme and operations issues related to the Project.

Project Management:

• The Project Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing the Project, ensuring delivery and adherence to corporate standards
• Lead the successful execution and implementation of the project towards achieving the expected outputs, outcomes, and results as indicated in the Project Document and Annual Work Plans.
• Lead the project team and works closely with Project Responsible Parties and a wide array of partners to ensure effective and timely delivery of results in line with the Project Outcomes
• Lead the coordination, planning, documentation, monitoring, and implementation processes relating to management of partnerships with AU, ECOWAS, UN Women, UNISDR, AGRHYMET, Peri Peri U and coordinate with UNDP RRs in participating countries, and RSCA colleagues in regard to project assurance and overall resilience building of the region
• Lead periodic technical meetings with all Responsible Parties to ensure time delivery and coherence of project activities
• Supervise the Project staff, provides coaching to staff and effective leadership, including remote office management.
• Manage day-to-day administrative matters for the Project with support from administrative staff and the performance of consultants and specialized advisers.
• Provide UNDP’s internal monthly/quarterly/annual progress reports on project activities as required under UNDP rules and regulations, as well as progress and final narrative and financial reports to donors as per applicable donors’ reporting requirements. The reports shall be submitted to the donor through the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Team Leader.
• Develop, oversee, and monitor work plans and budgets for all activities in the project portfolio.
• Ensure timely and adequate reporting against plans, including timely and articulate consolidated technical and financial progress reports for the Project Board.
• Serve as Project Board Secretariat, maintain liaison with Project Board members and ensure timely follow-up of Project Board Decisions
• Continuously update project progress and risks/issues log in ATLAS Contribute to drafting of the Results Oriental Annual Review (ROAR) report
• Coordinate operations, resources, and administrative support of the Project Team.
• Coordinate all project meetings and annual reviews/reports and support the project board by organizing agendas and recording decisions of meetings.
• Ensure project communication is in accordance with the visibility rules and communication standards of Sida and UNDP. 

Financial Resources Management:

• Lead operational and financial resources management of the project, in line with the Project Document and in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, specifically focusing on the achievement of the following:
• Accountable use of project funds.
• Oversight of financial management through Atlas, including purchase orders, requisitions, and payments.
• Lead preparations for Evaluations and Audits and ensure follow up of evaluation and audit findings.
• Provision of effective services to counterparts, including fair and transparent procurement, efficient logistic, and sound financial management.
• Oversight of all administrative, financial and budgetary aspects of the Project.
• Plan and arrange, in consultation with UNDP, the procurement of project services in line with agreed procedures
• Ensure the integrity of financial and administrative operations in the Project area through financial oversight, under the advice of the UNDP Regional Service Center for Africa / Operations team.
• Ensure rigorous and consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations and establishment of implementation of clear accountability mechanisms.
• Participate in internal control mechanisms for adherence to UNDP and ECOWAS rules and regulations in contracts, assets, procurement, recruitment, etc., as required.
• Responsible for budgets and for ensuring strict and consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations.
• Monthly reporting on progress made on Project implementation by all Responsible Parties.

People Management:

• Provide effective direction to, and empower members of the Project Team.
• Manage the project in compliance with UNDP corporate human resources policies and strategies.
• Ensure the optimal staffing of the project.
• Supervise and assess work in progress to ensure delivery of results according to performance standards, overall objectives and accountability framework. Provide intellectual leadership and technical guidance and take timely decisions to meet objectives.
• Support supervisees in facilitating their learning and development.
• Support supervisees in maintaining their health and well-being, safety and security.
• Promote cross-unit teamwork and skills development for the Project team members through coaching and mentoring.

Knowledge Management:

• The Project Manager ensures knowledge management
• Promote the identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the project area for organizational sharing and learning as well as external information.
• Actively participate in UNDP knowledge networks and takes advantage of best practices and lessons learned that are available in the region and globally and encourage Project staff to do so by creating a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.
• Participate in international knowledge networks and other fora to draw on best practice and lessons learned in other similar contexts.
• Support capacity and knowledge building of Project Responsible Parties.
• Perform any other task as required

Technical/Functional
Resilience-Building:

• Excellent knowledge of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building status in Africa and ability to apply in strategic and practical situations  
• Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Partnership Management:

• Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliance relevant to Project’s agenda
• Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Client Orientation:

• Anticipate client needs, works toward creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider
• Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Resource Planning and Management:

• Building and planning efficient workflows, and at improving overall Project implementing efficiency and performance.  
• Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Self-Management / Emotional Intelligence:

• Managing and responding effectively to stress, situations of ambiguity or crisis. Managing relationships with others to achieve mutual benefits. Building an emotionally intelligent team. 
• Level 6: Integrate & Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Knowledge Management:

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.  
• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Master's degree in Management, Social Policy, Public Policy, Economics, Development Studies or a related area.

Experience:  

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive and relevant experience in the field of project/programme management, or related fields.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive and relevant experience in the field of disaster risk reduction, resilience building, climate change, or in very closely related fields.
• Experience in providing regional policy advice, regional technical assistance, and capacity development to support to multi stakeholder institutions in establishing and coordinating multi-partner interventions.
• Extensive experience working on disaster risk reduction and resilience building including the domestication of the Sendai Framework at the regional, is preferred.
• Experience working within UN agencies and intergovernmental organizations and field experience is preferred.
• Proven experience in development programming, including good understanding of UN programming modalities and rules and regulations, is preferred.
• Extensive experience in project development and management.
• Coordination experience working with government, development partners, and international partners would be an asset.
• Excellent knowledge of and extensive resilience building experience in Africa, including conflict-sensitivity, human rights, rights of children, youth and women, is preferred.

Language Requirements:

• Proficiency in English and French. Working knowledge of other UN language desirable.

Competencies
Core
Innovation:

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work 
• Level 6: Exercises stakeholder-centered design approaches for office / programme / division

Leadership:

• Ability to persuade others to follow
• Level 6: Ensures teams are resourced for success  and empowered to deliver

People Management:

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
• Level 6: Guides substantive specialists / teams and expands credibility and innovation capacity

Communication:

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Level 6: Creates confidence among stakeholders by delivering authoritative positions, compelling analysis, and contextual acumen

Delivery:

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement 
• Level 6: Accepts accountability for the outcomes of programme delivery and facilitates improvement and innovation in the delivery of products and
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