Project Manager - NPSA8

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.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP) derives its mandate from United Nations General Assembly Resolution 33/147 of 20 December 1978 to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people by identifying their social and economic needs and by establishing concrete projects to that end.

Due to the blockade and restriction of access to people and commodities and the recurrent hostilities affecting the Gaza Strip since 2007, the overall socioeconomic conditions there have deteriorated. The negative impact has been compounded throughout the early months in 2021, by the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, increasing tensions, and the latest hostilities, further undermining Gaza’s development aspirations.

In response to the above events, UNDP/PAPP has developed the“ Path to Economic Recovery: Facilitating Decent Jobs in the Gaza Strip” programme, which aims at empowering youth, women and marginalized groups in the Gaza Strip by supporting them to have greater access to decent productive jobs and contributing to sustainable and inclusive economic development. These interventions will promote short-term job opportunities, linked to longer- term sustainable employment.

After the May 2021 hostilities, UNDP has developed the “Gaza Early Recovery Programme 2021”, which aims to provide Gazans, directly affected by the latest conflict, with access to dignified short-term jobs, to help restore and stabilize their livelihoods. This will be enabled by cash inflows, which are urgently needed to bring immediate relief to the dire living conditions of conflict-affected households across the Gaza Strip.

UNDP/PAPP- is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Project Manager, to manage the Job creation/employment generation interventions under the above mentioned programmes. The incumbent will work under the guidance of the Assistant Special Representative, and the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst an expected duration of 17 months.

S/he will be targeting the needs of youth, identifying opportunities for employment in the public and private sectors, while identifying capacity development needs, in order to ensure sustainable long-term jobs for the young beneficiaries.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work :

Ensuring effective management of the assigned interventions by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the projects’ progress through monitoring and evaluation;
Coordination and building strong partnerships with the implementing partners and relevant stakeholders;
Preparation and finalization of reporting;
Knowledge sharing and other relevant responsibilities pertaining to the implementation of assigned activities and contribution to the office’s overall programmatic initiatives;
Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisors.

Under the guidance of the Assistant Special Representative (Gaza office), and the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst, the Project Manager will undertake the following:

Ensuring effective project management by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project’s progress through monitoring, evaluation and reporting

Implement and manage the project on a day-to-day basis, coordinate the implementation of the respective activities based on the relevant project document, including, as needed, supervision and guidance of other project staff, consultants and experts with a view to achieving project results;
Ensure the timely and quality delivery of planned project activities;
Develop comprehensive/detailed project work-plans that include all project activities and roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and set-out corresponding milestones;
Monitor the progress of implementation of project activities and key event schedules, review the work- plans and set deadlines, and monitor the financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
Mobilize goods and services to support project activities, including Call for Proposals, drafting TORs and works/product requirements and specifications;
Manage and monitor project risks initially identified, submitting information on the new risks and possible mitigating measures to the Project Board for consideration and updating the status of these risks by maintaining a Project Risk Log;
Assume responsibilities in line with the office Internal Control Framework and act as a `first authority` for Project transactions;
Ensure the adherence of project activities to the existing financial, procurement and administrative processes that are in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations and, at the same time, observe the project timelines;
Ensure that gender equality is pursued in all project activities and reflected in work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses and, where relevant, analyzed in detail;
Ensure that accessibility for persons with disabilities is reflected in all project activities;
Consult regularly with other UNDP projects and programs on related activities, where synergies are possible;

Coordination and building strong partnerships with the implementing partners and relevant stakeholders, focusing on achievement of the following:

Maintain strong relationships with the implementing partners, line ministries and other relevant partners and donors;
Finalize the contractual agreements with implementing partners;
Maintain regular coordination and quality assurance of expert inputs and products, as well as among project partners to ensure coherence and complementarity of project activities;
Identify opportunities for deepening the cooperation and recommending adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information on all relevant stakeholders gathered during projects’ implementation;
Maintain regular communication on relevant project issues with the local and international counterparts, consultants and experts and ensuring quality and timely delivery of all agreed outputs;
Maintain effective linkages with current and potential donors;
Engage with groups and communities in project activities to reflect their needs and elements of success to the planned interventions.
Communicate project goals and activities clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public.

Preparation and assistance to finalizating and reporting, focusing on achieving of the following;

Prepare project progress and ad hoc reports (progress against planned activities, update on risks issues, expenditures…) and ensure timely submission of the reports to the project board and relevant donor(s). The developed reports are expected to be of good quality with proper analysis of the results.
Assist in periodical corporate reporting, including Atlas quarterly progress and ROAR;
Develop presentations and other materials that are needed to share information on achievements, challenges,etc , and;
Update and file the relevant documentation.

Knowledge sharing and other relevant responsibilities pertaining to the project implementation and contribution to the office, focusing on achievement of the following;

Ensure compilation and synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices throughout project implementation;
Support the strategic sharing of relevant knowledge and information gathered throughout project implementation phase, in close collaboration with the Communications & Partnerships Specialist;
Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
Actively commit to learning for advancing professional skills and career.

Perform any other duties as assigned by the Supervisors

Institutional Arrangement

Project Manager, under the guidance of the Assistant Special Representative, and the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst .

Competencies

Required skills and competencies

Knowledge and/or experience in job creation/employment generation projects.

Proven experience in dealing with local governments, NGOs, and bilateral and multilateral donors;

Core Competencies:

Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow and team leading skills
People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Delivery: Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Technical/Functional Competencies:

Finance/Accounting: Financial Planning and Budgeting
Finance/Accounting: Financial Reporting and Analysis
Development Effectiveness: Project Management
Development Effectiveness: Partnerships
Development Effectiveness: Report Writing
Development Effectiveness: Knowledge Management

Desired additional skills and competencies

Excellent use of project management software and Microsoft applications.
Knowledge of the UN system and familiarity with UNDP procedures would be an asset.
Previous experience with International (public or private sector) Organisations is desirable.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Min. Academic Education

BA degree or Master’s degree in Economics, Project Management, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Development Studies, Engineering or related fields.

Experience:
Minimum of two years with BA Degree or MA with relevant work experience in managing job creation/employment generation projects.