Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme works in about 170 countries and territories, helping Governments achieve their own development solutions to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. On October 21, 1974, the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Barbados entered into an agreement to “support and supplement the national efforts of developing countries at solving the most important problems of their economic development and to promote social progress and better standards of life.” Subsequently, similar agreements were entered with Governments of the ten countries and territories that the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean serves: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

On October 21, 1974, the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Barbados entered into an agreement to “support and supplement the national efforts of developing countries at solving the most important problems of their economic development and to promote social progress and better standards of life.” Subsequently, similar agreements were entered with Governments of the ten countries and territories that the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean serves: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The UNDP is providing implementation support globally to three (3) of closely related GEF enabling activities related to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF):

• GEF 7 Early Action Support project

The Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support (GBF-EAS) project is designed to mobilise funding and support so that countries can meet the new biodiversity targets. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GBF-EAS project is working to fast-track readiness and early actions. The project is jointly implemented by UNDP and UNEP, in partnership with the CBD Secretariat and the GEF, and provides financial and technical support package that focuses on four components: alignment with national biodiversity strategies and action plans, national monitoring systems, policy and institutional coherence, and biodiversity finance.

• GEF 8 Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and 7th National Reports

Building on the GBF-EAS Project, this programme is a Party-led effort funded by the GEF to continue the process of updating NBSAPs and undertake reporting on implementation of the GBF. This programme provides financial and technical support to 139 developing countries, small island developing states, and economies in transition in their work to update NBSAPs in alignment with the GBF and prepare and submit Seventh National Reports to the CBD. Joint implementation support is provided by the UNDP and the UNEP, in partnership with the CBD Secretariat and the GEF Secretariat.

• GEF 8 Umbrella Programme on support development of Biodiversity Finance Plans

Funded by the GEF, this programme seeks to address the global biodiversity financing gap, estimated at $700 billion annually, by supporting 91 countries in developing National Biodiversity Finance Plans (NBFPs). These plans will identify biodiversity finance gaps, assess expenditure reviews and financial needs, and implement strategic finance solutions aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and NBSAPs targets. Using the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) methodology developed by UNDP, the programme aims to promote sustainable financing and systemic change through comprehensive baseline diagnostics, capacity-building, and institutional reforms. At its core, the program is committed to inclusivity, innovation, and fostering global collaboration through a knowledge-sharing platform, ensuring a scalable and impactful approach to biodiversity conservation.

In the framework of the global programmes/projects, the MCO for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is leading implementation support in seven (7) Eastern Caribbean small island developing states: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These projects are managed under the Nature, Climate, and Energy Cluster/Portfolio within the MCO.

Overall implementation globally began in Quarter 4 of 2022 and extends through Quarter 4 of 2027/ Quarter 1 of 2028, with different countries at varying stages of implementation, and schedule acceleration/compression is required in some instances.

The UNDP MCO for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is recruiting a Multi-Country Project Coordinator to coordinate and manage the overall implementation of the projects described above – “the Projects.”

Duties

The Project Unit ensures a human-rights based, gender-responsive and interdisciplinary approach to project implementation that maximizes sustainable development gains and minimizes negative environmental and social impacts, delivering results in a manner that is cost-effective, efficient, transparent and demonstrates the added value of the work to beneficiary countries.

The Multi-Country Project Coordinator coordinates and manages the overall implementation of the Projects – under the overall guidance and supervision of the Cluster Lead for Nature, Climate, Energy, and with support from a small project unit as outlined in Section 3. The Multi-Country Project Coordinator assumes full responsibility to manage and implement effectively and efficiently all project activities and resources (human, financial, physical /material assets, etc.) under all components of the project in order to meet expected results. The Multi-Country Project Coordinator t is responsible for the day-to-day management and decision-making for the project.

1. Ensure standard UNDP project coordination and management functions for the Projects.

• Undertake responsibility for delivery of project outputs and implementation of project activities guided by the overall project objectives and results framework, applying project management best practices.
• Deliver project outputs on agreed schedule and budget, maintain tracking of actual implementation timelines and expenditure against planned schedules and budgets.
• Assess, monitor, and manage project risks, maintain a project risk log, and update project governance bodies accordingly.
• Coordinate project monitoring, evaluation and reporting, including monitoring progress and results against planned timelines and the project results framework.
• Follow UNDP project implementation processes and procedures for planning / projection, record keeping, reporting, and compliance, and any others as may be applicable.
• Familiarize with UNDP Policies and Procedures, including obtaining additional training/certification in UNDP Programme and Project Management (PPM) if necessary
• Supervise the maintenance of the Project related documentation (contracts, reports, correspondence, an inventory list of all equipment purchased, etc. under the Project)
• Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national beneficiaries.
• Coordinate and manage the procurement of goods and services and recruitment of personnel as required to implement activities under the project, including preparation procurement or recruitment plans, terms of references (TORs) and specifications, evaluation of offers, and the oversight of work and management of contracts and agreements as per UNDP Policies
• Coordinate and manage the delegation of packages of work to Responsible Parties for implementation if/as required or agreed, including the oversight of work and management of contracts as per UNDP Policies
• Coordinate and implement stakeholder engagement, communications, and/or visibility strategy(ies) in alignment with the approved project agreement and approved work plans, and in collaboration with project partners.
• Coordinate with MCO Operations and supporting functions (Procurement, Human Resources, Finance, ICT, Communications, etc.) as required for effective implementation.
• Manage and supervise the Biodiversity Project Management Unit within the NCE Programme Cluster under the overall guidance and supervision of the Cluster Lead (Section 3)
• Provide support to Project Governance structures, including projects steering committee(s) as required
• Coordinate as relevant with focal points from UNDP Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC) and/or Global Project Teams with oversight and support responsibilities to MCO implementation of national level projects

Maintain relationships and liaise with counterparts and focal points with the donor, beneficiary governments, regional institutions partners.

2. Establish partnerships and open channels of communication.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support key objectives and ensure inclusive implementation and participation of key stakeholders in assigned portfolio.
• Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify stakeholder needs and how best to leverage their participation and/or strengthen their engagement. Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation and opportunities for joint initiatives. Make recommendations to the management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
• Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.

Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.

3. Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s).

• Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge
• resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.

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 Multi-Country Project Coordinator will report to Cluster Lead for Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE). The Multi-Country Project Coordinator will supervise and be supported by a small Project Management Unit under the NCE Programme Cluster, with support from wider MCO Operations functions (Finance, Procurement, Human Recourses, ICT, Communications). The Project Management Unit comprises the Multi-country Coordinator, a Project Associate (responsible for financial and administrative support), and seven (7) national coordinators, one for each country.

Competencies

Core:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management

• 2030 Agenda: Planet – Nature, Climate and Energy; Ecosystems and Biodiversity.
• Business Direction & Strategy – Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the system.
• Business Development – Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and transform information into useful knowledge relevant to the context or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, develop new concepts, and generate workable solutions and innovative approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories useful for addressing new situations.
• Business Management – Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Business Management – Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with a wide network of stakeholders, including governments, civil society, private sector partners, experts, and others, in line with UNDP strategies and policies.
• Business Management – Risk Management: Ability to identify, assess, and organize actions to reduce, mitigate, and proactively manage risks.
• Business Management – Results-Based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

Education Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Engineering, Economics, International Development/Relations, Project Management, or another related field, OR
• First-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in one of the above fields, combined with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience, may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.

Minimum Relevant Work Experience

• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) OR Minimum 4 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience as a Project Manager or in a similar role responsible for managing and coordinating project scope, timelines and effective delivery of products and/or services.

Required Skills

• Experience with industry standard word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software programmes.
• Experience with standard project management tools such as Gantt charts, budgets and work plans, activity trackers, risk registers, and similar.

Desired Skills

• Demonstrated experience as a project manager for development/public projects of comparable size and complexity using public procurement methods and industry standard monitoring and evaluation methods with a successful implementation record
• Demonstrated experience managing development/public projects of comparable size and complexity using public procurement methods and industry standard monitoring and evaluation methods, with successful implementation record
• Formal training in project management would be an asset-university degree, or recognized project management certification (e.g. PMP), or UNDP Project and Programme Management (PPM) Certification – Practitioner Level or higher
• Demonstrated experience working in a multi-lateral or multi-country setting engaging multiple governments, intergovernmental entities, regional, national and subnational partners and stakeholders
• Experience of the development context of Caribbean SIDS, especially the 7 participating countries of the projects.
• Experience with environmental management and/or with multi-lateral environmental agreements
• Experience implementing projects funded by Environment Vertical Funds, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) or Green Climate Fund (GCF)
• Experience with corporate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, especially those used in the UN common system

Language Requirements

• 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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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