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Job Description
Closing Date: Friday, 11 July 2008
Location: Kenya (Nairobi)
Closing date: 11 Jul 2008
Job Description
The position is located in the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Division of Global Environment Facility (GEF) at the Nairobi duty station. UNEP is one of three implementing agencies of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), alongside the World Bank and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The GEF helps developing countries and those with economies in transition to meet the agreed incremental costs of measures designed to achieve global environmental benefits in six focal areas: biological diversity, climate change, international waters, ozone layer depletion, land degradation and persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Task Manager will be responsible for the supervision of and support to the identification, development and implementation of projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by UNEP in the Focal Areas of Land Degradation and Biodiversity. The Task Manager is expected to cover a portfolio of projects that are relatively complex and are of strategic importance, thus requiring strong project management skills, as well as strong technical expertise. He/she also contributes to other UNEP and GEF corporate activities within his/her field of expertise. The Task Manager will contribute to knowledge management objectives by codifying and summarizing lessons derived from the projects for which he/she provides oversight.
1. Project identification and development
- Liaise with internal and external partners to identify relevant and eligible project concepts;
- Discuss and clear such concepts with the Senior Programme Officer;
- Consult with UNEP Divisions and regional offices as necessary;
- Advise project proponents on how to revise concepts to respond to issues raised by the peer reviewer or other reviews;
- Present and defend the concept at the PAG;
- Advise proponents preparing the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) request for submission to GEF;
- Monitor GEF project milestones to avoid delays and potential project cancellation;
- Address GEF Secretariat and STAP reviews and ensure that PAG recommendations are considered in further project development by the executing agency;
- Work with the Fund Management Officer to internalize the PPG upon GEF approval;
- Supervise PPG execution in accordance with UNEP and GEF policies and procedures;
- Support the executing partner in mobilizing co-financing for the project;
- Ensure that a PPG completion report and financial reports is available upon completion of activities;
- Verify that project proposal meets GEF quality-at-entry standards before submission to SPO and GEF management for PRC review;
- Follow up- with GEF Secretariat during the project review process and promptly address any comments in consultation with project partners;
- Upon GEF CEO approval, work with the Fund Management Officer to internalize the project document.
2. Supervision of project implementation
- Prepare project supervision plans for all projects under his/her portfolio for their entire duration and periodically update them;
- Organize and manage the project inception meeting with a view to ensure project implementation readiness;
- Provide oversight to project execution and in doing so ensures that all UNEP and GEF criteria, rules and regulations are adhered to by project partners;
- Participate in the Steering Committee meetings and ensure that the Steering Committee fulfills its function;
- Regularly monitor project progress and performance and rates progress towards meeting project objectives, project execution progress, quality of project monitoring and evaluation, and risk;
- Periodically assess project assumptions and monitors risk;
- Monitor reporting by project executing partners and provide prompt feedback on the contents of the report;
- Promptly inform management of any significant risks or project problems and take action and follow up on decisions made;
- Prepare reports in accordance with GEF and UNEP requirements;
- Maintain adequate project-related documentation;
- Cooperate in the ?quality of project supervision assessment?;
- Apply adaptive management principles to the supervision of the project;
- Assist with the preparation of project revisions, ensuring that project revision documentation is complete and in accordance with DGEF requirements;
- Assess the need to conduct mid-term independent evaluation and if so, liaise with the Evaluation and Oversight Unit to ensure the evaluation is timely conducted;
- Review project outputs, provides technical input and ensures quality standards are met;
- Manage any mandatory project(s) mid-term review in accordance with DGEF guidance and prepares a management response with a plan for implementation of recommendations;
- Support the project terminal evaluation;
- Take responsibility to ensure that project is financially closed in a prompt manner after completion of project activities.
3. DGEF knowledge management and data management
- Identify and codify lessons emerging from project implementation;
- Ensure accuracy and completeness of project data in the project information system for all project under his/her supervision;
- Contribute to project data reconciliation exercises within DGEF and with the GEF Secretariat;
- Identify media and other outreach opportunities and materials and contributes project information and written materials to be used by the communications and outreach Programme Officer.
- Participate and contribute to any events organized by GEF and UNEP to disseminate information on project results and lessons.
4. UNEP and GEF corporate tasks
- Contribute to Council document review as needed;
- Represent DGEF in UNEP and GEF-related meetings;
- Participate in the UNEP Project Review Committee (PRC) attending at least 3 meetings per year;
- Provide input to UNEP and GEF policy and information documents as necessary; Provide input to GEF corporate evaluations, including country portfolio evaluations, thematic evaluations and impact evaluations and to the preparation of the Management Action Record
COMPETENCIES
Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of land degradation issues and discussions, practical experience in programme/project management and oversight; good analytical and problem-solving skills, including ability to identify and participate in the resolution of issues/problems; ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given; ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities.
Communication: effective communication (spoken, written and presentational skills); demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Planning and Organizing: proven ability to plan and organize focal area project work of the unit into the Division?s work programme ensuring timely and effective delivery of results; develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments, adjusting them as required.
Client Orientation: the incumbent will be dealing with the GEF Secretariat, UNEP Divisions, project proponents, government officials, NGO?s and other UN agencies. In these liaisons, the incumbent has to demonstrate client orientation in meeting the combined needs of the various organizations and fitting it into the focal area programme of work; establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients.
Leadership: the incumbent should be proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives in the focal area; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable goals.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Master?s degree in natural resources management, environmental sciences, environmental economics, or closely related field. A Doctorate degree would be an added advantage.
Experience and knowledge: A minimum of 7 years working in integrated natural resources management, sustainable agriculture and rural development in developing countries. Knowledge and experience with REDD, LULUCF and other GHG sequestration issues. A proven track record of resource mobilization for sustainable natural resources management initiatives is highly desirable.
Language Requirements: English and French are the working languages of the UNEP. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and French is required. Knowledge of other UN languages an asset.
Vacancies Contact
(Project Position)
Reference Code: RW_7FVALB-94
Source: Reliefweb
