Project Officer

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

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 Green and Inclusive Development Programme is one of the main areas of focus in UNDP Lebanon; currently implements numerous projects in Lebanon that range in thematic areas from climate change, biodiversity conservation, institutional support, industrial depollution, decentralized renewable energy projects and solid waste management. The programme also works on the support of host-communities in response to the Syrian refugee crisis and is the Social and Environmental Safeguards focal point for the office; therefore, the Programme also ensures the integration of environmental best-practices into the overall implementation strategy of UNDP.

UNDP has been supporting the Lebanese government in climate change policy since 1997 through the design and implementation of various projects. Lebanon has ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994, the Kyoto Protocol (KP) in 2006 and the Paris Agreement (PA) in 2019. The Ministry of Environment (MoE), as the National Focal Point (NFP) and the GCF Nationally Designated Authority (NDA), is the key governmental body responsible for coordinating the implementation of mitigation and adaptation action.

The Increased climate resilience planning for municipal water resources in Lebanon Project, is a project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) under the NAP readiness programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in close coordination with the Ministry of Environment. The project aims at developing a medium and long-term approach to reducing the country’s vulnerability to climate impacts, through 1) the development of a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and 2) the development of climate vulnerability assessments and local adaptation plans for Nahr El Kaleb Watershed and Tyre City for improved water management in urban areas.

The Project Officer will support the project technical coordination and implementation.

Duties And Responsibilities

The Project Officer will be responsible for supporting the increased climate resilience planning for municipal water resources in Lebanon Project. The specific functions/responsibilities include:

• Coordinate and follow-up all project activities according to the project result framework including tasks and requirements of the consultants and companies
• Coordinate with national and subnational institutions and experts in order to implement project activities, including the improvement of access to data and institutional arrangements for NAP development and climate risk assessments.
• Identify key stakeholders and beneficiaries in the pilot areas (Tyre and Nahr el Kaleb), paying attention to the inclusion of women’s, youth and most vulnerable groups.
• Establish and maintain contact with relevant interlocutors at the area level (Tyre and Narh el Kaleb), including representatives of local authorities, as well as civil society actors, and community representatives
• Ensure community engagement and stakeholders participation in the project implementation, communicate findings, challenges or opportunities from the field
• Organize and facilitate consultation and training sessions with national and local governments, take notes on discussions/participation and communicate key information, findings, decisions, and questions to the Project Manager/Advisor
• Provide coordination between the Project team and local counterparts ensuring that concerns are effectively communicated between parties, flagging emerging issues and ensuring that effective and productive collaboration is maintained.
• Inform the Project Board, the UNDP Country Office and the Project Manager/Advisor of any delays or difficulties as they arise during implementation so that appropriate support and corrective measures can be adopted.
• Participate in UN and non-UN coordination platforms and activities concerning interventions in Tyre and Nahr el Kaleb areas (sectors’ groups, others);
• Support in data collection and analysis and field visits and consolidate project’s results for dissemination to stakeholders and policy makers
• Manage and centralize all project information and reports provided by consultants and other data sources
• Collect and consolidate challenges in project implementation and lessons learned
• Ensure transparency, responsibility, and accountability in M&E and reporting of project results in close coordination with the project manager/advisor
• Assist in the preparation of proposals and other resource mobilization activities
• Identify and pursue parallel activities related to project, when required
• Assist in the follow up on GCF board activities when required and as instructed by the Project Manager/Advisor

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Officer will be working under the overall guidance of the Project Manager/Advisor.

The Project Officer will be located at either UNDP Country Office or at the Ministry of Environment and should be willing to commute regularly to various meetings in ministries, country office and on-site

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross – Functional & Technical Competencies

Thematic Area Name Definition

2030 Agenda: Planet Nature, Climate and Energy

Climate Change Adaptation: Embedding adaptation into development policy/planning/decision making; concepts and advancing resilient development; urban resilience; water management

Administration & Operations

Documents and records management

• Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving

Finance Financial planning and budgeting

• Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP’s long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysing and reporting

Procurement Contract management

• Knowledge of contract management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations

Business Management Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Business Management Monitoring

• Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

Business Direction & Strategy Communication

• Ability to 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.

Required Skills And Experience

Min. Academic Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in science, development, project management, policy or management or other related fields; or;
• A first level University degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the related fields with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

Min. years of relevant Work experience Up to 2 years (with Master´s degree) or minimum 2 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressive relevant experience in project coordination and community management preferably in development.

Required Skills

• Demonstrate experience to provide technical assistance;
• Experience in problem solving and critical thinking;
• Excellent communication and organizational skills/experience
• Team player and facilitating teamwork;

Desired Additional Skills And Competencies

• Previous experience within the UN system or other development agencies is an advantage;
• Proven experience in project coordination and community management in the field of area-based development approaches and/or climate change
• Proven experience in partnership building and/or coordination with public administration, municipalities development partners, United Nations system NGOs, academia, and the private sector in Lebanon is desirable .
• Strong understanding/experience of Lebanon’s environment and climate change issues.

Required Language(s) (at Working Level)

Fluency in both spoken and written English and Arabic is required.

French is a plus.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant Information About UNDP Rosters

Note: 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.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.