Timor-Leste is a Least Developed Country (LDC) and a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) whose infrastructure and governmental systems were devastated by a 25-year war of independence. Timor-Leste is highly vulnerable to both extreme climate and slow-onset events, with very limited capacity to prepare for and recover from climate impacts. As these events increase in frequency and intensity, Timor-Leste needs accurate, timely and actionable information and early warnings on local weather, water, climate and ocean conditions and related risks to human and environmental health.

Functional Responsibilities:

Summary of functions:

• Project Management
• Technical and Institutional Support
• Implementation and Outreach
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Knowledge management and innovation
• Personnel management

Project Management:

Oversees the day-to-day implementation of the project, monitor work progress and timelines, and ensure the delivery of outputs and outcomes according to the Funding Proposal and its Annexes as well as the provisions of the Project Cooperation Agreements (PCAs) with Executing Entity (EE) and Technical Partners and the Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) concluded between UNEP and the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

• Ensures proper project planning, sequencing of activities, scheduling of procurement activities and tracking of actions to ensure timeliness of project implementation by preparing monthly workplans and weekly tasks
• Provides guidance over financial management and disbursements for compliance with national policies and obligations under the Project Cooperation Agreements and Funded Activity Agreement, and ensure timeliness of cash advance requests to UNEP
• Leads annual work planning, budgeting, procurement of goods and services, budget and expenditure analysis, and contractual management
• Monitors budget changes and request budget revisions periodically (e.g. on an annual basis) ensuring that UNEP financial management guidelines are followed
• Oversee undertaking the direct procurement as part of UNEP’s Executing Entity function (with the support of UNOPS where necessary), provide guidance and support to the national Executing Entity and technical partners on procurement in line with the provisions of the respective Project Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), while ensuring compliance with the UN rules and regulations related to procurement
• Monitors performance of consultants, contractors, and service providers as required and ensure that outputs are in accordance with terms of references and of high quality
• Monitors use of funds to ensure effective management of project resources
• Ensure compliance with national policies on anti-corruption, Anti-Fraud and Corruption Framework of the UN, GCF Prohibited Practices and Grievance Redress Mechanism, and UN and GCF policies on sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment at all times
• Embed sustainability dimensions including social and gender inclusion, environmental and economic aspects into project life span, in accordance with the Gender Assessment and Action Plan and the Environmental and Social Safeguards Report.
• Liaise with the government of Timor-Leste, technical partners, and local stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the project activities
• Lead the coordination and handover of accepting goods, services or work delivered by suppliers, in accordance with the Equipment Operations and Maintenance Plan when relevant
• Provide quality control for management outputs (project documents, reports, etc.)
• Lead project closure activities, ensuring appropriate disposal of project assets, timely and effective final completion reporting, and effective handover of closed projects to UNEP for financial closure processes
• Performs other duties as requested by the Project Steering Committee, the Supervisor and UNEP HQ

Technical and Institutional Support:

• Monitor the delivery of activities where UNEP acts as Executing Entity and manage for results and outcomes
• Coordinate structured collaboration and communication with the national Executing Entity and Technical Partners for the successful delivery of project activities
• Support the work of the country-level focal points
• Provide secretariat support to the Project Steering Committee (PSC), coordinating and arranging PSC meetings, and provides up to date reporting, workplans, budgets, procurement plans, and issues for consideration and decisions
• Arrange PMU and other meetings as needed
• Provide operational management support, including measures to address challenges to Project implementation, participates in training activities, writes reports and facilitates relevant expert activities
• Support project audit and evaluation activities, including planning, preparation and coordination during the audits, midterm evaluation and terminal evaluation, and follow up on observations/recommendations, assist UNEP with developing management responses to findings of the audits and mid-term and terminal evaluations

Implementation and Outreach:

• Ensure participatory approaches are followed and that stakeholders and community members are informed and involved in the implementation of activities, as relevant
• Ensure communication, and gathering of lessons learned across the Project Steering Committee and focal points
• Coordinate the project work with other activities in the country and region that relate to climate information and multi-hazard early warning services; observations, monitoring, analysis and forecasting of climate and its impacts; dissemination and communication of risk information and early warning and related activities with a view to facilitate synergy and share project experiences and lessons learned
• Enable the formulation of project communications plans. Coordinate internal project communications. Monitor the effectiveness of project communications
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring effective timing and interdependency management of communications. Ensure beneficiaries and stakeholders are aware of project activities, progress, exceptions and are in a position to accept handover outputs

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Support the Project Team in generating technical and financial reports based on the GCF report templates, particularly in obtaining information from country-level project focal points and consolidating reports from the Executing Entity and technical partners
• Ensure maintenance of the project files and lessons learned are recorded and acquire on-the- ground information to inform UNEP progress reports
• Regularly review project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality).
• Ensure all project team members track and regularly update milestones and targets for the duration of projects' life span
• Embed monitoring and evaluation practices into project implementation, in line with the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
• Monitor project progress and propose corrective actions, risk mitigation options, and practice adaptive management in the event of delays and implementation challenges in coordination with the Chief Technical Advisor, Project Steering Committee, and UNEP HQ
• Ensure high quality preparation of all required technical and financial reports and documents (Annual Performance Reports, Half-yearly Progress Reports, Financial Information, Quarterly Expenditure Reports, Budget Revisions, Cash Advance Requests, Co-financing Reports, etc.)

Knowledge management and innovation:

• Ensure the exchange of information and knowledge across the Executing Entity and Technical Partners
• Identify, analyze and communicate lessons learned to UNEP HQ that may be useful in design and implementation of similar projects. The duty of identifying and analyzing lessons learned is an on-going one, and the duty to communicate those lessons is on an as-needed basis
• Share knowledge on the Project and its achievements. Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from Project implementation, for organizational sharing and learning. Promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture
• Contribute to the analytical work of the project and ensure high quality knowledge products. Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration thereof with other pillars.
• Contribute to the oversight of lessons learned procedures, ensuring that lessons learnt are shared in a timely and appropriate manner.

Personnel Management:

• Supervise the staff of the project management unit (including the Fund Management Monitoring and Procurement Officer and the Finance and Admin Assistant)
• Ensure that behavioural expectations of team members are established
• Ensure that performance reviews are conducted fairly, accurately and timely
• Select, recruit and train team as required and take into account gender parity and diversity objectives.
• Ensure safety and security for all project personnel and comply with UNDSS standards

Create, foster and role model a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, harrasement, sexual harrasement and sexual exploitation and abuse. Ensure accountability for actions and perform duties in accordance with protection mechanisms and action plans, as expected by UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.Coordinate quality reviews of project documents and deliverables

Education/Experience/Language requirements:

Education:

• A Master’s Degree in environmental science, climate change, meteorology, or a related field.
• A relevant first university degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required
• Previous experience of working with government entities and other stakeholders in implementing activities at national levels, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, is desirable
• Demonstrated project experience in strengthening climate information services and early warning systems is desirable
• Demonstrated experience working with and reporting on bilateral or multilateral funding, such as the Green Climate Fund, is desirable
• Experience in the United Nations system or other comparable international organization is desirable

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=24931#3