Project Manager

Organizational Context/ Background:

UN Environment is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UN Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Head, Economics of Nature Unit, UNEP, the Project Manager will provide substantive, technical and administrative support to the The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food (TEEBAgriFood) project. The Project Manager will be responsible for innovate development project/programme in a major sector of activity; design project portfolios and promote organization’s capacity as a reliable partner with national counterparts, and ensure coordination of sectoral activities with broader UN country programme.

Summary of key functions:

• Analysis, Advice and Support
• Coordination and Provision of technical and oversight support to the management
• Provide substantive technical advisory support on implementation of the TEEBAgriFood Framework

Duties and Responsibilities:

Analysis, Advice and Support

• Identify, analyze potential domestic public and private sector opportunities to advance a sustainable food system transformation in selected states and nationally in India
• Provide strategic and substantive support and advice to implementing and executing entities in order to promote food systems transformation in India
• Initiate and organize periodic Project Steering Committee meetings for the TEEBAgriFood project and follow up implementation of decisions passed by the committee;
• Identify challenges, opportunities, priorities and needs for the policy mainstreaming of food systems transformation in India
• Identify linkages between TEEBAgriFood applications in India and other countries and provide advice to other project implementing countries on the experience of India and lessons learned Maintain healthy, informed relationships with donors and partners on the status of project implementation.

Coordination and Provision of technical and oversight support to the implementation of TEEBAgriFood in India

• Facilitate the collaboration between partners and stakeholders in India including: the TEEBAgriFood political focal point in India; TEEBAgriFood research institutes; the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, other members of the TEEB India Project Steering Committees; and other stakeholders as necessary.
• Coordinate the development of short, medium and long term strategic plans of the project, including timely annual and quarterly work plans, whilst taking into account emerging issues;
• Lead the organization of a project workshops and steering committee meetings for the project in India, in collaboration with project partners India. Be responsible for successful organization of the workshops and steering committee meetings.
• Coordinate the review and appraisal of proposals and workplans submitted by the implementing partners and ensure provision of quality feedback and effective comments;
• Coordinate strategic consultations and discussions with project stakeholders and actively expand the number and range of stakeholders engaged with the project;
• Review and provide quality feedback and effective comments on deliverables submitted by implementing parnters, specifically on reporting against results and including lessons learned;
• Coordinate activities regarding the drafting of contracts, memoranda of understanding and/or other necessary agreements required for the disbursement of funds for approved actions in tranches as well as require progress report prior to each tranche disbursement;
• Lead missions to project states to engage with project parnters, stakeholders and implementing entities;
• Design and implement a communications strategy for the project;
• Lead the preparation of quarterly, annual and financial reports and submission to contributors and other relevant stakeholders, with a special view to capturing lessons learned and best practices for improving the performance of the facility portfolio;
• Coordinate drafting of TORs for consultancies / services;
• Supervise consultancy works and review and assess products/services provided by consultants and experts counterparts and notify/advise the head of the secretariat on quality, and recommend appropriate actions to undertake for improvement of results.

Provide substantive technical advisory support on implementation of the TEEBAgriFood Framework:

• Provide support and technical assistance to research partners and national and state level authorities on the application and implementation of the TEEBAgriFood Framework for food system transformation;
• Develop via a participatory and consultative process a roadmap for policy implementation vis-à-vis the scenarios being evaluated by the research institutes through the application of the TEEBAgriFood Evaluation Framework
• Support activities and strengthen capacity for action and delivery of results at the state and national levels; including through inter-regional, inter-sectoral and public-private-community cooperation
• Provide technical support and guidance to implementing partners in project countries apart from India in the design, modelling and interpretation of scenarios for food system transformation

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent), preferably with a specialization in environmental management, environment and development, sustainable development, agricultural economics, environmental economics or related fields is required.

Experience:

• A minimum six (6) years (with PhD degree), or, minimum ten (10) years (with Masters’ degree) of extensive working experience in development, project/program coordination, policy development, analysis is required;
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in government, non-governmental organization, or policy-mainstreaming/research-focused organization with a focus on environment and/or development.
• Experience working on agri-food issues in the context of India is desirable. Experience with GIS and spatial tools for modelling ecosystem services is desirable.
• Language Requirements: Excellent knowledge of English, both spoken and written and national language of the duty station

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/job/19837