Project Associate (Coordination), New Delhi, India
Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Country: India
City: New Delhi
Office: UNDP Delhi
Closing date: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Job Identification : 7752
Locations : New Delhi, India
Posting Date : 01/04/2023, 09:22 AM
Apply Before : 01/12/2023, 06:29 PM
Job Schedule : Full time
Agency : UNDP
Grade : NB3
Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area : Innovation
Bureau : Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific
Contract Duration : 1 Year with Possibility for extension
Education & Work Experience : Bachelor’s Degree - 4 year(s) experience OR High School certificate- 7 year(s) experience
Required Languages : English and Hindi
Vacancy Timeline
1 Week
Job Description
Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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.
UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all.
With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.
UNDP India’s current Country Programme, 2018-2022, is in its final year of implementation. Our new Country Programme (2023-2027), which comes into effect in 2023, builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:
Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs
Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized
Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability
South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.
You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.
UNDP has begun ideating and incubating several strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP as ‚fit for purpose‘ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiatives is the Accelerator Lab Network. UNDP is building the largest and fastest learning global network of Accelerator Labs embedded within UNDP’s global presence (91 labs serving 115 countries). The Accelerator Lab Unit works as the key innovation unit by bringing in new and innovative ways of programme/project implementation by UNDP programme units based on inputs from accelerator labs and UNDP offices across geographic boundaries, exchange knowledge and best practices and implement joint pilots. Read The Fast and The Curious: Our Story so Far to learn about the early achievements of the network.
Some selected experiments of the lab currently underway are (i) An Artificial Intelligence platform using geospatial data to help regulators monitor air pollution from over 36,000 brick kilns in Northern India (ii) A blockchain platform for Indian spices, for strengthening the agricultural value chain (iii) Mainstreaming Grassroots innovations in diverse areas such as livelihoods, biodiversity, circular economy etc.
Towards ensuring timely coordination and management of various tasks related to the above projects, UNDP is interested to hire the services of a Project Coordinator under National Personnel Service Agreement (NPSA) modality who can effectively liaise with key stakeholders and partners for these experimental pilots, provide timely inputs, perform monitoring and evaluation of progress related to the pilots and assist the Accelerator Lab in making these innovations reach scale. The consultant will be reporting to the Accelerator Lab team. This assignment might require travel to liaise with stakeholders and partner organizations.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Project Associate (Coordination) will report directly to the Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab with matrix reporting to Heads of Solutions Mapping and Experimentation, UNDP India Country office.
The candidate will be expected to provide coordination support to the team, thereby performing a variety of standard project coordination processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. She/he will be expected to promote a client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the teams for promoting innovation activities and information exchange.
The candidate will be responsible for executing work related to project coordination and providing stakeholder coordination support as more clearly outlined in Duties and Responsibilities.
Under the supervision of the Heads of Accelerator Lab, the Project Associate (Coordination) will be expected to undertake the following responsibilities
Assist in liaising with key stakeholders, coordinating with partner organizations and assisting in tracking progress related to Accelerator Lab experiments such as blockchain for spices pilot, Geo-AI platform for monitoring hotspots of air pollution in brick kilns and various other ongoing technological pilots of accelerator lab.
Support in coordination of various activities related to the scale up of Accelerator lab experiments including outreach and communications activities.
Assist the accelerator lab in preparing project pitches, presentations, outreach materials related to the project and also in convening project meetings, preparing background materials and creating knowledge products related to the projects.
Assist in maintaining project monitoring and evaluation frameworks and a wide range of project related documentation related to ongoing projects and experiments (Pilot project as well as Scale up phases). This should be done in close coordination with partner organizations, vendors, UNDP programme teams in close consultation with accelerator lab team to ensure timely implementation of various projects.
Support the accelerator lab in organizing project meetings, review meetings, making project pitches and presentations to report the progress related to the various projects.
Undertake field travel to check and coordinate with local partners (As and when requested by the team)
Competencies
Core competencies:
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: Business Management
Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results; Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things
Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication including presentation and data visualization 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
Project Management
Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals; Reports to internal and external partners in a timely and appropriate fashion; Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships; Ability to liaise and work with people of different background; Ability to work well under pressure
Business Direction & Strategy
System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Secondary Education, or
A University Degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences and Social Sciences
Experience:
Secondary with 7 years OR Bachelor’s degree with 4 years of relevant experience is required at the national or international level in managing field projects, capacity building/training programs, convening project meetings and ensuring multi-stakeholder consultations at National level in innovations
Prior work experience on managing innovation related projects
Extensive experience in developing knowledge products, blogs and programme documentation.
Demonstrated experience in preparing project progress reports, donor reports and monitoring and evaluation reports
Desirable to have work experience in public sector/government at National level.
Work experience in international organizations including the UN is desirable.
Hands on experience on either technological or economic and social development issues as well as capacity building trainings experience will be preferred.
Additional years of relevant experience in managing field projects, capacity building/training programs, convening project meetings and ensuring multi-stakeholder consultations at National level in innovations
Language requirement:
Excellent verbal and written English skills. Strong writing and reading skills in Hindi will be an added advantage of relevant experience in managing field projects, capacity building/training programs, convening project meetings and ensuring multi-stakeholder consultations at National level in innovations
Note: This position is open for India nationals only
Remuneration starting at INR 12,38,819/-(Annual) / INR 1,03,234/- (Monthly) as per the scale depending on qualifications and experience. The remuneration is excluding 8.33% pension amount paid over and above the salary.
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.
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Link to the organization’s job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1672839539782
