About the position

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.

In close alignment with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the UNDP Cambodia’s country programme provides strategic direction for its People, Planet and Prosperity pillars focusing on multi-dimensional poverty and inequalities; environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation; transition to a green, inclusive and resilient economy; and improved governance. To support Cambodia build forward better and be more resilience to shock such as the covid-19 global pandemic, UNDP has embarked on a number of initiatives focusing on social protection, policy and strategic advisory support, improving digital access, etc. One of the initiatives is DFAT-UNDP Resilience Fund Project that aims to strengthen Cambodia’s resilience in order to support inclusive and sustainable growth as the country navigates evolving development challenges.

UNDP Cambodia is looking to recruit a dynamic and experienced professional who will perform as Project Manager and will provide day-to-day management of the Resilience Fund Project, social protection, and other similar initiatives.

In this highly strategic role, the Project Manager is tasked to support UNDP in delivering high-impact project outputs through project management support, coordination and managing partnerships with donors, development partners and key partners such as the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, General Secretariat of National Social Protection Council, Ministry of Economics and Finance, Ministry of Commerce and other actors in social protection and economic development.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager will work under overall guidance of the Programme Analyst and work closely with the Assistant Resident Representative in charge of the Programme and Results unit. The position may also be required to take on other programmes/ projects/initiatives within the scope of TOR depending on workload at the time.

This incumbent may require travelling to provinces within Cambodia, where applicable, to conduct project activity, technical monitoring, collecting feedback and evaluation. Any travels related to the official performance of duties will be covered by the UNDP project.

Provide management support and technical advice for effective implementation and result based management of the project according to project objectives and stated results as well as UNDP policies and procedures:

• Lead strategic planning, performance monitoring and major project decisions for the projects;
• Ensure that project activities are fully aligned with the overall project objectives in target areas;
• Set direction for the teams including roles and responsibilities, accountability and reporting ensuring that the work of the teams is conducted in accordance with UNDP’s relevant business processes and that high quality outputs are delivered on time;
• Execute day-to-day implementation of the projects ensuring that project implementation is on the right track to achieve the intended results;
• Perform project manager roles according to the internal control framework;
• Lead and coordinate with team members in the development/adjustment of annual project work plans, delivery targets, and impact, and guide the team to achieve the targets;
• Keep abreast on the development trend and regularly update relevant teams as well as UNDP management;
• Develop relevant documents such as progress reports, ToRs, scope of works of partners under agreements with UNDP, and provide overall guidance and together with the team, oversee the works of consultants and service providers to ensure quality deliverables.
• Manage risks of the project by closely monitor and develop appropriate plan to mitigate the risks and/or inform corrective actions;
• Conduct monitoring and facilitate evaluation exercises for the project to ensure meaningful results are set and tracked.
• Undertake performance management of staff including establishment of annual results, on-going feedback and mid-term and final evaluations in line with UNDP Rules and Regulations;
• Prepare Project Board meetings and ensuring that recommendations made by the Project Board are addressed.

Coordinate and represent UNDP in relevant technical discussions such as technical working group, national and international platforms to ensure UNDP’s interventions are well synergized with its ecosystems and national priorities:

• Actively engage in the technical discussions in relevant platforms such as technical working group, national and international forums/conferences, and other applicable mechanisms;
• Organize technical meetings/workshops on a regular basis to generate discussions around subject matters that contribute to the improvement, acceleration as well as visibility of UNDP’s interventions;
• Coordinate and promote effective collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, General Secretariat of National Social Protection Council, Ministry of Economics and Finance, Ministry of Commerce and other key players in social protection and economic development to support the projects;
• Liaison with partner projects, experts, mentors and mentees to organize relevant for the development of guidelines, training materials and others as necessary;
• Facilitate regular communication interaction and meetings with the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, General Secretariat of National Social Protection Council, Ministry of Economics and Finance and other key partners with regards to achieving project outputs;
• Build synergies and partnerships with key partners to ensure greater impact of the project;

Provide technical inputs into policy formulation, knowledge management, and advocacy efforts that are necessary to create an enabling environment for the development of projects’ components:

• Identify and provide policy advices/options to strengthen enabling environment for the projects;
• Lead the process of knowledge creation and dissemination related to national, regional and global know-how in the areas of project focus;
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks through identification of best practices and lessons learned.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and participate in communication activities to inform stakeholders of progress and issues;
• Establish and maintain a friendly internal communication system to ensure smooth communication among and between the project partners and donors;
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the programme knowledge networks and practices and development of knowledge products; and
• Represent the project with donors, governments and national and international forums.

Contribute to resource mobilization including through provision of relevant analysis, development of concept note, and pitching:

• Contribute to seek and identify additional partnership and funding opportunities, and prepare concept notes, funding proposals, donor briefings and presentations in support of resource mobilization to advance UNDP’s and the project goals;
• Mobilize, foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with private sectors, private foundations and other relevant multilateral and bilateral organizations to advance and support the projects’ objectives;
• Establishes strong ties to and with national programmes, and relevant sectoral strategies, priorities and plans;
• Prepare high-quality technical analysis;
• Work closely with consultants and relevant team to develop project document;
• Provide inputs to the design of new projects under different thematic areas to ensure synergy and linkage.

Competencies

Core competencies: 

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management competencies: 

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy

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• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions; Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources

Business Management 

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• 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

Digital & Innovation

• Design thinking Solving problems by putting people at the centre, visualising ideas and making them tangible in order to improve them through and iterative process of developing and testing; Strong empathy skills, being able to put yourself “in someone else’s shoes”, understand needs, abilities, preferences, motivations, (everyday) experiences from different perspectives as well as their cultural, social, economical and political contexts; Ability to identify and challenge assumptions,(cognitive and social) biases and dominant mental models by generating new perspectives and frames that help redefine the problem, solution and opportunity space.
• Being able to work with incomplete information, ambiguity and opposing views, needs and constraints and synthesise them into solutions that are viable, technically feasible and useful.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s Degree in management, economics/ economic development, political science, social science, development studies, or related fields; or
• Bachelor’s Degree in management, economics/ economic development, political science, social science, development studies, or related fields, plus additional years of relevant experiences.  

Experience:

• A minimum of two years (Master’s degree) or four years (Bachelor’s degree) along with experience in managing development projects in the areas of inclusive socio-economic recovery, poverty reduction, gender equality and sustainable development. 
• Strong experience in project management (design, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation).
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate, communicate and deal effectively with partners, including government, academia, civil society, private sector, UN and other development partners to address relevant issues and to achieve outcome and impact of the projects/ programmes.
• Experiences in knowledge management, including in monitoring results and preparing results-based communication materials and knowledge products.
• Networking skills – Builds internal and external partnerships and alliances for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and services for mutual benefit.
• Communicates with Impact – Highly effective written and oral communication skills. Communicates complex topics simply but without losing important nuance and meaning.
• Strategic analysis and creative problem solving – advanced analytical, and problem-solving skills are essential for this role.
• Substantive knowledge of thematic areas of socio-economic development, such as social protection and MSME development, etc., is desirable.
• Experience in engaging with the private sector on programming and/or resource mobilization is desirable.
• Experience on innovation in programming and partnerships around new ways of working and new approaches to development is desirable.
• Solid experience in resource mobilization is desirable.

Required Languages: 

• Very good spoken and written Khmer and English.

How to apply

Note: This position is open for Cambodian nationals only.

You need to apply online.

For more detail Click here