Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
Timor-Leste is highly vulnerable to climate changes, particularly increasing variability of rainfall and extreme weather events. Lives and livelihoods in the remote interior of the country and coastal regions are both highly exposed. Impacts of intensified extreme events include damage and degradation of decentralized small-scale critical infrastructure, particularly water supply and drainage structures, embankments, and feeder roads and bridges. Damages leave rural populations isolated, lacking basic services.
Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) with the support of UNDP received funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to implement the “Safeguarding rural communities and their physical assets from climate induced disasters in Timor-Leste” project from 2020 to 2026. The project commenced in March 2020 and is in its third year of implementation. The ongoing activities include the comprehensive multi-hazard risk assessment for the whole country and covers hazards such as flood, landslides, erosion and droughts, setting up on the spatial data-based system and related trainings on physical asset mapping are also in progress. The project is represented by the Secretariat of State of Environment (SEA), under the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, as the Implementing Partner and the main responsible parties/ministries are the Ministry of State Administration, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Public Works and the Secretary of State for Civil Protection (SSCP).
The project objective is to safeguard vulnerable communities and their physical assets from climate change-induced disasters. It aims to address existing institutional, financial, and legislative barriers, increasing the climate resilience of vulnerable small-scale rural infrastructure. Six municipalities, mainly Baucau, Ermera, Aileu, Viqueque Lautem, and Liquica, were selected for the project interventions. The project has the two interrelated outputs below that aim to achieve the impact potential and create an enabling environment/condition for scaling up/replicating the impact beyond the immediate target areas.
- Output 1: Climate risk information is developed, monitored, and integrated into policies, regulations, and institutions to inform climate-resilient small-scale rural infrastructure planning and management
- Output 2: Climate risk reduction and climate-proofing measures for small-scale rural infrastructure are implemented to build the resilience of vulnerable communities in six priority municipalities.
UNDP helps Timor-Leste honor its Paris Agreement commitments by supporting expanding the "green economy" to tap into new opportunities for jobs and businesses. It partners with other United Nations agencies to provide technical expertise to translate strategies into action, establish a monitoring framework for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and develop plans for transition to sustainable land management, climate-proof agriculture, biodiversity, reforestation, disaster risk reduction, and waste management. By catalyzing SDG and Paris-aligned investments (public and private), UNDP delivers client-focused solutions that respond to immediate, mid and long-term recovery and socio-economic development priorities, and by leveraging on-the-ground presence and networks, we unlock bottom-up solutions towards lasting impacts at the country level, benefitting most disadvantaged and leaving no one behind.
Duties and Responsibilities
The National Project Manager will work under the guidance of the UNDP Timor-Leste Country Office (CO), and in close collaboration with the project team together with the relevant national and municipal government counterparts. S/he will be under the direct supervision of the Head of Climate Change and Environment Unit and overall guidance of the Resident Representative/Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP.
Under the direct supervision of Team Leader for Climate Change and Environment Unit and overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), the National Project Manager is responsible for the implementation and management of the Safeguarding Rural Communities and Their Physical Assets from Climate Induced Disasters in Timor-Leste project. S/he provides the direction of project activities, ensures the achievement of project targets and results, plans project activities and inputs, and manages the day-to-day implementation of the project and supervises project experts and personnel.
S/he works in close collaboration with the Government of Timor-Leste and keeps them abreast of project progress and issues. S/he also liaises closely with UNDP County Office (CO) Programme and Operations Teams and maintains effective working relationships with project donors and other partners.
Summary of Key Functions and Responsibilities:
- Ensure direction of project activities and achievement of project targets and results
- Ensure day-to-day management of the project, and timely achievement of quartlerly and annual targets; ensure smooth flow of business processes, including building synergies across various components of the project
- Ensure provision of technical advice and build partnerships
- Ensure communications with the Government of Timor-Leste about progress, future plans and issues of the project
- Facilitate knowledge building and management and training
a) Ensures the direction of project activities and the achievement of project targets and results, by focusing on the following results:
- Develop project actian plans for implementation of the final actions for the period of the competion date extension and project closure in accordance with the Project Document and the project complete milestones in close coordination with the Government of Timor-Leste and other members of the Project Management Unit;
- Develop and monitor project budget while ensuring the timely implementation of AWP activities and the achievement of the project result;
- Organize Project Board meetings to present progress, issues and risks of the project and to seek an approval and strategic guidance ; ensure timely preparation of agenda, background materials and minutes of the Board Meetings;
- Oversee and coordinate formulation and execution of detailed implementation plans, procurement and human resources, communication and risk management plans for the Project;
- Identify bottlenecks in project implementation and keep the Government and UNDP abreast of the issues and develop solutions;
- Establish adequate monitoring procedures and systems throughout project activities in close collaboration with the CO Team;
- Immediately escalate issues with potential to impact UNDP´s effectiveness, financial soundness or reputation to the UNDP CO Programme Team and Senior Management.
- Report on updates and challenges and maintain project implementation timelines.
b) Coordinates and ensures day-to-day management of the project by focusing on the following results:
- Review of Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and establishing Annual Targets in accordance with the Project Document and other relevant AWP annexes, including the procurement plan and project risk log.
- Regular update and present the project budget and expenditures vis-à-vis the AWP, with support from the project team.
- Ensure the appropriate use of project funds as well as the consistent application of UNDP rules and regulations while carrying out the project management activities described above and in accordance with the approved project document and Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) signed with GCF.
- Ensure high quality and timely implementation of activities and reporting by the responsible parties
- Draft and review terms of references and work specifications for all contractors' work; monitor the work of consultants for local contractual management in coordination with the project team.
- Supervise and manage project personnel; establish performance objectives and standards, and ensure timely and appropriate feedback, guidance and support for optimum performance;
- Collect information on technical, financial, political, operational and management situations on the ground that affect the project implementation, and support the relevant component leaders in carrying out risk assessments;
- Organize Project Board and Project Technical Steering Committee meetings, especially through the timely preparation of agenda, background materials, and minutes for the Board Meeting; Monitor project risks and implement risk mitigation measures; update the risk and mitigation measures at the Project Board meetings;
- Ensure that gender issues related to the project are addressed in the planning process by designing appropriate activities, and results contributing to gender equality and women's empowerment are captured in the reports; all human related results are to be reported using sex-disaggregated data;
- Ensure all required documents are available for UNDP audit and other evaluations; Provide inputs to audit management responses; implement audit recommendations for the project;
- Coordinate and prepare ad hoc thematic and substantive reports/analysis/briefs;
- Implement project communications activities in close collaboration with the UNDP Communications Specialist;
- Ensure that projects' results targets and results are entered and updated in the results-management systems including Quantum project management module, and relevant documents are uploaded for the transparency dashboard.
- Ensure that procurement of goods and services is on time and according to the agreed work plan and procurement plan, with support from the Procurement officer;
- Identify bottlenecks in project implementation and proposing solutions to ensure timely implementation and achievement of results.
- Conduct field visit monitoring to project sites at least once quarterly to gather project results/impact
- Ensure the following elements of project management:
- Contractual management
- Quarterly and annual progress reports
- Final project report
- Track the project budget expenditure against approved allocation;
- Track project delivery through Quantum and other tools;
- Ensure that the expenditures are in line with the approved Annual Work Plan and Project Document;
- Carry out an analysis, as needed, on the expenditure projection based on the deviation of the actual expenditures from the AWP and keep the members of the PMU, Government, and UNDP informed of the risk of under-delivery;
- Provision of financial data for donor reporting and progress reporting
- Regularly coordinate with the MSA/DGDGL and municipalities to provide updates and ensure timely submission of payment requests by all municipalities.
- Monitor and follow-up of advances/direct payments to Responsible Partner(s) and review their financial reports and supporting documents and certifying forms (e.g., FACE/ICE forms for NEX liquidation/Direct payments to IP or RP).
- Ensure the internal expenditure control system is maintained to ensure transactions are correctly planned, recorded, and posted.
c) Ensures and coordinates provision of high-quality technical advice and building of partnerships:
- Ensure that technical outputs are produced according to plans and up to the highest technical standards; review and clear technical outputs for quality with input from technical experts;
- Establish, maintain and facilitate strategic dialogue between UNDP, project staff and Government officials at central and local levels, in project´s areas of work;
- Advocate for UNDP with the partners and stakeholders;
- Maintain communications with the Government and local communities about progress, future plans and issues of the Project;
- Organize formal or informal briefing sessions with the Government, as needed, to inform them of any minor changes in the implementation plan, needs for adaptive management, and emerging risks;
- Act as the window for any environmental or social grievances from local communities;
- At the request of the Government and other national partners, prepare communication materials to inform the progress of the Project through various platforms and media.
d) Facilitates knowledge building and management and training by focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Liaise with relevant component leader to ensure trainings are delivered to counterparts in accordance with Project Document;
- Ensure that the Project systematically builds capacities of the Government through introduction of innovation and best practices, access to knowledge and expertise and promote their application to project implementation; Ensure capturing and disseminations of lessons learnt during project implementation and coordinate with the Timor-Leste team for wider dissemination;
- Facilitate the Project's representation and/or participation in international knowledge networks to draw on and share best practices and lessons learned.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
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
- Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding/agreement manner in line with the one’s authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
Business Management
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
- 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
Digital
- 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.
- Team design & management: Ability to create a clear sense of shared purpose while leveraging curiosity, expertise and agency at an individual level. Set up and manage team rituals and rhythms that create a safe space for learning and reflection. Foster a positive culture around failure, encourage exploration, experimentation. Set the conditions and structures for 'fluid' team modelling and distributed leadership enabling the team to continuously develop and renew itself. Ability to create synergy between team members with diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, being able to leverage their broad knowledge and skillsets.
Partnership Management
- Relationship management; Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Business or Public Sector Administration, Financial Management, International Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, or other relevant discipline is required, or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of 7 years (with Master´s degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressive experience in project development and management, with a focus on planning, monitoring, reporting, financial management, procurement, and stakeholder and team coordination in an international development organization;
Required skills:
- Advanced computer skills, with high proficiency in using standard office Software Applications (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is required
- Experience in project management, project budgeting and planning oversight is required
- Experience in project operations and financial services is required.
Desired Skills:
- Experience in working at the country level with a UN or International Organization is an asset
- Demonstrated experience in the management of a similar climate change project of similar size is an asset;
- Knowledge and accounting experience with international organizations is an advantage;
- Knowledge and working experience in similar positions for UN agencies or UNDP projects with good references would be an asset.
- Good knowledge of computer-based accounting software will be an asset;
- Excellent knowledge of project management principles and best practices is desired.
- Extensive managerial experience, including experience in leading multicultural teams is an asset;
- Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills, good interpersonal and team-building skills, interpersonal communications, and Coordination skills and experience.
Required Language(s)
- Fluency in English and Tetum is required.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
