Project Analyst (Planning and Capacity Development)

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

Bangladesh, with a GDP exceeding USD 430 billion, is the second-largest economy in South Asia and experienced strong economic growth of around 6% annually between 2000 and 2019, alongside significant social progress. During this period, the country improved key development indicators, including an increase in the Human Development Index from 0.49 to 0.68 and a reduction in the national poverty rate from over 48% in 2000 to below 19% in 2022, positioning it for graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026. Despite these achievements, Bangladesh faces serious development challenges, including slow economic growth projected at 3.7% in 2025, double-digit inflation, limited private investment, weak institutional capacities, low social spending, and high vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters, which threaten progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNDP is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging applications from minority groups, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, and upholding zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, and exploitation. As a global leader in addressing poverty, inequality, and climate change, UNDP works with partners in over 170 countries to deliver integrated, long-term solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

The Initiation Plan (IP) of Resilient and Inclusive Economic Growth (RINEG) programme at UNDP Bangladesh supports the development of innovative initiatives to advance resilient, green, and inclusive economic development, with a strong focus on digital transformation of land administration systems. The RINEG Initiation Plan (2026–2027) provides a foundational framework to consolidate UNDP’s climate and inclusive growth programming by integrating governance, gender and inclusion, sustainable finance, and digital innovation into a cohesive, resilience-focused portfolio.

Under Output 5, the programme aims to digitize land management records in automated land management system, embarking a new era in online land governance of Bangladesh. Key components of this initiative include data collection, entry, verification, correction and validation to modernize services such as- land development tax, records of rights (RoR/Khatian) and mutation. A critical aspect is ensuring the accuracy of data. UNDP has been actively collaborating with the Ministry of Land on this digitalization effort. A critical value addition by UNDP on this initiative has been to enable online access for landowners in digital land records by creating their land profiles. Successful completion of 1st piloting phase in 8 districts across 8 divisions led to 2nd piloting phase across 6 districts (Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj and Cox’s Bazar) and 2 city corporations (Chattogram and Khulna) with much diversified data outlook. This initiative will benefit over 11.73 million citizens by ensuring secure, transparent, and equitable access to land information, empowering communities and reducing land-related disputes. The unified digital platform will enable landowners to securely store and access land records, pay land development taxes online, initiate and track mutation processes digitally, and manage their access credentials, thereby streamlining services, reducing costs, and strengthening inclusive and sustainable economic development

The Project Analyst (Planning and Capacity Development) will provide support to Project Manager (PM) in close collaboration with the RIG Cluster, Programme Teams, Operations Teams of UNDP. H/She will be responsible to ensure timely delivery of results with the highest standards in accordance with UNDP guidelines and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Analyst (Planning and Capacity Development) will provide high-level analytical, planning, and coordination support to the Project Manager. This includes:

Ensure Strategic Planning, Context Analysis, Policy Review, and Project Design:

• Conduct thorough needs assessments and sensemaking activities to guide project design and refine strategies. This will specifically focus on capacity development needs, planning, implementation, and reporting.
• This includes collecting qualitative data (like interviews and focus groups) and analyzing existing quantitative data related to land administration, land disputes, and digitalization challenges specific to Holding, Khatian, NID, and mobile number data, as well as Land Profile creation. It also involves assessing the need for training and capacity support for trainers and field-level staff to perform tasks effectively under LMAP.
• Lead detailed stakeholder analysis and mapping exercises to identify all key actors, their interests, influence, connections, and their need for capacity development within the project. This will help create tailored engagement plans.
• Use "signal mapping" to detect new trends or changes in the operating environment, especially from a capacity development perspective.
• Provide significant support to the Project Manager in program and activity planning, and preparing the Annual Work Plan (AWP), with a special focus on capacity building for project staff, outsourced personnel, and government partners.
• Support the Project Manager in analyzing the project context, ensuring project designs are flexible and resilient to changes in the social, political, economic, and technical environment. This includes helping to develop the project’s results framework, theory of change, and detailed budget proposals that align with LMAP's goals and national priorities, ensuring good value for money.
• Provide significant support for developing concept notes and drafting project proposals/designs for future projects (pipeline development) through consultations with partners and ensuring alignment with UNDP’s and the Government of Bangladesh's (GoB) priorities.

Facilitate Capacity Assessment, Development, and Implementation:

• Conduct thorough capacity and training assessments of key partners and personnel, including Training of Trainers (TOT) pool, land officials, data enumerators, local government representatives, community leaders, and civil society organizations. This will identify technical, institutional, and behavioral capacity gaps related to land data digitalization and citizen Profile creation.
• Develop a training calendar, training modules, schedules, and reference documents on land management system, land digitalization, and community mobilization. These will be tailored to different trainee groups and their roles (e.g., TOT Pool, Data Enumerator, and Government Staffs).
• Develop an annual training Gantt Chart based on Training Need Assessment (TNA), and prepare training plans, budgets, and concept notes.
• Create a strategic, results-focused capacity building plan for these assessed partners, detailing specific training modules, methods (like blended learning, on-the-job coaching, peer-to-peer learning), and required resources to ensure long-term effectiveness.
• Support the integration of developed plans and policies, and the capacity building of partners, to include these in the sector's Annual Development Programme (ADP) plan and processes, with set targets and required methods under IP-RSID.
• Develop an overall capacity building strategy and plan for field level officers
• Lead the development and review of training materials and propose recommendations to improve their overall effectiveness and efficiency, aligning with project goals.
• Ensure all training programs are well-documented, including training materials (manuals, presentations), participant lists, nomination letters, photos, and other relevant items.

Ensure Stakeholder Engagement, Coordination, and Communication:

• Facilitate high-level stakeholder discussions and consultations, including organizing technical working groups, policy dialogues, and multi-stakeholder forums. Participants will include senior government officials (Ministry of Land, Ministry of Law, Election Commission, ICT Division, Ministry of Disaster Management), UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral development partners, I/NGOs, private sector entities (like software vendors, telecom operators), academia, and civil society organizations.
• Conduct a 360-degree analysis of stakeholder perspectives and feedback across all project activities, using structured feedback mechanisms. Recommend necessary changes or adjustments in project design and implementation based on continuous learning.
• Stimulate and mobilize key partners for effective and sustained participation in project activities at national policy-making, district-level implementation, and upazila/union field operations. This includes developing tailored engagement plans, communication rules, and fostering platforms for working together.
• Ensure strong and continuous coordination with different units for integrated planning and resource allocation, and the Senior Advisor on Government Liaison for smooth government partnership and policy advocacy.
• Facilitate broader coordination and networking efforts with relevant local, national, and international forums, platforms, and communities of practice. This ensures knowledge exchange, fosters synergy, and identifies opportunities for funding and replicating successful initiatives.

Financial Management and Cost Analysis Support:

• Provide strong analytical support in cost analysis related to land data digitalization and automation components of LMAP, and IP interventions. This includes cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness studies, and value-for-money assessments, working closely with partners to find ways for efficiency and improvement.
• Work closely with the Finance and Admin Officer to develop, monitor, and update a full economic management plan for the project. This involves supporting financial forecasting, detailed tracking of spending against project activities, identifying potential budget differences, and ensuring all financial activities follow UNDP rules, especially for field-level financial operations.

5.Ensure Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management:

• Ensure preparation of thorough and high-quality reports on Project results on a quarterly and annual basis. Ensure data accuracy, detailed descriptions, and adherence to UNDP and donor reporting standards. This includes capturing progress on Holding, Khatian, NID, and mobile number data digitalization, and Land Profile creation.
• Ensure preparation of specialized thematic reports and analytical summaries, focusing on specific areas like the socio-economic impact of digital land profiles, challenges in NID integration, or best practices in community mobilization for data validation.
• Support the drafting of Concept Notes, Project Documents, and Programme proposals for new initiatives, ensuring they are strategically relevant, align with national plans and policies, and have the potential for attracting funding.
• Support knowledge creation, management, and communication using online and offline systems under the project and R&IG portfolio.
• Ensure project reports highlight new approaches, lessons learned, and good practices for broader use. Actively contribute to relevant knowledge of networks and communities of practice on development and project-related issues.

6.Ensure Project Implementation and Operational Support:

• Provide overall coordination and comprehensive project implementation support to the Project Manager. This includes troubleshooting operational issues, identifying potential bottlenecks, and ensuring activities are carried out efficiently, effectively, and according to project plans and timelines.

• Ensure planning, organization, and execution of high-level workshops, events, meetings, and seminars. This ranges from developing ideas and agendas to handling logistics, getting partners to attend, and reporting after the event. The aim is to ensure impactful outcomes and active involvement from all project partners and those involved in policy and planning (Government, UN, Development Partners, I/NGOs, Private Sector, Academia, etc.).
• Support the integration of gender equality perspectives and make sure gender is considered in all project activities and reports. This ensures that digital land services benefit both men and women fairly.

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 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 Direction & Strategy

• Strategic Thinking: Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions;learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interconnected elements work within a process or system, and how changing one part can affect others.

Business Development

• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Business Management

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Results-based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools
• Communication: 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

• Innovation Capacity Building: Ability to define and create the conditions for trying out new ways of working or introducing new problem solving approaches to an organisation. Ability to develop, manage and evaluate a learning curriculum that raises awareness, builds confidence, strengthens innovation capabilities around a certain method, tool or technique; or helps develop an innovation mindset. Ability to create the authorizing environment (mandate, incentives) to embed and spread new ways of working. In-depth knowledge of one or more innovation methods, broad knowledge of innovation processes and innovation management. Ability to align a learning and development strategy with broader innovation strategy.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Social Sciences, Natural Science, Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration, Political Sciences, Information Technology, or a related field is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years (with master's degree) or 4 years (with bachelor's degree) of progressive working experience at the national or international level in project planning, stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, strategic communications, or program management within the development sector.

Required Skills:

• At least 1 year of experience in conducting needs assessments, stakeholder analysis, and developing strategic plans for complex development projects, preferably in governance, digitalization, or land administration.
• At least 1 year of experience working with Government Ministries in partnership with UN or relevant agencies.
• Proven experiences to create a strategic, results-focused capacity building plan for these assessed partners, target groups, detailing specific training modules, methods (like blended learning, on-the-job, peer-to-peer learning), and required resources to ensure long-term effectiveness.
• Proficiency in project management tools, data analysis software (e.g., Excel, statistical packages), and advanced knowledge of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Skills and experiences in preparation of specialized thematic reports and analytical summaries, focusing on specific areas like the socio-economic impact of digital land profiles, challenges and opportunities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in both English and Bengali, with demonstrated ability to draft high-quality reports, concept notes, training modules, policy briefs, and communication materials
• Experience in facilitating high-level discussions, consultations, and coordinating with diverse multi-stakeholder groups (government, UN agencies, development partners, private sector, civil society).
• Experience in analyzing and developing policies and plans to support government, and significant experience in drafting concept notes and project proposals/designs.
• Extensive experience in contributing to project design, budgeting, cost analysis, and preparing high-quality project reports (quarterly, annual, thematic reports, concept notes).
• Experience in developing capacity building plans and facilitating training for project staff and external stakeholders

Desired Skills:

• Proven track record of knowledge of land administration, digital transformation, and land governance issues in Bangladesh.
• Experience in applying behavioral insights for public service delivery.
• Experience in resource mobilization strategies and proposal development.
• Familiarity with UNDP’s policies and procedures related to program management and results-based management (RBM).
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to turn complex situations and stakeholder dynamics into actionable plans and solutions, including through signal mapping.
• Strong facilitation, negotiation, and presentation skills for conducting high-level consultations and workshops with diverse audiences.
• Proven ability in multi-stakeholder management, networking, and
• Experiences on building strong collaborative relationships across government, development partners, and the private sector.
• Experience working with or within the UN system will be an added advantage.
• Experience in public service providing related services or e-governance initiatives will be a good advantage

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Bangla is required.

Professional Certificates:

• Certifications or experience in stakeholder engagement, change management, or training, monitoring & evaluation are an asset.

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.

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.