Project Manager - Greater Visakhapatnam Mayors Challenge, SDG Local Action (Open to internal and external applicants)

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

UNDP provides integrated programmatic, policy and financing solutions to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, UNDP has created a Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Crisis Bureau (CB) are the two anchor Bureaux of the GPN.

In this context, the newly established Governance, Rule of Law, and Peacebuilding (GRP) Hub, a joint endeavour with the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), provides leadership and advisory services to enhance UNDP’s impact on governance and peacebuilding, ensuring the integration of democratic governance and human rights into crisis response and recovery. The Hub aims to build an integrated portfolio collaboratively between the CB and BPPS and establish partnerships with various stakeholders including the UN System, IFIs, civil society, and the private sector.

Through Local Action, the GRP Hub seeks to contribute to peace and development, achieving a visible impact on communities and improving lives by delivering integrated solutions that harness global expertise and partnerships. The Local Action Unit works closely with local and regional governments as key development players, highlighting their role as public service implementers, as drivers of innovation and the closest institution to people.

Local and regional governments are already responsible of over 65% of the SDG targets, most of them linked to basic service provision from water, sanitation, mobility, climate action, health or education. Cities and territories are playing a big part on the implementation of SDGs, that are becoming a new tool for strategic planning and budgeting in the mid to long-term. Since 2015, local governments and their associations have been increasingly active in promoting the SDGs through advocacy, working with their local population and partners in transposing the spirit of Agenda 2030 in cities and territories. Local governments have also started to use SDGs as a strategic framework to deliver better and more innovative public services linked to SDG targets and indicators. As part of the SDG Local Action project, UNDP is one of the implementing partners of the Mayors Challenge, a global initiative to reimagine the most essential services that cities deliver to residents.

Within this context, the SDG Local Action project is seeking to recruit a Project Manager to support the implementation of the Mayors Challenge in Visakhapatnam. The Vizag-Prajamukhi Urban Living Lab (V-PULL) is GVMC’s (Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation) co-governance platform, designed to turn resident ideas into climate resilience, supporting cleaner, cooler, and safer neighbourhoods for vulnerable residents. The platform sources ideas, prototypes them, and helps scale effective community solutions. V-PULL’s institutional framework operates on three tiers: the Margadarshak Group chaired by the Commissioner, GVMC sets the strategy, priorities, and unblocks high-level coordination; the Core Working Team (CWT) runs the innovation pipeline and learning agenda; and the Operational Support Team (OST), comprising ward staff and resident groups, handles on-the-ground implementation and maintenance. The Project Manager will support this program by working closely under the guidance of the Municipal Commissioner and the Margadarshak Group to develop V-PULL’s 10-year vision, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, and funding strategy. In line with the strategic vision and M&E goals, the Project Manager will be responsible for engaging with senior leadership and external partners, overseeing the development and delivery of project portfolios with support from the Operations Analyst, ensuring the coordination of sectoral activities with broader city programs, acting as a steady, reliable partner to State Government counterparts, and serving as the main focal point and spokesperson for V-PULL with community, City and State-level stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager will perform the following functions:

A. Lead the implementation of the Mayors Challenge in Visakhapatnam

• Provides strategic lead and decision making related to the implementation of the Mayors Challenge project in the municipality of Visakhapatnam City;
• Liaises and seek consensus with the city’s focal point and team, to obtain the Mayor’s/Commissioner’s buy in and make sure that the project contributes to the creation of local capacities in project management and ensures future sustainability;
• Leads in strategic planning, decision-making, execution and review to deliver the target metrics, output and outcome of the project;
• Approves and supervises the elaboration of Terms of References for procurement processes to achieve the project activities and objectives;
• Supervises the work of the service providers, consultancies and/or private entities that will implement the project, and conduct performance reviews in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures;
• Certifies to the UNDP that the services acquired to carry out the project have been delivered on terms satisfactory to the municipality;
• Coordinates all additional project staff, evaluate performance of member teams, provide guidance and create local capacities for the team;
• Elaborates proposals to improve the project effectiveness, including strategies to improve the project overall impact;
• Identifies project sustainability alternatives to prepare an exit strategy when the external funding is exhausted. Work closely with the municipality to locate internal resources for the project outputs to be assumed by the municipality at the end of activities;
• Prepares and submits proposals for budget revisions to the donor, via UNDP.

B. Coordinate action with the project´s partners

• Supports the V-PULL’s Margadarshak Group in planning V-PULL’s growth strategy, ensuring that all community-level interventions align smoothly with city leadership's overarching vision for impact;
• Oversee, support, and handhold the Core Working Team (CWT) through daily challenges, empowering them to achieve the desired results and milestones envisioned by leadership;
• Actively manage and nurture relationships across a diverse network of project partners, including academia, local NGOs, business entities, and various City and State Government departments, to strengthen V-PULL’s reach and visibility;
• Identifies the necessary procurement and technical support needs, building reliable consortiums to support long-term financial sustainability, and working with the Partnerships Manager to embed V-PULL as a major player in Visakhapatnam’s innovation ecosystem;
• Coordinates with the Commissioner & Director Municipal Administration Office at the State level to explore opportunities for sharing learnings from the V-PULL model to other government entities, and alignment of V-PULL’s operations with City, State and Central Government policy priorities.

C. Sharing lessons learnt at global level

• Participate in public webinars to present the project achievements and challenges to other global cities;
• Elaborates knowledge products about how the project is contributing to SDGs by innovating public service delivery;
• Elaborates policy briefs and easy communicable knowledge materials on the lessons learnt by the project;
• Participates in the global exchange of experiences amongst local governments on how the project is contributing to implement the SDGs at local level.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangements

Under the overall guidance of the GVMC Municipal Commissioner, the Project Manager will directly report the UNDP Advisor on cities and local governments based in New York (USA).

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.

Functional/Technical competencies

Business Management

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Business Direction & Strategy

• Effective Decision Making: Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.

Business Management: 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.

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.

Business Management: Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness

• Innovation: Innovation Ecosystem.

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness

• Effectiveness: Performance analysis on programming.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s Degree or equivalent) in Public Policy, Public Administration, Development Studies, Urban Planning, Environmental Management, Environmental Science or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of master´s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years (with master’s degree) or seven (7) years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience, with at least two (2) working experience in the field of environment, WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) and climate resilience.

Required skills:

• Demonstrated experience working with local or regional governments in India is required.
• Project management experience that includes coordination with different stakeholders is required.

Desired additional skills:

• Proven experience and sound understanding of the Urban Living Lab model, goals and methodological approaches will be an asset;
• Experience and knowledge of climate resilient solutions, strategy, innovation, financial management, impact measurement and stakeholder and community coordination will be an asset;
• Experience working with the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department, as well as Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the State of Andhra Pradesh will be an asset;
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating with international and national think tanks, philanthropic groups, academic institutions, and local community stakeholders will be an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in the English and Hindi is required;
• Knowledge of Telugu will be an advantage.

Professional Certificates:

• Project Management, Data analysis or certificate is an advantage.

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

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