Project Analyst

Background

The objective of the “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia. Phase III” project is to reduce risk of the negative impact of the uranium waste on people, livelihoods, and environment through raising awareness and supporting people-centered, gender sensitive, risk-informed solutions in legacy sites at the level of local communities in Uzbekistan.

Project is designed to address the governance of Uranium Legacy Sites (ULS) with active engagement of the local population living in the targeted sites, in activities which will the reduce risk to their health, livelihoods, and environment. There are two legacy sites namely Yangiabad (Tashkent region) and Charkesar (Namangan region), which were assigned medium priority under the Strategic Master Plan (SMP) of Uzbekistan.

One of the main project goals is to facilitate the social and economic rehabilitation of target communities by promoting local participatory planning and budgeting, implementing gender-sensitive socio-economic community level solutions, supporting development of businesses in communities at target sites, and advancing regional cooperation.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Analyst will work under direct supervision of Head of Environment and Climate Action, and closely works with the Regional Project Manager, the project’s Chief Technical Advisor, and the Regional Project Associate, while maintaining regular communication with the UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub Climate and Disaster Resilience team. The Project Analyst is fully responsible for operational management of the project according to the project document, UNDP corporate rules and procedures by performing the following main functions and responsibilities:

General project management:

• Overseeing planning process for the project and ensure its implementation in accordance with the signed project document;
• Being responsible for ensuring that the project produces the results specified in the project document, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost;
• Managing realization of project components and outputs through activities;
• Designation and receipt of assistance and recommendations for effective management, planning and control of the project;
• Providing directions to project personnel and project stakeholders and beneficiaries;
• Being responsible for the administrative issues of the project implementation;
• Preparing timely reports of project progress in line with UNDP and donor requirements;
• Ensuring that project contributes to the promotion of gender equality by reaching, involving and benefiting both women and men in its activities (gender mainstreaming);
• Interacting with the Project Board or its representatives to ensure the implementation and quality of the project to ensure the focus and integrity of the project;
• Interacting with suppliers.

Project implementation: 

• Planning project activities and monitoring the progress of achieving project goal and targets in accordance with the established quality criteria;
• Coordinating and manage the day-to-day activities of the project and the overall implementation process, including planning and monitoring in order to optimize the use of resources and to ensure the successful achievement of project objectives;
• Monitoring the implementation of project work plans, analyzing emerging problems and take adequate measures to ensure the timely implementation of the planned tasks and activities;
• Mobilizing goods and services for the implementation of activities, including the preparation of Terms of Reference and work specifications;
• Monitoring the progress in implementation of the project activities and achieving the targets set;
• Monitoring the use of financial resources to ensure the correctness and reliability of financial statements;
• Managing and monitoring of potential project risks identified in the approved Project Document, introducing new risks to the Project Board for consideration and, if necessary, taking responsive action; updating the status of these risks by constantly filling and managing the table of possible project risks.

Closure of the Project:

• Ensuring proper operational, financial and programmatic closure of the project;
• Organization of transfer of project assets to the project beneficiaries, project documentation and files;
• Preparing final project thematic and financial reports for subsequent submission to the Project Board, donor and UNDP approvals.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s):

• Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia;
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners;
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues;
• Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area;
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff;
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Environment and Climate Action Cluster Leader and in close collaboration with with UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub as well as other relevant project partners, the Project Analyst will be responsible for the implementation of the project activities and achievement of the planned project outputs.

Project Analyst will provide operational and thematic services ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. Project Analyst works in close collaboration with the Government counterparts, other relevant projects, operations, and Programme’s staff in the UNDP CO to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery, and undertake day-to- day responsibility for operational and thematic support services for the satisfactory achievement of the project component outputs.

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.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

• Strategic Thinking:    
  • Develop effective strategies and prioritized 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.
• 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.
• Project Management:    
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Monitoring & Evaluation:    
  • Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively.
  • Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
  • Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
  • Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools.
  • Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
• Climate Strategies and Policy: 
  • Inclusiveness.
  • Transparency.
• Systems 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in the field of Climate Change (mitigation and adaptation), Economics, Business Management, Public Administration or a closely related field is required, or;
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field in combination with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in climate change policy, political economy, project management, financial management, and public and business administration.

Required Skills:

• Progressing experience in demonstrable project/programme management/development organization.

Desired Skills:

• Strong leadership, managerial and coordination skills, with a demonstrated ability to effectively coordinate the implementation of development bilateral donor projects, including financial and technical aspects;
• Knowledge of and experience in gender mainstreaming in the area of project/programme management;
• Ability to effectively manage technical and administrative teams, work with a wide range of stakeholders (government agencies, civil society associations and communities) to develop durable partnerships;
• Strong analytical, presentation and reporting skills;
• Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Uzbek.
• Good command of Russian is desirable.

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.

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