Deputy Programme Coordinator (Science)

Volunteering Programme & Policy

Contract

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Natural disasters are a common occurrence in Southern Africa, particularly in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, where communities are exposed to cyclones, floods, droughts, and heatwaves. The region continues to face increasing climate variability and extreme weather events, placing pressure on vulnerable communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure. To address hydrometeorological risks, UNESCO is implementing two regional projects: 'Building community resilience to climate-induced multi-hazards in the Buzi, Pungwe and Save (BuPuSa) Transboundary River Basins', which aims to reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience of communities and institutions to multi-hazard risks and a complementary regional initiative titled 'Building Resilience to Wildfires and Extreme Heat through Innovative Early Warning and Community-Based Solutions in Mozambique and Zambia' which strengthens resilience through innovative early warning systems integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT sensors, satellite data, and community-based communication platforms, alongside ecosystem-based adaptation approaches and community capacity building. Within this framework, the Deputy Project Coordinator will support the implementation and coordination of both projects in Mozambique, ensuring strong synergies, effective delivery, and alignment with UNESCO’s disaster risk reduction and climate resilience priorities.

The Deputy Project Coordinator will support the implementation of projects by coordinating daily activities and managing the entire project cycle, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting. The role involves close collaboration with government entities, technical partners, and communities to ensure effective delivery of early warning and resilience interventions. The incumbent will also support data-driven decision-making, stakeholder coordination, and compliance with project requirements to achieve measurable and sustainable results. The estimated allocation of time between the two projects, based on scale and budget, is 70% for BuPuSaand 30% for Wildfires.

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organizing • Professionalism • Self-management

Progressively responsible experience in project coordination, implementation, and monitoring, ideally within multi-stakeholder or development settings. Proven experience in monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL), including data collection, analysis, and reporting, is required.

Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills are essential, as well as demonstrated ability to support planning processes, track project progress, and coordinate with government counterparts, partners, and communities.

Portuguese (written and spoken) is required, along with a strong working knowledge of English.

Ability to travel to field locations and work in challenging environments is essential.

Experience in climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, or early warning systems will be considered a strong asset.

Prior experience with the United Nations or familiarity with UN procedures and systems is desirable.

Mozambique has a total population of about 28.9 million people and is located on the southeast coast of Africa. To the East, is the Indian Ocean, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia is to the north, to the west is Zimbabwe and South Africa and to the South, Eswatini and South Africa. The total area of Mozambique is 799 380 Km square from North to South. It is tropical hot and humid. The hottest and wettest months in Maputo are December to February, when the average daily minimum temperatures are around 22°c and the average daily highs of 30°c. The rainy season is between October and April. Winters (June to August) are mild with the average daily temperature ranging from 13°c to 24°c. Basic health facilities and food are available everywhere. The security situation is reliable, but a lot of precaution is needed at the same time. Communication and transport services are available at various costs. Regarding accommodation and food, houses and apartments can be rented from US$ 1,500 to US$ 3,000 per month and meals at the restaurant cost between US$ 10 and US$ 30. Food, household commodities and clothing can be found in shops and local markets at reasonable prices. An entry visa is required for all travellers and must be obtained from the Mozambican Embassy prior to travelling. The metical is the local currency, and exchange rate stands at USD 1 equivalent to about 63.25 meticais (MZM) as of January 2026. Commercial banks are operational in the country and Visa cards are accepted in very limited hotels. Maputo is categorized as a family duty station offering a variety of different accommodation options. It has a vibrant international community whilst also providing excellent opportunities to work in a national, Mozambican context.

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Added 2 hours ago - Updated 2 hours ago - Source: unv.org