Project Coordinator

Result of Service 2. Objective.

The Project Coordinator will be responsible for the overall project management and coordination of activities, including planning, implementation, and monitoring, as well as assistance in the supervision of project personnel and activities and financial and administrative aspects to ensure project´s objectives and results fulfilment, according to the requirements of UNEP, the Adaptation Fund and MADES.

The Coordinator will perform the following tasks:

1. Lead, organize and assist in supervision of the day to day implementation of the project. 2. Lead and coordinate the activities of the PMU. 3. Define, in coordination with UNEP and MADES, the overall project implementation strategy ensuring that project activities are aligned to the national adaptation strategies, national adaptation plan, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and adaptation communication, and integrated to national and subnational programmes, where relevant. 4. Perform project planning, budgeting, monitoring and accountability, in close coordination with the Planning Specialist and the PMU personnel. 5. Identify and advice on opportunities and implement actions to improve the overall management of the project. 6. Ensure coordination of project activities with the DNCC, the Adaptation Department and other relevant MADES’s Departments and Offices. 7. Ensure coordination of project activities with other Ministries, relevant Institutions, other UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, and local associates and NGOs, 8. Suggest and coordinate the preparation and execution of Project Cooperation Agreements (PCA), Simplified Legal Agreements (SLA) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other UN Agencies, UN to UN Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and cooperation agreements with different partners and stakeholders according to the project implementation strategy. 9. Identify new relevant partners for the implementation and sustainability of the project, maintain the relationship and ensure synergies with the current and new partners and relevant initiatives. 10. Guarantee the accomplishment of environmental and social safeguards, and that gender and indigenous communities’ policies are duly implemented in all project activities. 11. Organize, prioritize and distribute tasks to be performed by PMU personnel. 12. Coordinate and assist in the supervision of the monthly planning of activities, validated by MADES and UNEP. 13. Assist in the supervision and evaluation process of project personnel and consultants. 14. Coordinate with PMU personnel the preparation of work, travel, and procurements plans, in accordance with the guidelines and requirements of UNEP and the Adaptation Fund and within the project budget. 15. Coordinate and assist in the supervision of the procurement processes and contract of consultants, services and goods, including the quality control of terms of reference or other bidding documents, ensuring that the specifications and procedures are according to UNEP and MADES requirements, and to the procedure duly approved. 16. Assist in the supervision of work of the local experts and consultants hired by the project, assuring the highest quality of their products, in close coordination with the project specialists. 17. Identify implementation´s bottlenecks and advice, in close consultation with the PMU personnel, on how to overcome them and improve the overall management of the project. 18. Prepare, in close coordination with the PMU´s personnel, technical and administrative reports of the project for UNEP, AF and MADES. 19. Identify and extract the lessons learnt from the project and report them to MADES and UNEP for the annual memories. 20. Promote the construction of the communication strategy, assist in supervision of the communication products of the project and their adequate dissemination, and report quarterly. 21. Prepare quarterly progress reports, in close coordination with the PMU personnel and UNEP. 22. Prepare technical products as established in the project document “Ecosystem Based Approaches for reducing the vulnerability of food security to the impacts of climate change in the Chaco region of Paraguay” 23. Other activities relevant for the fulfillment of the position’s objectives.

Work Location ASUNCION, PARAGUAY

Expected duration 12 MONTHS

Duties and Responsibilities 1. Purpose.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global Environment.

UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (ROLAC), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region -with a population of about 588 million people- and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The office works towards the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the new Paris Agreement and the priority actions defined in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plans (NAP) of the region.

In terms of supporting countries in the region attain the global commitments signed within the framework of the Paris Agreement, the Latin America and the Caribbean UNEP Sub-programme on Climate Change aims at strengthening the ability of countries to move towards climate-resilient and low emission strategies for sustainable development and human well-being. In this framework, the UNEP Sub-programme on Climate Change, through its Climate Change Unit, leads and supports several initiatives oriented at designing, promoting and implementing innovative mitigation and adaptation solutions at the national and subnational level, and strengthening the transparency framework of the countries.

The expected accomplishment regarding climate change adaptation is that adaptation approaches, including the Nature based Solutions with an ecosystem-based approach, are implemented and integrated into key sectoral and national development strategies to reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience to climate change impacts. Furthermore, the UNEP’s Sub-programme on Climate Change is also committed to ensure that cross-cutting issues such as gender equity and women empowerment are effectively integrated in the development of its tasks to guarantee an equitable development in line with its adaptation objectives.

The adaptation team of the Climate Change Unit is implementing a portfolio of projects and continuously developing a pipeline of new projects, both for adaptation planning and for implementation of concrete measures, in the three subregions of the region: Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The adaptation team works in close coordination with the rest of the Climate Change Unit and regional office, UNEP regional, sub-regional and national offices in the region and worldwide, including Headquarters; other UN System Agencies, Programmes and Funds; Regional and Subregional Organizations, countries’ institutions, and national and local organizations; and donors and financing institutions such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) or the Adaptation Fund (AF).

As part of this support to countries in the region, UNEP signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Paraguay (MADES) to implement the project “Ecosystem Based Approaches for reducing the vulnerability of food security to the impacts of climate change in the Chaco region of Paraguay” (AbE Chaco Project), with the financial contribution of the Adaptation Fund (AF).

The Project started its activities in April 2019, and aims to contribute to the reduction of food security vulnerability to the effects of climate change in the following communities of the Paraguayan Chaco: i) General Díaz, ii) Pozo Hondo and iii) Campo Loa in the Department of Boquerón, and iv) Toro Pampa, v) Colonia María Auxiliadora, vi) San Carlos, vii) 14 de mayo, viii) Sierra León, and ix) the fisherman community of the urban area of Bahía Negra in the Department of Alto Paraguay.

The project has three components: Component 1: Knowledge management on vulnerability and resilience to climate change improved with tools and instruments to implement cost-effective adaptation measures. Component 2: Adaptive capacity in rural areas of greatest vulnerability strengthened through concrete adaptation measures favoring and ecosystem-based approach. Component 3: Capacity development and awareness to implement and upscale effective implementation of adaptation measures at national and local levels.

Project´s implementation relies on a Project Management Unit (PMU), which is accountable for the technical, operative and administrative management of the project as well as for the development of activities in the field. To fulfill project´s objectives and results a Project Coordinator is required to ensure the appropriate planning, implementation and monitoring of the adaptation project, with a focus on resilience and sustainability, considering safeguarding and gender equity, and according to UNEP, AF and MADES’s requirements.

The Project Coordinator will operate under the overall supervision of the Adaptation Programme Officer of UNEP’s Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. She/he will work within the PMU based in MADES, in close collaboration with UNEP and the National Directorate of Climate Change - DNCC´s Adaptation team, from Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, full time and exclusive dedication.

Qualifications/special skills ACADEMIC: - Master’s degree in environment, natural resources management, agriculture, climate change adaptation, development studies, project management or a closely related field is required. - Additional studies or specific training in project management is desirable.

PROFESSIONAL: - At least 10 years of relevant work experience including at least 5 years of demonstrated experience in project coordination/management is required. - Demonstrated experience and knowledge of climate change adaptation or resilience, ecosystem-based adaptation, ecological restoration and sustainable use of natural resources is required - Proven experience in working and collaborating with public and private institutions. - Proven experience in the entire project cycle, from design to implementation and monitoring. - Relevant experience leading, organizing and supervising work teams is required. - Relevant experience with vulnerable communities is an asset. - Relevant experience with projects in the Chaco Region of Paraguay is an asset. - Demonstrated knowledge of development and adaptation policies and planning processes at the national, regional and subnational levels in Paraguay, as well as familiarity with national agencies and other relevant institutions involved in adaptation processes is highly desirable. - Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder negotiations and engagement is an asset. - Relevant expertise in integrating gender considerations into policy processes or project formulation, planning and implementation is an advantage. - Experience in program development is an asset. - Relevant experience in the compliance of social and environmental safeguards is an asset. Knowledge on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of adaptation projects is an asset.

LANGUAGE: - Fluency in written and communication skills in English and Spanish is required. - For this position, knowledge of Guaraní is required.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: - Strong analytical skills to understand complex situations and solve problems. - Excellent organizational abilities to set priorities. - Excellent oral and written communication skills as well as active listening. - Capacity to gather, analyze and synthesize data and generate relevant information. - Innovation, creativity and critical thinking. - Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily. - Strong leadership skills.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.