Business and Human Rights Project Manager

UNDP works to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities through the sustainable development of nations, in more than 170 countries and territories. The Regional Bureau of Asia has the responsibility to guide and support 24 Country Offices in achieving the objectives of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  RBAP staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, governments and other relevant stakeholders; advocates for UNDP corporate messages and represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 

Rapid and continued economic dynamism has translated into growth and reduced poverty levels in several countries in Asia and the Pacific. Greater foreign direct investments and capital movements, accentuated by higher regional mobility, are reasons for further optimism for future regional growth. This progress has often come at the expense of the human rights of minorities, marginalized and disadvantaged and at-risk groups in the interest of investments and financial gains.

The Rule of Law and Human Rights Team, as part of the Asia Pacific Governance and Peacebuilding Unit of the Bangkok Regional Hub, is currently engaged in promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The UNGP clarifies the duty of states and the responsibility of businesses to uphold international norms and treaties on human rights. These Guiding Principles rest on three pillars: 1) the State’s duty to protect human rights; 2) the corporate responsibility to respect human rights and; 3) the joint-responsibility of both the State and businesses sector to provide access to remedy for victims of business-related abuses. 

Momentum supporting the implementation of the UNGPs through National Action Plans (NAPs) is developing quickly in the region. Nurturing this, an already well-developed community of industry advocates, human rights activists, and development practitioners are deepening their work on a wide variety of thematic area or industry-specific BHR activities. While leading national and multi-national corporations are embedding human rights due diligence approaches into their operational policies and corporate communication profiles. 

B+HR Asia: Agents of Change project will specifically focus on promoting youth and media engagement as key civil society actors and drivers of change in the context of business and human rights (BHR). The project intends to develop a “bottom-up” approach to the promotion of human rights and environmental protection in business operations. More specifically, the approach employed will harness the power of youth and media, to act as force multipliers of policy progress already made under the B+HR Asia project, and thereby ensure greater compliance with the provisions of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and international human rights and environmental standards. 

Focusing on four Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Thailand, the project will implement a broad range of activities targeting Youth and Media  in the area of business, human rights and economic policy with funding from  the European Union’s Partnership Instrument.

The Business and Human Rights Project Manager, based in Bangkok, is responsible for contributing to policy and project support to Country Offices in Asia (with an emphasis on Southeast Asia) on Business and Human Rights. S/he will provide management support for project planning, administration and reporting, undertake policy research and develop knowledge products as well as support communication, partnership-building and resource mobilization on Business and Human Rights. S/he will be contributing as part of the B+HR Portfolio at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub.

 S/he acts under the guidance of the Rule of Law and Human Rights Regional Advisor in response to requests from country offices and in collaboration with the Governance and Peacebuilding team. S/he works with teams across the Regional Hub, Country Offices, Global Policy Centers and the UN system to ensure the execution of quality and coherent policy and project advisory services within their region as well as alignment with the Strategic Plan. S/he is responsible for performing and contributing to the following:

• Project Management 
• Supervision of project staff
• Strategic Partnership-Building and support to Resource Mobilization
• Knowledge management and advocacy

Ensure Effective Project Management 

• Provide project management expert support through effective planning, administration, coordination with country offices and partners;
• Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set:
• Provide leadership and technical advice to the project in developing baselines and indicators for project monitoring and evaluation, and coordinate the finalization of detailed results framework.
• Ensure strategies, processes, systems, and mechanisms are in place to effectively fulfill programme and financial monitoring, evaluation, quality assurance and reporting requirements.
• Lead implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, and results framework to identify plan deviations, underperformance, and other problems. Support diagnosing problems and ensure accountability for corrective actions within agreed upon tolerances to achieve results. Conduct field visits as required to verify project activities relative to stated targets and provide regular field updates to UNDP/BRH management.
• Proactively perform risk assessments to identify and document risks related to the project, including operational, financial, legal, contractual, social, environmental, reputation and safety risks. Design mitigation measures and keep appropriate project governing bodies informed.
• Develop and complete regular reviews of risk management matrix for the project.
• Coordinate the preparation of corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements. Ensure provision of ad hoc reports and information requested by relevant entities.
• Provide technical and advisory services to support country offices in developing and implementing country level work-streams on Business and Human Rights, particularly focused on youth and media engagement;
• Facilitate engagement with youth groups and with media to take on campaigns related to business and human rights.
• Engage and coordinate closely as part of the regional  Business and Human Rights portfolio at  the Bangkok Regional Hub. 

Strategic partnerships and resource mobilization and knowledge management initiatives

• Develop and maintain active relationship and partnerships with the Governments, NGOs, the UN system and development partners, institutes, academia, the media, and private sector on Business and Human Rights to enhance collaboration, resource mobilization and/or share ideas and to influence agenda and priority setting.
• Strengthen youth coalitions and work closely with media partners to raise environmental and human rights related impact of business activities.
• Lead knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s) and UNDP.
• Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training and other relevant capacity building activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia. Lead workshops with senior level officials and stakeholders.
• Proactively identify and pursue opportunities for the documentation and communication of best practices, innovations, programme results, and lessons learned under the project.
• Actively participate in and make substantive contributions to external networks and communities of practice to promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends. Represent UNDP in relevant technical meetings and working groups under the direction of CO management.
• Support establishment of knowledge platforms and innovative mechanisms for capturing and disseminating knowledge from the project; and ensure development of knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.

Supervision of project staff

• Supervise project staff members based in Bangkok and be a matrix supervisor for the National Specialists based in the COs

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

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

People Management Competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

2030 Agenda: Peace

• Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Human rights/HRBA
• Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Human Rights institutions/compliance

Business Management    

• Results- Based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with focus at improved performance and demonstrate result

External Relations & Advocacy     

• Partnerships management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and other in-line with UNDP strategy and policies

Business Direction and 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