LGU and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist (Duty Station: Siargao, Philippines)

UNDP has been working with national and international partners in the Philippines on the issue of the circular economy. UNDP is working with the European Union in implementing the EU Philippines Green Economy Programme (The Programme). The Programme has the purpose of supporting the Philippines’ transition towards a green economy, including circular economy, reducing waste and plastic, as well as increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment to support climate change mitigation. The Programme acknowledges that the transition to circular economy will have other added benefits such as reduction of the use of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, improve biodiversity and natural capital, decreased pollution levels, and climate change adaptation.   

The Programme addresses three main levels:    

• Establishing a Policy Dialogue Platform at the central government level to mobilize EU expertise to facilitate policy formulation, improve city-to-city collaboration through supporting the development of a National Circular Economy Strategy and Roadmap, extend the dialogue to promote renewable energy/energy efficiency, and to apply the dialogue’s outcomes;
• Working with local government units (LGUs) where EU expertise will support to define and implement circular economy, climate change, and energy policies with a human rights and gender-responsive perspective, outreach and support of local business and civil society, and support less advanced LGUs;
• Enhancing engagement of the private and financial sectors into the circular waste economy creating better conditions for private sector investment by supporting business-driven waste reduction strategies and circular solutions in the production process.    

  The Programme has 4 specific objectives:    

• SO1: Improved circular economy and climate change policies and reduced GHG emissions
• SO2: Enhanced practices of the circular economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and civil society sector, with a focus on youth and gender equality
• SO3: Enhanced engagement of the private and financial sectors in circular, waste-reduction economy
• SO4: Increased energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment    

UNDP is responsible for the implementation and execution of SO2 with the purpose of enhancing the capacities and practices of local government units (LGUs) on circular waste economy in collaboration with private and civil society organizations (CSOs), with focus on youth and gender equality.   

Key results expected at the end of the Project include

• Reduced volume of waste generated and sent to landfills in partner LGUs
• Greenhouse gas emissions reduced and avoided (tonnes of CO2eq) from reduced waste and implementation of circular economy initiatives
• At least 20 LGUs have established circular economy models, including introduction of source separation and collection systems for wastes recycling, diversion, repurposing and other CE initiatives
• Additional number of organizations applying CE and sustainable consumption and production practices in partner LGUs
• Additional jobs (including green jobs) created across the circular economy value chain, disaggregated by gender and groups
• At least 10 LGUs in which nationally defined green procurement criteria have been applied
• About 15 LGUs that feed their NDC reporting with improved gender and youth sensitive data on co-benefits of CE

The above results shall be achieved through the following Outputs: 

• Output 1: Improved capacities of LGUs and stakeholders to design, implement and monitor resilient and inclusive circular economy strategies 
• Output 2: GEDSI-responsive local policies and regulations designed and applied to enable circular and green growth opportunities and practices 
• Output 3: Public and private financing effectively mobilized to implement gender responsive and inclusive CE strategies and programmes 
• Output 4: Enhanced community innovation and demonstration projects applied to address priority CE solutions in partner LGUs 
• Output 5: Enhanced CE behavior and practices of LGUs, private sector, communities and local stakeholders 
• Output 6: Informal sector, grassroots, civil society organizations, women, youth, and marginalized sector capacitated and integrated into the CE value chain 
• Output 7: CE-related knowledge management, MERL, GEDSI and safeguards in place to strengthen and replicate CE uptake in the Philippines 

The Project shall be implemented in partnership with LGUs. A total of 20 Tier 1 LGUs will be supported directly, while 40 LGUs will be supported with targeted assistance on a demand-driven basis. Out of Tier 1 LGUs, 10 LGUs have been identified: 

• Baguio City 
• Pasig City 
• Caloocan City 
• Quezon City 
• Iloilo city/Metro Iloilo 
• Ormoc City 
• Del Carmen municipality/Siargao islands 
• Island Garden City of Samal 
• Davao City 
• Puerto Princesa City/Palawan 

The remaining Tier 1 cities will be identified during the first year of implementation.       

UNDP Philippines takes overall responsibility and accountability for the delivery of the project outputs.  It will be accountable for managing the project, including the monitoring and evaluation of project interventions, achieving project results, and for the effective use of resources, in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations, policies and procedures. These include relevant requirements on fiduciary, procurement, environmental and social safeguards, and other performance standards.   

 The day-to-day implementation of the project will be led by a Project Manager within a Project Management Unit (PMU) responsible for ensuring that the project achieves the expected targets to the required quality standards and within the specified time and budget allocations. ​​The Project Manager will be supported by a Deputy Project Manager, Project Assistants, technical staff and a pool of contractors and consultants to carry out the deliverables of the project.  

UNDP is seeking LGU and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist to lead the overall LGU and stakeholders’ coordination activities of SO2: enhanced practices of the circular waste economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and the civil society sector, with focus on youth and gender equality.  The LGU and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist will work with a team of UNDP specifically assigned to work on this programme, including the Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, project team, Accelerator Lab, consultants, LGU Hub Coordinators, CO Communication team, and other partners such as the EU, GIZ, IFC, Expertise France, LGUs, and relevant CSO and private sector organizations.

• Undertake scoping activities to establish existing LGU initiatives on circular economy activities, mapping of stakeholders and their activities along with political economy analyses and develop a strategic stakeholder engagement plan at the LGU level in consultation with the Project Manager and the Deputy Project Manager
• Identify opportunities for circularity and green economy-related interventions given the scope of Project activities, and develop a strategy for LGU engagement and support under the Project
• Ensure provision of technical support to the Project Manager and PMU in the identification and prioritization of applicable technical and financial support schemes to LGUs and local stakeholders
• Ensure appropriate regular technical guidance for the operation of the local level activities of the project update and capture new development in the LGUs as well as emerging project priorities.
• Advise PMU in the sequencing and complementarity of activities by the Project by developing and regularly updating LGU-specific work plans in line with the overall project work plan.
• Spreadhead thematic contribution in the design and establishment of the innovative instruments initiated by the project.
• Conduct project related baseline and progress assessment/studies/mapping, gender analysis, political economy analysis, market surveys, support to environment and social safeguards and policy impact assessments, GEDSI and project evaluations, etc. in collaboration with UNDP technical focal persons.
• Undertake technical review of project documents produced by the project and ensure high level technical standards are met.

Ensure LGU and Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Liaise with the designated officials of the LGUs and ensure that the project activities are implemented according to the agreed workplan, UNDP’s rules and regulations (POPP) and reported promptly.
• Ensure that the project plans, activities, and target outputs are well communicated to, and consulted with the LGUs, their Technical Working Groups and other project partners and beneficiaries.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relations with key stakeholders including outsourced service providers, beneficiaries, government, private sector and other development actors.
• Coordinate and supervise the implementation of project outputs to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost as outlined in the project document.
• Provide up-to-date information and advice to project team on emerging issues in relation to changes in LGU and stakeholder relationships/structures.
• Represent UNDP project at relevant LGUs and partner at specific meetings, conferences, and events as advised by the Project Manager.
• Ensure smooth coordination between the project team and LGUs/stakeholders for effective implementation of the project activities, especially at the local level.

Lead the management and operations of the LGU and Stakeholder activities.

• Ensure that work plans and budgets conform with project objectives.
• Advise and support the project team in the implementation of impactful green economy projects across the different components with additionality, scale and sustainability in mind.
• Coordinate the end-to-end process of the project operations, including the procurement, contracting and management of service provisions across the project portfolios.
• In consultation with the team, develop LGU specific work plan and provide inputs to the integrated annual work plan for the project to deliver outputs and objectives against agreed targets.
• In consultation with the team and respective partner LGUs, support the empowerment of local stakeholder groups through organizational formation, accreditation, and skills development.
• Ensure that the financial management arrangements are in line with the UNDP regulations and that all payment vouchers and payment orders are correctly authorized thereby ensuring that all expenditures are justified, within budget frames, and in line with project objectives.
• Coordinate with project team and undertake all required administrative operations of the lab (finance, donor relations, communications and visibility, special projects, reporting).
• Ensure compliance with UNDP’s objectives, strategies, policies and procedures.
• Identify opportunities for synergy with other projects within UNDP and beyond, to advance the objective of the project and grow its focus. 

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic areas. 

• Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant 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. 
• Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application. 
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and 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 for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.

Ensure effective monitoring of project activities, supervision and reporting.

• Oversee the implementation of project activities at the LGU level in line with the Project Implementation Plan.
• Assist in establishment of baseline data on important indicators at the LGU level, and in gathering updates on these to feed into overall Project reporting.
• Lead the monitoring and reporting of project activities at the LGU level against the established indicators detailed in the project’s Results Framework and monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning (MERL) system. 
• Conduct field visits as required to verify project activities relative to stated targets.
• Prepare quarterly and annual monitoring reports (technical and financial) on LGU progress and provide inputs to the project report for submission to the donor.
• Regularly provide data with supporting documentation as contribution to the project’s MERL system on key performance indicators, including through activity reports.
• Promptly raise with the Project Manager, important issues affecting Project implementation and engagement with stakeholders at the LGU level and participate in resolving these issues.
• Oversee the preparation of quarterly/annual financial reports, quarterly project status reports, and monitoring and evaluation reports.
• Monitor and manage any strategic LGU-level risks/issues facing the project; submit new risks/issues to the PMU for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks/issues by maintaining the Project Risks/Issues Log.
• Submission of ad hoc reports and information requests from relevant entities

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

• 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.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

Business Direction and Strategy        

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDPs objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• 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 Development           

• Collective Intelligence Design: Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions

Business Management           

• Project Management : Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

2030 Agenda: Planet Nature, Climate and Energy 

• Green Economy: Circular economy concepts, policies and tools 

2030 Agenda: People                

• Gender: Gender Mainstreaming