Area Coordination Associate

The project “Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) in the Marshall Islands)” implemented by the Government of the Republic of Marshall Islands (GoRMI) in collaboration with UNDP became operational in January 2020 with the objective to address expected impacts of climate change on water security on Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI).

RMI is a small island developing state in the Pacific. The nation is a large-ocean state, with a total land area of only 182 km², spread across over 2 million km² of ocean. There are 24 inhabited atolls and islands, which are mostly remote and lie merely 2 m above sea level on average. There are no rivers, streams or lakes in RMI and the number of small surface ponds is very limited.

GoRMI, with the assistance of UNDP, has developed a project on adaptation to climate change impacts to water supply in RMI. The project is co-financed by GoRMI and Green Climate Fund (GCF). The project will build resilience to the impacts of climate change on water supply, particularly in 24 atolls and islands that are highly vulnerable to drought. The project will invest in improving water security, water resilience and water governance through:

• Water Security - Improving household and community rainwater harvesting and storage structures to increase resilience of water supply in 77 rural communities in the outer islands and atolls accounting for approximately 28% of RMI’s population, including 7,630 (49%) women, currently at risk.
• Water Resilience - Securing groundwater resources from contamination due to inundation caused by wave overtopping of seawater.
• Water Governance - Strengthening the technical capacities of national and subnational institutions and key stakeholders to integrated climate change risks into water governance processes so that management of climate change risks are coordinated, effective, participatory, equitable, and sustained over the long term when risks are expected to worsen.
  
  The project aligns with GoRMI’s key climate change policies and strategies and has been developed through extensive consultation with government, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Community-Based Organisations
  (CBOs) and beneficiary communities. The proposed project is aligned with RMI’s NDC and country work programme to the GCF. The NDA has issued a letter of no-objection and the proposed project is aligned with the work programme of the AE (UNDP) selected by the NDA.

This GCF project will be executed by UNDP, in close partnership with the GoRMI, given UNDP’s extensive experience in implementing climate change adaptation projects globally. The project implementation will be led by a team based in Majuro, RMI and Suva, Fiji.
 

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Area Coordination Associate will oversee the implementation of project activities in the target communities by working closely with the Field Engineers, Site Coordinators and Community Engagement Associates. The Project will operate all outreach initiatives to the target communities based on the four Atoll and Island geographical areas that have been designated based on their geographical locations.

The areas were developed to take into account boat and air transport logistics, cultural classification (i.e. Ralik / Ratak chains), and opportunities for adaptive management (i.e. ways to quickly trial approaches and then adjust in the full- scale implementation). Reaching out and engaging the 86 communities across the 24 atolls and islands of the 4 geographical areas requires substantial time, especially in light of constraints and uncertainties of transportation – given its limited frequency, reliability, and vulnerability to weather. Therefore, the project activities in the 86 communities will be implemented through a phased approach, especially in relation to the construction-related investments for water security and resilience.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Oversee the implementation of project activities in the target communities
• Co-ordination with Mayors, local and traditional leaders
• Supervision of site coordinators on implementation works in the targeted communities
• Progressive implementation site reporting
• Support community and stakeholder consultations relative to ACWA project

Oversee the implementation of project activities

• oversee the implementation of project activities in the target atoll communities
• work closely with the Field Engineers, Site Coordinators and Community Engagement Associates
• Provision of general office assistance such as response to complex information requests and inquiries reviews, logs and routes incoming correspondence; establishment of filling system and maintenance
  files/records; organization of meetings, workshops; routine administrative tasks, including maintaining attendance records, assessing telephone billing, etc.

Co-ordination works with important local stakeholders

• coordinate with Mayors, senators, GoRMI local leaderships and traditional leaders, such as Iroijlaplap, Iroij, Alap to ensure proper disclosing of project implementation progress; as well as obtain consent for any additional activities within the targeted sites.
• coordinate with Project Manager on handling of complex/complicated issues related to traditional protocols and maybe permission from local leadership

Supervision of site coordinators on implementation works

• supervision of the Site Coordinators in the designated implementation sites and areas. The Site Coordinators will work in the remote rural communities and the Area Coordination Associates will oversee their work.
• Implement project standard operating procedures in line with the Government and UNDP regulations

Reporting on progressive implementation

• Work closely with the Field Engineers to coordinate the infrastructure installation & construction
• Compiles, summarizes, and presents basic information/data on specific project and related topics or issues

Support community and stakeholder consultations

• Support community and stakeholder consultations associated with ACWA project activities in close coordination with Community Engagement Associates
• Participate in the trainings for the operations/ projects staff

• Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy    

• Strategic Thinking. Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresignt in order to model what future developments
  and possible ways forward look like for UNDP    
• 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    
• Effective Decision Making. Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources    
• Negotiation and Influence. Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations    

Business Development    

• Collective Intelligence Design. Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions    
• UNDP Representation. Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, mission and work with various constituencies    

2030 Agenda: Planet    

• Nature, Climate and Energy. Water Governance: Integrated Water Resources Management    
• Nature, Climate and Energy. Climate Change Adaptation: Water Management