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Portfolio Coordinator

Apia

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Apia
  • Grade: Mid level - NPSA-10, National Personnel Services Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: 2024-12-17

Background

 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

 
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in more than 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Development challenges in the Pacific Islands Countries are multi-faceted and complex. To respond to these challenges, the UNDP Samoa Multi-Country Office (MCO) concentrates its efforts on building the capacity of the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau to promote inclusive, blue-green, and pro-poor growth, effective governance, and sustainable and resilient development that leverages innovation and digital transformation and seeks to catalyze financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We help our partners in identifying relevant solutions to their most significant development challenges and offer policy and implementation services to address these challenges.

Guided by the UNDP Multi-Country Programme Document (MCPD) for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories 2023-27, the MCO’s policy, advisory, programmatic, and implementation services focuses on the following areas:
    Peace: inclusive governance, justice, and peace
    Prosperity: inclusive, blue-green, and sustainable growth
    Planet: sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity conservation, strengthened climate and disaster resilience and management.

UNDP’s programme is anchored in the principle of leaving no one behind, with specific focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment including the fight to end violence against women and girls, and empowerment and engagement of youth and Persons with Disabilities. The MCO serves the four countries from its office located in Apia, where it hosts approximately 40 personnel.

In line with the two MCOs’ MCPD commitment “to adopt a portfolio approach to ensure that interventions create value for money through an effective policy-practice nexus, fieldwork-based feedback loops, and effective collaboration among outcome areas”, the Samoa MCO is designing two portfolios that will integrate existing and relevant pipeline projects both MCO-specific projects as well as Pacific regional (governance and / or environment) projects covering Samoa MCO countries managed out of the Fiji MCO.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will report to the Assistant Resident Representative (ARR) of ECCU or GPRU as applicable.  S/he will lead / supervise the portfolio implementation team.  The portfolio team will work closely with the project partners, government entities, as well as vendors whom UNDP engages for project activities.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative and the Assistant Resident Representative for the Governance and Prosperity Programme Unit (GPRU) and Environment and Climate Change Unit (ECCU) respectively, the Portfolio Coordinator will be responsible for the Overall Management and Coordination of portfolio implementation, managing the existing and relevant pipeline projects, technical coordination, and partnership and resource mobilization. The Portfolio Coordinator will also provide strategic and policy advisory support to Management on key programmatic areas concerning the portfolio.

Effective management, coordination, and implementation of the assigned portfolio:

  • Manage and Coordinate implementation of the assigned portfolio to ensure complementarity and coherency, providing strategic advisory support to the GPRU and ECCU on key governance and environment matters as applicable
  • Supervise and coordinate projects under the portfolio, ensuring results are in accordance with Portfolio framework, Project Documents, and in full compliance with UNDP policies and procedures as stipulated in POPP. 
  • Oversee the day-to-day management of both organizational and substantive operations of the portfolio planning, budgeting, overall implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and timely reporting in full compliance with UNDP financial regulations and rules, policies, and standard operating procedures, internal controls, and Donor requirements. 
  • Oversee ALL relevant procurements and contract management of the portfolio, including the development of terms of references, ensuring timely execution of procurement processes, supervision of all portfolio contracts for goods & services, and monitoring of contracts in accordance with policies and procedures. 
  • Monitor portfolio expenditures, commitments, and balance of funds within the Project(s) budget(s) and make changes to the budget as necessary. Hold overall responsibility for achieving budget utilization targets set in the agreed Portfolio Annual Work Plans, and Country Office Annual Business Plans. 
  • Effective Risk Management for ALL Projects under the Portfolio, with close tracking and timely execution of remedial Risk Treatments in accordance with processes and procedures
  • Effective Coordination of ALL Stakeholders and Partners both internal and external of the portfolio in ALL 4 Countries, development partners, and donor community.

Strategic partnership and systemic knowledge management

  • Develop partnerships with government institutions, private sector, civil society, UN Agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors, and other key stakeholders in relevant thematic areas based on portfolio trajectory and strategic goals of UNDP, countries’ needs and donors’ priorities.
  • Ensure growth of the portfolio, by conceptualizing ideas into pipeline concepts in response to key priority needs of the countries, and develop joint partnership, resource mobilization and sustainability strategies. 
  • Conduct systematic research and analysis on donor intelligence, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects for the portfolio, and/or continuation and scalability of the portfolio, actively contributing to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.
  • Proactively apply best practices and lessons learnt and leverage global knowledge networks in the field to help achieve Portfolio Outputs and Targets.
  • Ensure knowledge sharing through communication products and publication and networking with national and international stakeholders, and oversight for systematic filing of project documentation. 
  • Undertake horizon scanning and explore opportunities for engaging new partners for the Portfolio and coordinate activities with multiple stakeholders/partners; and,

Effective Monitoring and Evaluation of results

  • Actively monitor and timely report on the Progress both at the Portfolio and Project level against the Country Office M&E Framework, Project M&E Frameworks, and contribute to the MCPD Results.
  • Coordinate ALL Portfolio inputs on results achieved for the MCO Results Oriented Annual Reports (ROAR), and timely submission of Project Results Report on Quarterly, Bi-Annual, and Annually to Project Boards, Stakeholders, and Donor Partners
  • Ensure the timely execution of ALL Project evaluations under the Portfolio, with the subsequent findings and tracking of key management actions as responses. 
  • Ensure that evaluation findings and recommendations are incorporated into Project strategies and plans, and so as the Portfolio overall framework and approach.

Advocacy and Coordination:

  • Lead and coordinate all relevant portfolio communications both internal and external with key Stakeholders, development partners, and donor agencies. 
  • Design and provide oversight for the implementation of the visibility, communication, and advocacy strategy of the Portfolio.
  • Ensure that the content generated strategically communicates programmatic work in line with UNDP’s values and ensuring that updates and images used in public campaigns such as media, website articles and social media are in line with policy.
  • Ensure regular communication and coordination with donors and partners and develop and maintain effective mechanisms for integrating and responding to their feedback and insights; and,
  • Provide general oversight, ensure quality assurance and effective gender, disability, and environment mainstreaming in all knowledge, awareness and visibility plans and materials.

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

Competencies
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 
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated Link
 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management    
  • Partnerships Management. 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

Business Direction & Strategy    

  • System Thinking. Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to considering how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system 

Business Development    

  • Human Centered-Design. Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process 
    Knowledge and understanding of human centred design principles and practices.

Partnership management    

  • Resource mobilization. Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements 

2030 Agenda - Properity    

  • Inclusive Growth. Development Planning

2030 Agenda - People   

  • Climate. Climate Change Adaptation: Cross-sectoral climate resilient livelihoods

Data    

  • Data Analysis. Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making
Required Skills and Experience

 
Education:
  •  Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Governance, Public Administration, Project Management and/or Policy, or related fields is required, or
  • A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree.
Experience:
  • Minimum 5 years (with Master´s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of cumulative experience working at the national or international level in the development sector or in the public sector.  Working experience with the United Nations and/or any other international organization and/or development agency is advantageous.
  • Excellent knowledge of project management and coordination, organizational and implementation skills, and ability to action best practices.
  • Good understanding of the environmental and development context of Samoa, including socio-political, economic and gender equality issues.
  • Excellent people management skills including networking and stakeholder engagement.
  • Excellent reporting, writing and communication skills, and advanced knowledge of computer office software packages.
  • Experience working in Samoa, other Pacific countries, or SIDS globally.
  • Experience in Governance, low-carbon development, sustainable transport, climate change mitigation and green/blue economy with demonstrated self-initiative to proactively research, learn and contribute to technical-level discussions.

Required languages:

  • Fluency in English and Samoan are required.
  • Knowledge of either Cook Islands Maori, Niuean, and Tokelau Languages is desirable. 

     
Disclaimer

 

 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

 
Applicant information about UNDP rosters

 
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

 
Non-discrimination

 
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

 
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

 
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