Regional Coordinator- SWAPNO

Rangpur

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Rangpur
Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Poverty Reduction
- Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
- Managerial positions
Closing Date: Closed

Background

SWAPNO is a public-works and social transfer-based poverty graduation project that targets ultra-poor rural women who are widowed, divorced, abandoned or left with a disabled husband. The project does not only aim at lifting poor women out of poverty during the project period; it also helps them sustain with a higher income level after the end of project support. To achieve this goal, the focus is on future employability. The idea is that the set of skills learnt from training will help women invest their savings for productive purposes, which would yield a stream of income in years to come. In addition to self-employment, SWAPNO also helps place women in jobs in local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and private sector companies in the formal and informal sectors.

While SWAPNO has demonstrated success, lessons show that women risk falling back into poverty as they are malnutrition, vulnerable to climate and disaster risks, and can risk facing gender-based violence by participating in a project that can be perceived to be challenging social norms. At the same time, the project has successfully piloted public-private partnerships that improve the women’s skills and help place them in formal sector jobs; it also ran successful microplots that used mobile money for promoting financial inclusion and improving efficiency in the government-to-person (G2P) platform. The findings on mobile money will inform national policy on scaling up digital payments through G2P across Bangladesh.

By integrating these lessons, this proposal outlines SWAPNO’s strategy to support women’s access to decent employment, ensure discrimination-free environment in public work places, develop adaptive livelihoods and access to financial services for sustainable graduation from extreme poverty, and develop local government capacity to implement pro-poor projects. SWAPNO will achieve the following results:

Outcome 1: Increased income and assets by expanding options

Outcome 2: Enhanced human capabilities for exercising choices

Outcome 3: Strengthened resilience to shocks including disasters and climate change

Outcome 4: Enhanced financial inclusion for equitable opportunities

Outcome 5: Improved policies and mechanisms for sustaining SWAPNO’s benefits

The Regional Coordinator will, together with a counterpart Regional Director, bear responsibilities for all kinds of project operation being implemented according to the Project Document and approved Annual Work Plans in the region under his/her jurisdiction. This will pertain to correct beneficiary selection as per set criteria, selection of public works through community consultation, active engagement of local project committees, submission of timely and correct monitoring/MIS reports and proper financial management. The Regional Project Coordinator will oversee that NGO field workers and organization(s) contracted for training in micro-enterprise skills are effectively deployed. S/he will guide the work of District Managers in the region assigned and identify the need for field assistance by specialists of the Technical Assistance Specialist Team.

Duties and Responsibilities

The following re key tasks as related to the Regional Coordinator:

Supervise FMAs/District Managers of the region (presently Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Kurigram) and Administrative Assistant;
Maintain close relationship with the district and Upazila level Government officials and elected representatives;
Ensure all planned and emergency interventions are executed effectively and efficiently;
Submit quarterly progress and financial reports;
Plan, supervise and facilitate (if needed) training sessions to ensure quality delivery;
Actively works with local business chambers and enterprises to ensure apprenticeship and employment;
Support all Technical Staff to plan and implement planned activities in the region;
Maintain district account jointly with the FMA/Administrative Assistant.
Guide and monitor the work of NGO field workers and organizations contracted for training in micro-enterprise skills;
Keep close contact with Headquarters at Dhaka and ensure reporting and documentation of the project and its resources;
Keep close contact with the Upazila officials, Union level representatives responsible for SWAPNO and various field level committees set up for the project, for capacity building, finance and M&E;
Maintain contact with district officials and a selected NGO to accomplish various activities of SWAONO;
Identify and utilise best practices that could contribute to the development of SWAPNO’s direct and indirect beneficiaries;
Carry out any other any other relevant tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Impact of Results:

The recruitment of the Regional Coordinator will ensure the smooth operation and implementation of SWAPNO in the four implementation districts, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur and Gaibandha.

Competencies

The incumbent will be dealing with Government officials at District, Upazila and Union level,, representatives of local NGOs and other service providing organizations. Accordingly, s/he needs to have previous experience of similar interaction.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Development and Operational Effectiveness

Strong analytical, communicational and writing skills;
Strong ability to effectively interact with technical and non-technical end users in a pleasant, cooperative, and helpful manner;
Demonstrated ability to solve problems and work independently;
Organises and accurately completes multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions, deadlines, available resources and multiple reporting relationships
Plans, coordinates and organises workload while remaining aware of changing Priorities and competing deadlines
Establishes, builds and maintains effective working relationships with staff and clients to facilitate the provision of support
Ability to read, analyze, interpret and apply general technical instructions and procedures;
The incumbent must be able to travel alone in remote places for periods of several days.

Leadership and Self-Management

Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Remains calm, controlled and good humoured even under pressure;
Develop network skills with different levels.

Knowledge Management and Learning

Has deep knowledge on project management, social and poverty research and M&E;
Shares knowledge and experience;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UNDP;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
The incumbent should also be competent and knowledgeable as regards development issues, especially creating employment opportunities for the rural poor.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in any social science discipline from a recognized university.

Experience:

At least 5 years of experience where minimum 3 years relevant work expereince in rural development, poverty alleviation and local government issues;
Knowledge of local government structure, working experience with Union Parishads, Upazila Parishads, NGOs and vulnerable poor women is essential;
Adequate knowledge on social protection, rural development, gender mainstreaming, poverty alleviation, food security, livelihood promotion, and working with the donors and development agencies;
Excellent command of Bengali and very good communication skills including writing in English are obligatory requirements. Possession of a motorcycle-driving license is required;
Proficiency in computer skills, especially MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and e-mail software, is also required;
Experience of working with Local Government Division (LGD) will be preferable.

Language Requirements:

Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and Bengali;

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and people living with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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This vacancy is now closed.
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