Project Manager [Open to internal and external candidates]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, working in about 170 countries and territories. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNDP is committed to helping the country through strengthened national and local capacities to carry out political, economic, and social reforms and promote development. In the 2026–2030 programmatic period, UNDP BiH’s engagement is guided by the newly endorsed Country Programme Document, which focuses on advancing inclusive green growth and a just energy transition, strengthening human capital with particular attention to youth, women and vulnerable groups, and building more effective, accountable institutions while reinforcing social cohesion. These programme priorities are designed to accelerate Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and are fully aligned with national development aspirations and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. UNDP’s work continues to be delivered through integrated, conflict‑sensitive, and innovative approaches that leverage digital solutions, promote gender equality and inclusion, and strengthen partnerships across all levels of government, civil society, the private sector and development partners to address systemic development challenges and ensure no one is left behind.

The Energy and Environment Sector (EE) of the UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina implements projects in the field of Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction and Environmental Development geared towards decreasing economic, social and territorial disparities and sustainable management of environmental and energy resources, and green jobs creation through coordinated approach by national and subnational actors. All interventions are realised in close collaboration with relevant government stakeholders, other UN agencies, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors, private sector and civil society.

The main objective of the Project is to address increasing vulnerability of BiH communities and livelihoods to intensified climate-induced flood-related disasters. The project will establish an integrated and innovative gender-responsive climate-resilient flood risk management (FRM) approach, strengthen institutional, technical and financial capacity to implement long-term FRM strategies, including a combination of structural and non-structural measures and ecosystem-based approaches. The project will strengthen the use of climate information, flood forecasting, early warning. and emergency response systems to enhance adaptive capacity and resilience of at-risk communities. The project is aligned with the new UN multi-partner initiative “Early Warnings for All (EW4All)” announced by the UN Secretary-General in March 2022 with the aim to promote universal coverage of the early warning and will contribute to the implementation of EWS4All Executive Action Plan developed in March 2023.

Approximately 26% of the BiH population is highly vulnerable to climate change induced flood risk. The increasing intensity and variability of rainfall driven by climate change have been causing more frequent and intensive floods resulting in significant impacts on people, their property and critical infrastructure. The most important economic sectors at risk include agriculture, water management and hydropower. The most damaging floods have had devastating impacts on the most vulnerable groups including the rural poor, war returnees and displaced persons who generally occupy the cheapest and most risk-exposed land on the floodplain. Socio-economic and climate risk modelling conducted during the feasibility study, demonstrate that by mid-century, due to climate change, 13% more people would be affected by floods leading to 12.5% higher losses of household assets compared to baseline scenario.

Under the supervision of the Energy and Environment Sector Leader and in consultations with the Project Board, the Project Manager is responsible for day-to-day management, coordination and supervision of implementation of the UNDP activities under the Project. The Project Manager is expected to establish and maintain close cooperation with main FRM partners in BIH, namely the Ministry of Foreign Trades and Economic Relations, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent’s duties are outlined below and are to be undertaken with due respect to UN/UNDP regulations and rules as well as internal control framework, and in line with the guidance of the Project Board:

Overall project management

• Ensure sound project management of and take full responsibility for the implementation of the project activities, as per the project documents and UNDP rules and regulations;
• Develop annual activity and procurement work plans, as well as budgets based on expected year-end outputs, and ensure close monitoring of activities and delivery;
• Report to the Project Board to assure the overall direction and integrity of the programme;
• Provide direction and guidance to the Project Team;
• Build, motivate and lead a high performing team consisting of project personnel, expert consultants, service providers and conduct performance assessments of the team, as per UNDP rules and regulations;
• Provide inputs in identification of linkages between the project and other related projects in UNDP, in BiH, or beyond, maximizing the efficient and effective use of resources;
• Secure proper and efficient use of project budget, as per the project document;
• Manage financial allocations and approve expenditures according to authority delegated and ensure timely payments in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
• Apply UNDP programming tools and policies as explained in the Results-Based Management Guide;
• Coordinate the recruitment of project personnel;
• Ensure proper use and maintenance of project equipment and office records and any other documentation by the project personnel;
• Complies with security and safety requirements and regulations and ensures the same are respected by all project personnel.

Policy advice and technical guidance

• Provide conceptual guidance and technical advice to the Project team and Project counterparts;
• Provide strategic leadership and steer the regulatory and policy formulation processes within the Project in line with Project document, observing the application of EU standards and international standards and conventions in these processes and ensuring sustainable and lasting changes;
• Formulate strategic approach and provide technical assistance to national, entity and local level institutions;
• Participate in project-level committees, policy and capacity development working groups and events;
• Ensure that achieved policy and legislative work is mainstreamed within the Project field work, other relevant UNDP-implemented interventions, as well as promote their applications beyond UNDP scope of work;
• Provide advice related to the Disaster Risk Reduction activities and processes;
• Provide technical support and back-up services to EE Sector Leader.

Project monitoring, reporting and quality assurance based on the principle of result-based management

• Review on a regular basis projects details, schedules, deliverables and budget as articulated in the Annual Work Plan – AWP (evidence of progress towards expected outputs, according to schedule, within budget) with the project team;
• Monitor and analyse Project environment and progress, using applicable monitoring & evaluation and risk management tools;
• Manage and monitor the identified project risks and issues; submit new risks and issues to the Project Board for consideration and decision if required; update the status of project risks and issues by maintaining the logs;
• Ensure timely submission of the Project Progress / Annual Narrative and Financial Reports and other reports as may be required by the UNDP and Project Board;
• Advice on timely readjustment of project strategies and corrective actions as necessary;
• Carry regular, announced and unannounced performance of the project team, as well as conduct field visits and quality checks of project events, sites and activities;
• Prepare analytical reviews and systematically capture lessons learnt from the project implementation; identify follow-up actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board;
• Prepare the inception report no later than one month after the inception workshop.
• Ensure that the indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually in advance of the GCF Annual Progress Report (APR) submission deadline so that progress can be reported in the GCF APR.
• Prepare the GCF Annual Progress Report (APR);
  • Assess major and minor amendments to the project within the parameters set by UNDP-Bureau of Policy and Programme Support/Vertical Fund (BPPS/VF), Oversight and Compliance Hub;
  • Monitor implementation plans including the gender action plan, stakeholder engagement plan, and any environmental and social management plans;
  • Monitor and track progress against the GCF Core indicators;
  • Support the Mid-term review and Terminal Evaluation process.

Facilitate knowledge management and gender equality

• Ensure wide dissemination and visibility of project achievements;
• Support continuous learning by the project team;
• Ensure dissemination of information and knowledge management within the team for effective project implementation;
• Ensure that achieved project key results, knowledge tools and products have been mainstreamed within the project field work, as well as within other relevant UNDP interventions and support their popularization and application beyond UNDP scope of work;
• Manage the transfer of projects deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national beneficiaries;
• Ensures gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the project activities, work plans, budgets, reports, researches, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail;
• Ensures knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in Project knowledge management activities and products.

Establish Partnership and Advocacy

• Establish and maintain good working relations with relevant institutional and organizational partners at state, entity and local levels, as well as with main international organizations as relevant for the project implementation;
• Arrange, prepare and follow-up on meetings with direct stakeholders such as local, cantonal, entity and national Government, Water Agencies and Hydrometeorological Institutes at entity level, project consultants and contractors;
• Encourage active participation of all stakeholders in order to promote empowerment and ownership of national counterparts and stakeholders;
• Actively work on the relationships with the local authorities and other project stakeholders, ensuring full understanding, cooperation and a best fit of the program activities with the needs of the beneficiaries;
• Animate effective dialogue with partners and among stakeholders and engage with relevant donors and contribute to the CO resources mobilization efforts in the area of disaster risk reduction;
• Identify and support the realization of synergetic initiatives and/or contribution from various stakeholders, which would add value and maximize the program results;
• Ensure full understanding, cooperation and, wherever possible, synergy of project efforts of the International Community in the area.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent will work under direct supervision of the Energy and Environment Sector Leader and in consultations with the Project Board.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Digital

• Tech Literacy:
  • Ability to apply new digital tools or adapting their original use to create new insights, fresh perspectives or develop solutions.
  • Understand the potential as well as the limitations of certain technological developments; being able to identify how technology can add value when it's used as a "means to an end”
• Visualisation & Mapping:
  • Ability to visualise and clarify ideas, processes or (complex) situations by making quick sketches, drawings or using diagrams, illustrations, photos, videos, animations, three dimensional mock-ups to support group dialogues, reflection, ideation, problem solving or decision making.
  • Using abstraction, analogical and metaphorical thinking to create compelling visuals, maps, models or embodied thinking that provide new perspectives and help a group of disparate actors to find a common language and develop a shared mental model.
  • Ability to quickly grasp the dynamics of a complex system, identify key elements, entities and their relations, create maps or models that help people inside the system, or outsiders, understand its dynamics; being able to swiftly make sense of an undifferentiated mass of information, extract its very essence, and turn that into key messages and visualisations.

Business Direction and Strategy

• Effective Decision Making:
  • Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
• Negotiation and Influence
  • Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.

Business Development

• Knowledge Facilitation:
  • Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas.
  • Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

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 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Disaster Risk Reduction, Economy, Business Administration, Engineering, Climate Change or in Management/Public Administration is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional two years of experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master´s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in implementing projects.

Required Skills:

• Experience of working with ministries, national or provincial institutions that are concerned with natural resource and/or environmental management.
• Excellent understanding, knowledge and/or experience of political and socio-economic context related to climate change, natural resource and/or environmental management and related law enforcement at national and subnational levels;
• Knowledge/Experience of dealing with national government challenges, private sector, NGOs and Donors;
• Experience/Good understanding of post-war and post-socialist transition context, poverty and local development support strategies.
• Experience with/understanding of the language associated with gender, equity inclusion, and diversity.

Desired Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in working with governments, donors and the United Nations system
• Experience/Good understanding of development issues, especially in gender equality and social inclusion;
• Experience/Good knowledge of information technology and its application in work assignments;
• Experience/Good understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools.

Languages:

• English and Bosnian and/or Croatian and/or Serbian

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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