Northern Ukraine has approximately 3 million ha of wet peat soils, many of which have been drained for agriculture; approximately 1 million ha remain in a natural state. This landscape is a mosaic of steppe forests, wetlands, and river valleys, which sustain rich but threatened ecosystems. Livelihoods are agriculture-based, with livestock farming a key part of the economy. Although the drained peatlands briefly provided rich agriculture lands, over a short time the drained peatlands have become degraded, as mineralization and peat fires take a continuous toll, while emitting GHGs. The water table across the region continues to subside, which causes forest die-offs. Peat fires also have a significant negative impact on human health and local economies. Land use is not optimized, so agriculture continues to encroach on high value ecosystems. However, increased grazing and hay cutting could be beneficial in some abandoned lands in order to maintain biodiverse open peat meadows that are being overgrown by woody vegetation. Underlying drivers of this situation are limited local and national capacity and coordination in land use planning, limited technical knowledge for agriculture on wet peatlands (paludiculture), limited capital access and investment in sustainable agriculture, limited and deteriorating water management infrastructure, and livestock value chains that currently do not sufficiently incentivize sustainable livestock production in peatlands.

The project will catalyze a transition across the landscape to sustainable livestock farming in peatlands, while restoring key areas for maintenance of ecosystem services to support both vibrant livestock agriculture and biodiversity. This will be achieved through i) implementation of Integrated Land Use Plans (ILUPs); ii) promotion of sustainable livestock production practices and value chains, including a multi-stakeholder sustainable livestock platform; iii) conservation and restoration of natural habitats; and iv) coordination, learning, information dissemination, and knowledge management. Planned project results include more than 9,000 direct beneficiaries; improved status of biodiversity including 18 globally significant species; 150,000 ha under improved agriculture; 40,000 ha of land restored; 240,000 ha of high value peatlands and steppe forest ecosystems conserved; and increased knowledge and understanding of sustainable livestock practices in wet peat soils.

The Project Management Unit (PMU) will be led by a Project Manager/Specialist (PM/S), supported by National Technical Analyst. The PM/S will be responsible for the overall management of the project, including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, consultants and sub-contractors.

It is the PM/S’s primary responsibility to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the project document, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost. The PM/S will inform the Project Board and the Project Assurance roles of any delays or difficulties as they arise during implementation so that appropriate support and corrective measures can be adopted.

1. Delivery and stakeholders management to ensure effective implementation and achievement of results

• Leads the day-to-day project implementation and ensures achievement of targets as outlined in the project work plan;
• Ensures that the quality of project inputs meets the expected standards and are sufficient to produce project outputs and targets;
• Leads stakeholder consultations related to the project, including those related to specific project activities  at local, regional, and national levels to regularly communicate about project activities, and receives technical feedback from stakeholders;
• Develops and monitors all implementation plans including the gender action plan, stakeholder engagement plan, and any environmental and social management plans, thereby ensuring effective monitoring of project performance, the preparation of high quality and results oriented progress reports including measures to address challenges and opportunities, and of annual project reports (PIRs), in line with the standard template and presents it to the project assurance team on a timely manner;
• Ensures gender-related economic, environmental, public research and analysis, to contribute to the formulation of policies, programme interventions, procedures, guidelines and tools.

 2. Project Management

• Executes project activities by managing personnel, goods and services, training and low-value grants, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, and overseeing all contractors’ work;
• Prepares project’s work plans and organizes project board meetings to obtain their approval;
• Performs Project Manager duties on UNDP’s ERM (ATLAS) in line with the NIM manual and as outlined in the delegation of authority for Project Managers;
• Implements project work plan and ensures that the project remains within the tolerance level of the approved work plan, coordinating the sequence of project activities according to technical requirements;
• Prepares and represents UNDP at the project board, raising with the National Project Director for any issues that require their attention, including issues related to deviation from the approved work plans and its tolerance (e.g. deviation from the approved target, and/or budget);
• Conducts regular monitoring to ensure achievement of targets in line with the annual work plan and that project implementation at all levels complies with the approved project SoP;
• Ensure that the GEF Core indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually in advance of the GEF PIR submission deadline so that progress can be reported in the GEF PIR;
• Manages and monitors project risks – including social and environmental risks - initially identified and identifies and submits new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required, updating the status of these risks by maintaining the project risks log;
• Through constant engagement and leadership manages critical issues, troubleshoots problems and develops solutions to the overall processes of project implementation; Captures lessons learned during project implementation;
• Monitors financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
• Prepares the inception report no later than one month after the inception workshop;
• Prepares revisions to the multi-year workplan, as needed, as well as annual and quarterly plans if required;
• Assures implementation of gender equality accountability framework and Gender equality Results Based management at project level.

3. Knowledge Sharing

• Ensures coordination of the project with the Global FOLUR Platform, and the integration of the project in relevant regional and global activities organized by the Global FOLUR Platform (including, for example, participation by project staff in the Green Commodities Program Community of Practice to share knowledge with project stakeholders and commodity actors);
• Participates in FOLUR Global Platform trainings and capacity building events;
• Serves as the project Focal Point for communication and linkage between the project and the Global FOLUR Platform;
• Collaborates with the FOLUR Global Platform to identify joint Technical Assistance and training needs to fill gaps or implement innovations, and consider where the Ukraine Project experiences and experts can contribute to global or regional training events;
• Engages with the FOLUR Global Platform on Knowledge Management aspects, such as suggesting relevant topics for reports, contributing case studies, and promoting the FOLUR global outputs in Ukraine through seminars and outreach;
• Identifies best practices and lessons learnt from the project and from other initiatives that can be helpful to the project in achieving its goals and objectives;
• Organizes and delivers trainings for the operations/project staff on project/programme management issues;
• Conducts internal capacity building training for project staff to facilitate appropriate management and timely delivery of project outputs;
• Leads in generating knowledge products such as best practices and lessons learnt for knowledge sharing; and Contributes to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• Conducts internal capacity building training for project staff to facilitate appropriate management and timely delivery of project outputs including in gender analysis and gender mainstreaming;
• Effectively contributes to learning and knowledge sharing in gender analysis and gender mainstreaming.

4. Corporate Tasks

• Support UNDP in partnership building and resource mobilization initiatives;
• Design and supervise of outreach activities of the project including participating in relevant seminars, workshops, conferences;
• Ensure full coordination with other relevant projects and initiatives of UNDP Ukraine;
• Provide support for completion of assessments required by UNDP, spot checks and audits.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor, and UNDP Ukraine management.

Competencies

Achieve Results

• Demonstrate focus on achieving quality results and impact
• Consistently strive to meet or exceed excellence standards
• Hold self and others accountable for results
• Efficiently establish appropriate plans and resources for self and others to accomplish

Think Innovatively

• Look beyond conventional approaches and established methods
• Propose new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems
• Seek patterns and clarity outside boxes and categories while resisting false certainty and simplistic binary choice

Adapt with Agility

• Be flexible in handling change, and adopt new ideas, approaches and ways of working
• Seamlessly adapt to working within new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways
• Participate in, support, contribute to or drive meaningful change in UNDP
• Be comfortable with ambiguity and effectively managing multiple demands

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES – Level 3

Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results

Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Risk Management

• Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES – Level 3

Show Managerial Courage

• Face up to organizational and people problems
• Not be afraid to take decision and action when and as needed
• Not hold back anything that needs to be said, respectfully and diplomatically
• Address conflict in a timely manner, not allow conflicts in teams linger
• Help others through emotional or tense situations, tactfully bringing disagreements into the open and finding solutions all can endorse

Demonstrate Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

• Enable the wellbeing of the team(s)
• Read a group’s emotional currents and power relationships, identifying influencers, networks,  and organizational dynamics; adapt leadership styles at the appropriate times

Motivate and Direct

• Create and communicate a compelling vision and purpose
• Align people and resources with organizational vision, strategy, objectives
• Understand and proactively builds the team/organization culture

Manage Performance and Ensure Accountability

• Ensure regular conversations with people about work
• Provide positive and constructive feedback
• Discuss poor performance in a timely manner
• Provide praise and recognition, as well as ensure accountability

Lead with Humility

• Be authentic and transparent, act with integrity
• Be accessible and available to team members they lead
• Encourages debate and discussion, creating a culture where people are comfortable to challenge senior leaders and feel listened too
• Be modest, giving credit for success to others and admit own shortcomings

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES -Level 3

Nature, Climate and Energy

• Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Conservation and Sustainable use of biodiversity, land, forests and oceans
• Environment: Environmental and social impact assessments and safeguards

• Proficiency in use of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc).
• Previous experience with international technical assistance and/or donor projects/programmes is an advantage.
• Proven ability to draft, edit and produce written proposals and results-focused reports  is an advantage.
• Knowledge of UNDP rules, regulations, project management procedures and experience with ATLAS is an advantage.

• Master’s degree (or equivalent)  in Economics, Business Administration, Natural Resource Management, Project Management, Social Sciences,  Environment, or other relevant field.
• Bachelor`s degree with 2 additional years of relevant experience can be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.

• Five (5) years of experience in project management, programme/project coordination, project component coordination, managing team of experts.
• Experience working with ministries, national or regional institutions that are concerned with natural resource and/or environmental management. 
• Experience in working with UN agencies, other development partners, the government on programming in sustainable development, environment protection etc.;
• Excellent analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.

UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as  reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Institutional Arrangements

• Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Team Leader Energy and Environment (UNDP Ukraine), National Project Director, and Regional Technical Advisor, the Project Manager/Specialist is fully responsible for making the day-to-day decisions on project implementation and ensures to achieve the project results (outputs) as defined in the approved project document and in the annual work plans through timely implementation and quality monitoring. The Project Manager/Specialist supports the partners in achieving the results.
• Nationals or others legally authorized to work in Ukraine are eligible for consideration. (country of citizenship or place of permanent residence).