Project Manager at Ministry Of Natural Resources And Climate Change

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
ASSIGNMENTS UNDER TRANSFORMATIONAL ADAPTATION FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE LAKE CHILWA BASIN OF MALAWI PROJECT (TRANSFORM)

1.0 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

The Malawi Government has received financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the
Transformational Adaptation for Climate Resiliencein the Lake Chilwa Basin of Malawi (TRANSFORM). In the Lake Chilwa basin in southern Malawi, local communities are increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change. Since the 1960s, Malawi has experienced an increase in annual temperatures, prolonged dry seasons, increasingly variable rainfall patterns and more frequent heavy rainfall events. These climatic changes have been particularly acute in the Lake Chilwa basin where they have contributed to a rise in the intensity and frequency of climate hazards such as droughts and floods associated with: i) a decline in the capacity of ecosystems in the basin to regulate the hydrological cycle; ii) a decrease in Lake Chilwa’s water levels; and iii) a reduction in the productivity of fisheries and rainfed agriculture.

TRANSFORM Project aims to reduce the vulnerability of communities surrounding the lake to the adverse effects of climate change by strengthening the resilience of livelihoods through
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and financing of sustainable, climate-resilient enterprises. Specific interventions implemented under TRANSFORM will include: i) enhancing the capacity of communities and institutions to plan, implement and monitor EbA interventions that build the adaptive capacity of the basin; ii) improving small-scale producers’ access to lucrative markets for climate-resilient products and value chains through diversification of product/service offerings and alternative livelihoods, as well as by enhancing access to microfinance, social protection and insurance; and iii) facilitating the adoption of alternative and climate-resilient livelihoods.

These interventions will see more robust and coordinated relationships between the private sector and small-scale producers, facilitated by concessional financing, improved
infrastructure and technologies, thereby enabling a long-term resilience building and vulnerability reduction in the Lake Chilwa basin and across the rest of Malawi.

The project will be implemented in Machinga, Zomba and Phalombe Districts. It is against this background that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change would like to
recruit personnel to spearhead the management and implementation of the TRANSFORM project.

The Ministry therefore, would like to invite applications from suitable candidates to fill the vacant positions that exist within the Project Management Unit (PMU) at the Environmental
Affairs Department.

1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The objective of the project is to reduce the vulnerability of communities surrounding Lake Chilwa to the adverse effects of climate change by strengthening the resilience of livelihoods
through Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and financing of climate-resilient enterprises in Lake Chilwa, and scaled up to other regions of Malawi: This will be addressed through 3
components:

(i) Component 1: Enhancing financing and investment in adaptation options and climate-resilient enterprises in the Lake Chilwa basin, with potential for upscaling to other regions
of Malawi. this will contribute to the outcome of enhanced public and private sector investment in and strengthened market linkages for upscaling sustainable, climate-resilient
enterprises to provide communities with alternative sources of income.

(ii) Component 2: Implementation of EbA and Sustainable climate-resilient livelihoods. This will contribute to the attainment of outcome 1 which is Reduced vulnerability of communities in target districts to climate change through the implementation of EbA interventions and the introduction of innovative sustainable climate-resilient livelihoods in preparation for scaling up through Outcomes 1 and 3.

(iii) Component 3: Strengthening the enabling environment for upscaling of initiatives aimed at climate-resilient development across Malawi. This will contribute to the outcome of
Strengthened enabling environment for district and community-level institutions to plan, implement and monitor Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), in readiness for receiving
funding under the SCFF.

2.0 PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change through the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) is implementing a Transformation adaptation for Climate Resilience in the Lake Chilwa Basin in Malawi project (TRANSFORM). It is against this background that the Ministry would therefore like to seek the services of a (i)Project Manager, (ii) Monitoring and
Evaluation Officer, (iii) Safeguards Officer, (iv) Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, (v) Project Coordinators, (vi) Project Procurement Officer, (vii) Finance and Administrative Officer, (viii) Finance and Administrative Assistants to manage day to day operations of the project for a period of 60 months.

The Project Manager, the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, the Project Safeguards Officer, the Project Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, the Finance and Administration Officer and the project Procurement Officer will operate from the Project Management Unit (PMU) based at the Environmental Affairs Department offices in Lilongwe and will be reporting to the Director of Environmental Affairs. The District Project Coordinators and Finance and Administration Assistants will operate from Machinga, Zomba and Phalombe Districts and will report to the Project Manager based at Environmental Affairs Department in Lilongwe.

2.1 PROJECT MANAGER

2.1.1 Overall Description of the Duties

The Project Manager will provide overall operational management for the successful execution and implementation of the Project. The Project Manager will be responsible for the
supervision of activities implemented by responsible parties, accurate accounting and reporting on the use of programme funds and monitoring of the achievement of results. The
Project Manager will be based at the Project Management Unit within the Environmental Affairs Department Headquarters in Lilongwe but will be required to travel extensively
and regularly to the Project areas. He/she will be working in close collaboration with the Project staff, District Project Coordinators and District Council Staff and provide support
on project management and implementation. He/She will report to the Director of Environmental Affairs and the Portfolio Manager for Resilience and Sustainable Growth at the UNDP Malawi Country Office. The Project Manager will be employed on full time basis for a period of 60 months.

Consultant
Time Input
Tasks, Inputs and Outputs
For Project Management
Local / National contracting
Project Manager
60 months/ over 5 years

The Project Manager will provide overall operational management for the successful execution and implementation of the Project. The Project Manager will be responsible for the supervision of activities implemented by responsible parties, accurate accounting and reporting on the use of programme funds and monitoring of the achievement of results. The Project Manager will report to the Director of Environmental Affairs and the Portfolio Manager for Resilience and Sustainable Growth at the UNDP Malawi Country Office.

Duties and responsibilities:

Project Management, Reporting and Coordination

• Support with the smooth operation and running of the Project through day-to-day oversight and coordination of the implementation of project activities in liaison with the desk officer at EAD and Programme coordinators at the district level.
• Collaborate and liaise with National Climate Resilience Programme on linkages in the resilience programme.
• Coordinate the project team in carrying out their duties at an optimum level by ensuring efficient and effective resource utilisation.
• Coordinate the preparation and implementation of annual and quarterly results-based work plans in line with indicators and targets specified in the logical framework endorsed by management, as well as coordinate inputs into all project reports as required.
• Monitor project activities, including financial matters, and organise quarterly progress reviews, preparing quarterly progress and financial reports to be approved by the IP and UNDP CO.
• Supervise technical and train Project staff as required for the implementation of the Project according to the Project’s workplan.
• Support the Project Coordination Structures (Coordination, Joint National Technical Committee on climate Change and DRM (NTCC) and National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC) in organizing the Project Coordination meetings, reporting to the Committees, and providing feedback on project strategies, activities, progress, and challenges.
• Work closely with the Finance and Administrative Assistant in budgeting, expenditures, and reporting per Malawi Government, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP’s guidelines.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promote knowledge management in the Project, including maintaining a database on documentation exercises, generation and publication of knowledge and dissemination through the appropriate platforms.
• Provide in-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues to be integrated into the programme.
• Identify and promote opportunities for sharing project results, lessons and successes with other stakeholders, including development partners, government departments and CSOs.
• Lead in integrating current research and technologies in the Project Development and Operational Effectiveness
• In liaison with the Programme Analyst/Technical Lead at UNDP, provide and update relevant information for project management, including Project Quality Assurance, Risk Log Monitoring and M&E through UNDP’s online dashboards.
• Lead and support results-based management and reporting
• Initiate project reviews at periodic intervals
• Identify and foster linkages for the Project with potential stakeholders

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• In liaison with the Programme Analyst/Technical Lead at UNDP, provide and update relevant information for project management, including Project Quality Assurance, Risk Log Monitoring and M&E through UNDP’s online dashboards.
• Lead and support results-based management and reporting
• Initiate project reviews at periodic intervals
• Identify and foster linkages for the Project with potential stakeholders

Management and Leadership

• Provide ongoing supervision for project coordinators in project implementation to ensure optimum quality of results and value for money.
• Manage any conflicts at the sub-national level in line with UNDP policies.
• Maintain outstanding communication skills (oral and written communication skills).
• Develop and maintain close linkages with appropriate sectoral government agencies, UNDP, NGOs, civil society, international organizations and implementing partners of the Project, and engage them during the dissemination of results and learning from Project.

Qualifications and Experience

• A Minimum qualification of Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Natural Resources Management, Climate Change Management, Environmental Sciences
• Possession of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources Management, Climate Change Management, Environmental Sciences from an accredited University is a must
• Those with MBA and PhD in the relevant field will have an added advantage
• A minimum of 10 years proven professional experience working in project Management
• Experience working with donor funded projects
• Experience in Private Sector engagement will be an added advantage
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skillswith ability to express ideas clearly

Method Of Application

Interested applicants that satisfy the requirements in the ToRs should submit their applications including a signed application letter indicating the position they are applying for with an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV); Names and Contacts of Three Traceable Referees; Copies of Certificates by 04:30 PM on 24th November, 2023 to: The Director Environmental Affairs, Lingadzi House, P/Bag 394, LILONGWE 3.