UNDP’s 2012-2024 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, and promote more resilient governance systems.

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies; support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements. The portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification; Water and Ocean Governance; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

Sound chemical and waste management could reduce the risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals and protect the human health and environment. UNDP Montreal Protocol/Chemicals and waste Unit focuses on providing policy and technical advisory, design and implementation oversight to the chemical projects funded by the GEF, MLF, and bilateral donors. Currently, UNDP supports 85 countries in meeting their obligations under the Montreal Protocol, Stockholm convention, Minamata convention, as well as the Strategic approach of international chemical management (SAICM). UNDP has been on the forefront of efforts to advance the Kigali Amendment to tackle climate change and improve cooling efficiency by partnering with developing countries, MLF, GEF, Clean Cooling Collaborative, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, Cool Coalition, bilateral donors and the private sector. UNDP’s Chemicals and Waste Programme helps client countries improve their capacities for sustainable production and consumption, clean air action plan, integrated waste management (healthcare waste, E-waste, plastics), sustainable and non-chemical development in SIDS, promotion of Green/Circular Economy, resource efficiency, and good practices in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining sector (ASGM).

The Indian Ocean Regional Project is one of five (5) child projects that is part of a GEF-funded UN Environment led global programme entitled “Implementing Sustainable Low And Non-Chemical Development in SIDS” (“the GEF ISLANDS Programme”), which will be implemented in 30 SIDS across 3 regions (Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific). The UNDP-supported Indian Ocean Child Project, consists of four national subprojects (Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles) and 1 regional subproject, the latter referred to as the “Indian Ocean Regional Project – Regional - Implementing Sustainable Low and non-Chemical Development in SIDS (ISLANDS).” The regional project manager will support the implementation of both the national sub-project in Comoros (50%) as the regional subproject (50%).

The project manager is expected to provide services outlined below. The Regional Project Manager will be responsible for the overall management of the regional project component, including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, consultants and sub-contractors.

The time allocation in each task is indicative and might be adjusted to meet the needs of priorities during the service period. The consultant is required to record the actual working time in timesheet system of UNDP/NCE. 

Duties and Responsibilities - Regional Subproject (50%)

• Manage the overall conduct of the project.
• Plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the approved workplan.
• Execute 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.
• Monitor events as determined in the project monitoring plan and update the plan as required.
• Provide support for completion of assessments required by UNDP, spot checks and audits.
• Manage requests for the provision of UNDP financial resources through funding advances, direct payments or reimbursement.
• Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
• Monitor progress watch for plan deviations and make course corrections when needed within project board-agreed tolerances to achieve results.
• Perform regular progress reporting to the project board as agreed with the board, including measures to address challenges and opportunities.
• Prepare and submit financial reports to UNDP on a quarterly basis.
• Manage and monitor the project risks – including social and environmental risks - initially identified and submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the project risks log.
• Capture lessons learned during project implementation.
• Prepare revisions to the multi-year workplan, as needed, as well as annual and quarterly plans if required.
• 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 GEF PIR submission deadline so that progress can be reported in the GEF PIR.
• Assess major and minor amendments to the project within the parameters set by UNDP-GEF.
• Monitor implementation plans including the gender action plan, stakeholder engagement plan, and any environmental and social management plans.
• Monitor and track progress against the GEF Core indicators.
• Support the Mid-term review and Terminal Evaluation process.

Regional project components:

• Component 1: (under the guidance of the International Technical KM & Partnership Expert and CTE) support the Int. Customs Expert in delivering half-yearly training (through webinars/on-line) to train customs officers and environmental enforcement officers from IO SIDS on monitoring/enforcement of import/use bans (Activity 1.1.3).
• Component 1: (under the guidance of the International Technical KM & Partnership Expert and CTE) support the Int. Customs Expert in delivering yearly training (through webinars/on-line) to train customs officers and environmental enforcement officers from IO SIDS on chemicals related (import) data collection/monitoring and reporting and the improvement/management of electronic import systems (Activity 1.2.2).
• Component 2: (Support) Development and promotion of a Private Sector Engagement Strategy for implementation in each of the 4 IO SIDS, in cooperation with local private sector stakeholders, including Chambers of Commerce (Activity 2.1.1).
• Component 2: (Support) Develop partnerships between national waste/recyclables exporters and regional/international recycles/treatment facilities (Activity 2.1.5).
• Component 2: (Support) Support the development (joint if feasible) of 4 regional disposal/export plans/approaches focusing on regional solutions for priority (hazardous) waste streams (Activity 2.1.6).
• Component 2: (Support) Train and inform private sector partners on the use of national financial instruments (Activity 2.1.7).
• Component 3: (Co-Lead) Support the development of partnerships with shipping companies in the Indian Ocean (Activity 3.1.1).
• Component 3: (Co-Lead) Support the development of partnerships with cruise lines in the Indian Ocean (Activity 3.1.2).
• Component 3: (Co-Lead) Support the development of partnerships between hotel chains in the Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles (Activity 3.1.3).
• Component 4: (Support) Provide operational support to IO SIDS to support implementation of the ISLANDS - Indian Ocean Child Project (Activity 4.1.1).
• Component 4: (Support) Develop training materials on key technical topics in line with priority needs of IO SIDS (Activity 4.1.2).
• Component 4: (Support) Train national and regional SIDS experts/trainers on key technical topics (Activity 4.1.3).
• Component 4: (Support) Coordinate and guide the development of GEF ISLANDS gender-responsive knowledge management products (Activity 4.2.3).
• Component 4: (Support) Organization of side events and business fora (Activity 4.2.4).
• Component 4: (Support) Coordinate and prepare monitoring reports and project updates (Activity 4.3.3).
• Component 4: (Support) Support evaluation and audit related activities (Activity 4.3.4).

Duties and Responsibilities - National Subproject Comoros (50%)

• Provide technical support for the implementation of Comoros component of the IO Child Project (50% engagement). The regional project managers manages oversight of the work of the National Project Coordinator in Comoros, as well as the international experts engaged in the Comoros component.

1. Institutional Arrangement

The regional project manager will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Project Executive (UNDP BPPS NCE).