Mission and objectives

As the development arm of the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the leading organization working to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and cli-mate change, as well as the technical lead in the UN System's socio-economic response to COVID-19. Working with a broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, UNDP helps nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. Since 1967, UNDP has worked in close partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) for over five decades, providing strategic support in crisis prevention and recovery, governance, poverty reduction, environment, and sustainable development. UNDP together with the GoSL work towards a sustainable Sri Lanka, building up institutional, legal and individual capacities to respond to the effects of climate change and natural and man-made disasters.

Context

State-citizen land disputes and the reintegration of resettled or returnee communities continue to shape some of the most sensitive dynamics in Sri Lanka’s post-conflict environment and remain central to reconciliation, social cohesion and inclusive development in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Despite efforts since 2009, many communities still face challenges in reclaiming land, securing documentation, and rebuilding livelihoods. Existing data and capacity gaps in state and non-state institutions, coupled with a lack of coordination between state institutions, policy measures governing land acquisition, and inadequate or limited access to infrastructure, are critical concerns that can be addressed with external facilitation and support. The Land and Trust-Building Engagement in the Northern & Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka (LANTERN) project aims to provide conflict-affected communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces with efficient, non-discriminatory, durable solutions for land release, resettlement, reintegration, and the exercise of housing and land rights, to reduce tensions and prevent future conflicts. In this regard, it will strengthen the capacities of state and non-state institutions, enhance their responsiveness to identified issues, and create pathways for collaboration between actors in consultation, including non-state actors such as civil society organisations, community leaders, and women and youth leaders. Against this backdrop, UNDP seeks to recruit a Field Coordinator to support the effective implementation of the project. The UN Volunteer- Senior Expert will work as part of a dynamic team under the Social Cohesion Pillar of the Inclusive Governance Team of the UNDP country office in Sri Lanka, whilst working closely with the UNDP-IOM project team of the LANTERN Project.

Task Description

Support effective project implementation focusing on the achievement of the following results: • Coordinate and operationalization of the LANTERN project in the Eastern Province in consultation with the relevant government and non-governmental stakeholders including facilitating consultations with the Chief Secretary, District Secretary and relevant partners and with the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of UNDP-IOM. • Support the PIU on the timely submission of progress reports by PC and assist with data entry, and the preparation of charts, graphs, and periodic progress reports; • Coordinate and facilitate field-level external assessments, advocacy and knowledge sharing, training programmes, audits, donor assessments and missions. • Review agreements/proposals, track the use of project resources, and follow up on progress. • Networking and mobilizing the stakeholder/community involvement in the project with the Provincial and District Governance machinery or technical working groups. Support the development and operationalization of effective monitoring and evaluation systems which focus on following results. • Support the formulation of M&E plans in line with the broader results framework and programme objectives of the LANTERN project; • Support data collection and analysis and maintenance of databases where necessary, towards facilitating evidence-based information/knowledge management and timely reporting; • Support in the design, pilot and roll out of simplified/innovative tools to support the project monitoring process at the field level; • Support the PIU to put in place processes for data gathering; provide regular technical support to carry out proper data collection and information management; • Ensure accuracy and consistency of information collected and carry out regular verification of reported information for accuracy; Support the Project’s institutional capacity building, focusing on the achievement of the following results: • Assist with the synthesis of lessons learnt and creating a database on the same and best practices in the programme; • Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. • Participation in the training for the Project staff on administration and Programme matters; • Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Administrative, Financial and Logistical support to the project Office focusing on the achievement of the following results: • Maintain up-to-date files and records of project documentation; • Submission of proper supporting documents for requests for payments to the PIU and filing of documents in the required formats and standards; • Liaison work between the Project Office and the operations team of PIU; • Drafting and submission of required reports and other documentation in a qualitative manner to be submitted to the PC and liaison with the PIU in Colombo as required • Ensure the timely and smooth implementation of all project logistics; • Maintenance of required administrative records – e.g. Time sheets/attendance sheets, leave reports, overtime statements, travel documents, etc; • Administrative, secretarial and logistical support to conduct of meetings, conferences, workshops and training programmes; • Maintain good rapport with the Government Offices, and other partners in the designated area, to enable continuous smooth working relationships with them; • Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

Sri Lanka is an island nation located off the south coast of India. It’s home an estimated population of over 21 million people. It is a multi- ethnic, multicultural and multi- religious country. Colombo is situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka and is the commercial capital of the country. The city is located on the west coast of the island, adjacent to the administrative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Bandaranaike International Airport is located 35km from Colombo and is served by the main international airlines. Sri Lanka is a tropical country with moderate temperate and high humidity all throughout the year. Average temperature in Colombo ranges between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius. The island experiences two main monsoon seasons, where heavy rainfalls occur, from May to August and October to January. Sri Lankan food is characterized by fragrant spices, all forms of coconut, and rice. Rice and curry are the main dishes. Sri Lankan cuisine tends to be quite spicy. There are hotels and other types of accommodation options available in Colombo. Supermarkets, banking and medical facilities are present within the city. Telephone and Internet service is widely available. Phone plans and data are inexpensive; however, you should not expect internet service to work consistently or at high speed. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos. The support provided by the UN Volunteer supporting UNDP in Sri Lanka is a Special Programme Initiative (SPI) by UNV. SPIs respond to volunteer-specific needs of the United Nations system and donor entities. They are established by specific policy documents that address the desired programmatic aims and broader SDG outcomes in line with UNV guiding principles. UN Volunteers for this SPI in Sri Lanka are governed by the particular conditions set out in their offers and contracts. In addition to the specific requirements set out above, candidates for these volunteer assignments will be subject to background checks, confirmation and clearance provided by the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS).