National Project Manager (NPM)

The Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources (HCENR) has received a grant from GEF through UNDP to implement a Project titled: Strengthened Protected Areas System and Integrated Ecosystem Management in Sudan.

The project will be implemented following UNDP’s National Implementation Modality (NIM), according to the Standard Basis Assistance Agreement between UNDP and the Government of Sudan and in accordance to the Master Agreement between UNDP and the GEF. The national Executing Entity for this project is the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources (HCENR). Day-to-day project oversight will be conducted in accordance with established HCENR and UNDP procedures. Implementation arrangements involve a Project Board, Project Management team, and landscape technical specialists.

Brief project description: Sudan’s rich biodiversity and natural environment is subject to a number of threats related to the lack of a strong, functional protected areas system, both at policy level and in management terms, as well as an increasing impact on natural resources and land degradation, marine and terrestrial, in and around protected areas due to limited livelihoods options and limited planning. This project will take a comprehensive landscape approach to address the multi-faceted nature of land degradation and impacts on natural resources by attempting to secure Sudan’s protected area system and ecosystems, focusing in particular on key sites of ecological and economic importance and investing in supporting effective community-level engagement in and around protected areas and buffer zones, across key ecological systems. As such it seeks to address the following key project objective: “to strengthen the national protected area (PA) system and promote integrated ecosystem management in adjacent areas so as to reduce threats to biodiversity, mitigate land degradation, sustain ecosystem services, and improve people’s livelihoods”. The objective will be achieved through the implementation of three project components: Component 1: An enabling environment established at the national level for expanded PA management; Component 2: Improved management effectiveness at selected terrestrial and marine PA; Component 3 Integrated Natural Resource Management in multi-use landscapes in and around targeted PAs. Finally, to ensure adaptive management and equity: Component 4: Knowledge Management, Gender Mainstreaming, and M&E.

To start the implementation of this important project, HCENR intends to recruit the project management team, which consist of a National Project Manager (NPM), Finance and Administrative Officer and three landscape technical specialists at the three site level.

1. National Project Manager (NPM):

Post: National Project Manager (NPM)

Project: Strengthened Protected Areas System and Integrated Ecosystem Management in Sudan

Application Deadline: 10 June 2021

Duration of the project 5 years

Expected starting date: First of July 2021

Duration of contract: For the duration of the project, renewable every year based on satisfactory performance

Duty Station Khartoum State with travel to three Protected Areas

The Project Manager (PM), will be a nationally recruited expert selected based on an open competitive process managed by the Project Board. He/She 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. The PM will report to the Chair of the Project Board (HCENR appointee) in close consultation with the Director General of HCENR and the UNDP RR (or duly designated UNDP officer) for all of the project’s substantive and administrative issues. From the strategic point of view of the project, the PM will report on a periodic basis to the Project Board. Generally, the PM will be responsible for meeting government obligations under the project, under the project execution modality. He/She will perform a liaison role with the Government, UNDP and other UN Agencies, NGOs and project partners, and maintain close collaboration with other donor agencies providing co-financing. The Project Manager will also play a technical function in addition to the project management functions.

Qualifications

· A university degree (MSc/MPhil or PhD in conservation or Protected Areas Management, Environmental Sciences, or related fields of expertise

· At least 10 years of experience in natural resource management;

· At least 5 years of project/program management experience;

· Working experiences with relevant ministries and national institutions is a plus, but not a requirement;

· Ability to effectively coordinate a large, multi-stakeholder project;

· Ability to administer budgets, train and work effectively with counterpart staff at all levels and with all groups involved in the project;

· Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills;

· Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search;

· Strong knowledge about Sudan’s political and socio-economic context, in particular with relation to wildlife conservation and related work;

· Excellent writing communication skills in English and Arabic

2. Landscape technical specialists (full time national consultant):

Post: Landscape technical specialists

Project: Strengthened Protected Areas System and Integrated Ecosystem Management in Sudan

Application Deadline: 10 June 2021

Duration of the project 5 years

Expected starting date: First of July 2021

Duration of contract: For the duration of the project, renewable every year based on satisfactory performance

Duty Station Based at Wildlife Conservation General Directorate Mohamed Qol, Jebel Al Dair and Dinder National park.

The Landscape Technical Specialist (LTS), will be a nationally recruited expert selected based on an open competitive process managed by the Project Manager. He/She 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. The LTS will report to the Project Manager.

There will be three LTS, one marine specialist, two terrestrial specialists.

Each Landscape Technical Specialist will carry out the following tasks:

· Coordinate, manage and monitor the implementation of the landscape level aspects of the project (Dinder, Dungonab or Jebel Al Dair), ensuring that all the site activities are carried out on time and within budget to achieve the stated outputs;

· Coordinate detailed budget and work plan preparation by field staff and government agencies

· Advise the PM on site level activities and updates

· Ensure financial resources are availed on time to implementing partners, government agencies and field staff

· Manage the landscape level action project finance, oversee overall resource allocation and where relevant submit proposals for budget revisions to the PB and UNDP as appropriate;

· Coordinate and oversee the preparation of the outputs of the site actions and progress reports and share reports with all participating parties

· Ensure effective communication with the relevant authorities, institutions and government departments;

· Foster, establish and maintain links with other related national and international programmes and National Projects;

· Assist with the organisation of National Coordinating Committee meetings;

· Support the PB in maintaining effective communication with the relevant authorities, institutions and government departments;

· Assist with the identification of the consultants and experts, and supervise their performance;

· Assist the PB and PM ensuring that all the activities are carried out on time and within budget to achieve the stated outputs, especially where related to the appropriate landscape focus;

· Assist the PM in the preparation and submission to UNDP, of regular progress and financial reports

· Assist with the preparation of a project monitoring and evaluation plan

· Assist with identification of appropriate project indicators able to reflect progress of activities as well as impact

· Assist with minute taking and capturing and incorporating recommendations from PAC meetings into project execution and monitoring and evaluation plan

· Assisting with providing information as needed to carry out any monitoring and evaluation activity as part of the UNDP internal guidelines

The LTS are expected to have the following experience and qualifications”

· MSc in conservation or Protected Areas Management / Environment / Economics

· Ten Years work Experience in the field of conserved area management

· Highly developed and proven communications and facilitations skills

· Considerable knowledge of the selected landscape

· Proven experience of working within or closely with government agencies

· Proven Experience of Engagement with Private Sector and Community Stakeholders

· Ability to work in the field / in isolated conditions

· Project Management, Monitoring and Reporting Experience

· Excellent writing communication skills in English and Arabic

3. Project Administration and Procurement Officer (full-time)

The Project Administration and Procurement Officer will be a nationally recruited professional selected based on an open competitive process managed by UNDP. He/she shall be responsible for the overall administration and financial management of the project, under the supervision of the PM.

Post: Project Administration, Financial and Procurement Officer

Project: Strengthened Protected Areas System and Integrated Ecosystem Management in Sudan

Application Deadline: 10 June 2021

Duration of the project 5 years

Expected starting date: First of July 2021

Duration of contract: For the duration of the project, renewable every year based on satisfactory performance

Duty Station Khartoum State with travel to the three Protected Areas

Duties and Responsibilities:

With respect to Financial Management

· Facilitate auditing and financial controls with respect to the Project;

· Ensure that all procurements and disbursements are carried out in accordance with the UNDP/GEF and Government of Sudan’s requirements, which requires familiarity with the financial management procedures;

· Implementation of procurement related to the large infrastructure investments to be made under this project, in particular;

· Ensure that project-related disbursements are carried out in a timely and efficient manner;

· Ensure the smooth flow of funds to enable the timely implementation of project activities amongst the various implementation partners, including the timely replenishment of the project account;

· Compile the quarterly and annual financial reports in a timely manner, with a focus on the financial delivery of the project;

· Prepare a monthly project bank reconciliation;

· Maintain a logical and comprehensive record of financial transactions, with supporting documentation, for reference and audit purposes;

· Provide the necessary assistance and documentation for the statutory audit of annual financial statements;

· Perform all other duties as requested by the PM;

· Perform any other duty relevant to the assignment.

With respect to Procurement for the UNDP-GEF-supported Project

· Prepare and implement procurement strategies, plans and, where applicable, procedures, including sourcing strategies and e-procurement tools and procurement plans, based on the during the PPG phase developed infrastructure and procurement plans and guidance, and in line with existing procedures within the implementation partners.

· Ensure that all procurement activities under the UNDP-supported project are implemented in full compliance of procurement activities applicable.

· Elaboration and implementation of cost saving and cost reduction strategies.

· Implementation of a well-functioning strategic procurement processes, from sourcing strategy, tendering, supplier selection and evaluation, quality management, customer relationship management, to performance measurement.

· Implements and guidance to, contracts management and administration strategy within the project, constantly guided by legal framework of the organization and assessing/minimizing all forms of risks in procurement.

· Evaluate offers and make recommendations for the finalization of purchases and the award of contracts; analyse and evaluate commodity tender results;

· Managing reporting requirements to Project Management on delivery of procurement services.

Qualifications

· At least a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Financial Management or equivalent;

· Knowledge of accounting policies and principles;

· At least five (5) years work experience in administration Financial Management and of which at least one year was closely related to support of project / program activities.

· Capable of working fairly independently;

· Excellent organizational skills;

· Excellent inter-personal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people;

· Excellent communication skills (oral and written); in English and Arabic

· Good computer skills and proficiency in standard computer applications (MS Word, MS Excel, etc.).

Application Procedure:

Qualified and interested candidates are hereby requested to apply. The application should contain the following:

· Motivational letter that briefly describes the interest and why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;

· Personal CV (max 5 pages) of the Applicant indicating his/her education background, professional qualifications, all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of professional references;

· Applicants should submit application letter together with curriculum vitae (including current address and contact number), copies (only) of relevant certificate and be able to provide any supporting documents may be required.

· Completed applications and supporting documents should be submitted to:

The office of the Secretary General of HCENR

Mekk Nimir Street – Khartoum P.O Box 10488 or by email to: HCENR2005@yahoo.com

elkhitmamohammed@gmail.com

Only short listed will be contacted