UNDP helps Kazakhstan honor its Paris Agreement commitments by supporting the expansion of the “green economy” to tap into new opportunities for jobs and businesses. It partners with other United Nations agencies to provide technical expertise to translate strategies into action, establish a monitoring framework for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and develop plans for transition to green energy, land management, climate-proof agriculture, biodiversity, reforestation, disaster risk reduction, and waste management. By catalyzing SDG and Paris-aligned investments (public and private), UNDP delivers client-focused solutions that respond to immediate, mid and long-term recovery and socio-economic development priorities, and; by leveraging on-the-ground presence and networks, we unlock bottom-up solutions towards lasting impacts at the country level, benefitting most disadvantaged and leaving no one behind.

This project was developed as part of the the global GEF Impact Program on Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration (FOLUR) to trigger wide-scale adoption of efficient land management technologies and promote green value chains to reduce degradation of productive agricultural land and associated high value ecosystems in the Northern Kazakhstan Landscape. The project will support Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) policies, capacities and incentives, thus ensuring the enabling environment for transformation of land use practices to avoid ecosystem and land degradation. The project will support establishment of the cooperative platform with wheat exporters and retail companies, led by the Government and focusing on green wheat as key commodity. For the agricultural landscape, the project will support diversification and improved management of productive croplands, introduce agro-environmental incentives for sustainable food production, restore pastureland and introduce sustainable pasture management techniques. The project will support the establishment of a network of high-nature value ecosystems within game reserves, high nature value forest districts, wetlands, a local protected area and a connecting corridor. The project will finance innovative reforestation pilots and replicable restoration demos for dryland forests, degraded lake and wetland ecosystems. Within its knowledge management component, the project will assist the sectoral stakeholders with the establishment of a national experience exchange network on sustainable food production, organization of vocational and academic training programs in agricultural colleges and universities, awareness raising and advocacy for sustainable food production, SLM, conservation and sustainable use of valuable natural ecosystems in productive landscapes.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning for the project as well as formulation and periodic revisions of the project’s annual work plan (AWP). This involves planning for budget, HR, and procurement in close cooperation with the corresponding teams of the UNDP Kazakhstan Country Office.Lead development of detailed implementation plans.
• Manage, coordinate, and supervise project implementation to ensure the overall project relevance and performance, the effective realization and quality of outputs within the specified constraints of time and cost as outlined in the project document, and adherence to applicable UNDP policy and programme management procedures and Government standards, rules, and regulations. Act as a senior advisor on issues related to project activities under Components 1,2,3, and 4.

Under Component 1:

• Contribute to the development of the ILUPs and streamline the integrated management approach and cross-sectoral cooperation and coordination to achieve the transformation of the current system of land use and sectoral land and natural resource management in the Northern Kazakhstan;

Under Components 2, and 4:

• Facilitate the engagement of the private sector in supply chains and discussions on food platforms, including dialogue agribusiness, food processing industry, and the financial sector, as key project partners;

Under Component 3:

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to the project implementation team and development partners. To ensure that the project efforts in providing better management to the productive lands are balanced with the care for the unique environmental values of the natural “buffer” areas within the mosaic landscape of the Northern Kazakhstan;
• Provide guidance and direct supervision to UNDP project personnel. Undertake technical review of project documents produced by the project team and partners, and ensure high technical standards are met.
• Ensure all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows.
• Oversee   the effective  execution of all administrative activities associated with project implementation, including procurement of  goods and services, drafting the Terms of Reference (ToRs), managing  contracting processes, recruiting/selecting consultants and experts, and managing financial arrangements/transactions and their appropriate authorization.
• Identify opportunities for synergies with other projects within UNDP and beyond, to advance the key objectives and broaden its focus.

Develop strategic partnerships:

• Play a substantial role in fostering effective partnerships, taking the lead in identifying and onboarding implementing partners. Cultivate and maintain robust relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, other national and regional stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support and ensure accurate interpretation of project objectives and promote inclusive project implementation.
• Substantively contribute to project communications and visibility efforts. Make recommendations to the management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
• Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.
• Provide support for resource mobilization efforts and contribute to project development.

Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set (40%):

• Provide leadership and technical advice to the project in developing baselines and indicators for project monitoring and evaluation and coordinate the finalization of detailed results framework. Develop clear strategies and an effective system for data collection, means of verification, and information sharing and reporting.
• Lead the implementation of project monitoring, evaluation, and results framework to identify plan deviations and other issues; and make needed course corrections within agreed upon tolerances to achieve results. Conduct field visits as required to verify project activities relative to stated targets and provide regular field updates to UNDP management.
• Lead the development and conduct of mid-term and annual reviews, and end line assessment; and coordinate the conduct of independent evaluations. Organize project review and evaluation meetings. Follow up on the implementation of decisions, recommendations, and course corrections.
• Manage and monitor project risks, including social and environmental risks, initially identified and submit new risks to appropriate project governing bodies for consideration and decision on possible actions.
• Coordinate the preparation of corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements. Ensure provision of ad hoc reports and information requested by relevant entities.
• Ensure proper operational and financial closure of the project.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic areas:

•  Identify and address capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Ensure project reports comprehensively capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
• Take the lead in coordinating with the Global FOLUR program under Component 4. Participate, participate in Green Commodity discussions. Develop and deliver technical presentation on the project at the international level.
• Advocate for UNDP’s work and explore opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.
• The incumbent performs other duties within the functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The National Project Coordinator (NPC) works under the general supervision of the Programme Analyst and National Project Director (NPD), the NPC will be responsible for meeting government obligations under the project and will perform a liaison role with the Government, UNDP and other UN Agencies, NGOs and other project partners.

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross Functional and technical competencies:

• Business Direction & Strategy- Strategic Thinking
  • Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
  • Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.
• Business Direction & Strategy- System Thinking
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Business Development – Knowledge Facilitation
  • Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.
• Business Management  – Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Business Management- Communication
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
• Partnership management – Relationship Management
  • Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust, and mutual understanding.