Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme Document (CPD) for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), UNDP in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UNDP’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across three broad priority pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, including UXO clearance and risk education, (2) natural resources, climate change and disaster risk reduction, and (3) effective, responsive, and accountable governance (Lao PDR | UNDP).

UNDP has a long history working in Lao PDR. UNDP’s comparative advantage has been its ability to work closely with a very broad range of government and local-level institutions at all levels. The UNDP country programme is aligned with the 9th NSEDP and aims to support Lao PDR recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue its transition from LDC status, with a particular emphasis on supporting inclusive growth and reducing inequality.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Unit Head/Team Leader of the Natural Resource Management, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (NRM, CC & DRR), the Project Manager is responsible for management and implementation of UNDP projects in NRM, CC & DRR unit.

The Project Manager leads, manages, coordinates and develops effective project planning and its implementation, including procurement plans; contributes to strategic partnerships; and monitors and reports on the progress in implementing project activities and achieving the target set. The Project Manager supervises, leads, and coordinates the activities of the project’s staff. The Project Manager works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations teams in the CO, programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP staff in HQs and Regional Hubs, technical advisors/experts, external specialists, government officials and partners, donors, and civil society to ensure successful implementation of the project.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

• Lead strategic planning for the project, as well as formulation and periodic revisions of the project’s annual work plan (AWP), including plans for budget, HR, and procurement, which are developed in close coordination with UNDP’s country office programme, HR, and procurement teams.
• Manage and coordinate the implementation of the respective activities based on the project’s strategic planning and, as needed, supervise and guide other project staff, consultants, and experts to achieve project results.
• Ensure all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality, disability-inclusive mainstreaming.
• Ensure proper execution of all administrative activities associated with project implementation, including mobilizing goods and services, preparing Terms of Reference (TOR), completing contracting processes, recruiting/selecting consultants and experts, and managing financial arrangements/transactions and their correct authorization.
• Identify opportunities for synergies with other projects within UNDP and beyond to advance the key objectives and grow its focus.
• Assuming responsibilities in line with the office’s Internal Control Framework (ICF) and acting as a “first authority” for project transactions.

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, and 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.
• Support resource mobilization efforts and programme/project development.

• 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 problems and make needed course corrections within agreed-upon tolerance to achieve results. Conduct field visits, as required to verify project activities relative to stated targets and provide regular field updates to UNDP management.
• Monitoring the progress of implementation of project activities and key event schedules, observing the work plans and deadlines, including monitoring of the financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports.
• Manage and monitor project risks initially identified, submit information on the new risks and possible mitigating measures to the Project Board for consideration, and update the status of these risks by maintaining a Project Risk Log.
• Ensuring adherence of project activities to the existing financial, procurement and administrative processes that are in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations and, at the same time, observing the project timelines and managing project tracking in QUANTUM in accordance with UNDP procedures.
• Preparing project progress reports (progress against planned activities, updates on risks issues, expenditures) and ensuring timely submission of the reports to the relevant instances, such as the project boards and the donors.
• Ensure proper operational and financial closure of the project.

• Contribute to the synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from the project, and where possible, directly linked to programme country policy goals.
• Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks. Implement relevant, high-impact advocacy with key partners.
• Provide substantive support in developing policies and institutions to address country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Provide input to UNDP policy advisory services, including preparation of talking points, speeches and background information.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.

• Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.

Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

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

• Cross Functional and  Technical Competencies:

• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.