ThaiNGO

Background

Since 2004, the conflict in Thailand’s southern border provinces has claimed more than 7,000 lives, and injured more than 13,500 men and women. Years of violence have taken its toll on the economy, and the local communities. The region remains amongst the poorest, with a provincial GDP per capita lower than GDP per capita for Thailand. A strong interplay exists between inequality, governance deficits, lack of economic opportunities, and fair and transparent business environment, and conflict.

Pattani and Narathiwat are in the bottom 5 out of 76 provinces with the lowest Human Development Achievement levels, particularly in education and income. 21% of Muslim households report earning less than $250 monthly.

To address development challenges in the southern border provinces, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand, in collaboration with the Royal Thai Government, has implemented projects and initiatives in the Southern Thailand since 2010 in order to support the Government and people of Thailand to strengthen the pathways towards social cohesion in southern border provinces of Thailand. This will be achieved through inter-connected activities covering the following:

• Enhancing local institutional capacities in addressing service-delivery gaps and development needs, with a focus on SDG localization and social innovation;
• Improving socio-economic opportunities for young persons and vulnerable communities;
• Strengthening knowledge and skills related to social cohesion efforts and enhancing interaction between key stakeholders and civil society, including media actors; and
• Promoting positive media reports on broader developments in the southern border provinces.

UNDP is looking for a Project Manager (PM) for Social Cohesion for SDGs in Southern Border Provinces to promote initiatives in the southern border provinces, including promoting social cohesion and innovation, a fair business environment, and localizing SDGs in local planning processes. The PM is responsible for the results-based management of the project and will work closely with implementing partners. He/she will work closely with Government, civil society, academia, NGOs and donors. The PM will directly report to the UNDP Programme Specialist/Team Leader and come under the overall supervision of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative. He/she will be a part of “Sustaining Peace” team under UNDP, contribute to the result of the team, work closely with the UN’s Peace and Development Advisor and the UNDP programme and operations teams in Bangkok. He/she is expected to travel to Bangkok on a monthly/bi-monthly basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative and direct supervision of Team Leader/Programme Specialist, the PM will be in-charge of coordinating the day-to-day management and operations of the project, ensuring high quality, efficient and effective project delivery. He/she will oversee the budget and associated work plan and provide oversight and guidance to implementing partners. He/she shall be responsible for delivery of all substantive, managerial and financial reports from and on behalf of the Project.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Ensures overall direction and management of the project
2. Ensures facilitation of technical advice and provide quality assurance for the project
3. Supports strategic partnerships and coordination
4. Promotes knowledge-management

1. Ensures overall direction and management of the project:

• Leads and contribute to the development of project strategies and approaches;
• Develops project concept notes, proposals, workplans, budgets, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and operational tools; regularly monitors project; conducts field-based monitoring;
• Identifies implementation modalities and partnerships; operationalizes modalities and partnerships in line with UNDP procedures;
• Prepares Terms of Reference (ToRs) for required inputs (individual and institutional consultancy services, the procurement of goods, organization of training, seminars, etc.), with technical support as required;
• Monitors financial spending and delivery against quarterly and annual targets; 
• Identifies implementation bottlenecks; takes remedial and mitigation actions;
• Convenes Project Boards; ensures regular reporting to Project Boards; and obtains Project Board guidance on strategic directions, workplans, and substantive revisions;
• Ensures high quality and timely inputs to corporate and donor reports;
• Facilitates project evaluations, reviews and audits;
• Ensures seamless identification and placement of project staff; manages project staff; conducts performance reviews; provides capacity-development and mentoring for project staff.

2. Ensures facilitation of technical advice and provide quality assurance for the project:

• Ensures high technical quality across all project activities, including technical coherence across project activities, ensuring strong synergies across project results;
• Ensures the integration of cross-cutting issues including gender, protection, sustaining peace principles, conflict-sensitivity and capacity-development across all project activities;
• Ensures high technical standards across all implementation partnerships, including in the identification of technical partners and consultants;
• Provides quality technical advisory services and updates to UNDP on context, emerging opportunities, challenges and alternative programming options;
• Supports the identification of synergies with other UN agencies;
• Provides inputs to policy briefs, concept notes and project proposals;
• Proactively seeks technical advice and support from UNDP programme teams, the UN Peace and Development Advisor and the UNDP Regional Hub in Bangkok.

3. Supports strategic partnerships and coordination

• Networks, builds and maintains credible relations with government institutions, academia, civil society, NGOs and donors, both centrally and in the Deep South;
• Undertakes capacity-development for implementing partners as needed;
• Liaises and maintains regular contact with UN agencies, NGOs and donors working in/on the Deep South;
• Leads regular coordination meetings and dialogues with relevant stakeholders;
• Participates in coordination mechanisms; represents UNDP in coordination mechanisms as needed;

4. Promotes knowledge-management

• Identifies and synthesizes lessons learnt and best practices from project for sharing and disseminations;
• Develops or contributes to communication materials about the project.  

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Thai national with bachelor’s or master’s degree in Social Sciences, Political Science, Economics, Human Rights, Legal Studies, International Development or related field;
• Specialized study and qualification in peace studies, gender, human rights, or local governance is an advantage.

Experience:

• At least 2 years for bachelor’s or up to 2 years for master’s holders of relevant experience in development areas at the national or international level;
• Demonstrated professional experience in one or more of the following substantive areas: local governance, conflict transformation, social cohesion and civil society support;
• Experience in project management;
• Hands-on experience in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development projects to achieve results in challenging environments;
• Excellent judgement and communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision, producing quality results;
• Prior experience in the Deep South is an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent written and spoken English and Thai.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.