Provincial coordinator, SB-3

Background

The impacts of climate change on Cambodian agriculture, particularly on rice cultivation, are predicted to adversely affect food production and security in rural areas. At present, there is emerging evidence that agriculture-based livelihoods and overall food security in Cambodia are affected by increased frequency and severity of floods, dry spells and drought events.

A major constraint in moving from a focus on post-disaster relief management to anticipatory agricultural and water resources planning is the limited institutional and individual capacity in both government agencies and community organizations to understand potential climate change impacts on irrigation systems, communal freshwater availability and agricultural production and to internalize a perspective of longer-term resilience into sectoral policy and development planning processes.

The objective of the project is “to reduce the vulnerability of Cambodia’s agricultural sector to climate–induced changes in water resources availability”. This will contribute to the broader Goal of “enhancing adaptive capacity to prevent climate change-induced food insecurity in Cambodia”.

The project has three outcomes:
- Improved capacity within local institutions to manage agricultural water resources in a changing climate;
- Locally appropriate adaptation options demonstrated to reduce exposure to climate change - induced risks;
- Lessons learned in project pilot sites replicated in other vulnerable areas of Cambodia.

The project will be implemented over a period of four years; from November 2009 until June 2013. The project will be nationally executed under UNDP National Execution (NEX) procedures. The lead Executing Agency will be the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MAFF). The project will also be implemented in partnership with a UNDP/IFAD funded project ‘Rural Livelihood Improvement Project’ RULIP.

Under the direct supervision of National Project Advisor and following the guidance of National Project Manager, the Provincial Coordinator will facilitate the coordinator of activities of the relevant provincial departments in the implementation of the project "Promoting Climate-Resilient Water Management and Agricultural Practices in Rural Cambodia" at the provincial level.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Provincial Coodinator will be accountable to UNDP Cambodia for the overall coordination of the project activities at the provincial level;for the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of the services provided and the activities carried out, and for the use of funds.

The incumbent will directly work with the provincial project teams, in providing coordination and support to project planning, implementation and monitoring at the provincial levels. He or she will be the focal point for communication to the participating partners, national organizations, and others concerning the implementation of the project at the sub-national level.

Summary of key functions

- Capacity development of local authorities in mainstreaming CC into commune, district andprovincial planning and budgeting in relation to water sources management

• Assist the Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA), the Provincial Department of Water Resource and Meteorology (PDOWRAM) and the Provincial Department of Women Affair (PDoWA) in supporting climate change mainstreaming into commune, district and provincial plans and budgets.
• Support to PDA and PDOWRAM in mobilising farmer water users and providing technical training on water user group formation, rules and procedures and leadership.
• Support the activities contracted out to partner NGOs in climate change awareness and demonstrations of climate resilient farming and irrigation technologies.
• Provide technical support to the Provincial Governors and the Executive Committee (ExCom) and its successor in the implementation of climate change adaptation activities.
• Assist in the preparation of appropriate extension materials using culturally appropriate approaches and local languages for promotion of the adaptation of climate change water resources and agricultural practices;

- Coordination and collaboration with project partners and other key stakeholders:

• Ensure the project activities of PDA, PDoWRAM, PDoWA and PDoE are coordinated for effective implementation of the project
• Support the National Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in coordinating and conducting trainings at the provincial, district, commune and village levels.
• Collaborate with the Units of the ExCom/successor of the Provincial Councils and line departments to support the implementation of climate change adaptation activities.
• Collaborate with UNDP/IFAD partnership programmes, particularly the IFAD/UNDP funded RULIP project in the implementation of the project.
• Ensure that climate change awareness interventions implemented by NGOs are coordinated with the relevant provincial departments and project activities.
• Liaise with complementary programmes e.g. DANIDA/DfID NRM and Livelihoods Programme and NGO agricultural and NRM activities to ensure that project implementation complements other programmes in the project target areas.
• Organise meetings and workshops which promote dialogues and inputs from development partners into key project outputs at the provincial level.
• Coordinate activities supported and implemented by international and national consultants work at the provincial levels.

- Ensure the effective result-based management of the project in compliance with UNDP policies and procedures:

• Support the relevant line departments in designing and implementing activities to increase the capacity of farmer and water user groups in the management of water resources for agriculture.
• Assist EXCOM/its successor and the relevant participating line departments in the preparation and delivery of quarterly and annual project work plans, progress reports, budgets and work packages in accordance with the policies and procedures of UNDP/GEF.
• Contribute to the formulation of realistic years provincial project goals and plans and assist in monitoring and evaluating progress against goals.
• Assist in project activities at the provincial level related to gender mainstreaming considerations.
• Alert the project national team of any risks and issues that have the potential to impact on the implementation of project objectives.
• Conduct regular field visits with counterparts to monitor field activities and assist with the organisation of visits and supervision missions from the co-operating institutions to the provinces.
• Verifying reports submitted by sub-contracted NGOs, participating government institutions and line departments.
• Assist the Communications Officer in consolidating lessons learned and distilling good practices for dissemination.
• Assist the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and line departments in planning and coordinating project monitoring and evaluation.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

- Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
- Ability to maintain effective rapport with different kinds of people

Functional Competencies

- Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

- Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks related to results management, including screening and collecting of programme/ projects documentation, projects data entering, prepare revisions, filing, provide information.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to master new material quickly
• Ability to manage priorities in order to meet tight deadlines
• Good communications, interpersonal and reporting skills

- Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure
• The ability to manage the work of teams, subordinates and consultants
• A proven ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary and/or multi-cultural team
• Demonstrated capacity for leadership and management

Required Skills and Experience

Education

- Completion of a secondary education.
- Unversity degree in project management; water resource management, agriculture, or other development management related field is preferred.

Experience

- Minimum five years of experience in agricultural technology transfer using participatory approach and on-farm demonstrations
- Hands-on experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation
- Experience in advisory roles particularly with government agricultural and water resources counterparts
- Strong training skills and commitment to participatory processes
- Excellent communication skills and ability to work with multi-disciplinary team
- Working experience with NGOs and Donor agencies in Cambodia in related to climate change, agriculture and water resources
- Understand Cambodia administrative system, in particular the decentralisation and concentration structure;
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages for data analysis and technical reports.
- Available and willing to work in remote areas.

Language

- Fluency in spoken and written Khmer and English.