Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, working in more than 170 countries and territories. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNDP is committed to helping the country through strengthened national and local capacities to carry out political, economic, and social reforms and promote development. In the programmatic period 2026-2030, UNDP BiH supports the following programme priorities: (a) inclusive green growth; (b) development of human capital and (c) accountable institutions and social cohesion. This is also in line with crosscutting enablers (applied across all priorities): innovation, digitalization, development financing, SDG localization, and integrated solutions/portfolio approach to accelerate results and inclusivity.
The project Introducing Nature-Based Solutions to Ensure Resilient Ecosystems, Green Recovery and Sustainable Livelihoods aims to integrate biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, and nature-based solutions within two key landscapes across different administrative levels in the country with the objective of introducing nature-based solutions to ensure resilient ecosystems, green recovery and sustainable livelihoods. This endeavour will be executed through the implementation of a multi-sectoral spatial planning approach that connects natural ecosystems (forests, wetlands, and watersheds) with managed sectors (agriculture, forestry, and tourism) to ensure ecological balance and sustainable socio-economic development. It will attempt to demonstrate the socio-economic and food security benefits of enhanced conservation and ecosystem services for local communities by promoting good governance, institutional coordination, and equity. This will entail a number of innovative approaches, including in particular, the application of spatial land-use planning to optimize sustainable resource use while preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, promoting biodiversity-positive production practices in key sectors with significant ecological impact to maintain ecosystem health and sustainable use, including strengthening Forest Stewardship Council certification; establishing inclusive policy, planning, and governance frameworks that align sector interests and provide incentives for biodiversity-positive resource use; empowering communities, including women and marginalized groups, alongside entity, canton and municipal governments, private sector and community-based organizations, to play active roles in ecosystem protection and management and ensure equitable opportunities and benefits for women and men and safeguarding socio-economic needs and aspirations of local communities and vulnerable groups during conservation and development actions.The Project is financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), within a 60-month period (2026 –2031).
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Energy and Environment Sector Leader, the Project Manager will execute the duties and responsibilities outlined below in the following functional areas:
- Effective coordination of project activities and successful implementation of project strategies
- Project management and supervision of the project team
- Policy advice and technical guidance in the course of project implementation
- Partnership and Advocacy
- Gender mainstreaming
Effective coordination of project activities and successful implementation of project strategies:
- Provide overall coordination and take management responsibility for successful implementation of the project’s activities in line with AWP;
- Coordinate project activities to deliver intended outputs and achieve desirable impact of the project applying programming tools and policies in line with the UN Results Based Management Approach;
- Contribute to identification of relevant in-country stakeholders and convene regular meetings of the Project Board and other key consultations;
- Contribute to identification and documentation of partnership opportunities with various stakeholders during implementation of the project activities;
- Liaise with the local governments, relevant ministries, and other relevant institutions to collect, analyze and disseminate information relevant to the Project;
- Ensure close collaboration, interaction, experience sharing and synergies with other similar EU-funded interventions/other UN agencies and donors with purpose to maximize the impact and the efficient use of resources;
- Ensure that all project-related issues and risks are identified and reported in a timely manner and suggest corrective measures;
- Ensure local governments provide co-financing to fulfil project results and objectives;
- Provide direction and guidance to the consultants engaged and responsible parties where applicable;
- Implement the Visibility strategy and communication plan in line with the visibility guidelines and donor requirements;
- Provide inputs for information exchange and lessons learned;
- Contribute towards creating opportunities for expansion of the regional project.
Project management and supervision of the project team:
- Manage project implementation based on UNDP best practices;
- Provide guidance and technical advice to project team and project counterparts;
- Oversee the work of the team as well as other external consultants and contracted companies;
- Conduct staff performance reviews in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures ensuring full understanding of all aspects of the project;
- Manage financial allocations and approve expenditures according to authority delegated and ensure timely payments in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
- Monitor and analyses project progress using applicable monitoring & evaluation and risk management tools in cloud-based digital engagement platform – Quantum;
- Ensures the existence and implementation of successful quality assurance for the project’s financial, procurement and administrative processes to attain the project goals and desired impact in line with prevailing UNDP rules and regulations as well as in line with the project timelines;
- Provide the Energy and Environment Sector Leader and the Project Board with regular reports on all aspects of project’s progress;
- Maintain regular coordination, information sharing, and generally foster excellent relationship with the donors;
- Participate in UNDP programme-level committees and working groups;
- Comply with security and safety requirements and regulations and ensure the same are respected by all project personnel.
Policy advice and technical guidance in the course of project implementation:
- Provide conceptual guidance and technical advice to the project team and projects counterparts;
- Provide strategic leadership and steers the policy formulation processes within the projects in line with the project documents;
- Guide the design and delivery of the technical assistance to local governments;
- Identify and synthetizes best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to projects goals;
- Ensure strategic synergies and coordination with other relevant interventions;
- Advise on issues of further projects’ development, proposal writing, project documents writing and resource mobilization as well as on strategic development.
Partnership and Advocacy:
- Establish good working relations with relevant institutional and organizational partners at state, entity and local levels, as well as with main international organizations working in the domain of governance, civic society and other relevant area;
- Provide inputs in identification of linkages between the projects and other relevant UNDP and non-UNDP implemented interventions, in the country, or beyond, maximizing the efficient and effective use of resources;
- Participate in UNDP programme-level committees and working groups, national and international forums, making substantive contributions as appropriate;
- Assist management in preparing for high-level consultation meetings with donors and government authorities;
- Ensure wide dissemination and visibility of Projects achievements.
Gender mainstreaming and knowledge management:
- Ensure gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the projects’ activities, work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail;
- Ensure gender equality is mainstreamed throughout the project team, consultants and staff management activities;
- Support local governments and CSOs to mainstream gender equality;
- Ensure knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in programme knowledge management activities and products.
- The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangements: The incumbent will report to the Energy and Environment Sector Leader.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- 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 competencies:
- UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross Functional and Technical competencies:
Business Direction & Strategy
- Systems 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 other parts of the system.
Business Development
- Knowledge Facilitation
- Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
Business Management
- Project Management
- Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
- Communication
- 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.
- Results-based Management
- Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
Partnership management
- Resource mobilization
- Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.
- 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.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Natural Resource Management or Environmental Sciences OR
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum five (5) years (with Master’s degree) or seven (7) years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant working experience in implementing projects, including work experience with ministries, institutions that are concerned with natural resource and/or environmental management.
Required skills:
- Experience in direct management of programme/project of similar size and scope.
- Previous experience in partnering with governmental institutions at state/entity/local levels concerning natural resource and/or environmental management.
Desired skills:
- Proven experience in biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management.
- Experience in cooperation with relevant professional associations, non-government organizations and other non-government actors.
- Experience in coordinating the development of strategic documents, action plans and financing mechanisms in field of natural resource management and in cooperation with multi-level and multi-sector partners and institutions.
- Proven ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks in highly organized manner with strong analytical and research skills.
- Knowledge and experience in implementation, coordination relevant to gender mainstreaming in public sector institutions
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
- Previous good experience in working for UNDP.
Languages:
- Fluency in English and any official language of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian, Croatian, or Serbian) is required.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
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