Chief Technical Advisor (Improved Water Management, Food Security and Social Protection Projects and Senior Coordinator to all WB projects in Yemen)

The Chief Technical Advisor will manage three World Bank funded projects in Yemen focused on food security, social protection, and water management. The role involves strategic advice, technical oversight, coordination with Yemeni institutions, and ensuring high-quality project outputs aligned with project frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead Results-based project management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting including establishing work plans, targets, budgets, and methodologies to ensure effective project implementation.
• Ensure achievement of outputs in line with approved Annual Work Plans through day-to-day planning, management and implementation of activities.
• Lead and provide support to project teams and Responsible Parties on achievement of specific results.
• Prepare regular and timely progress and impact reports as per agreement with the World Bank for the projects.
• Participate in all internal and external coordination meetings representing the projects.
• Manage and monitor identified project risks and issues and update risk status and issues in Quantum.
• Plan and prioritize work activities to meet organizational goals and organize work processes efficiently to achieve quality results.
• Ensure proper monitoring and evaluation procedures and supervise Third-Party Monitoring Agent visits.
• Facilitate proper monitoring of project inventory, attendance records, and filing system.
• Ensure timely management and recruitment of project staff in accordance with UNDP guidelines.
• Ensure projects are implemented according to UNDP and World Bank Safeguards standards and policies and related Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF).
• Ensure grievances and incidents related to UNDP Safeguards standards are followed up with timely investigations and reports.
• Ensure effective financial management and reporting including accountability for project funds, monitoring financial expenditures, and ensuring accuracy of financial reports.
• Supervise requisitions, purchase orders, payments and provide monthly financial delivery updates.
• Provide leadership in overseeing services to counterparts including procurement, logistics and financial management.
• Liaise with Responsible Parties and UNDP project staff on financial management and ensure smooth audit of national partner institutions.
• Promote strategic partnerships and resource mobilization by engaging with partners, government counterparts, civil society, donors and communities.
• Create communication materials to promote project objectives and maintain relationships with the World Bank and donors.
• Provide top-level coordination support to World Bank projects in Yemen including advising senior management and project managers on strategic issues and corporate compliance.
• Ensure coherent and coordinated responses to the World Bank on strategic and operational issues.
• Promote cross-unit teamwork between World Bank teams for consistent approaches to communications, fiduciary and safeguards reporting.
• Supervise the UNDP call center and grievance redress mechanisms for effective use by all UNDP projects in Yemen.
• Lead gender equality and women’s empowerment mainstreaming throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support coordination with national gender mechanisms and women-led organizations.
• Support institutional and technical capacity building on gender equality and social safeguards.
• Support implementation and reporting of gender-responsive actions and allocate required resources.
• Contribute to country office communication and knowledge management on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Identify capacity building needs and organize relevant training and capacity building activities.
• Document and communicate best practices, programme results, and lessons learned.
• Participate in external networks and communities of practice to promote UNDP’s work and collaboration opportunities.
• Support establishment of knowledge platforms and innovative mechanisms for knowledge sharing.
• Perform other duties as required for efficient functioning of the office and organization.
• Supervise five positions including National Coordinator, Operation Analyst, Senior National Coordinator ESECR, M&E Specialist, and Social & Environmental Safeguards Specialist.

Requirements

• Advanced University degree (Master´s degree or equivalent) in relevant areas such as Economics, Social Protection/Development, Livelihoods, Food Security, Natural resource management, Business Administration or related Social Science fields is required, 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.
• Minimum ten (10) years (with master´s degree) or twelve (12) years (with bachelor´s degree) of experience working in managing large-scale projects in a conflict setting and complex operational environment, with emphasis on economic recovery, social protection, food security and support to conflict war-affected populations is required.
• Experience in planning and consensus building, strong analytical skills combined with good judgment, ability to handle planning and budgeting or multiple concurrent projects/activities is required.
• Experience in reasoning in dealing with sensitive matters; ability to independently solve complex and challenging problems is required.
• Strong project operational management experience, with demonstrated knowledge of UNDP project management procedures and policies, including experience with Quantum (Resource Management System), detailed working knowledge of human resources, procurement, ICT, financial management (for large-scale projects), asset management and logistics, and work planning is desired.
• Demonstrated experience in successful delivery and implementation of large-scale projects in fragile/crisis contexts is required.
• Experience applying UNDP Safeguards policies and standards and practical application in crisis contexts is desired.
• Experience in gender and conflict sensitivity mainstreaming in programming is required.
• Proven experience in partnership building and networking is required.
• Experience using computers and relevant software and other applications is required.
• Previous experience of working with World Bank projects is desired.
• Experience in remote management (including Third Party Monitoring) is desired.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Skills

• Project Management
• Economic Recovery
• Social Protection Policies
• Food Security
• Conflict Sensitivity
• Consensus Building
• Budgeting
• Analytical Skills
• Problem Solving
• UNDP Project Management
• Quantum Resource Management System
• Human Resources Management
• Procurement
• ICT Management Systems
• Finance Management
• Asset Management
• Logistics Management
• Work Planning
• UNDP Safeguards Application
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Partnership Building
• Networking
• Remote Management
• Third-Party Monitoring
• Computer Literacy

Languages

English