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

UNDP is the UN's global development network and assists countries to build and share solutions to the challenges of globalization and human development. UNDP’s support to countries on climate change and disaster resilience is shaped by three important global agreements: the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNDP works with countries to help them reduce greenhouse gases and advance a long-term goal of zero-carbon development. At the same time, UNDP works together with partners to adapt to the impacts of climate change, enhance access to clean energy, reduce the risk of disasters and, where needed, support resilient disaster recovery. Taken all together, these efforts are the path towards sustainable development that is risk-informed, net zero and resilient.

The Central Asia region has a long history of disaster impacts, which on average cost $10 billion in estimated economic losses and affect more than 3 million people annually. The region has a complex risk profile, with growing impacts of climate change, high environmental degradation, and pollution, conflicts, as well as new and emerging security risks and threats. The population of the region, especially in urban areas, is highly exposed to the impacts of these hazards, and urbanization is outpacing risk reduction and adaptation efforts of governments in the region. 

Therefore, the Climate and Disaster Resilience Team of UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub is putting efforts to strengthen the urban resilience portfolio in the Central Asia region. These efforts are currently supported through two ongoing regional projects, funded by the Government of Japan.

The first project, so-called “Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia” is under implementation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The overall objective of the project is to support all five Central Asian countries in building climate resilience, focusing on urban areas. The project focuses on enhancing regional cooperation and partnership through the existing coordination platforms, while introducing innovative approaches in urban planning based on practical experiences from other countries, including Japan. New approaches to integrated climate and disaster risk assessment will transform urban planning from resilience lenses, while considering future intensity and magnitude of natural hazards due to the changing climate. Knowledge base and capacity building efforts will be institutionalized in the region to ensure sustainability of interventions beyond the project cycle. The project promotes a people-centred, gender sensitive and climate risk-informed holistic approach to break siloes in urban planning efforts.

The second project, namely “Strengthening the System for Region-wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia” is a new regional initiative launched in January 2026 and is expected to be implemented in the same five countries of Central Asia. The overall objective is to support the five countries in strengthening disaster resilience at both regional and national levels, with a focus on enhancing disaster coordination and improving earthquake awareness and readiness. It will specifically aim to strengthen regional coordination through the Regional Emergency Response Coordination Mechanism, ensuring a more operational and effective approach to preparedness, response, and recovery during large - scale transboundary disasters. The project will also prioritize raising awareness of earthquake risks, fostering readiness to mitigate impacts, and introducing innovative earthquake monitoring and alerting systems, drawing from the practical experiences of Japan and other countries. Promoting a people-centred, gender-sensitive, disability-inclusive, and risk-informed approach, the project seeks to break siloes in disaster preparedness, response and recovery coordination. Ultimately, it aims to enhance the capacity of Central Asian countries to manage disaster risks and boost the region’s overall resilience.

Both initiatives will be implemented through a portfolio approach that deliberately aligns objectives, sequencing, and delivery mechanisms to maximize synergies between urban resilience and disaster risk reduction, leverage shared regional platforms and knowledge, and generate cumulative, scalable impacts across Central Asia.

In addition to the above mentioned projects, a number of new initiatives and projects on disaster risk reduction are expected to be rolled out in Central Asia and beyond as part of UNDP’s growing portfolio of urban resilience interventions, contributing to enhancing the overall resilience of communities in the region.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Regional Project Manager (RPM)  will be office-based and will provide high-level project management support for the implementation of UNDP’s urban resilience portfolio. The RPM’s prime responsibility will be to ensure that the project produces the results specified in the project documents to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.

More specifically:

Coordinate overall management and implementation of the urban resilience portfolio for the achievement of both project targets and results:

Coordinate the overall management and implementation of the urban resilience portfolio, ensuring effective delivery of ongoing initiatives while strategically preparing, integrating, and operationalizing future and pipeline interventions in line with UNDP portfolio management principles. Liaises with the relevant Project Boards (PB) and PB members to assure the overall direction and integrity of the project in line with the decisions and recommendations of the Project Boards; Plans the activities of the project in line with the approved project document and monitors progress against the project results framework and the approved annual workplan; reviews and appraises detailed project plans, including the multi-year work plan and Quantum entries/reports covering activity definition, updated risk log and the monitoring schedule plan; Mobilizes personnel, goods and services to initiative activities, including drafting terms of reference and work specifications, and overseeing all contractors’ work; Provides strategic guidance and management oversight to the project teams, reviewing and clear on a regular basis progress reports from partners, deliverables, disbursements and budgets to ensure implementation is on track; Carries out regular follow-up and monitoring of implementation activities as well as regular monitoring and reporting on risks and mitigation measures; Coordinates preparation and provide technical inputs and consult work-plans for implementation of the project in close consultation with key partners incl. UNDP Country Offices and the national governments involved as per the Project Documents. Implements the project monitoring plan/timetable, and update the plan as required; Manages requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, through advance of funds, direct payments or reimbursement using the fund authorization and certificate of expenditures; Monitors financial resources and accounting to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reports; Is responsible for preparing and submitting financial reports to UNDP on a quarterly basis; Manages and monitors the project risks initially identified and submit new risks to the Project Boards for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the project risks log, while ensuring UNDP’s Social and Environmental Screening Standards; Prepares the annual workplan for the following year; and update the required Quantum entries as well as Project Management module, and others necessary fields; Prepares the annual progress reports and submits the final report to the relevant Project Boards; Ensures the mid-term review process is undertaken as per the UNDP guidance, and submits the final MTR report to the relevant Project Boards; Identifies follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the relevant Project Boards; Ensures the terminal evaluation process is undertaken as per the UNDP guidance, and submits the final TE report to the relevant Project Boards; Ensures timely and quality implementation of safeguards management measures, including tracking assessing and managing social and environmental risks during the project implementation; Addresses project issues as raised and/discussed by the Project Boards; Performs the financial reporting and control mechanisms; Shares relevant information on the project achievements with all interested parties; Ensures that all project deliverables have been produced satisfactorily and in accordance with the approved Annual Work Plan; Notifies operational completion of the project to the relevant Project Boards; Upon finalization of a project, ensures reimbursement of the remaining balance of funds deposited in the UNDP accounts for the project activities to the Donor or re-programming if so agreed with the Donor; Provides direction and guidance to the project team and the consultants; Secures any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project; Identifies sustainability and follow-on actions and submits them for consideration to the relevant Project Boards.

Technical guidance for the overall management of both projects: 

Ensures a proportional approach, cohesion and coordination between different components of the project; Provides quality assurance of the technical work (reports) commissioned under the project; Provide direction and guidance to project team(s)/ responsible party (ies); Identify and obtain any support, technical expertise and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project; Supports the national project coordinators in managing delivery of the project results; Ensures good coordination and collaboration with suppliers, beneficiaries and key stakeholders and partners.

Providing expert knowledge to lead and contribute to the consolidation and positioning of outcomes and outputs of both projects:

Lead development and implementation of the project’s communication and visibility measures/plan; Contribute relevant input to UNDP publications, presentations, websites, newsletters, and other outreach products as required; Organizes regional technical events and disseminates project technical findings, results while informing audiences about opportunities provided by both projects; Participate in national and international fora and disseminate lessons learned; Ensure consistency between the various project elements and related activities provided or funded by other donor organizations; Collect and analyze lessons learned and best practices, and design replication strategies within the countries of work.

Partnership building, strategic advocacy and knowledge management:

Harness effective partnerships for the implementation of the project with national, regional and international institutional partners; Maintains regular contact with partners and enables regular coordination and exchange of information regarding project progress, between country offices and national counterparts in respective countries; Builds partnerships with relevant on-going initiatives; Organizes and provides leadership to various learning and knowledge exchange under the project; Ensures management and administrative requirements (technical, financial, communications, audits, evaluations, of the different partners/donors are adhered to and coordinate preparation and submission of respective progress reports, as per requirements of the donors. Provides quality assurance to project’s deliverables and knowledge management products; Effective communication, advocacy and dissemination of the project results and relevant knowledge products at international and national conferences and meetings, relevant fora and international processes.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Institutional Arrangement

Project Management Unit (PMU) will be located in the premises of Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR) in Almaty, Kazakhstan and led by a full time Regional Project Manager (RPM) reporting to the IRH Climate and Disaster Resilience Team Leader in Istanbul, and will be supported by two Regional Project Assistants, Communications Associate and Chief Technical Advisor. The RPM will guide National Coordinators (NPSAs) in all participating countries, and will supervise Project Assistants (NPSAs), Communications Associate and Technical Consultants (ICs) hired by the project.

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 also be found in the dedicated .

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Management

Project Management Ability to plan, organize, priorities and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals Partnerships Management Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies 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

2030 Agenda: Planet

Climate Climate change adaptation: urban resilience

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness

Effectiveness Programmatic Risk Management and Analysis Project Quality Assurance

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 on other parts of the system

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree (Master´s degree or equivalent) in Economy, Development, Governance, Natural Sciences, Business Administration, Urban Studies, Environmental Studies, Disaster Risk Reduction, Engineering or related disciplines is required,

OR

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above mentioned fields in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

Minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of proven track record experience in project management in the area of environment, economy, urban resilience, disaster risk reduction, climate change, urban/ environmental planning, land use and physical planning.

Required skills:

Prior experience in managing technical and administrative teams is required. Experience in developing partnerships with national and international partners is required. 

Desired skills:

Project/programme management experience in environment, natural resources management, climate change adaptation, urban planning, urban resilience or other relevant fields is an asset. Experience managing projects of UN, development partners or other international organisations is an asset. Experience working in the region of Europe and Central Asia is desirable. Experience in developing reports/studies in the areas of climate change adaptation, resilience, disaster risk management, urban studies such as urban resilience/planning, or other relevant fields is desirable. 

Languages:

Fluency in English and Russian is required. Knowledge of another Central Asian language will be considered as an asset.

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.

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