Natural resources management in the Kalahari landscape is characterised by competition and conflict between conservation goals, economic development and livelihoods. Home to large herds of angulates and iconic predators, the landscape was dominated by low-density wildlife with hunter-gatherer livelihoods until borehole farming enabled cattle ranching a few decades ago. The consequent rangeland degradation and ecosystem fragmentation threatens wildlife and economic development. Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) meant to support wildlife-based economic activities and secure migratory corridors linking the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve continue to be lost to livestock encroachment, due to delayed gazettement. Wildlife is under additional threat from poaching, wildlife poisoning and illegal wildlife trade (IWT).

The recent ban on hunting presented an opportunity for diversifying benefits from CBNRM (which in the context of Botswana has largely been based on consumptive use (i.e. hunting) of wildlife. Stakeholders lack the planning tools, institutional coordination and operational capacities to balance competing needs and optimise environment, social and economic outcomes. In particular, there is a need for improved coordination in tackling poaching, wildlife poisoning and IWT, improved capacities for improving rangeland management in the communal lands and limited incentives for local communities to protect wildlife. The project will remove these barriers using the following strategies: Coordinating capacity for combating wildlife crime/trafficking and enforcement of wildlife policies and regulations at district, national and international levels ; Incentives and systems for wildlife protection by communities increase financial returns from natural resources exploitation and reduce human wildlife conflicts, securing livelihoods and biodiversity in the Kalahari landscape; Integrated landscape planning in the conservation areas and SLM practices in communal lands secure wildlife migratory corridors and increase productivity of rangelands respectively, reducing competition between land-uses and increasing ecosystem integrity of the Kalahari ecosystem (Component 3); and, Gender mainstreaming, knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation

The Project Manager (PM), will be a nationally recruited expert selected based on an open competitive process managed by UNDP. S/he will be responsible for the overall management of the project, including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, consultants and sub-contractors. The PM will report to the Director of the DEA at the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism (MENT) (management of the PM in close collaboration with DWNP (Dept. of Wildlife and National Parks) and UNDP RR (or duly designated UNDP officer) for all of the project’s substantive and administrative issues. From the strategic point of view of the project, the PM will report on a periodic basis to the Project Board/Steering Committee (PSC). Generally, the PM will be responsible for meeting government obligations under the project, under the project execution modality. S/he will perform a liaison role with the Government, UNDP and other UN Agencies, NGOs and project partners, and maintain close collaboration with other donor agencies providing co-financing.

• Manage the PMU;
• Supervise and coordinate the production of project outputs, as per the project document;
• Mobilize all project inputs in accordance with UNDP procedures for nationally executed projects;
• Supervise and coordinate the work of all implementing partners, project staff, consultants and sub-contractors;
• Coordinate the recruitment and selection of project personnel and contractors as needed, especially with a view to the large infrastructure investments made by this project;
• Prepare and revise project work and financial plans, as required by MENT and UNDP;
• Ensure that gender is mainstreamed into operational plans, as well as markers are reported on as part of regular reporting;
• Liaise with UNDP, MENT, relevant government agencies, and all project partners, including donor organizations and NGOs for effective coordination of all project activities;
• Facilitate administrative backstopping to subcontractors and activities supported by the Project;
• Oversee and ensure timely submission of the Inception Report, Combined Project Implementation Review/Annual Project Report (PIR/APR), Technical reports, quarterly financial reports, and other reports as may be required by UNDP, GEF and other oversight agencies;
• Disseminate project reports and respond to queries from concerned stakeholders;
• Report progress of project to the Project Board/Steering Committee, and ensure the fulfilment of Steering Committee directives.
• Oversee the exchange and sharing of experiences and lessons learned with relevant actors  nationally and internationally;
• Address key communication need and support the development and implementation of a project communication plan;
• Ensures the timely and effective implementation of all components of the project;
• Carry regular, announced and unannounced inspections of all sites and the activities of the project site management units.

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes vision, mission ad strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, race n nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional competencies

• Knowledge management and learning;
• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice area, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and programmes, mobilize resources;
• Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills
• Ability to formulate  and manage budgets, manage contribution and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost recovery;
• Good knowledge of Results Management Guide and Toolkit;
• Experience in developing countries, preferably in southern Africa;

Management and Leadership

• Good communication skills and competence in handling the project’s external relations at all levels;
• Fluent/good knowledge of Setswana and English;
• Familiarity and prior experience with UNDP and GEF requirements and procedures are considered an asset.
• Good ICT skills
• Ability to implement new system and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills and the related ability to adaptively manage with prompt action on the conclusions and recommendations coming out of the project’s regular monitoring and self-assessment activities, as well as from periodic external evaluations;
• Ability and demonstrated success to work in a team, to organize it effectively, and to motivate its members and other project counterparts to work effectively towards the project’s objective and expected outcomes;

Education:

• MSC or PhD in Natural Resources Management, Conservation or Protected Areas Management, Environmental Sciences, or related fields of expertise;

Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in natural resource management;
• At least 5 years of project/program management experience;
• Working experiences with relevant ministries and national institutions is a plus, but not a requirement;
• Ability to effectively coordinate a large, multi-stakeholder project;
• Ability to administer budgets, train and work effectively with counterpart staff at all levels and with all groups involved in the project;
• Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills;
• Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search;
• Strong knowledge about Botswana’s political and socio-economic context, in particular with relation to ecosystems management, land use planning, poaching, IWT and related work;

Language:

• Excellent writing communication skills of English.

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.

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