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

You are invited to join a team of dedicated development professionals whose primary role is to support the Philippines to achieve the 2030 Agenda. As part of the UNDP team your focus will be to work with multiple stakeholders to find the country specific solutions that lead to resilience to crises, and to ensure no one is left behind - and we reach those furthest behind first.

In Mindanao, UNDP has played a critical role in supporting various peace processes, including technical and operational assistance during the peace negotiations as well as in the implementation of peace agreements towards realizing peace dividends for communities in conflict-affected areas. This accompaniment process has included substantive technical and operational support for conflict-prevention, governance and peacebuilding. Specifically, the Peacebuilding Cluster has implemented technical and operational support for capacity-strengthening on conflict-sensitivity and peace-promotion among regional government institutions; community resilience and socio-economic empowerment assistance for communities most affected by armed conflict; and support for peace process mechanisms, including on key components of the Normalization process. In addition, projects under the Cluster also focus on strengthening meaningful participation and empowerment of sectoral groups (women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and internally displaced persons) through the mainstreaming and operationalization of the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agenda.

To lead the Peacebuilding Cluster, UNDP Philippines seeks to engage a Peacebuilding Project Manager. In this role, UNDP is looking for individuals with strong analytical, planning, and implementation skills who can address the interconnections, choices, and linkages across multiple issues and sectors in the Bangsamoro region. We seek candidates who can apply global best practices to the national context and who are enthusiastic, motivated, and committed to making a positive contribution to peacebuilding and development in the Bangsamoro region and the Philippines. The successful candidate must possess substantial knowledge and demonstrated experience in managing the implementation of development projects, particularly in the field of peacebuilding. The Project Manager will help shape UNDP initiatives and projects focused on conflict prevention, preventing and countering violent extremism, empowering women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples, promoting social cohesion, and supporting climate security initiatives.

In particular, UNDP is seeking a Project Manager who will be based in Cotabato and will lead the day-to-day operations of the Peacebuilding Cluster. The Cluster implements a range of peacebuilding projects, including Phase II of the Programme on Stabilization, Peacebuilding and Resilience in the Bangsamoro (PROSPER Bangsamoro Phase II), initiatives on Preventing Violent Extremism, the Joint Programme on Women, Peace and Security, and other projects that may be assigned. The Project Manager will oversee the work of project staff and coordinate closely with project partners. The incumbent will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure integrated, effective, and efficient programme delivery. The Project Manager will also engage with other UN agencies, government officials, technical advisors and experts, multilateral and bilateral donors, and civil society organizations to support the successful implementation of UNDP peacebuilding projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager will undertake day-to-day management of the peacebuilding cluster projects. S/he shall carry out the following tasks:

Ensure strategic management of the project and provide day-to-day financial and administrative support for the delivery of the project’s activities focusing on achievement of the following results:

Provide quality leadership in the overall coordination and management of the project; Contribute to the development and monitoring of action plans in order to identify and resolve issues on financial delivery towards the full and optimal utilization of project funds;
Lead the identification of project issues, challenges and risks, appropriate recommendations and implements them;
Prepare progress monitoring reports (e.g. donor reports), activity designs, briefing papers, technical reports, meeting documentation, situation updates, official correspondences, M&E documents, and other documentation as may be required in project implementation;
Organize and participate in workshops, needs assessments, consultations, planning sessions and provide technical inputs as maybe necessary;
Undertake communication assignments such as writing of articles, press releases, development of knowledge products and other related activities; Mentor and coach team members as they perform their duties;

Develop and maintain effective working relationships and coordination with key counterparts to ensure the successful implementation of the project:

Network and build strong working relations with Government, UN, and donor partners; Establish, develop and maintain mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with NGOs, civil society and community groups, the press and media, the business sector, etc.;
Establish networks with experts of UN System, international development organizations, and prominent private sector organizations;
Link with other UNDP projects and work closely with the UNDP Programme teams and Operations team to support efficient delivery of project activities in line with strategic objectives.

Oversee the successful implementation of all the components of the project:

Overall project management;

Manage the realization of project outputs agreed upon through activities; Provide direction and guidance to project team(s)/ responsible party (ies);
Liaise with the Project Board or its appointed Project Assurance roles to assure the overall direction and integrity of the project;
Identify and obtain any support and advice required for the management, planning and control of the project; Responsible for project administration;
Liaise with any suppliers.

Implementing the project:

Plan the activities of the project and monitor progress against the initial quality criteria;
Mobilize goods and services to initiative activities, including drafting TORs and work specifications;
Monitor events as determined in the Monitoring & Communication Plan, and update the plan as required;
Manage requests for the provision of financial resources by UNDP, using advance of funds, direct payments, or reimbursement using the FACE (Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures); Monitor financial resources and accounting to ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
Manage and monitor the project risks as initially identified in the Project Brief appraised by the LPAC, submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible actions if required;
Update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log; Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log;
Prepare the Project Quarterly Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Board and Project Assurance;
Prepare the Annual Review Report, and submit the report to the Project Board and the Outcome Board; Based on the review, prepare the AWP for the following year, as well as Quarterly Plans if required.

Closing the Project:

Prepare Final Project Review Reports to be submitted to the Project Board and the Outcome Board; Identify follow-on actions and submit them for consideration to the Project Board;
Manage the transfer of project deliverables, documents, files, equipment, and materials to national beneficiaries;
Prepare final Combined Delivery Report / Financial Reports for signature by UNDP.

Support strategic partnership building and resource mobilization:

Establish and maintain a strategic understanding of and engagement with all the relevant institutions, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other UN agencies, government institutions, donors, NGOs, IFIs, the private sector, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders and beneficiaries at the national, regional, and local levels;
Participate in meetings with donors, prepare and deliver presentations of project results, and follow up with relevant counterparts if requested by the supervisor;
Implement resource mobilization strategies to achieve project outcomes that include facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions to strengthen relationships and raise funds. Identify new funding opportunities for furthering the project ideas.

Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing in the UNDP country office:

Organize training for the project personnel to enhance their capacities in the technical matters of the thematic area of the project;
Identify, evaluate, synthesize, and document lessons learned and best practices directly linked to the project goals and activities. Develop knowledge sharing materials and respond to related queries.
Contribute substantively to knowledge networks and communities of practice within the thematic area of the project;
Develop and carry out a personal learning plan.

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

Institutional arrangements

Under the overall guidance of the Team Leader of the Peace and Stabilization Programme Team and the UNDP Head of Cotabato Field Office, the Project Manager will work with key partners and stakeholders to deliver distinct outputs of the project, to ensure quality implementation- from capacity building, management of human and financial resources, oversee the monitoring and evaluation, and communication framework towards achievement of delivery targets.

The Project Manager will work closely with the project team, Peace and Stabilization Programme Team, and UNDP CO teams and project stakeholders.

Willingness to relocate to Cotabato City is required.

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

The posts will be supervising personnel which includes the Project Analyst, Admin and Finance Associate, Project Assistant and Driver.

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction and 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

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

Business Management: 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

Business Management: Resource Management: Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity

2030 Agenda: Peace Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions : Community engagement for prevention, response, and social cohesion

Business Management: 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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Sciences, including Public Administration, Political Science, Public Policy and Management, International Development, Peace and Conflict Studies Peace and Conflict Studies or other related field is required. OR
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two (2) 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 professional work experience in in project management and coordination, preferably in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

Required Skills:

At least five (5) years of experience in project management including preparation of budgets, annual work plans and financial reporting;
Experience using standard software applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.

Desired Skills:

At least five (5) years of work experience in sustainable area development OR peacebuilding at the level of communities;
At least five (5) years of experience in International Organizations, such as the UN, is an advantage, especially knowledge about Business Processes;
At least five (5) years of experience of working with the key mechanisms and stakeholders of the peace processes in BARMM;
At least five (5) years of experience of effective partnership development with national/local counterparts, development partners and civil society.

Required Language(s):

Fluency in English and Filipino language 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.

Project Manager [Open to internal and external applicants]