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Project Coordinator, Medellin Mayors Challenge (Open to Internal and External Applicants)
Better Than Cash
Administration
Medellín, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
Posted on Apr 28, 2026
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 provides integrated programmatic, policy and financing solutions to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, UNDP has created a Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Crisis Bureau (CB) are the two anchor Bureaux of the GPN.
In this context, the newly established Governance, Rule of Law, and Peacebuilding (GRP) Hub, a joint endeavour with the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), provides leadership and advisory services to enhance UNDP’s impact on governance and peacebuilding, ensuring the integration of democratic governance and human rights into crisis response and recovery. The Hub aims to build an integrated portfolio collaboratively between the CB and BPPS and establish partnerships with various stakeholders including the UN System, IFIs, civil society, and the private sector.
Through Local Action, the GRP Hub seeks to contribute to peace and development, achieving a visible impact on communities and improving lives by delivering integrated solutions that harness global expertise and partnerships. The Local Action Unit works closely with local and regional governments as key development players, highlighting their role as public service implementers, as drivers of innovation and the closest institution to people.
Local and regional governments are already responsible of over 65% of the SDG targets, most of them linked to basic service provision from water, sanitation, mobility, climate action, health or education. Cities and territories are playing a big part on the implementation of SDGs, that are becoming a new tool for strategic planning and budgeting in the mid to long-term. Since 2015, local governments and their associations have been increasingly active in promoting the SDGs through advocacy, working with their local population and partners in transposing the spirit of Agenda 2030 in cities and territories. Local Governments have also started to use SDGs as a strategic framework to deliver better and more innovative public services linked to SDG targets and indicators. As part of the SDG Local Action project, UNDP is one of the implementing partners of the Mayors Challenge, a global initiative to reimagine the most essential services that cities deliver to residents.
Within this context, the SDG Local Action project is seeking to recruit a Project Coordinator to support the implementation of the Mayors Challenge in the city of Medellin, Colombia, one of the winners of the 2025 Mayors Challenge. The project contributes to strengthen the Medellin Zero Hunger, a collaborative initiative under the Office of the Mayor of Medellin that will employ artificial intelligence to connect the city´s food surpluses from companies with food banks and foundations to serve the most vulnerable population in Medellin. The service complements existing food banks systems by developing a technological platform that monitors needs and identify recipients based in storage availability and geographical proximity, connecting surpluses of food with the places where it is most needed.
The project wants to target 90.000 people in situation of food insecurity. By 2028, the expected impact is a 8% food insecurity reduction across the city, an increased satisfaction by beneficiaries of the service and a 25% reduction in food surplus and food waste.
Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of work
The Project Coordinator will perform the following functions:
A. Support project implementation in the city of Medellin
- Coordinate all project activities with the city’s focal point and team, contribute to the creation of local capacities in project management, planning, budgeting and procuring services and goods for project implementation;
- Lead in strategic planning, decision-making, execution and review to deliver the target metrics, output and outcome of the project;
- Prepare Terms of References for procurement processes to achieve the project activities and objectives;
- Facilitate elaboration and implementation of contract strategy, sourcing strategy, quality management, supplier selection, and improvement of procurement processes;
- Supervise the work of the service providers, consultancies and/or private entities that will implement the project, and conduct performance reviews in accordance with UNDP rules, regulations and procedures. Certify to the UNDP that the services acquired to carry out the project have been delivered on terms satisfactory to the municipality;
- Facilitate the analysis of information required in the preparation of procurement plans and monitoring of its implementation;
- Coordinate project staff, evaluate performance of member teams, provide guidance and create local capacities for the team;
- Organize meetings and maintain agendas, orientate visits from clients and users. Elaborate a calendar of activities with dates for specific deliverables;
- Elaborate proposals to improve the project effectiveness, including strategies to improve the project overall impact;
- Identify project sustainability alternatives to prepare an exit strategy when the external funding is exhausted. Work closely with the municipality to locate internal resources for the project outputs to be assumed by the municipality at the end of activities;
- Monitor the operations of the project, including administrative tasks, managing personnel, follow on maintain the inventory of office supplies, correspondence and supervise that all procedures are correctly implemented;
- Maintain budget information and accounting records on activities.
B. Project monitoring and showcasing results
- Prepare a monitoring framework for the status, results, milestones for the project activities;
- Monitor project outputs, identify data linked to the SDG targets and indicators and liaise with the communications team to provide data for infographics and other communication assets;
- Elaborate operational reports on the activities of the project and its impact in the beneficiaries;
- Liaise with SDG Local Action global team to maintain the project webpage updated and contribute with stories to communicate the project results;
- Ensure effective communication about project activities with UNDP, the city of Medellin and project beneficiaries and the local communities;
- Document the methodology and technologies used during the implementation of the project.
C. Sharing lessons learnt at global level
- Elaborate knowledge products about how the project is contributing to SDGs by innovating public service delivery;
- Elaborate policy briefs and easy communicable knowledge materials on the lessons learnt by the project;
- Participate in the global exchange of experiences amongst local governments on how the project is contributing to implement the SDGs at local level.
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 City Mayor and city project focal point, the Project Coordinator will directly report the UNDP Advisor on cities and local governments based in New York (USA).
Competencies
Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making
People Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business Management: Project Management
- Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Business Direction & Strategy: Effective Decision Making
- Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.
Business Management: Communication Working with Evidence and Data
- Ability to 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.
- Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
2030 Agenda: Prosperity: Inclusive Growth
- Urban development design / risk mitigation, inclusive design, resilience, and sustainability.
2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness: SGD Integration
- Role of science, technology, innovation for SDGs
Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic and Creative Thinking
- Ability to consider something in a new way through intentional and rational thought process that focuses on the analysis of critical factors and variables that will influence the long-term success of a business, a team, or an individual.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Minimum education requirements
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social and Political Sciences, International Development, International Cooperation or Urban studies is required; or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
Min. years of relevant work experience
- Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
- Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in international development, communications or political and social issues.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
- At least one (1) year of experience working with urban related issues;
- Demonstrated competence in leadership and project management, an asset;
- Competence in computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.) is an asset;
- Proven experience in working with local governments and their associations is an asset;
- Proven professional experience in food waste projects is an asset;
- Experience working on projects with vulnerable communities is an asset.
Required Language(s)
- Fluency in English and Spanish, both oral and written, is required.
Professional Certificates
Project Management certificate is an advantage.
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.
Duties and Responsibilities