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Project Manager, IPSA-11, Suva, Fiji (UNCDF) - [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]
Operations · Full-time
Suva, Fiji
Posted on Sep 22, 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
General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.
As a Flagship Catalytic Blended Financing platform of the UN, UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.
As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, United Nations Organizations, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders. UNCDF’s work is focused on three priority areas, including:
• SME Finance
• Sub-National Finance
• Digital Finance
UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York, USA. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by an Executive Board comprised of UN Member States.
The Pacific I2I Regional Project: Ocean Health for Ocean Wealth – The Voyage to a Blue Economy for the Blue Pacific Continent, part of the Circular Economy Financing Facility (CEFF) Project, is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) International Waters project implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a co-implementing agency. The project covers 14 Pacific Island Countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The objective of the Pacific I2I project is to strengthen capacity to preserve and safeguard the health of ocean ecosystems in Pacific Island Countries by catalysing the development and growth of sustainable blue economies. The project combines enabling policy and institutional frameworks, development and financing of sustainable blue economy investments, regional capacity building and knowledge sharing, and monitoring and evaluation.
UNCDF serves as the Executing Agency for the UNEP-implemented portion of the Pacific I2I project and is responsible for the effective execution and day-to-day management of activities entrusted to UNCDF, including project coordination, financial and operational management, procurement and contract management, monitoring and reporting, and coordination with participating countries and project partners.
UNCDF is seeking an IPSA-11 Project Manager to lead the execution of the Pacific I2I project and ensure timely, effective and high-quality delivery of project results in accordance with the approved project document, UNEP/GEF requirements and applicable UNCDF policies and procedures.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance of the Senior Advisor – Financing for Plastics and Circular Economy and in close coordination with UNEP, participating Pacific Island Countries, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), ADB and other project partners, the Project Manager will be responsible for the overall management and execution of the Pacific I2I project activities entrusted to UNCDF.
The Project Manager will undertake the following functions:
A. Lead Project Management, Coordination and Delivery
- Lead the day-to-day management and execution of the Pacific I2I project, ensuring timely delivery of agreed outputs and results in accordance with the approved project document, annual workplans and UNEP/GEF requirements.
- Prepare and coordinate annual workplans, budgets, implementation schedules, procurement plans and other project management instruments.
- Coordinate implementation across project components, participating countries, technical specialists, consultants, service providers and project partners.
- Serve as the principal operational focal point for UNEP and coordinate closely with participating governments, SPREP, ADB, UNCDF teams and other regional and national partners.
- Identify implementation bottlenecks, risks and emerging issues and coordinate timely management actions and adaptive measures.
B. Provide Technical Coordination and Promote Partnerships and Sustainable Blue Economy Investment Development
- Coordinate technical inputs for sustainable blue economy strategies, financing mechanisms, business models, feasibility assessments and investment development.
- Support participating countries in translating sustainable blue economy priorities and action plans into concrete projects and investable opportunities.
- Coordinate Technical Specialists and Consultants and ensure coherence across policy, capacity-building, financing and investment-related activities.
- Facilitate engagement among governments, regional institutions, development partners, financial institutions, investors, SMEs, communities and other stakeholders.
- Support partnerships, co-financing opportunities and follow-on initiatives that contribute to the sustainability, replication and scaling of project results.
C. Oversee Financial and Operational Management, Monitoring and Compliance
- Oversee project financial management and monitor expenditures, commitments and delivery against approved budgets and workplans.
- Coordinate procurement, recruitment, contracting and contract management in accordance with applicable UNCDF policies and procedures.
- Maintain effective systems for monitoring project implementation, results, financial performance and risks against the approved results framework and GEF Core Indicators.
- Lead preparation of periodic progress reports and inputs to the annual GEF Project Implementation Review (PIR), Mid-Term Review, Terminal Evaluation and final project reporting.
- Ensure implementation and monitoring of environmental and social safeguards, the Gender Action Plan, Stakeholder Engagement Plan and other applicable UNEP/GEF requirements.
D. Facilitate Governance, Knowledge Management and Communications
- Coordinate the Secretariat functions for the Project Steering Committee (PSC), including organization of meetings, preparation and circulation of agendas and documentation, presentation of project progress and management issues, preparation of meeting records and decisions, and follow-up on agreed actions.
- Coordinate annual project working meetings, national and regional consultations, capacity-building activities and other stakeholder engagement processes.
- Ensure project results, lessons, investment cases, good practices and sustainable blue economy models are systematically documented and disseminated.
- Facilitate knowledge exchange among participating Pacific Island Countries and engagement with regional and global knowledge platforms, including GEF IW:LEARN.
- Coordinate project communications and visibility activities and ensure compliance with UNCDF, UNEP and GEF communications requirements.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient implementation of the project.
Institutional Arrangement
The Project Manager will report to the Senior Advisor – Financing for Plastics and Circular Economy with a matrix reporting to the Regional Investment Specialist and the Regional Investment Team Lead and will be responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of Pacific I2I project activities executed by UNCDF.
The Project Manager will work closely with UNEP as the GEF Implementing Agency, participating Pacific Island Country governments, SPREP, ADB, UNCDF regional and country teams, and other project partners.
The Project Manager will manage and coordinate the project team, including programme, technical, finance and operations, communications and other personnel and consultants, ensuring effective integration of their respective contributions to project delivery.
The Project Manager will manage the Secretariat functions of the Project Steering Committee and ensure that PSC decisions and recommendations are translated into appropriate management and implementation actions.
Competencies
Core Competencies - UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.
| 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
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
| Thematic Area | Name | Definition |
| Business Management | Project Management | Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals |
| Business Management | Results-based Management | Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools. |
| Finance | Development finance expertise | Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc. |
| 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 | Knowledge Generation | Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situation |
| Planet | Nature, | Environmental Governance: Global Environmental Governance |
| Business Direction and Strategy | System 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 university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in International Development, Environmental Management, Economics, Finance, Public Policy, Natural Resource Management, Ocean/Coastal Management, Business Administration, International Relations or another relevant field; 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.
Experience:
- Minimum of (7) years (with a Master's degree) or (9) years (with a Bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible professional experience in programme/project management, sustainable development, environmental management, environmental or sustainable finance, or a related field.
Required skills:
- Demonstrated experience managing complex multi-country or regional programmes/projects, including work planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and reporting, is required.
- Experience in oceans, sustainable blue economy, coastal and marine resources, environmental sustainability or related areas is required.
- Experience coordinating programmes involving government stakeholders, international organizations, regional institutions and multiple donors and implementation partners is required.
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Experience in project financial management, procurement, contracting, and operational oversight is required.
Desired skills:
- Experience with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) or other multilateral environmental or climate funds, including project implementation, monitoring and reporting, is highly desirable.
- Experience working in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and/or the Pacific region is highly desirable. Experience in sustainable finance, blended finance, SME finance, investment development and/or private-sector engagement is desirable.
- Experience with environmental and social safeguards, gender mainstreaming and stakeholder engagement is desirable.
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Previous experience with the United Nations or another multilateral development organization is an asset.
Required Language(s):
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
- Working knowledge of another UN official language and/or a Pacific language is 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.
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.
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The Project Manager will manage and coordinate the project team, including programme, technical, finance and operations, communications and other personnel and consultants, ensuring effective integration of their respective contributions to project delivery. The Project Manager will manage the Secretariat functions of the Project Steering Committee and ensure that PSC decisions and recommendations are translated into appropriate management and implementation actions.