JOB DESCRIPTION
I. Position Information
Job Code Title: Community Development Facilitator – GRIF Amerindian Development Fund
Position Number:
Department: Guyana CO
Reports to: Project Manager
Reports: N/A
Position Status: TA, Non-rotational
Duration: 9 months / Current Grade: NOB
Approved Grade: NOB
Position Classified by: UNDP Guyana
Classification Approved by: UNDP HQ
II. Organizational Context
Background:The Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) of Guyana sets out the vision through which economic development and climate change mitigation will be enabled in the course of the generation of payments for standing forest and eco-system services. The Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) has been established to channel results-based payments for avoided deforestation towards the implementation of the LCDS. Some of the resources mobilized through the LCDS are in part directed to more inclusive models of pro-poor growth, targeting those most affected by poverty. Critical to the realization of goals set out in the LCDS is recognition of the important role that indigenous communities play in protecting and sustainably managing the forests.
In an effort to create a framework for local economic development based on the principles of low carbon/low impact growth, sustainability, and environmental protection, UNDP will work in the GRIF framework to implement a model of community economic development that expands economic opportunities at community level and improve livelihoods. Due to the increasing role of regional development and local economic growth, local development as a practice features an outcome on establishing a system for strengthening entrepreneurial capacity building and facilitating private sector partnerships for ‘green jobs,’ rural livelihoods and development of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME) in order to improve economic choices and achieve balanced regional growth.
There are in excess of 180 Indigenous communities located across Guyana but concentrated in a geographic space referred to as the rural interior/hinterland, situated mostly within the boundaries of regions 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9. The population of those communities range between 150 and 5,000 inhabitants. The poverty levels in the rural interior where most of the indigenous communities are located are high, combined 78.6 percent according to the household budget survey of 2006. Like some aspects of the rest of the national economy, indigenous communities are primarily involved in subsistence, primary productive activities such as agriculture, hunting, fishing and small scale logging and mining, among others.
Community Development Plans (CDPs) identified their priority projects to be financed through the LCDS Amerindian Development Fund (ADF). Since access to development finance is a challenge, the GRIF ADF development financing will be streamlined into a transparent and accountable mechanism to support community development projects. This would entail setting up a structure, criteria, distribution mechanism among other things, for the easy access to financial resources for indigenous communities, taking into consideration lessons learnt from existing mechanisms. Additionally, the existing planning, managing, and implementation capacities will be strengthened for the sustainable livelihood activities undertaken by indigenous communities.
UNDP Guyana has been selected as a Partner Entity of the GRIF. As a partner entity UNDP will work with the Government to develop selected projects, including the Amerindian Development Fund.
The primary purpose of the Amerindian Development Fund is to support the emergence and development of healthy village level economies.
As a Partner Entity, UNDP is expected to apply its social, environmental and fiduciary safeguards to the development of the ADF, and draw on its global knowledge and experiences in supporting local economic development.
For the Phase 1 of the project, project activities will be done under the direct implementation modality, after which the intention is to transition to a national implementation modality, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
The objectives of Phase 1 are to:
(a) Develop and test a financial disbursement mechanism with an accompanying operational manual;
(b) Produce the full Project Document (Phase II), and
(c) Strengthen the capacity of the MoAA to directly manage and support the implementation of the Project.
Scope of Work:
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Community Development Facilitator is responsible for field support to ADF supported community projects and to work alongside community leaders to set-up, implement, monitor and close projects. S/he will be based at the UNDP Office, 42 Brickdam and United Nations Place, Stabroek Georgetown and will be required to work 37.5 hours per week with frequent travel to Amerindian communities.
III. Functions / Key Results Expected
Specifically, the Community Development Facilitator will assist local groups with the following tasks:- Orient, support, supervise, and monitor the work of the community level team in the establishment and functioning of the funded project;
- Provide technical assistance for value-chain and enterprise development, working with micro, small and medium enterprises, farmers' organizations and other intermediaries in prioritized value chains;
- Maintain working relationships with community level stakeholders as partners and development of new relationships;
- Transfer skills through on-the-job training to local stakeholders on the procedures, methodologies and approaches adopted for ADF at national level;
- Participate in meetings and training sessions organized at community level by the project stakeholders;
- Assist community project leaders in preparing/reviewing technical reports and monthly/quarterly progress reports to be submitted to the Project Manager;
- Monitor, and report on community projects approved for implementation within each locality;
- Conduct targeted value-chain and business environment analyses for prioritized value chains;
- Assist communities in preparing community economic development strategic plans for each locality; and
- Assist in integrating community economic development action plans with production and national initiatives, projects for each locality.
IV. Impact of Results
The key results have an impact on the overall success of the Phase 1 of the project. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, programming and delivery of community projects funded by ADF. As this is the first phase, the results of this project will impact on overall ability of the ADF to address the community development needs of Amerindian Communities in Guyana. Further, this project is expected to present a model of how local community economic development should be done under the framework of a Low Carbon Development Strategy.V. Competencies
Core Competencies:q Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
q Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
q Self-development, initiative-taking
q Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
q Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
q Creating synergies through self-control
q Managing conflict
q Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
q Informed and transparent decision making
Functional Competencies:
Results-Based Programme Development and Management
q Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
q Researches linkages across project activities to identify critical points of integration
q Monitors specific stages of projects implementation
q Analyzes country and local situation to identify opportunities for project development
Building Strategic Partnerships
q Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
q Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches
q Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
q Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
q Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
q Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
q Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
q Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
q Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
q Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
q Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments
Leadership and Advocacy for Project’s Goals
q Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for the project’s goals for a variety of audiences
q Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for advocating for UNDP and project’s mandate
Client Orientation
q Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
q Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
q Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly
VI. Recruitment Qualifications
Education: / Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences with an economic focus, development studies, or any other field that is relevant to the assignment. Master’s Degree is desirable but not a requirement.
Experience: / Required: A minimum of four years relevant work experience for Bachelor’s Degree holder. A minimum of two years relevant work experience for Master’s Degree holder. Experience with the local business environment (LBE) reform. Experience in the use of computers and office software packages.
Desirable:
Knowledge of/ Experience in LG efforts in revenue enhancement through and out of LED initiatives; investment promotion services; local economic & business information systems; labour intensive employment creation; infrastructural development, economic support sectors (communication, power and water supply, transport, business development services) and the business environment; product development and market stimulation; sub-sector and value-chain development; agri-processing and agribusiness development, pro-poor tourism; micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) development; gender mainstreaming for business development and local economic development; property formalization and regularization; micro-finance, including micro-credit development; business planning; decentralization & local governance and participatory approaches to development; handling of web based management systems.
Language Requirements: / Fluency in English. Knowledge of Amerindian language(s) in Guyana will be an asset.
VII. Signatures- Post Description Certification
Incumbent (if applicable)
Name Signature Date
Supervisor
Name / Title Signature Date
Chief Division/Section
Name / Title Signature Date
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