Background

The Ministry of Lands Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement (MLAWRR) with support from UNDP has developed a project entitled 'Advancing Land Governance And Administration In Zimbabwe' The project is a successor to the previous project on Support the Ministry of Lands implemented between 2014 to 2018 and will implemented under a collaborative agreement between UNDP and the EU. The project recognizes the need for a comprehensive and harmonised LGA framework that offers secure access and sustainable land use for all and guarantees long-term investment required for food security, resilience building and ultimately economic recovery. Land is one of the key productive assets for the country which needs to be used sustainably to contribute to socio-economic prosperity and national development. To achieve this, secure tenure rights to land need to be efficiently delivered, and effective mechanisms for the transfer of such rights between interested stakeholders also need to be in place to contribute to a vibrant land market.

This EU/UNDP programmatic intervention acknowledges that in order to achieve this national ambition in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), there is need to develop comprehensive rights based LGA guiding principles that set the foundation for the national LGA framework. The proposed interventions will help develop a set of guiding principles for this vision by piloting 4 critical elements in two selected districts. The project will pilot the establishment of a comprehensive e-cadastre covering all land tenure systems in two districts and provide the necessary technical, material and institutional capacity support to all actors with a mandate to deliver land services under a one stop shop. The project will test the developed elements of LGA guiding principles and provide technical aspects to be eventually used in future by the authorities for effective delivery of land rights on all land tenure systems. The desired outcome of the intervention will be measured by the existence of an effective topographical map reference system for the delimitation and registration of land holdings/plots in the two pilot districts; a comprehensive geo-based database registering land parcels; and an efficient institutional mechanism 'one stop shop' in each of the pilot districts that delivers several land administration services to land beneficiaries. Alongside other efforts by government, it is expected that the project will contribute to secure access and sustainable land use by all for improved land productivity and inclusive economic growth.

The Overall Objective of the project is to contribute to secure access and sustainable land use by all for improved land productivity and inclusive economic growth. The foundation for a national rights-based land governance and administration framework will be piloted in two districts. The objective will be achieved through 4 result areas. These are: Result 1: An effective geographical / topographical reference system required for the delimitation and registration of land is operational at the level of the two pilot districts; Result 2: Land plots are surveyed, and their major characteristics are registered in a geo-based database established in the pilot districts; Result 3: A 'one stop shop' is operational in each of the pilot districts for delivery of several land administration services to land beneficiaries; Result 4: Guiding principles, procedures, technical solutions and costing for a possible national roll out of the piloted land governance and administration are defined. The project will also support compensation dialogue processes required to deliver on the compensation agreement.

The intervention which is part of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme will be implemented by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement (MLAWRR) over 4 years between October 2020 to September 2024. UNDP will provide project oversight.

Against this background, the UNDP Zimbabwe Country Office needs a highly qualified, experienced and self-motivated Coordinator for the project. The main responsibility of the Project Coordinator is to lead the implementation of the LGA project to ensure the project delivers its intended results with support from a team of national staff and local and international experts assisting on various aspects of the project components. The coordinator will oversee the day-to-day management, decision-making for the project, including the mobilisation of all project inputs, supervision of project staff, local and international consultants and sub-contractors as well as preparing project reports as specified in the UNDP-EU agreement and as may be required by the Project Board. The Project Coordinator will also ensure appropriate advice and technical guidance is provided to the board, UNDP and the EU.

The Project Coordinator reports to the UNDP Team leader Poverty Reduction Environment and Climate Change (PRECC) Unit. The Coordinator will work in liaison with the MLAWRR nominated project focal point and will mainly be in located in the Department of Lands Office.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leads the effective and efficient implementation of the Land Governance and Administration systems project, providing day to day direction of project activities to achieve the intended outcomes by focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Coordinate and work with the MLAWRR, UNDP and the EU in the implementation and monitoring of the project, ensuring participation and coordination with relevant stakeholders;
• Develop detailed annual workplans and establish annual milestones and targets in accordance with the Project Document multiyear workplan and in close coordination with project stakeholders and the PMU staff;
• Manage the PMU staff and undertake staff performance evaluation ensuring adequate guidance, support and skills development through coaching and mentoring is provided for delivery of results;
• Ensure the planning, tracking and management and proper administration of the project budget in line with the project overall approve budget and financial reporting as required;
• Organize Steering Committee meetings as per agreed schedule and provide secretarial services as required by the Steering committee and for any committees that may be established under the project;
• Ensure production of timely reports (Inception Reports, Annual Progress Reports, Mid Term Reviews and Terminal Evaluations) adhering to the reporting requirements prescribed in the Contribution agreement and produce any other briefs on the project as may be required;
• Develop procurement plans and facilitate timely procurement of goods and services for the project and ensure the assets procured under the project are well maintained and appropriately utilized;
• Ensure the implementation of the communication and visibility plan of the project;
• Ensure risks are continuously assessed and maintain an updated risk log and oversee the implementation of project risk mitigation plan;
• Initiate operational closure of the project
• Facilitate collaborative partnerships with relevant stakeholders as guided by the stakeholder engagement plan and provide liaison Coordinate and work with the MLAWRR, UNDP and the EU in the implementation and monitoring of the project, ensuring participation and coordination with relevant stakeholder's initiatives.

Ensures compliance to set contractual obligations and UNDP/EU policy and procedures guidelines and other set programmatic quality standards including overall oversight and risk management are adhered to by focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Ensure all the contractual obligations are met;
• With support from the UNDP quality assurance team, ensure the project processes are compliant to UNDP and EU Policy procedures and guidelines.
• Ensure that adequate systems are in place to gather data and information for project monitoring and that systematic monitoring of project progress against targets is undertaken per M&E plan, including regular field missions for monitoring purposes;
• Assess project impact and oversee the appropriateness and accuracy of methods used to verify progress and results;
• Monitor and ensure compliance of project activities with social and environmental safeguards;
• Support project audit, provide inputs to audit management responses and ensure audit recommendations for the project are fully implemented;
• Support any HACT assessments and provide support to implementing partners capacity support and training is provided for HACT compliance.

Provision of high quality strategic and technical advice on matters related to Lands governance and administration to MLAWRR, UNDP, EU and effective coordination of key stakeholders to the project.

• Provide strategic advisory support on land governance and administration to UNDP, EU and project stakeholders;
• Ensure relevant national, regional and international best practice is identified and effectively applied for best results;
• Facilitate the identification and timely recruitment of local and international experts to provide specialized technical services required by the project;
• Develop TORs and manage the performance of consultants and technical advisors engaged to support the project and ensure that technical outputs are provided according to plan and highest technical standards, review and clear technical outputs for quality;
• Reconcile the outputs from research studies, analyses and district pilot activities and advise MLAWRR and UNDP on policy issues related to the project.

Knowledge building and management and application of international best practice and strengthen partnerships, resource mobilization and effective communication, by focusing on achievement of the following results:

With the support of the M&E/Knowledge Management Officer of the project and the UNDP Communications Associate:

• Ensure the knowledge, best practice and lessons generated from the project are documented;
• Actively engage with stakeholders and communities of practice (COPs) in the land sector around solutions for land governance and administration and facilitate regular knowledge sharing platforms ensuring, lessons from the project are presented in relevant platforms in close liaison with UNDP;
• Advocate through internal and external networks the demonstrable value comprehensive land governance and administration systems to food and nutrition security and broader national development goals;
• Maintain strategic understanding of current key trends in the land sector at national, regional and international level and lessons learned from countries in the region;
• Prepare strategic materials, briefs and/or position papers on emerging results and outcomes from the district pilots;
• Ensure management of project information, project information codification and filing system;
• Ensure regular communication and visibility of project results;
• Ensure compliance with all UNDP and EU reporting schedules including for monthly, quarterly, annual reports as well as the ROAR;
• Engage partners through participating in various fora to strengthen existing. and mobilize new, partnerships;
• Support Government of Zimbabwe and UNDP in any efforts to mobilize resources in programming areas related to LGA.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow (Level 5)

Delivery

• Ability to get things done (Level 5)

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction (Level 4)

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform (Level 3)

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work (Level 1)

Functional Competencies (Primary)

Gender

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues (Level 5)

Accountability

• Ability to account for resources placed under one's (Level 4)

Creative Problem Solving

• Being able to solve problems leading to team cohesion and optimization of performance (Level 5)

Stakeholder Engagement

• Ability to effectively engage stakeholders (Level 4)

Professionalism

• Ability to focus on professional ethics and integrity (Level 5)

Functional Competencies (Secondary)

Knowledge Management

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge (Level 5)

Leading by Example

• Walking the talk and using the power of influence to effect positive change (Level 5)

Respect for Diversity

• Observes diversity in racial, tribal, religious and sexual orientation (Level 4)

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master's degree or equivalent in Land Governance related discipline including Land and Agrarian Studies, Land Economics; Geography, Agriculture, Rural Development, Development Studies.
• A degree in Project Management or master's in Business Administration, GIS or Land Surveying is an added advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years relevant experience at the national and international level in project management or technical advisory support in the Land Governance and Administration, Land Policy, Land Tenure fields, Agriculture particularly in designing, planning, implementation, management/coordination, monitoring and evaluation of complex development projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments in the mentioned sectors.
• At least 5 years' experience in working designing, managing or providing technical advisory services to large donor funded complex adaptation projects.
• Strong knowledge of the political and socio-economic context related to the Zimbabwe's Land sector and in the Southern Africa, Region would be a distinct advantage;
• At least 3 years of experience working with ministries, national, provincial, district and community institutions that are concerned land services delivery is desirable;
• At least 3 years of demonstrable project/programme management experience preferably for large donor funded projects would be an added advantage.
• Familiarity with UNDP and EU project management procedures and implementation;
• Demonstrable knowledge and familiarity with the UN System, a is an added advantage.

Language Requirements

• English (Proficiency Requirement – High in oral and written) and Shona and or Ndebele