Job description

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

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain operates within the context of a high-income, net-contributing country, where UNDP engagement is fully funded through government cost-sharing and aligned with national development priorities. Bahrain is implementing an ambitious national reform agenda under Bahrain Vision 2030 and the Government Programme (2023–2026), with a strong focus on economic diversification, fiscal sustainability, effective governance, environmental resilience, digital transformation, and inclusive human development. As a net contributor country, UNDP Bahrain maintains a lean operational footprint while delivering high-value technical assistance, policy advisory services, and innovation-driven solutions in support of national priorities.

UNDP Bahrain’s programme is guided by the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2025–2029, approved by the UNDP Executive Board in January 2025, and is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2025–2029. The CPD positions UNDP as a trusted strategic partner to the Government of Bahrain, contributing to UNSDCF outcomes through integrated, multi-sectoral interventions that address complex development challenges at the intersection of economic prosperity, governance and human rights, and environmental sustainability. Under the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2025–2029, UNDP Bahrain’s engagement is structured around three interrelated CPD pillars:

(i) Economic prosperity and sustainable livelihoods;
(ii) Effective governance, human rights, and access to justice; and
(iii) Environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

These pillars reflect national priorities under Bahrain Vision 2030 and the Government Programme (2023–2026), and constitute UNDP’s substantive contribution to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2025–2029.

To ensure coherence, integration, and efficient delivery within a lean Country Office structure, the Bahrain CO operationalizes the three CPD pillars through two integrated programme clusters. The first cluster brings together Economic Prosperity and Environmental Sustainability; and environmental sustainability and governance, human rights, access to justice, and social inclusion. 

The second cluster focuses on governance, human rights, access to justice, and social inclusion, encompassing rule of law, public sector effectiveness, civic engagement, gender equality, and protection of vulnerable groups. This cluster supports national institutions in strengthening accountability, service delivery, and compliance with international human rights standards, while promoting inclusive participation and social cohesion.

This two-cluster delivery model enables the Country Office to manage complexity, promote synergies across CPD pillars, and apply a portfolio approach to programme design, implementation, and partnerships. Staff are therefore expected to work across thematic boundaries, contribute to integrated solutions, and support joint programming within the UN system, while ensuring results-based management, quality assurance, and alignment with national and UNSDCF priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions 

Under the overall guidance of Program Analyst (governance, human rights, access to justice, and social inclusion cluster), the National Project Coordinatorwill:

• Ensuring effective project management of the assigned project by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project progress by monitoring, evaluation and reporting;
• Provide advisory support on climate resilience and river basin management issues to the Government and other partners;
• Build the strategic partnerships needed to achieve results;
• Align the project with UN values and UNDP priorities; 
• Ensure the mainstreaming gender, disability and youth considerations in the field of expertise, promote a safe and enabling environment free of any kind of discrimination, abusive behavior and exploitation, and use the principles of Inclusive HR communications in line with the UNDP corporate standards.

Specific tasks and responsibilities:

Ensuring effective project management of the assigned project by maintaining the delivery of appropriate technical, operational, financial and administrative outputs, while tracking the project progress by monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• Manage and coordinate project activities based on the relevant Project Document, including the
• Develop comprehensive/detailed Project work-plan including structured dynamics of all Project
• Prepare Project progress reports for the donor and the main project beneficiary (Ministry of
• Ensure timely submission of the Project Implementation Report, Technical reports, quarterly financial reports, and other reports as may be required by UNDP and/or the donor;
• Monitor Project progress to ensure that it is in accordance with the timetable set out in the
• Secure the goods, services and personnel needed to implement ANA activities, including drafting TORs and work specifications;
• Monitor financial resources and ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reports;
• Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified, submit new risks to the Project Board for consideration and decision on possible action if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining a Project Risk Log;
• Provide rigorous quality assurance for the project’s financial, procurement and administrative processes to make sure that they are conducted in line with UNDP rules and regulations as well as in line with the project timelines.
• Maintain regular coordination and quality assurance of expert inputs and products as well as among project partners to ensure coherence and complementarity of project activities;
• Identify opportunities for deepening cooperation and recommending adequate approaches to dealing with different stakeholders based on information gathered during project implementation;
• Maintain regular communication on relevant project issues with local and international counterparties, consultants and experts and ensuring quality and timely delivery of all agreed outputs
• Managing project tracking in QUANTUM in accordance with UNDP procedures;
• Managing the transfer of project deliverables and assets to national beneficiaries and other project stakeholders.

Provide advisory support on climate resilience and river basin management issues to the Government and other partners;

• Identify, collect and analyze policy-related, relevant information and data;
• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learnt into project goals;
• Support the development of policies that will address challenges and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;
• Codify and share best practices and lessons learnt;

Build the strategic partnerships needed to achieve results;

• Cultivate relationships with the central and local authorities, academia, NGOs and other Project stakeholders, ensuring full understanding, cooperation and an appropriate fit of the project activities with the main needs of the beneficiaries; and
• Establishing effective linkages with the regional project team, the project teams in the riparian countries, and other relevant projects and initiatives in the sector with a view to developing substantive partnerships and generating synergies;
• Disseminate project reports and respond to queries from concerned stakeholders.

Align the project with UN values and UNDP priorities.

• Ensure the principles of gender equality, democratic governance, social inclusion and disaster resilience are effectively reflected in project activities;
• Ensure that gender equality is pursued in all project activities and reflected in work plans, budgets, reports, researches, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail;
• Ensure that accessibility for persons with disabilities is reflected in all project activities;
• Consult regularly with other UNDP projects and programs on related activities where synergies are possible;
• Strive to engage groups and communities in project activities that affect them;
• Communicate project goals and activities clearly to both stakeholders and the wider public;

Ensure the mainstreaming of gender, disability, and youth considerations in the field of expertise 

• Support preparation of gender equality background materials for use in discussion, correspondence and briefing sessions;
• Ensure that all data gathered during project implementation is disaggregated by gender/disability/youth, age, ethnic affiliation and other to the extent possible; 
• Support the reporting on gender mainstreaming as part of the ROAR and other corporate documents;
• Identify partnership strategies with regard to providers of specialized expertise, with special encouragements for providers with a gender/disability/youth knowledge;
• Ensure the project/programme contributes to the promotion of gender /disability/youth equal access by reaching, involving, and benefiting. 

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

Performance Indicators for evaluation of results 

• Project activities executed in line with UNDP corporate principles;
• Project staff/ team(s) effectively and efficiently guided and backstopped, as needed;
• Implementation of the transferred competencies and resources is consolidated and effectively carried out;
• Links with other relevant projects/initiatives established and joint objectives effectuated;
• Delivered funds in accordance with the planned Annual Work Plans;
• Timely and qualitative reporting in line with the programme needs and Country Office/national partners’ requirements. Project activities executed in line with UNDP corporate rules and procedures; 

Institutional Arrangement

The National Project Coordinator will be engaged on a regular NPSA contract and will report to the Program Analyst governance, human rights, access to justice, and social inclusion cluster and in matrix supervision with the Programme Analyst, Economic Prosperity and Environmental Sustainability, to ensure coherence and cross cutting coordination and complementarity.

Competencies

Core

• 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

• 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.
• Working with Evidence and Data
  • Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.
• Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Partnerships Management
  • Ability to 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
• Risk Management
  • Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Business Direction & 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

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness

• Effectiveness
  • Project Quality Assurance

  Required Skills and Experience Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master´s degree or equivalent) in Development Studies, Social Policy, Social Sciences, Sustainable Development, Gender Studies, International Development/Relations, Public Policy, Political Law, Sustainable Studies or other related, or a similar field 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.

Min. years of relevant work experience

• Applicants with 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 at the national or international level in the design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of development projects.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Excellent computer literacy (MS Office; Windows)
• Experience at the national level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects
• Experience in the implementation of larger projects run by international organizations and/or large environmental protection projects is a strong asset;
• Proven experience in handling multi-sectoral coordination among professionals and regional teams is desired.
• Policy, advisory and advocacy experience and track record of engagement with United Nations, other development actors and donors are desirable.
• Experience in Gender mainstreaming is an asset.
• Experience liaising and cooperating with government officials, municipal authorities, academic institutions, CSOs is an asset;
• Ability for traveling and field work;
• Ability to work under pressure;
• Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills.
• Strong communication skills, especially in timely and accurate responses to emails.
• Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in Arabic and English 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

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