Mission and objectivesAs the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDPโs mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all. With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of Indiaโs national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet. UNDP Indiaโs current Country Programme, 2018-2022, is in its final year of implementation. Our new Country Programme (2023-2027), which comes into effect in 2023, builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios: โข Strong, accountable, and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs โข Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized โข Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability. South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture. You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.
ContextUNDP India in collaboration with Government, Private Sector entities, CSOs, and local community has initiated a project to minimize negative impacts and risks to environment and human health in India, by enhancing sustainable Plastic Waste Management practices. The project aims to develop socio-technical model (segregation/collection/recycling) to improve the use of resources, while ensuring compliance with regulations and in line with Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in India. The Plastic Waste Management (PWM) project within UNDP India has a unique and cross-cutting opportunity to contribute towards 14 of the 17 SDGs and spearhead the country officeโs efforts towards taking necessary steps to achieve gender equality and integrate it in the functioning of the project. The project has strong linkages for reducing gender inequality and improving livelihood for women, especially Safai Saathis (informal recycling workers) associated with the project. The project works towards improving their institutional status and access to economic and social resources by providing better work opportunities and enabling social protection linkage.
Task DescriptionThe Project Coordinator will lead the project activities in Mumbai, with a specific focus on collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). This involves: 1. Coordinating behaviour change campaigns and awareness drives in selected wards (R-North and H-West) of Mumbai. 2. Overseeing operations of the local Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in H-West Ward of Mumbai. 3. Supporting the social inclusion program for informal waste workers. 4. Building and maintaining partnerships with local authorities, private sector, and civil society organizations to strengthen the impact of the project. Under the direct supervision of the Project Analyst, the Project Coordinator will be responsible for the following tasks in Mumbai: 1. Project Strengthening and Execution โข Develop and implement a clear action plan for scaling and optimizing the existing Plastic Waste Management model in Mumbai. โข Set key performance indicators (KPIs), manage risks proactively, and ensure timely decision-making to keep all activities on track. โข Provide hands-on leadership to the local project partners, ensuring operational efficiency and accountability. 2. Stakeholder and Partnership Management โข Maintain and strengthen relationships with MCGM, private sector partners, civil society, and community-based organizations already engaged in the project. โข Identify new opportunities for partnerships to expand the projectโs scope and impact. โข Organize stakeholder review meetings, ensuring key decisions are executed and monitored effectively. 3. MRF Operations and Technical Oversight โข Oversee the day-to-day operations of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in close coordination with local teams and Safai Saathis. โข Drive continuous improvement in waste segregation, collection, and recycling processes, ensuring compliance with regulations and the adoption of circular economy principles. โข Collaborate with technical experts to introduce systems, innovations (e.g., new technologies, process optimizations) that enhance efficiency and output quality. 4. Behavior Change and Awareness โข Provide strategic direction for ongoing and new behavior change campaigns aimed at citizens, businesses, and waste workers. โข Ensure communications and outreach materials reflect best practices in public awareness, driving measurable shifts in behavior. โข Guide local teams in execution, monitoring campaign metrics and course-correcting as needed. 5. Social Inclusion and Gender Mainstreaming โข Strengthen and expand existing programs for the inclusion and empowerment of Safai Saathis, especially women and marginalized groups. โข Integrate gender-responsive approaches into all project components, from MRF operations to community engagement initiatives. โข Track and report on progress toward gender and social inclusion targets, ensuring interventions are effective and equitable. 6. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting โข Refine and lead the projectโs M&E framework, setting performance indicators and ensuring data-driven decision-making. โข Facilitate regular review meetings (monthly, quarterly) with stakeholders, presenting clear, concise reports on achievements, challenges, lessons learned and using it for troubleshooting and course correction. โข Produce a final comprehensive report at the end of the assignment, detailing outcomes, impacts, best practices, and sustainability recommendations.
Competencies and valuesโข Accountability โข Adaptability and Flexibility โข Building Trust โข Commitment and Motivation โข Commitment to Continuous Learning โข Communication โข Creativity โข Ethics and Values โข Integrity โข Planning and Organizing โข Professionalism โข Respect for Diversity โข Self-Management โข Working in Teams
Living conditions and remarksMumbai, is the most populous city in the Indian state of Maharashtra, offering a wide variety of jobs from conventional industries to IT services. It is also home to the Bollywood film industry. As India's capital of finance, Mumbai has the greatest number of fin-tech startups, and the cost of living and rental prices remains reasonably high. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Mumbai. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions. The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. This assignment is part of the special programme initiative, as per the UN Volunteer Conditions of Service, Section XVIII, the Conditions for this assignment are amended as follows: โข The Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) will be INR 112,590.50/- per month โข Exit allowance for each month served, paid on successful completion of the contract: INR 9,383.08 โข The UN Volunteer is not eligible for entry lumpsum or travel costs โข Health insurance will not be provided to dependents of the UN Volunteer โข Access to UNV learning will be restricted to mandatory courses and free-of-charge learning resources provided by UNV.