Humanitaire (ONG, Associations, ...), Projet/programme de développement
Field Associate
Lesotho
Trending
Job Info
Job Identification: 28608
Posting Date: 08/29/2025, 01:11 PM
Apply Before: 09/09/2025, 01:10 PM
Job Schedule: Full time
Locations: Lesotho
Agency: UNDP
Grade: NPSA-6
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area: Inclusive Growth
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
Education & Work Experience
Bachelor's Degree - 3 year(s) experience OR High School certificate- 6 year(s) experience
Required Languages: English
Desired Languages: Sesotho
Vacancy Timeline: 2 Weeks
Job Description
Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan.
UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.
In recent years, the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources have become critical for biodiversity protection and economic development. Lesotho possesses a wealth of medicinal plants with high bioprospecting potential, particularly for the pharmaceutical industry. However, the absence of a robust access and benefit-sharing (ABS) framework has limited the country's ability to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of its genetic resources. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS, under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), provides the foundation for creating national mechanisms to regulate access to genetic resources while ensuring that benefits—both monetary and non-monetary—are shared fairly with providers, including local communities and traditional knowledge holders.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), through UNDP, has launched a national project in Lesotho to strengthen institutional capacities, establish legal frameworks, and develop sustainable ABS value chains for medicinal plants. The project aligns with Lesotho’s commitment to implementing the Nagoya Protocol and aims to enhance biodiversity conservation while promoting economic opportunities for local communities.
• The implementation of biodiversity conservation and sustainable ABS practices requires strong field-based coordination, stakeholder engagement, and technical support. Field facilitation and technical assistance will be required, operational support in the field, ensuring that project interventions in biodiversity conservation and ABS are effectively implemented in Sehlabathebe National Park, Tšehlanyane National Park, Bokong Nature Reserve, Letŝeng-La-Letsie catchment, and surrounding landscapes. For the implementation of the GEF ABS project at the national level, UNDP is recruiting two (2) Field Associate as part the Project Management Unit (PMU). One position will be based in Qachasnek and one based in Leribe district.
Duties and Responsibilities
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the National Coordinator, the Local Field Associate will have the following key functions.
Summary of key functions:
Provide programme support to subnational government counterparts and key stakeholders;
Provide Administrative and logistical support support to the implementation of project activities;
Provide technical Support for implementation of bio diversity conservation ABS targeted sites effective ;
Build and maintain strong community engagements and stakeholder support
Project Management/Implementation
Assist the Project Manager in preparing the Operational Work Plan and corresponding Annual Work Plans, particularly activities related to biodiversity conservation and ABS implementation.
Coordinate and monitor field activities as outlined in the Operational Work Plan, ensuring timelines and targets are met.
Support the organization of technical reporting activities for GEF, UNDP, and national executing entities, ensuring timely and compliant submissions.
Promote the project locally and support efforts to leverage co-funding and in-kind support from local authorities, partners, and communities.
Represent the project at relevant local and national meetings, workshops, and coordination platforms as delegated.
Administrative and Logistical Support
Support the organization of community meetings, training workshops, demonstrations, and other field activities.
Manage logistical arrangements, including material transport, attendance sheets, and field documentation.
Ensure field-level administrative compliance with UNDP and national procedures.
Technical Tasks and Responsibilities
Provide field-level direction and technical support for the implementation of biodiversity conservation and ABS practices in targeted sites, including:
Sehlabathebe National Park
Tšehlanyane National Park
Letšeng-La-Letsie catchment and associated landscapes
Bokong Natural Reserve
Facilitate local planning and consultative processes to promote inclusive community participation in conservation and ABS activities.
Ensure field activities are aligned with logical frameworks, strategic planning tools, and sustainability principles embedded in the project design.
Community Engagement & Stakeholder Support
Work directly with local communities, traditional leaders, environmental committees, and healers to support sustainable harvesting, cultivation, and value addition of medicinal plants.
Support sub-national government partners to align field interventions with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and ABS priorities.
Promote inclusive participation of women, youth, and traditional knowledge holders in all
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organizatione.
Institutional Arrangement
The Field Associate will report directly to the Project Manager and work closely with local and district ministerial teams, local authorities, conservation agencies, and community stakeholders.
The Field Associate will coordinate with government agencies, UNDP, project partners, and CSOs to ensure smooth execution of field-level project activities.
Competencies
Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business Development
Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate indididuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Human- centered Design: Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process
Business Management
Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
Completion of secondary level education with specialized certification in environmental Sciences , Botany , Forestry , Agriculture , Natural Resources Management , Rural Development or
University environmental Sciences , Botany , Forestry , Agriculture , Natural Resources Management , Rural Development or equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Experience:
Minimum six years (Secondary Education) or 3 years (Bachelor’s degree) of experience of progressively responsible in field-based work related to biodiversity conservation, community development, or sustainable livelihoods is required.
At least two 2 years of work experience supporting local governments and/or communities in the area of climate change adaptation planning and mainstreaming;
Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
Knowledge of Lesotho’s medicinal plants, biodiversity hotspots, and conservation policies.
Familiarity with ABS frameworks, community-based natural resource management, and participatory methodologies.
Basic data collection, GPS usage, and reporting skills.
Familiarity with logical frameworks and strategic planning
Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
Required Language(s)
Fluency in English and Sesotho is required.
Proficiency in national languages is required especially Sesotho.
Disclaimer
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: 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.
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