Project Coordinator

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About the Organization

As the lead United Nations agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is centred around six core development areas, known as our signature solutions: poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, energy and gender equality.

Job Description

UNDP 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 office’s 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.

Job Responsibilities

The 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:

• Coordinating behaviour change campaigns and awareness drives in selected wards (R-North and H-West) of Mumbai.
• Overseeing operations of the local Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in H-West Ward of Mumbai.
• Supporting the social inclusion program for informal waste workers.
• 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:

Project Strengthening and Execution

• Develop and implement a clear action plan for scaling and optimizing the existing Plastic Waste Management model in Mumbai.
• Set key performance indicators (KPIs), manage risks proactively, and ensure timely decision-making to keep all activities on track.
• Provide hands-on leadership to the local project partners, ensuring operational efficiency and accountability.

Stakeholder and Partnership Management

• Maintain and strengthen relationships with MCGM, private sector partners, civil society, and community-based organizations already engaged in the project.
• Identify new opportunities for partnerships to expand the project’s scope and impact.
• Organize stakeholder review meetings, ensuring key decisions are executed and monitored effectively.

MRF Operations and Technical Oversight

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in close coordination with local teams and Safai Saathis.
• Drive continuous improvement in waste segregation, collection, and recycling processes, ensuring compliance with regulations and the adoption of circular economy principles.
• Collaborate with technical experts to introduce systems, innovations (e.g., new technologies, process optimizations) that enhance efficiency and output quality.

Behavior Change and Awareness

• Provide strategic direction for ongoing and new behavior change campaigns aimed at citizens, businesses, and waste workers.
• Ensure communications and outreach materials reflect best practices in public awareness, driving measurable shifts in behavior.
• Guide local teams in execution, monitoring campaign metrics and course-correcting as needed.

Social Inclusion and Gender Mainstreaming

• Strengthen and expand existing programs for the inclusion and empowerment of Safai Saathis, especially women and marginalized groups.
• Integrate gender-responsive approaches into all project components, from MRF operations to community engagement initiatives.
• Track and report on progress toward gender and social inclusion targets, ensuring interventions are effective and equitable.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Refine and lead the project’s M&E framework, setting performance indicators and ensuring data-driven decision-making.
• 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.
• Produce a final comprehensive report at the end of the assignment, detailing outcomes, impacts, best practices, and sustainability recommendations.

 Education Qualification/Required Skills & Experience

• Master degree or equivalent in Environmental science, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Social Sciences, Economics, or related fields.

Skills and experience

• At least 7 years of experience with Master’s or 10 years of experience with bachelor’s degree, in implementing large-scale waste management, WASH or related sustainability initiatives.
• Demonstrated track record of high-impact execution and results-based management.
• Hands-on experience in optimizing waste management operations and behavior change initiatives, from process improvements to staff training and quality assurance.
• Experience applying municipal solid waste regulations in India for efficient and compliant systems.
• Experience in coordinating with government bodies, civil society organisations, and the private sector in urban context.
• Skilled at translating strategic objectives into operational action plans, with capacity to meet targets under deadlines and budget constraints.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams and establish robust partnerships across sectors.
• Adept at identifying new solutions and adapting to evolving project requirements.
• Strong commitment to ensuring equitable participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups.

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