Area Coordination Associate – Enhancing Water Security and Resilience in the Marshall Islands

March 23, 2025

16 minutes read

The Area Coordination Associate position for the UNDP’s Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) project involves coordinating and overseeing the implementation of climate adaptation activities in remote communities of the Marshall Islands, a country heavily impacted by climate change, particularly in terms of water security.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the role:

Primary Responsibilities:

Project Oversight: You’ll be responsible for overseeing how the ACWA project is rolled out in specific communities (there are 86 communities spread across 24 islands). This involves ensuring the project’s activities align with local needs and expectations.
Community Coordination: You will collaborate with local and traditional leaders such as mayors, senators, and other government representatives to ensure smooth project operations. This might include consulting with local communities, gathering feedback, and obtaining consent for certain activities.
Site Supervision: You will supervise Site Coordinators who are working in the field, making sure that project guidelines and deadlines are met and ensuring the overall quality of work on the ground.
Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with different stakeholders, including local governments, community-based organizations, and other partners, to foster cooperation and ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding project progress.
Logistical Challenges: The job is geographically challenging because transportation in the Marshall Islands can be unpredictable, so part of your role will be planning how to overcome those logistical hurdles, ensuring that the project activities are not delayed.
Reporting & Documentation: Regularly reporting on the progress of activities, maintaining records, and ensuring that documentation is organized and up to date.
Community Outreach & Consultations: You will play a role in facilitating consultations with local communities, especially regarding water security and resilience projects, ensuring that all stakeholders (including marginalized groups) are included in the decision-making process.
Capacity Building: Helping train local staff, providing technical support, and ensuring that the local government is equipped to manage water resources sustainably in the long term.

Skills & Competencies:

Project Management: A good understanding of project management practices and the ability to execute tasks according to set timelines.
Cultural Sensitivity: Given the diverse cultural context in the Marshall Islands, a strong respect for local traditions and an understanding of how to work within those structures is crucial. The ability to coordinate with local leaders is essential.
Diplomatic Skills: You will be representing UNDP and need to effectively negotiate and work with various stakeholders, including the government, international organizations, and local communities.
Climate Change Knowledge: Familiarity with climate change adaptation and water management issues, particularly in island nations and Pacific island communities, will help you succeed in this role.
Communication Skills: Being able to communicate effectively in both English and ideally Marshallese will ensure you can bridge gaps between different groups and effectively deliver project outcomes.

Qualifications:

Education: A high school diploma is required, but having a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Social Sciences, or any related field would be beneficial.
Experience: If you have 7 years of experience in community development work (with a high school diploma) or 4 years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, this position is a fit for you. Experience working in climate change or island communities is a plus.
Languages: Fluency in English is necessary for communication with international stakeholders, and Marshallese proficiency would be highly beneficial for working with local communities.

Why This Job is Important:

The Marshall Islands is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, especially in terms of water security. With no rivers or lakes and limited freshwater resources, the islands rely on rainwater harvesting and groundwater sources, which are at risk due to climate change impacts like rising sea levels and saltwater contamination. This project will help communities increase resilience by improving water storage, developing better water governance systems, and securing freshwater sources. You’ll play a key role in this mission to adapt and mitigate these challenges.

The UNDP’s Role:

UNDP is a global organization that works with countries to address challenges like climate change, poverty, sustainable development, and gender equality. This project is a part of their ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and will help the Marshall Islands prepare for and respond to the challenges of climate change.

If you’re passionate about sustainable development, climate adaptation, and community-based solutions, this position could be a great fit for you! It offers the chance to directly impact the lives of vulnerable populations while contributing to important environmental work.

Let me know if you’d like any further information or help with the application process!

Certainly! Below is a more detailed and comprehensive description of the Area Coordination Associate position, expanding on the key aspects of the role, the context of the ACWA project, the Marshall Islands, and the qualifications needed for the job, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of the importance of this position and the work it involves.

Job Overview: Area Coordination Associate (UNDP)

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands
Position Type: Full-Time
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
Contract Duration: 1 year with the possibility of extension
Grade: NPSA-7
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area: Nature, Climate, and Energy
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific

Project Background:

The Area Coordination Associate will be a key member of the Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Water Sector (ACWA) project, a major climate adaptation initiative in the Marshall Islands (RMI), supported by the UNDP and the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (GoRMI). The project is co-financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and focuses on increasing the resilience of water supply systems across RMI’s remote islands and atolls.

The Marshall Islands is an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, composed of 29 atolls and five isolated islands spread across a large area of ocean. The nation has a land area of just 182 square kilometers, while its territorial waters cover more than 2 million square kilometers. The country faces significant challenges related to its geographic location, size, and climate risks. It is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly in terms of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, droughts, and the salinization of freshwater sources.

The ACWA project aims to address these vulnerabilities by enhancing water security, improving water resilience, and strengthening water governance across the islands. The project focuses on providing sustainable and innovative solutions to improve water access, quality, and management, particularly in remote communities. It also aims to build the capacity of national and local institutions, ensuring that communities and local governments can effectively manage water resources in the face of a changing climate.

The Role of Area Coordination Associate:

As an Area Coordination Associate, you will play a critical role in the implementation and management of the ACWA project. The position requires coordination, supervision, and direct engagement with local communities, project stakeholders, and government representatives. You will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and collaborate with the Resilience and Sustainable Development Team and the Project Management Unit (PMU) to achieve the project’s objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

Oversight of Project Activities: You will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of project activities in the target communities of the Marshall Islands. These communities are geographically dispersed across the 24 inhabited atolls and islands of the country. This means that much of your work will involve coordinating logistics and overseeing the implementation of water-related infrastructure projects, such as rainwater harvesting systems and groundwater protection measures, which aim to improve water security and resilience in the face of climate change. You will work closely with Field Engineers, Site Coordinators, and Community Engagement Associates to ensure that projects are carried out on time, within budget, and according to the required quality standards. The complexity of these projects arises from the islands’ remoteness and logistical challenges, such as limited transportation and weather-related delays. You will need to develop flexible strategies to ensure timely project delivery.
Coordination with Local Leaders and Stakeholders: One of the core aspects of this role is working with local and traditional leaders. In the context of the Marshall Islands, this includes collaborating with Mayors, senators, and traditional chiefs such as the Iroijlaplap (king), Iroij (chief), and Alap (chief of a district). The cultural importance of these leaders in island communities is immense, and you will need to ensure the active involvement of these stakeholders in project activities. Your role will involve coordinating with local leaders to ensure community consent for project activities and addressing any concerns or conflicts that may arise. This process is essential for the success of the project, as local engagement and ownership are critical for the sustainability of climate adaptation efforts.
Supervision of Site Coordinators: You will oversee the work of Site Coordinators who are directly responsible for the execution of project activities in the remote communities. These coordinators will be located in specific atolls and islands, and your role will involve ensuring that they are adhering to the project standards and are effectively managing community outreach and construction activities. You will be responsible for ensuring that the site coordinators have the necessary resources and support to carry out their duties efficiently. You will monitor their work, provide feedback, and ensure the timely reporting of progress on various tasks.
Community Consultations and Stakeholder Engagement: Given the emphasis on community-based solutions, you will be responsible for organizing and supporting community consultations and stakeholder engagement sessions. These consultations are essential for understanding local needs and ensuring that the project activities are aligned with community priorities. You will work closely with Community Engagement Associates to ensure that marginalized groups, such as women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, are included in the decision-making process. This will involve gathering feedback, addressing concerns, and integrating the insights into the project’s approach.
Logistical and Administrative Support: In addition to coordinating the community engagement and project implementation activities, you will provide administrative support to the project. This includes organizing meetings, maintaining project documentation, tracking attendance records, and ensuring that correspondence is handled efficiently. Due to the remote nature of the project areas, travel and logistical planning will be a significant part of your responsibilities. You will need to coordinate transportation, both by boat and air, to ensure that project teams can reach the islands on time. This will require flexibility and the ability to adjust plans in response to unpredictable transportation schedules and weather conditions.
Reporting and Monitoring Progress: Regular reporting on the progress of project activities will be an essential part of the role. You will collaborate with Field Engineers and other team members to compile progress reports and ensure that key milestones are met. These reports will be used to inform UNDP, GoRMI, and other stakeholders about the success of the project and any adjustments needed to improve implementation.
Training and Capacity Building: As part of your role, you will also be involved in providing training and capacity-building activities for local stakeholders. This will include government staff, community leaders, and local project personnel, ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to manage water resources effectively and sustain the project outcomes beyond its initial implementation phase.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Secondary Education: A high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement for this position. However, candidates with a first-level university degree (Bachelor’s) in Environmental Science, Social Science, Climate Change, Community Development, Education, or a related field will be given preference.

Experience:

Professional Experience: A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience (if you hold a secondary school diploma) or 4 years of relevant experience (if you hold a Bachelor’s degree). The experience should be related to community development, climate change adaptation, or water resource management.
You should have a strong background in working with local communities, particularly in remote and underserved regions. Experience working in Pacific island environments or other sub-tropical regions is an advantage, as these areas face similar challenges to those in the Marshall Islands.
Stakeholder Engagement: Experience working with local governments, traditional leaders, and community-based organizations will be critical to your success in this role.

Skills:

Project Management: Strong project management skills, with the ability to plan, execute, and monitor multiple activities simultaneously.
Logistical Coordination: Experience in handling logistical challenges, particularly in remote areas, and managing resources and transportation for field activities.
Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and coordinate with government officials, local leaders, community members, and international organizations.
Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required. Knowledge of GIS or other mapping tools could be an asset, but it’s not mandatory.
Language Proficiency: Fluency in English (oral and written) is required, as it is the working language of UNDP and for communication with international stakeholders. Proficiency in Marshallese would be highly desirable for working with local communities.

Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: Ability to plan and monitor your work, meet deadlines, and deliver quality results.
Adapt with Agility: Ability to handle ambiguity and adapt to changing situations, particularly in the face of logistical challenges.
Act with Determination: Show drive and motivation to push projects forward, even when faced with obstacles.
Engage and Partner: Build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, from local leaders to government officials.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Demonstrate respect for diversity, promote inclusion, and ensure that marginalized voices are heard and valued in the project process.

Why This Job Is Important:

The Area Coordination Associate position is not only critical to the success of the ACWA project but also plays a pivotal role in addressing the water security challenges faced by the Marshall Islands. By coordinating the efforts of local communities, traditional leaders, and government officials, you will contribute to enhancing the nation’s resilience to climate change, especially in its most vulnerable and remote communities.

The Marshall Islands faces significant risks from rising sea levels, drought, and salinization of groundwater, which threatens the availability of safe drinking water. Through this project, you will help implement sustainable water systems, such as rainwater harvesting, and groundwater protection measures, ensuring that communities have access to clean and safe water sources. Moreover, your efforts to build local capacity will enable communities to manage their water resources more effectively in the future.

By working with the UNDP, you will be part of a global effort to combat climate change and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Your role will have a direct and lasting impact on the livelihoods and well-being of communities in the Marshall Islands, ensuring that they are better equipped to cope with the impacts of climate change for years to come.

This comprehensive explanation of the job role, project background, qualifications, and responsibilities offers a deep dive into what the Area Coordination Associate position entails. It emphasizes the significance of the role in improving water security and climate resilience in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

Let me know if you’d like further elaboration on any specific aspect of this role!

Sure! Let’s continue expanding the understanding of the Area Coordination Associate role, providing more detailed insights into the challenges of working in the Marshall Islands, the specific requirements for the position, and the broader context of the ACWA project. This deeper dive will also examine the nuances of working with local communities, the significance of your role in the climate adaptation landscape, and additional relevant aspects of the job.

Continued Role Expansion:http://Area Coordination Associate – Majuro, Marshall Islands – UNDP

Local Context:

The Marshall Islands is part of the broader Pacific Island region, which is recognized as one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. The islands face numerous challenges due to their low-lying nature, with many atolls and islands just a few meters above sea level. These geographical characteristics make them highly susceptible to sea level rise, storm surges, and coastal erosion. The Marshall Islands, in particular, is experiencing more frequent and intense weather events, which are compounded by droughts, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, and flooding.

The islands are scattered over an area roughly the size of the United States, but much of the country’s infrastructure is concentrated in the capital, Majuro, and a few other urban areas. This creates significant logistical challenges in reaching the more remote communities. For instance, transportation between islands often depends on limited aircraft or boats, which can be delayed due to weather conditions or limited availability of resources.

As an Area Coordination Associate, one of your biggest challenges will be to ensure effective coordination across these vast distances. You will often have to navigate the complexities of these logistical challenges, ensuring that activities are carried out smoothly even when transportation systems are unreliable.

Additionally, working with communities in such a geographically dispersed region requires a deep understanding of local customs, languages, and systems of governance. Many communities in the Marshall Islands follow traditional leadership systems, with elders and chiefs playing a central role in decision-making. Understanding how to engage with these local leaders, respecting their cultural practices, and navigating local hierarchies will be key to your success in this position.

Key Challenges in Climate Adaptation in the Marshall Islands:

Water Scarcity and Security: Water scarcity is one of the most pressing challenges in the Marshall Islands, where freshwater resources are limited. Many communities rely on rainwater harvesting systems and groundwater. However, prolonged droughts, sea level rise, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers make these sources unreliable, especially during the dry season. The ACWA project focuses on enhancing water security by providing alternative, sustainable water systems and ensuring that local water sources are properly protected.
Isolation of Communities: The geographical isolation of the islands poses significant challenges in terms of project delivery. While the capital, Majuro, has relatively better access to infrastructure and resources, remote atolls and islands often lack basic services and infrastructure, including proper roads, communication networks, and electricity. The need to engage and coordinate across these isolated communities while ensuring equitable distribution of resources will be a major part of your role.
Building Local Capacity for Long-Term Sustainability: One of the long-term goals of the ACWA project is to ensure that local communities have the capacity to maintain water infrastructure independently once the project is completed. This involves not just building physical infrastructure but also training local personnel in water resource management, system maintenance, and crisis management. As an Area Coordination Associate, you will play a central role in facilitating this capacity-building by organizing workshops, trainings, and on-the-job learning opportunities for community members and local staff.
Cultural Sensitivity and Community Engagement: Given that the Marshall Islands operates under a unique mix of modern government systems and traditional governance structures, successful community engagement requires a blend of sensitivity and adaptability. Many Pacific island nations, including the Marshall Islands, have strong traditional governance structures, where decisions are made collectively by the elders and chiefs of each community. As such, ensuring that the local people are actively involved in the planning and execution of the ACWA project will require understanding these cultural norms and leveraging the existing social structures for community mobilization.

Significance of the Position in the Broader Climate Adaptation Agenda:@vacancyspaces.com

Your work as an Area Coordination Associate contributes to broader regional and global efforts in climate change adaptation, especially as it relates to water security in Pacific Island countries. As these islands are already witnessing the effects of climate change, they serve as critical focal points for adaptation measures. The success of the ACWA project can serve as a model for other vulnerable nations, showcasing innovative approaches to water management, climate resilience, and sustainable community-driven solutions.

By enhancing the water security of remote communities, your work will directly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensuring that all people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation, even in remote, isolated locations.
SDG 13: Climate Action: Helping communities in the Marshall Islands adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and promoting measures to reduce vulnerability.
SDG 15: Life on Land: Protecting freshwater resources and ecosystems from the harmful impacts of salinization and unsustainable land use.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: Fostering collaboration between governments, international agencies, and local communities for the implementation of sustainable development projects.

Additional Responsibilities and Skills Required:

Data Collection and Monitoring:

Another crucial part of your role as Area Coordination Associate will be to contribute to data collection, monitoring, and evaluation of project activities. This will involve gathering data on water resources, community needs, and the effectiveness of the implemented water systems. The data collected will be used to assess the success of the project, make necessary adjustments, and ensure that the project is achieving its long-term goals of enhancing water resilience in the Marshall Islands.

You will work closely with the project team to track progress against project targets, and ensure that key performance indicators are met. As the project progresses, you may also need to help with preparing reports for stakeholders such as the Green Climate Fund and UNDP to ensure that the project is accountable and transparent.

Technology and Innovation in Water Management:

Given the remote nature of the Marshall Islands, technology and innovation play a significant role in ensuring the success of the ACWA project. The Area Coordination Associate will need to be familiar with various technologies used in water management, including solar-powered desalination units, rainwater harvesting systems, and water filtration technologies.

Furthermore, understanding the potential of GIS technology for mapping and monitoring water systems and climate data will be an asset. While it may not be a primary responsibility, being aware of the technical solutions being implemented will help you work effectively with other project team members, engineers, and government stakeholders.

Why This Job Is So Important for the Marshall Islands’ Future:

Working in a climate-vulnerable country like the Marshall Islands offers both challenges and tremendous opportunities. The Marshall Islands is on the front lines of climate change, and every step you take in improving water systems and building resilience directly impacts the lives of people in the country. The water resources in the region are scarce, and with rising seas, salinization of freshwater sources, and frequent droughts, it is essential that local communities are equipped with sustainable water systems to protect their future.

Your contributions will help ensure that the ACWA project is not just a temporary solution but a long-term, sustainable transformation in how water resources are managed, both in terms of infrastructure and community governance. By working with local communities, government authorities, and international organizations, you will be a key player in shaping the future of the Marshall Islands and its ability to thrive in a climate-changed world.

Conclusion:

The Area Coordination Associate role is critical to the success of the ACWA project and is integral to the Marshall Islands’ efforts in adapting to the ongoing challenges of climate change. Your work will have a direct impact on the resilience of water systems, the engagement of local communities, and the empowerment of local stakeholders to manage their natural resources sustainably.

Through your coordination, logistical expertise, and community engagement, you will play a central role in ensuring that water resilience is strengthened across the islands, helping to safeguard one of the most vulnerable countries in the world against the escalating threats of climate change. This is an opportunity not only to contribute to the development of the Marshall Islands but also to be part of a larger movement toward global climate justice and sustainable development.

If you have any further questions or would like more information about specific aspects of the role, feel free to ask!

March 23, 2025

16 minutes read