Background
Despite the landmark passage of the Indigenous Peoplesโ Rights Act (IPRA), many Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) continue to experience poverty, marginalization, and limited access to basic services and decision-making spaces. Women and girls remain disproportionately excluded due to entrenched sociocultural and institutional barriers that limit their leadership, control over and resources, and access to finance, training, digital tools, and economic opportunities. I-LEAD seeks to address these challenges by โaffirming and strengthening the rights and leadership capacities of at least 1,600 indigenous women and girls across four ancestral domains of Regions XI and XII in Mindanao by 2030, through improved access to information, decision-making spaces, economic opportunities, and leadership roles within their ancestral domainsโ.
I-LEAD's Theory of Change posits that โif indigenous women and girls are equipped with the capacities, skills, and platforms to understand, assert, and exercise their rights, and if ancestral domain governance structures, national and local duty-bearers, and development partners adopt gender-responsiveโinclusive-- and rights-based service delivery models, then indigenous women and girls will be positioned to meaningfully participate in governance and decision-making, access improved services, and engage in economic activities aligned with their cultural values and environmental realitiesโ.
With support from the Government of New Zealand and in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the Project will be implemented through three interlinked components:
Strengthening Ancestral Domain Governance with Human Rights and Gender Perspectives; Promoting Gender-Equitable and Culturally Appropriate Economic Empowerment; and Enhancing the Capacity of the NCIP and other Stakeholders on Human Rights-Based, Gender Responsive, and Culturally Appropriate Policy Development and Knowledge Management.Together, these components will deliver nine (9) key outputs that contribute to three long-term outcomes: (i) Resilient, Responsive, and Relevant indigenous women and girls, and ICCs/IPs; (ii) Economically empowered indigenous women and girls; and (iii) Improved access to basic services by indigenous women and girls. Collectively, these advance the projectโs overarching goal: โICCs/IPs in the Philippines are economically empowered and resilient, enjoying decent and sustainable livelihoods that support their cultural integrity and enhanced intergenerational well-beingโ. Implemented over four years (2026โ2030), I-LEAD adopts an integrated, rights-based, gender-transformative, and systems-strengthening approach, convening ICCs/IPs, local government units, national government agencies, and civil society to co-create solutions anchored in indigenous rights, cultural identity, human rights, and gender equality. The project emphasizes evidence-based planning, participatory decision-making, capacity development, digital connection, and scalable women and youth-led enterprise models to advance inclusive development.ย
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the I-LEAD Project Manager and guidance of the NCIP Office on Socio-Economic Services and Special Concerns (OSESSC), the Project Coordinating Assistant is responsible for coordinating, facilitating, and monitoring socio-economic activities within I-LEAD sites. S/he will ensure that all interventions are culturally sensitive, participatory, and aligned with IP rights and priorities under IPRA.
Specific Functions:
Project Planning, Coordination, Implementation, and Monitoring Provide technical assistance in planning, coordinating, and implementing socio-economic initiatives for ICCs/IPs in Regions XI and XII; Ensure alignment of project activities with I-LEAD objectives and community development priorities; Support the preparation of annual work plans, financial plans, and project reports; Coordinate schedules of project activities with partners, and stakeholders; Facilitate the conduct of regular National Inter-Agency Technical Working Group meetings and monitor compliance with agreements to maintain functional convergence mechanisms; Coordinate and collaborate with NCIP bureaus/offices for integrated and holistic implementation; Monitor progress and performance of socio-economic activities against indicators and timelines; conduct regular field visits to assess implementation and provide technical support; Prepare and submit progress reports, evaluation documents, and documentation of best practices and lessons learned; Ensure proper documentation and filing of project-related documents, agreements, and correspondences; Assist in budget monitoring, procurement coordination, and logistical arrangements for project activities; Support the organization of events such as forums, cultural showcases, and livelihood fairs; Attend meetings and coordinate with the Climate Action Programme Team for administrative and financial oversight. Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building Organize and support inter-agency meetings, consultations, dialogues, and workshops to ensure active participation of partner ICCs/IPs and stakeholders; Promote Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes in project planning and implementation; Design and deliver capacity-building activities on livelihood, entrepreneurship, and organizational management; Provide technical assistance to regional project coordinating assistants and community facilitators for effective project implementation and sustainability. Socio-Economic Profiling and Enterprise Assessment Develop tools for socio-economic surveys and baseline studies; maintain an updated database of ICC/IP socio-economic profiles in I-LEAD sites; Identify and assess potential livelihood opportunities, resource-based enterprises, and other sustainable income-generating initiatives aligned with I-LEAD enterprise portfolios. Advocacy, Knowledge Management and Cultural Sensitivity Advocate for inclusive development and the recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems and practices (IKSPs); Ensure all project activities uphold IP rights under IPRA and promote gender equality and youth participation. Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing relevant to the assigned project.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.ย
Competencies
Core Competencies:
Achieve Results: โโLEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadlineโ ย Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements โ ย Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedbackโ ย Adapt with Agility: โโLEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible โ ย Act with Determination: โโLEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confidentโ ย Engage and Partner: โโLEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationshipsโ ย Enable Diversity and Inclusion: โโLEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination โ ยCross-Functional & Technical Competencies: ย
Business Managementย Project managementย Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goalsย Communicationย 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 Ability to relate and ensure sensibilities of communication taking into consideration the cultural context of the audienceย Working with evidence and dataย Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-makingย Business Direction & Strategyย Business acumenย Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks. Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization.ย Partnership Managementย Relationship managementย Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understandingย Financeย Budget managementย Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process, drawing and management of team budgetsย Administration & Operationsย Events management (including retreats, trainings, and meetings)ย Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.ยRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Secondary education is required. ย A first-level university degree (bachelorโs degree) in Sociology, Community Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management, or related fields will be given due consideration, but is not a requirement.ยExperience:
Minimum of 5 years (with secondary education) or 2 years (with bachelorโs degree) of experience in project coordination or socio-economic development with Indigenous Peoples or rural communities.ย At least 2 years of experience working with the NCIP and other line agencies in the Philippines, international organizations, non-government organizations, civil society organizations, and local government units; Strong knowledge or practical experience in project planning, coordination, and monitoring, including preparation of work plans and progress reports; Proficiency/Experience in data collection and analysis; Proven experience in community organizing, economic development, capacity building, or sustainable development projects; Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).ยDesired Skills:
Knowledge/experience with the IPRA and Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs); Experience using M&E tools and results-based reporting; Experience in GAD planning and budgeting.Required Languages:
Fluency in English and Filipino.ยEqual 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.ย
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.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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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