Management Arrangements

Oversight of the project will be provided by a Project Board/Project Management Committee (PMC), which is the group responsible for consensus management decisions for the project when guidance is required, including approval of project plans and revisions. Project Board/PMC oversight should ensure accountability, transparency, effective project management and best value for money. Annual reviews, work plans and budgets will be prepared and presented by the Project Management to the Executive and other members of the Project Board/PMC for review and approval. Quarterly reports will be prepared by the Project Manager, under the guidance of the National Project Director, and submitted to UNDP, who will share narrative and financial reports with co-funding development partners. The PMC will have annual meetings, chaired by Member GED, and bi-monthly meetings chaired by the National Project Director.

There will be a single Project Steering Committee (PSC) for the UNDP larger Social Protection Programme of which the Social Protection Policy Support Programme will be a part (along with the SWAPNO delivery project). The PSC, chaired by Cabinet Secretary, will be responsible for policy guidance and co-ordination between all institutions and groups involved in the Social Protection Programme. Under the Government reporting system established, the Steering Committee will in turn report to the Cabinet Division Inter-ministerial Committee on Social Protection. This PSC will also be connected with the DFID funded Social Protection Programme.

The composition of the Project Board/PMC and the overall project structure are given the following figure:

Figure 1: Programme Management and Implementation Structure

Key Project Staff of the SPPS Implementation Unit

1) National Project Director

A National Project Director (NPD) will be recruited from amongst GED officials. S/he will be responsible for giving guidance and directions to the Senior Social Protection Specialist, who will be his/her counterpart, and to two national social protection specialists on the overall management of project activities, ensuring that they are consistent with the signed Project Document and approved Annual Work Plans. The National Project Director will lead a GED SPPS implementation unit through planning, implementing and managing the delivery of activities approved in project documents and annual work plans. The National Project Director will guide and oversee core activities related to the Innovations Challenge Fund, micro-insurance, establishment of a policy research unit within existing government system and establishment of G2P payment platforms. The National Project Director will also facilitate anchoring coordinating within Government, managing local and international think tanks and universities, overall knowledge management with policy implications within the Government system to smooth the process of policy response and facilitate cooperation required with other Ministries and Government Departments for effective governance and system implementation of social protection strategy.

2) Senior Social Protection Specialist (International)

A Senior Social Protection Specialist will be responsible for guiding the overall management of project activities, linking relationship with national and international think tanks and universities, share international best practices and advice on M&E, training and communication, together with the NPD ensure that they are consistent with the signed Project Document and approved Annual Work Plans. The Senior Social Projection Specialist Manager is a specialist in social protection and poverty reduction and will lead the Technical Assistance team of the GED SPPS implementation unit ensuring that it is effectively deployed to provide required capacity development services. S/he will together with the NPD be responsible for planning, implementing and managing the delivery of activities approved in project documents and annual work plans. The Senior Social Protection Specialist will advise core activities related to the Innovations and Research Challenge Fund, micro-insurance, establishment of a policy research unit within existing government system and establishment of G2P payment platforms. The Senior Social Protection Specialist will also facilitate anchoring project experience with policy implications within General Economics Division in the Planning Commission and Cabinet Division to smooth the process of policy response and facilitate cooperation required with other Ministries and Government Departments for effective social protection strategy.

3) National Project Manager

The Project Manager will be responsible for ensuring that the project is managed in an effective and accountable manner, complying with UNDP guidelines and reporting requirements. S/he will establish guidelines and procedures for finance, human resources management, procurement and logistical services, ensure full compliance with UNDP NEX guidelines and advise project management on rules and regulations. S/he would advise procurement plans, financial management and preparation of project progress reports and advise the day-to-day operational management of the project. The Project Manager will facilitate budgeting and expenditure tracking, regularly review financial reports and records and monitor status of obligations. S/he will supervise recruitment of UNDP staff, payroll and performance evaluation, manage the procurement process and oversee management of project assets, facilities and logistical services. S/he will be responsible for transmission of funds to each approved Challenge Fund project in a timely manner. The Project Manager will develop the Internal Control Framework of the project and be responsible for its implementation.

4) Social Protection Specialist (General Economics Division)

The National Social Protection Specialist (GED) will be responsible for supporting analysis and research within wider policy circles, national and international think-tanks, universities and training institutes. S/he will support the project’s activities and coordinate different ministries and think-tank organizations. The Social Protection Specialist has knowledge on social protection and poverty reduction, and ensures to provide required capacity development services to GED. Her/his particular key role will be implementation of governance and system of social protection strategy. The Specialist will lead core activities related to the Innovations and Research Challenge Fund, micro-insurance and establishment of G2P payment platforms. The Specialist will be responsible for knowledge management and ensure a feedback loop of project experience and actively engage in feeding information to UNDP and Government on project lessons with implications for social protection strategy and policy.

5) National Social Protection Specialist (Cabinet Division)

The National Social Protection Specialist (Cabinet Division) has knowledge on social protection and poverty reduction to ensure required capacity development services to the Cabinet Division. A particular key role will be implementation of governance of the social protection strategy. The Specialist is responsible for establishing permanent institutional arrangement for supporting social protection policy, planning and coordination within the government. S/he will support the project’s activities through assistance of the Cabinet Division in coordination and cooperation of different ministries/departments, including inter-sectoral coordination. S/he will lead parliamentary and civil society engagement and oversee civil servants training on social protection. The National Social Protection Specialist will ensure a feedback loop of project experience and actively engage in feeding information to UNDP and Government on project lessons with implications for social protection strategy and policy.

6) Research Officer 

The Research Officer will provide assistance to policy research under the Challenge Fund, including technical assessments of proposals and monitoring of activities, and the establishment of knowledge networks with think tanks, academic institutions and social protection practitioners.  S/he will collect secondary data, review relevant literature and research reports, upload research reports in an e-library, draft policy & research briefs, concept papers and consultancy ToR, organize and participate in meetings, workshops, seminars and conferences.

7) M&E Officer

The M&E Officer will assist the design and roll-out of a national M&E system, including its piloting, and assist to develop a scheme for localized and programme based M&E and compliance of field M&E. S/he will maintain liaison with BBS on the national database. The M&E Officer will provide assistance to scheduled Mid-Term Evaluation and End-of-project Evaluation. S/he will be responsible for collecting information required for reporting on SPPS progress and feeding such data into quarterly and annual progress reports and assist in the report writing. The M&E Officer will maintain contact with the SWAPNO project to track progress of field piloting of key SPPS interventions.

8) Communication Officer

The Communication Officer will provide services to ensure that a media strategy is developed and implemented. This will include publishing a regular newsletter, maintaining a project website, engaging actively in the development of radio and television programmes, the use of new media, and regular press releases. S/he will help the SPPS implementation unit in developing its own documentaries to build understanding on social protection, which can be disseminated through national television channels. S/he will help to develop other advocacy materials for the project.

9) Training Officer

The Training Officer will assist the capacity development of participating Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) and Local Government Institutions etc. by assisting curriculum development, selection of trainers, training of trainers, monitoring of training and training impact assessments. The Training Specialist will oversee the performance of trainers involved. S/he will undertake initial training needs assessments and identify existing capacity gaps in the performance of government officials, Local Government Institutions and devise need based training as required.

10) Finance and Administration Officer 

The Finance and Administrative Officer will provide services on finance, human resources management, procurement and logistics, etc. S/he will facilitate budgeting and expenditure tracking, prepare financial reports, assist recruitment and payment of UNDP staff and manage the procurement done through UNDP.