Mangaliso Mohammed

• The Sustainable Development Specialist position is a critical function that serves to leverage the linkages between the environmental sustainability and inclusive growth portfolio. My main responsibility is to ensure overall coordination of the Inclusive growth and sustainable development portfolio, technical coherence of the Nature, Climate, Energy, and Disaster Risk Reduction Programme. I am also responsible for strategic planning and identification of new programme areas, while ensuring consistency with the United Nations Development Cooperation Framework/Country Programme Document (CPD) priorities, creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities, including responsiveness to the country's priorities under the National Development Plan. I have spearheaded the implementation of 14 diverse projects under the Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development Portfolio, contributing 80% to the country office's delivery in 2024. This translates to an annual budget of US$4.8 million under my operational management. These projects address critical environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable natural resource management.
• Provision of oversight and portfolio management of the Country Office Inclusive Growth Pillar as part of the Sustainable Development Portfolio.
• Provision of technical leadership to ensure (i) the strategic positioning and direction of the Nature, Climate, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction programme, through development of new pipeline projects day-to-day management of the Nature, Climate, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction portfolio.
• Provision of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy.
• Provision of top-quality policy advisory services to the Government and facilitation of learning, knowledge building and management
• Lead the delivery of relevant programme activities; identifies modalities to achieve development targets; plans, coordinates and monitors activities with the Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development programme team and with other UN agencies.
• Provide top quality inputs to climate change, disaster risk reduction, renewable energy environmental sustainability and sustainable natural resources programmes with a focus on strengthening institutional capacity for policy, strategies and programmes formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
• Undertake diagnostic assessments of critical trends and context shifts in the thematic areas of nature, climate change and energy landscape in the country and identify areas for programme and project development.
• Identification of opportunities in the practice area for development of new initiatives and programmes, including cross-practice interventions and joint programming with other UN agencies within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned.
• Contribute towards Country Office business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management.
• Review project proposals under formulation for Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), and other donors and assist the CO in obtaining the necessary co-financing letters, review proposed activities, and outputs.
• Support the start-up of the SLM project, Energy Efficiency Project including Inception, Steering Committee Meetings, finalization of LPAC and administration of project budgets.
• Build capacity of project management team, implementing, and responsible partners on UNDP-GEF, GCF, and NDC projects cycle, policies, and procedures. Provide technical support to planned project activities by partners to ensure compliance with UNDP-GEF policies and procedures.
• Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and performing monitoring of results to measure the impact of the programme i.e. climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster resilience building, energy access, sustainable natural resources management, including the coordination of necessary programme and project evaluation exercises
• Design and formulation of Country Office programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Co-ordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones.
• Coordination of programme/project cycle management - Initiation of a project, presentation of the project to PAC, entering project into Quantum, finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; co -ordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review.
• Provide program management support to ensure effective delivery and impact of the portfolio while ensuring alignment with National Priorities, UNSDCF, UNDP strategic Plan, CPD, in addition to ensuring the proper incorporation of cross-cutting themes (i.e., environment/climate change, youth/women employment, PWDs, human rights, gender mainstreaming, LNOB, etc). Lead the preparation of portfolio work-plans while ensuring complementarities and coordination within the portfolio and with other CO Thematic Areas, as well as ensuring timely and well-sequenced execution of approved work plans and programmes, using a multiyear framework for planning, budgeting, and reporting, including the development of strategies to ensure delivery acceleration and timely reporting of results while managing risks of exposure to audit recommendations and maintaining UNDP standing and reputation.
• Facilitating the process of preparation, design, submission, and approval of program/project concepts and full-fledged proposals for financing.
• Providing guidance and support in the identification and sourcing of technical expertise and support services, including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts, and reviewing reports.
• Facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions.

Key Large-Scale Projects that are directly under my operational supervision:

• IBSA Project: Addressing Water, health and Poverty Nexus through WASH Initiatives for Covid-19 and Climate Change Responses in Eswatini. Over 1,500 people in 3 rural communities in the northern part of Eswatini have access to clean water. Lead farmers received raining water harvesting and drip irrigation training and equipment.
• MET – Early Warning System Enhancement & Expansion of Weather Monitoring Infrastructure. Provision of high-performing (supercomputers) provided and installed to improve the numerical weather prediction system and climate modeling for Eswatini.
• Powering Equality and Empowering Youth and Women with Green Skills for NDC Acceleration Projects: 80 youth and women (including 25 women living with disabilities) trained in the productive use of electricity.
• The Greening of RFM Hospital includes the installation of a 1-MW photovoltaic power plant, battery storage, and a transmission line connecting the hospital.
• Review of the National Development Strategy (NDS) – support the review of the country's long-term national planning vision. Training of planners on Project Appraisal Techniques. Support the development of a robust NDP M&E framework
• Enhancements macroeconomic tools - e.g. Eswatini Composite indicator of Economic Activity (ESCIEA)
• Reduction of Persistent Organic Pollutants & Unintended Persistent Organic Pollutants.
• Africa Minigrids Program – Construction of minigrid through Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA).
• Strengthening governance of IncomatiMaputo Basin as part of the GEF Project I managed across Eswatini, Mozambique, and South Africa
• Establishment of Eswatini Big5 Nature Reserve -GEF Project focusing on merging/consolidating at least 3 game reserves in the Lubombo and Shiselweni region for establishment to host free movement of big 5 fauna.
• Biodiversity Finance Plan Eswatini – GEF project for development of Eswatini Biodiversity Finance Plan.
• Greening the Central Bank of Eswatini: Develop a green taxonomy for Eswatini to define greening in the context of the country, necessary to avoid greenwashing, as the country implements green growth-related activities, projects, programmes, strategies, and policies. Build the capacity of the CBE to spearhead green finance initiatives within the financial sector, in line with the government's policies. This will involve a comprehensive diagnostic of the CBE's and the overall country's current efforts on greening financial services, policies, procedures.

• Produced well-written and thoroughly vetted research papers for publication
• Met specific confidentiality requirements for all research, data and projects
• Designed presentations summarizing research findings for targeted audiences
• Developed surveys and managed data collection activities
• Led research projects to achieve overall team efficiency
• Wrote grant applications to attract research funding
• Organized and led focus group discussions and key informant interviews to interrogate key policy issues
• Analyzed data and prepared info-graphics for effective communication of research findings
• Managed and reported on research project budgets and resources
• Coordinated research projects to achieve overall team efficiency
• Advanced knowledge of economic policy through effective and correctly conducted research studies.

• Evaluated barriers to growth in rural Saskatchewan using both quantitative and qualitative methods
• Investigated the different rural municipality level tax and non-tax incentives that have been adopted by Saskatchewan rural municipalities to stimulate business growth
• Evaluated the social sector priorities to encourage Canadian population to settle in rural Saskatchewan
• This includes social security system, living allowances for various segments of the population, etc
• Investigating federal-level economic instruments effective for stimulating business investments and growth in rural Saskatchewan.

• Led and coordinated study on inventory of industrial and commercial plots in Mbabane
• Facilitated Trainer of Trainers Workshop and trained Environmental Action Educators on Environmental Health and Sanitation
• Assisted in wetland rehabilitation in the city (e.g
• Drew's Dam) focusing on removal of alien invasive plant species
• Conducted Occupational Health and Safety Inspections in Garages and Car Washers in the City
• Assisted/ Carried out Environmental Impact Assessments
• Facilitated stakeholder workshops for review of the Final Draft MCM Waste Management Strategy
• Engaged consultants in major urban development projects and reviewing Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Comprehensive Mitigation Plans (CMPs)
• Developed Requests for Proposals and Terms of Reference for the development of a Waste Management Strategy for the City of Mbabane.

• Provided front-desk library customer service assistance to students, faculty, staff, and guests
• Performed materials and equipment borrowing transactions using Online circulation system and ALEPH Integrated Library System
• Fielded questions from library patrons and performed catalogue lookups
• Collected and reported statistics on library's critical operations to monitor library usage and make recommendations for improvements
• Assisted in supporting and training new students and faculty on University's Latte (Learning and Teaching Online Multimedia Application) System
• Assisted with communication of library policy procedures, and other duties as required.