UNDP Jobs - 28307- Policy Analyst (Climate Change) (For Nepalese nati

Policy Analyst (Climate Change) (For Nepalese nationals only)

Location :

Kathmandu, NEPAL

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

19-Mar-2012

Application Deadline :

08-Mar-12 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP Country Offices are receiving an increasing number of national requests for assistance with understanding the implications of climate change on national development and preparing integrated strategies and plans to manage anticipated challenges and opportunities. UNDP has played an important role assisting countries to access and deliver climate change financing, as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), joint manager of the National Communications Support Programme and by delivering initiatives like the MDG Carbon Facility, Capacity Development for Policy Makers, the MDG Achievement Fund, CC-DARE, UN REDD, Carbon Neutral and Climate Resilient Territories, and the 2007 Human Development Report on climate change (activities totaling more than 220 million USD in catalytic funding). Yet at the same time, UNDP must further strengthen its climate change policy advisory capacity.

In light of the increasing urgency of climate change responses in every programme country, UNDP HQ is now investing in strengthening its climate change services to all countries, in particular to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Up to 26 Policy Specialists/Analysts (Climate Change) at the national level have been recruited to supplement existing Country Office staff capacity on climate change. The Policy Specialists/Analysts (Climate Change) will seek to strengthen UNDP’s climate policy capacity, improve coherence within UNDP and the wider UNCT, and promote strategic engagement on key climate issues for UNDP.

The Policy Analyst (Climate Change) will be fully integrated in the climate change community of practice already working at national, regional and HQ levels. In addition to their integration into the Country Office structure, the Policy Analyst (Climate Change) will receive technical guidance and support from the Regional Service Centre and EE Practice Leader on areas related to climate policy and finance. The Policy Analyst is expected to work closely with the Country Office Programme Analysts and other staff working on climate change and environment issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under supervision of the Deputy Country Director (Programme) and overall guidance of the Assistant Country Director within existing climate change structures in the country office and with the technical support of the climate change team at the Regional Service Centre and HQ, the national Policy Analyst (Climate Change) will work closely with the CO Programme Analysts for Climate Change and Environment. Their key functions will be:

Support the policy engagement on climate change with government and development partners, building on and ensuring consistency with international policy guidance on climate change provided by HQ
Support CO team in its engagement in climate change policy dialogue at national level with key partners -- including key line Ministries, donors, NGOs, private sector, and civil society -- on preparing for a post-2012 institutional and financial regime, using technical guidance available at the regional and global level and ensuring consistency with international climate policy guidance provided by Regional Service Centre (Bangkok) and HQ.
Conduct desk reviews, research and provide analytical inputs on national low-carbon, climate-resilient development strategies and plans and review sector policies building on and ensuring consistency with international climate policy guidance provided by HQ.
Building on Nepal’s National Capacity Self-Assessment – Climate Change, identify areas where governmental capacity development and institutional strengthening to deliver on its Climate Change Policy (2011) can be supported.
Support the preparation of analytical documents and background information for the national and international climate change policy debates within the overarching UNDP climate change policy framework.
As requested, provide inputs to UNDP senior management on all climate related policy issues with a specific focus on community based adaptation implementation at the local level.
Serve as a resource person on capacity development activities on climate change for the UNDP Country Office and United Nations Country Team (UNCT).
Support the implementation of the UNDP Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and identify areas of comparative advantage for interventions where UNDP can add value and inform the Regional Service Centre and HQ.
Support a UN-wide approach to climate change and promote UNDP’s role, including policy and programmatic initiatives, ensuring consistency and integration with regional and global approaches, methodologies, and strategies
Support UNDP Nepal in the development of a programmatic approach to integrate climate risk management in the existing framework documents and project portfolios across all practice areas.
Assist the CO in identifying and addressing climate related risks and opportunities in all practice areas including governance, poverty, environment, CPR, gender, capacity development) within UNDP as well as within the UN system.
Promote cross practice collaboration (poverty, governance, CPR, gender, capacity development) within UNDP as well as within the UN system.

Support strategic partnerships and knowledge management:

As requested, adapt global and regional technical and strategic position papers, presentations, advisory and briefing notes, for national circumstances.
Support the preparation of inputs from the CO to policy briefs/position papers that address links between climate change and other development concerns, in collaboration with other practices such as governance, poverty reduction, gender, crisis prevention and recovery, and capacity development.
Maintain and strengthen strategic and thematic partnerships with key stakeholders, particularly government, donors, private sector to identify opportunities, formulate joint initiatives with maximum impacts and efficiency, minimize duplication of efforts and reduce transaction costs.
Follow up on RIO+20 conference preparations and outcomes and inform CO about Nepal’s participation in the Conference and follow up actions needed to be taken by the CO.

Support resource mobilization efforts of the government on climate change, through increasing knowledge of climate change specific financing mechanisms, (including Green Climate Fund) and identifying areas where UNDP can support.

Promote information sharing and support the CO dialogue within the donor community related to climate change and/or participating in consultative meetings and preparing briefs and policy papers on climate change.
Follow up and consolidate information on the status of international climate change negotiations and forthcoming events, using disseminated inputs from EEG and the Regional Service Centres. These inputs should contribute to the development and strengthening of common UN positions regarding climate change issues.
Act as the focal point for information-sharing on climate change issues, such as initiatives, projects, international climate negotiations, and related issues between CO and other partners, in particular the Regional Service Centres and HQ.

Competencies

Corporate Responsibility & Direction: Serves and promotes the vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of UNDP
People Skills: Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others; gives credit to the contributions of others.
Managing for Results: Plans and prioritizes work activities to meet organizational goals.
Partnering & Networking: Builds and sustains relationships with key constituents (internal/external/bilateral/ multilateral/public sector/private sector/civil society)
Innovation & Judgment: Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate. Generates creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations Devises new systems and processes, and modifies existing ones, to support innovative behaviors.
Communication: Demonstrates excellent and effective written and oral communication skills. Demonstrates effective communication skills in a multidisciplinary working environment.Demonstrate respect to knowledge and culture and religion in a multidisciplinary working environment
Job Knowledge & Expertise: Applies the required depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise to meet job demands
Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree in climate sciences, environmental sciences, earth sciences, natural resource economics, political science, finance or related social sciences, or other closely related field.

Experience:

7 years of relevant work experience on issues related to climate policy, climate risk, vulnerability reduction and capacity development
Background in partnership building is preferred
Experience in working with government, donors or the UN previously is an asset
Experience in development work in the area of climate change, natural resources management, and related issues.
Familiarity with policy dialogues and advisory functions involving government counterparts and other stake-holders
Good knowledge and understanding of the global debate on climate change, climate change finance and experience in multilateral environmental debates and dialogues and processes.
Proven experience and knowledge of the country’s institutional framework and policies of climate change is an asset.

Language:

Proficiency in written and spoken English and Nepali. Fluency in, or working knowledge of, other UN languages is an asset.