UNDP Jobs - 52347- Programme Specialist (Energy,Environment and Natur

Programme Specialist (Energy,Environment and Natural Resource Management)

Location :

Freetown, SIERRA LEONE

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

01-Mar-2015

Application Deadline :

31-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NO-C

Duration of Initial Contract :

Initial 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

Sierra Leone is ranked 173 out of a total of 178 countries on the global environmental performance index (Columbia University CIESIN 2014) and the country was assessed as extremely vulnerable (# 3 out of 193) in the 2013 Climate Change Vulnerability Index. Overall deforestation rates of woodlands are presently estimated at 0.7% per year (AfDB 2012). High environmental degradation resulting from unsustainable land management, unplanned urbanization and pollution and weak legislative and monitoring structures are increasingly resulting in reduced environmental resilience against disaster risks.

Sierra Leone is exposed to a large of socio-natural and manmade hazards, particularly to: floods, epidemics, wind storms with thunderstorms, mass movements including landslides and mudslides, drought/dry spells, coastal erosion, fires and water sources pollution. Existing risk is mainly “extensive risk” which might evolve in intensive risk depending on vulnerability level evolvement. Sierra Leone’s vulnerability is linked partly to its climate and geography specificities, but mainly to socio-economic and environmental exacerbating factors.

In Sierra Leone, the vast majority of people rely on natural resources such as land, water, forests and fish for their livelihoods. These livelihoods face a host of different pressures including illegal fishing, slash and burn agriculture, poor waste management and unregulated mining. It is expected that the country will lose between USD 600 million and 1.1 billion annually in crop revenues by the end of the century if climate change projections materialize. Water, soil and forest resources are threatened by population growth, unsustainable mining activities, pollution of rivers, and rising demand from agribusinesses. With the close linkages between environment and sustainable development, a comprehensive and coordinated programme on environment serves as an insurance bond for national development and a catalyst for the achievement of the millennium development goals. Sustainable management of Natural Resources and the environment are one of the major economy drivers of the country and of utmost essence for the continued growth. Protecting and managing natural resources will ultimately contribute to job creation and reducing tensions around land and resources use at the community level.

The implementation of the Energy, Environment and NRM programme will be In line with the AWP, the UNDAF 2015-2018 and UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2014-2017

Under the guidance of the Country Director (CD) and overall supervision of the Deputy Country Director (Programme), the National Programme Specialist reports to the Team Leader Energy, Environment and NRM, and is a member of the advisory team to Senior Management. In addition to the senior managerial functions, the incumbent is responsible for providing support with management and oversight of the Energy, Environment and NRM programme portfolio and supervision of the team. The incumbent provides support covering the entire range of functions in the programme cycle, from conceptualization and formulation to monitoring and evaluation. Seconding the Team Leader, the incumbent assists in liaising with DCD-P and other programme teams and the Programme Management Support Unit (PMSU), and contributes substantially to the analyses of the social, economic and political context in Sierra Leone and advises on responses to emerging complex challenges and possible areas for UNDP interventions within the Country Programme Document. In addition, he/she assists in identifying and forging strategic partnerships with the government, UN Agencies, CSOs as well as bi-laterals.

As National Programme Specialist, the incumbent acts as Deputy to the Energy, Environment and NRM Team Leader and assists with the management of the Portfolio within Programme team working through and with the operations team in the CO, Programme Management Support Unit (PMSU), programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the UNDP programme. And as member of the CO Leadership Team, he/she may also advise on potential areas of policy that could have an impact on the country as far as Energy, Environment and NRM is concerned. On a day to day basis, the incumbent provides direct support to the Team Leader in relation to policy advice and guidance to strengthen national capacity to accelerate delivery ensuring cross-programme and synergies and complementarities.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a member of the CO management team, implement the UNDP programme strategies focusing on achievement of the following results:

Thorough gender sensitive analysis and research of the environmental, political, social and economic situation in the country and collaborative preparation/revision of CCA, UNDAF, CPD, CPAP, AWP and other documents;
Identification of areas for support and relevant interventions within the assigned thematic areas;
Provide support in operationalizing the UNDAF/ CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identification of possibilities for joint programming;
Assist in the analysis and presentation of UNDP policies and their implementation in the CO;
CO business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management, control of the workflows in the Programme Unit;
Coordinate and harmonize key project strategies and results amongst programme components, and ensure it is aligned with the Country Programme Document;
Advise on the development of gender sensitive country practice strategies in the area of Energy, Environment and NRM Programme;
Provide specific inputs into the design of projects in the Programme area, and assist with project formulation, fact finding and technical missions as required;
Ensure the integration of cross cutting issues, such as peace building, gender in to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programme/project activities;
Attend as required coordination donors and partner steering committee/project boards;
Prepare programme briefs and updates for partners.

Provide support with the effective management of the CO Energy, Environment and NRM programme and supervision of the Energy, Environment and NRM team focusing on quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation achieving the following results:

Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results;
Design and formulation of CO programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies; Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost-sharing, cost recovery, targets and milestones;
Quality Assurance of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Initiation of a project, presentation of Project Documents to the Local Project Appraisal Committee (LPAC), finalization of contribution agreements; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review. Programme Specialist can perform functions of Manager Level 1 in Atlas for POs and vouchers approval, participates in recruitment processes for projects;
Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of projects;
Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported;
Assist in organizing cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects in close collaboration with the DCD (Operations).

Ensure effective oversight of the Programme, in particular Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting:

Ensure quality assurance of project management through review of initial documents, annual and quarterly workplans, periodic progress reviews of relevant projects and programmes;
Design and manage an outcome monitoring system for the programme including effective indicators for all cross-cutting issues in collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, and oversee record monitoring in Atlas;
Ensure proper recording of risks in Atlas for all active projects of the Programme, in line with the UNDP Result Based Management guide;
Ensure that aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes, as well as constraints, issues and challenges, particularly through efficient and regular communication with colleagues in the sub-offices;
Timely preparation of donor reports as required;
Ensure quality control and accurate and timely reporting on results on Atlas;
Assess programme impact on men and women, effectiveness and the programme environment, including making suggestions for timely readjustment to the portfolio;
Prepare implementation-related agreement with partners for the implementation of specific project outputs.

Provide operational advice to the projects within the programme:

Track delivery of the various components of programme and advise the Team Leader on the financial progress of the portfolio;
Resource mobilization and cost recovery by ensuring that appropriate attention to UNDP’s costs in the negotiation of cost sharing agreements with Donors;
Identify solutions for operational and financial problems;
Participate in the identification and competitive selection of appropriate implementing partners;
Act as the Energy, Environment and NRM focal point for interaction with the Programme Management Support Unit (PMSU).

Provide support to the creation of Strategic partnerships and to resource mobilization in cooperation with the CO Senior Management and The Programme Management Support Unit focusing on achievement of the following results:

Implementation of the CO partnerships and resources mobilization strategies to achieve programme outcomes;
Development of new partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities;
Assist with determination of programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities;
Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing and for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization;
Contribute to the building of synergies between project and programmes within the portfolio as well as foster synergies, closer collaboration, integration and knowledge sharing with other programme areas;
Ensure preparation and sharing of relevant programme and project information packages, briefs, case studies, press releases, brochures to be posted on the UNDP website, presented to partners, and beneficiaries, UNDP CO, regional or corporate level, etc.

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals;
Support to development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;
Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.
Provide recommendations and programme/policy advice to UNDP and Government counterparts on issues related to Energy, Environment and NRM programmes;
In undertaking the above, ensure the fullest engagement and participation of women and youth, to further ensure the mainstreaming of gender perspective as appropriate for UNDP conflict prevention and peace building efforts.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Identifying and building partnerships

Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda;
Develops positive ties with civil society to build/strengthen UNDP’s mandate;
Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments;
Takes responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved.

Results-Based Programme Development And Management:

Contributes into results through primary research and analysis

Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration;
Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development;
Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly.

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:

Analysis and creation of messages and strategies

Creates effective advocacy strategies;
Contributes to the elaboration of advocacy strategies by identifying and prioritizing audiences and communication means;
Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work.

Client Orientation:

Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

Anticipates client needs;
Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
Keeps the client informed of problems or delays in the provision of services;
Uses discretion and flexibility in interpreting rules in order to meet client needs and achieve organizational goals more effectively;
Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Innovation And Marketing New Approaches:

Developing new approaches

Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
Generates for regional and innovative ideas and effective solutions to problems;
Looks at experience critically, drawing lessons, and building them into the design of new approaches;
Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
Documents successes and uses them to project a positive image;
Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.

Promoting Accountability And Results-Based Management:

Input to the development of standards and policies

Provides inputs to the development of organizational standards for accountability and results-based management;
Develops and applies tools and techniques in assessing the application of programme and/or administer the policies and procedures;
Undertakes ad hoc analysis of issues emanating from policy application reviews.

Promoting Organizational Learning And Knowledge Sharing:

Developing tools and mechanisms

Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

In-depth knowledge of the Subject-matter

Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines
Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff;
Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;

Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Environmental studies, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Development Studies or related field.
First level University degree in Environmental studies, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field combined with 7 years of experience may be considered in lieu of advanced university degree.

Experience:

5 years of relevant experience with Master degree or first level university degree with 7 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
Previous work experience with UNDP is an asset;
Experience with ensuring gender mainstreaming into project design is desirable;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language:

Fluency in English;
Any other official language will be considered as an asset.

Other:

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.