Background

UNDP recognizes that the growing risks and impacts of climate change and the accompanying loss of ecosystem services requires the world to urgently invest in a new green development paradigm.  Based in UNDP’s Bureau of Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and its Sustainable Development Cluster, the UNDP Global Environmental Finance (UNDP-GEF) unit helps developing countries make green, low emission and climate resilient development not only possible, but also economically attractive.  To achieve this, it works closely with UNDP country offices to help countries develop and implement programmes and projects which advance their capacity to put in place the right mix of regulatory and financial incentives, remove institutional and policy barriers, and create enabling environments that attract and drive private sector investment into green development.

UNDP-GEF staff assist partner countries to develop and implement programmes and projects that combine and sequence resources from a wide range of global environment and climate funds, financial mechanisms, and instruments including, but not limited to: the GEF managed family of vertical funds such as the GEF Trust Fund, the Special Climate Change Fund and the Least Developed Countries Fund, the Adaptation Fund, the Green Climate Fund, as well as, a variety of multilateral, bilateral, national, sub-national and private sector sources.

Staff are organized into thematic teams of technical specialists led by Principal or Senior Technical Advisors (PTAs/STAs).  Each team leader supports, guides, and supervises a team of Region based Technical Advisors (RTAs) and Specialists (RTSs).  RTAs and RTSs work in close collaboration with other technical specialists at both global and regional levels.  While RTAs and RTSs have global responsibilities in their area of specialized technical expertise, they are deployed from Regional Service Centres, normally close to the countries to which they provide most support, and have a secondary line of reporting to the Regional Practice or Team Leaders on the countries they support.

The strategic objective of the Green Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development Strategies (GLECRDS) Team is to develop the capacity of national and sub-national Governments to conduct long-term integrated planning exercises to transition to green, low-emission and climate-resilient (LECR) development.

To achieve this, the team focuses its efforts into the following signature programmes:

• Supporting Integrated Climate Change Strategies:  Supports national and sub-national governments (with focus on Ministries of Finance and planning bodies) to develop and strengthen policies, institutions, capacities and knowledge for integrated green, low-emission and climate resilient development (Green LECRD), and to make use of the full range of public and private financing mechanisms to support Green LECRD investment;
• Advancing Cross-sectoral Climate Resilient Livelihoods:  Supports climate resilient economic development and sustainable livelihoods, especially for vulnerable populations – the poor, women, and indigenous peoples. UNDP-GEF provides assistance to country-led efforts on climate change risk management in the context of food security, water resources, coastal zone development, public health, and climate change-related disaster risks;
• Strengthening Climate Information and Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilient Development: Supports the development of climate information and Early Warning Systems (EWS) across a range of countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific in order to help them respond to both short-term/rapid onset climatic hazards (e.g. cyclones, floods and storms), as well as long-term/slow onset hazards (e.g. drought and long-term climate change).

The RTS for GLECRDS works under the overall supervision of the UNDP-GEF STA on Climate Change Adaptation.  The RTS will be part of the UNDP-GEF team located in UNDP’s Regional Hub in Bangkok, Thailand supporting country offices in the Asia Pacific region and is expected to travel frequently.  RTSs may be periodically redeployed, in accordance with capability, consent, and due process, to a different regional centre as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Regional Technical Specialist for GLECRDS is primarily responsible for providing technical, policy, and programming implementation support and oversight, and knowledge and capacity development services pertaining to the work of the GLECRDS signature programmes to UNDP country offices, working with other UN agencies, governments and inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, donors, the private sector and many others.Specific results are expected in the areas of:

Innovation, Strategic Leadership, Policy Dialogue and Advocacy:

• Contributing to a strategic understanding of, and engagement with, the substantive technical issues, institutions, and processes within the region, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other agencies, donors, NGOs, the private sector, scientific institutions and the like;
• Participating in the development and implementation of UNDP’s global and regional strategies on environment and sustainable development within the BPPS and beyond; engagement in policy and advocacy work with external partners where relevant;
• Providing policy development support and guidance;
• Supporting the development of strategic UNDP policy position papers and internal briefing notes;
• Facilitating policy analysis and the development of technical tools and guidance;
• Maintain a trusted  leadership role within the region;
• Keeping the Regional Team informed of trends and issues with respect to the substantive technical area;
• Keeping the Principal/Senior Technical Advisors informed of trends and issues in the region.

Portfolio Management:

• Assisting in the maintenance of programme/project and portfolio information and corporate information systems;
• Facilitating the identification, and sourcing of technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports.

Resource Mobilization:

• Supporting programme and project identification and development, including on integrated approaches and multifocal area projects
• Providing timely and quality information and technical advice on sources of funds, policies, priorities and activities – including the Global Environment Facility funds, the Green Climate Fund, other multilateral donors, bilateral donors and foundations;
• Identifying and suggesting to the STA priorities and entry-points for UNDP assistance;
• Facilitating the process of preparation, design, submission and approval of programme/project concepts and full-fledged proposals for financing;
• Providing guidance and support in the identification and sourcing of technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports;
• Facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions.

Development Impact:

• Assisting with inception, contracting and start up of programmes/projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans;
• Supporting UNDP country offices and programme/project implementation partners in supervision, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, troubleshooting and adaptive management;
• Preparing reports and communications pieces effectively showcasing socio-economic development benefits as well as environment results.

Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development:

• Evaluating, capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development of knowledge materials;
• Peer reviewing, commenting on, and seeking to improve the technical quality of programmes/projects, policies, practices, guidelines, advisory notes, publications and the like;
• Contributing to the preparation of regional Community of Practice meetings;
• Supporting the preparation and delivering of training courses;
• Responding to queries on programme/project progress, impacts and lessons;
• Developing and carrying out a personal learning plan (5%).

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Innovation:

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Leadership:

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

People Management:

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Communication:

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Delivery:

• Ability to get things done.

Functional Competencies:

Technical:

• Ability to provide guidance on climate change adaptation especially as it relates to livelihoods, early warning systems, and coastal risk management;
• Ability to guide the design and implementation of multi-sectoral and sectoral programmes and projects at different scales, and to work with multiple stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines.

Environmental Issues:

• Knowledge of environment issues, concept and principles and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Climate Change:

• Knowledge of climate change adaptation concepts, principles and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Economics:

• Knowledge of economics concepts, principles and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Development Planning:

• Knowledge of development planning processes and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

Program Planning and Design:

• Develop programmes through a process.

Resource Mobilization:

• Ability to identify and organize programmes  and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.

Results Based Management:

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Advocacy and Representation:

• Ability to productively share UNDP knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues).

Secondary Competencies:

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Knowledge of methodologies, tools, systems and apply practical experience in planning, monitoring, evaluating and reporting.

Knowledge Management:

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.

Project Management:

• Ability to plan, organize, motivate, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree or higher in environmental economics, development economics environmental law, business administration with a specialization in environment and development, or other closely related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience working with developing countries on climate change adaptation; , community-level finance (e.g. microfinance), and development;
• Experience with project development, implementation and management (direct project management experience is preferable);
• Experience in the policy development processes in climate change risk management;
• Demonstrated technical and intellectual skills in substantive area;
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships;
• Demonstrated  facilitation and coordination skills;
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial abilities and demonstrated ability to work in an independent manner;
• Full computer literacy;
• Experience working in Asia and/or the Pacific is strongly desired;
• Working experience in an international organization is an advantage as is knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices.

Language:

• Excellent knowledge of the English language, with exceptional writing, presentation and communication skills;
• Proficiency in other UN languages is an asset.