UNDP Jobs - 63857- International Consultant Technical Expert for UNDP

International Consultant Technical Expert for UNDP LECReD Component

Location :

Male, MALDIVES

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

14-Mar-2016

Application Deadline :

25-Feb-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

55 working days within 9 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

55 working days within 9 months

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

The Republic of Maldives is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its low-lying geography that makes it susceptible to flooding and inundation, and its dependence on economic activities that are sensitive to climate change, such as fishing and tourism. It is also highly dependent on imported fossil fuels for its energy supply and this represents a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for the country. Consequently, the Maldives has made significant commitments to the pursuit of a low emission climate resilient development agenda. However, ongoing decentralization reforms, fiscal crisis and low capacity at the sub-national level, mean that local planning is not reflective of national level commitments.

The 3 year, US$9.2 million UN Joint Programme, "Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development" (LECReD), responds to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework Outcome 9: “Enhanced capacities at national and local levels to support low carbon life-styles, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction” and builds on the comparative strengths of United Nations Organizations including UNDP, UNICEF, UNOPS, UNFPA, UN WOMEN, WHO and FAO. The programme is innovative and represents a pioneering initiative of bringing together the wealth of diverse development-oriented expertise from these United Nations Organizations with equally diverse national and local partners to address this multi-faceted development challenge.

The programme will assist the Laamu Atoll and its islands to realize low emission and climate resilient development (LECReD). The programme seeks to mainstream LECReD issues into local level development planning and service delivery for greater community-level ownership and sustainability of programme benefits. Towards this objective, the programme will support local councils, civil society, private sector and other local stakeholders to establish platforms for stronger partnerships, improved coordination, and enhanced participation in local planning for LECReD; it will strengthen data and knowledge systems for LECReD; improve local level LECReD development planning and management of service delivery; and through a learning-by-doing approach establish early lessons and build demand for LECReD planning and management for replication and scaling-up.

The aim is that the local development plans will evolve from stand-alone action plans into more strategic and evidence-based instruments, which are climate smart and able to mobilize public and private investment. This programme will be closely linked to the existing national development planning cycle and will build capacity of local and national partners engaged in these local processes. The rationale being that lessons learned will be used to inform replication throughout the country and directly support the national agenda.

In pursuit of the core objective, the programme will achieve the following outputs:

Output 1: Partnership, coordination and participation platform for local LECReD planning and action is strengthened;
Output 2: Data and knowledge systems established or identified to support evidence-based planning and policy development for LECReD at the local level;
Output 3: Improved Local Level Planning and Management for LECReD;
Output 4: Practical local experience in LECReDs interventions leads to learning and promotes replication.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Technical Expert (TE) will be a senior climate change adaptation and low emission development specialist with experience UNDP programme management. He /She will be provide technical support to and will focus on quality assurance to the UNDP programme results within the LECReD programme. The TE will work closely with the UNDP Project Manager and reports to the UNDP Project Manager on a day-to-day basis to ensure effective overall delivery of results.

Summary of Key Functions:

Provide substantive support at the initial implementation of the programme by providing technical support to delivery with focus on initial activities especially baseline activities;
Act as the UNDP’s technical resource person on LECReD in Maldives; Assist with the coordination and collaboration with the regional centers or other technical support centers to ensure effective support to the programme;
Provide technical backstopping to UNDP in implementing the programme activities;
Provide technical support to UNDP in the joint planning for the programme and provide guidance to the UNDP in the identification and nurturing of key strategic alliances with other Participating UN Organizations (PUNOs) activities;
Initiate the promote a broad inter institutional collaboration and networks of expertise;
Support the development of a knowledge management system in conjunction with the PCU and in close coordination with PUNOs.

Coordination and Communication:

Provide technical advice to the UNDP programme team to strengthen partnerships building and coordination between the programme and partners, CSOs, other stakeholders, as well as facilitating communication and exchange of lessons learned and good practices;
Guide development and implementation of the communication and outreach strategy to ensure adequate programme visibility and awareness in relation to implementation and achievements.

Programme Management and Leadership:

Provide technical support and guidance to the UNDP Project Manager;
Provide assistance in identifying expert technical advice on LECReD-related issues;
Facilitate the quality assurance of technical deliverables from experts/consultants, contractors, implementing partners and programme staff, and provide them with substantive feedback and guidance.

Knowledge Building and Sharing:

Facilitate and actively support the development of a knowledge management system in conjunction with the PCU and in close coordination with PUNOs;
Support sharing of Programme results and products, lessons learned and good practices with other programmes, government agencies, donors, etc.

Duration of Work:

55 working days within a period of 9 months. The consultant is required to make two missions to the Maldives.

Intitutional Arrangement

The TE will report directly to the UNDP Project Manager. The TE will also be required to work closely with the Assistant Resident Representative (Policy and Programme Management), the Assistant Resident Representative (Resilience and Climate Change) and with the UNDP LECReD Team. The TE will brief the UNDP Resident Representative at the end of each mission to the Maldives.

The duty station will be the UNDP Office, Male’ when travelling to the Maldives. Travel to Laamu Atoll may be required.

Required documents

The application must include a letter of interest to undertake this task, P-11, and a proposal for fees. To download P11, kindly please visit the link http://www.mv.undp.org/content/maldives/en/home/operations/jobs/.

Please combine all the documents into one single file and upload as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda -Analysis and creation of messages and strategies:

Creates effective advocacy strategies;
Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management -Contributing to results through provision of information:

Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration;
Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals;
Participates in the formulation of project proposals.

Building Strategic Partnerships -Identifying and building partnerships:

Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UN mandate and strategic agenda;
Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
Promotes joint-programming principles in inter-agency meetings.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches -Developing new approaches:

Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.

Resource Mobilization -Implementing resource mobilization strategies:

Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend a strategic approach;
Identifies and compiles lessons learned;
Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level.

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;
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.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UN’s Goals -Analysis and creation of messages and strategies:

Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level.

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;
Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Core Competencies:

Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
Building support and political acumen;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective teams;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
Leveraging conflict in the interests of UN & setting standards;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Advance university degree (Masters or PhD) or equivalent in Environmental Science, Development or relevant field of study.

Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in the area of low emission carbon resilient development - at both national and international levels in advisory, managerial and technical positions;
Given the focus of the programme, proven experience in working with environment related institutions and good understanding of LECReD is an asset;
Excellent programme management skills and knowledge of donor policies and funding modalities;
Experience in UNDP programming is preferable;
Knowledge of UN wide programming practices is an asset including joint-programming knowledge;
Hands-on experience in facilitating inter-institutional cooperation, stakeholder involvement and working with teams;
Knowledge and experience from working with developing countries, especially Small Island Developing States is an asset;
Proven familiarity with gender analysis and concepts, participative processes/approaches for women, youth and minority groups.

Language:

Fluency in English.