Antecedentes

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder for including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

As the UN system's development program and a GEF Implementing Agency since 1991, UNDP also supports countries in addressing development, climate, and ecosystem sustainability in an integrated manner. UNDP-GEF offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibility assessment, program/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management.

UNDP is supporting countries to adopt medium term approaches for climate finance readiness that align with national development priorities. The focus of this support is to reduce vulnerability through projects on the ground and to assist in promoting comprehensive climate risk management in ongoing planning and budgeting processes through National Development Plans and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).  The NAP process is among the high profile topics on adaptation under discussion in the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) under the Conference of Parties. Building on efforts that are underway from the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) the NAP process draws attention to the need for developing countries to identify, finance and implement appropriate medium- to long-term adaptation needs, including, to balance sectoral and cross-sectoral priorities, at national, sub-national and local levels.

UNDP-GEF has been active in supporting countries with their NAP agenda mainly through two different channels:

• Multi-country/Global portfolio of technical assistance programmes funded by LDCF, SCCF and bilateral donors to assist developing countries in their NAP processes (henceforth referred to as “UNDP Global Support Portfolio on NAPs”);
• National projects funded by LDCF/SCCF/AF or bilateral donors.

UNDP-GEF is recruiting a Lead Technical Specialist (LTS) who will be entrusted to lead a team within the SCCF-funded Assisting non-LDC developing countries with country-driven processes to advance National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), or NAP GSP. The incumbent will report to the Head- Climate Change Adaptation in UNDP-GEF and/or his designate and will initially be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia although s/he may be periodically re-deployed in accordance with capability and due process to a different regional hub as needed.

Deberes y responsabilidades

The LTS will be primarily responsible for providing high quality technical support, as well as, knowledge and capacity development services, to partner countries in coordination with UNDP country offices and UNEP. S/he will work with UN agencies, governments, inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, donors, and the private sector in accordance with the objective and outcomes of the UNDP project document and UNDP’s key results as outlined in the corporate strategy. The work of the LTS will be undertaken in full compliance with UNDP’s Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures including on gender, environmental safeguards, etc. The work of the LTS will be overseen by UNDP-GEF.

Specifically the LTS will be expected to deliver results in the areas of:

Strategic Leadership and technical support to participating countries (50%):

• Support countries participating in the NAP GSP to reactivate and update national teams on supporting the NAP process, including identification of a champions and other key stakeholders;
• Guide and review country activities focused on stocktaking of on-going and completed initiatives of relevance to informing and contributing to the NAP process;
• Guide country level consultations to identify the scope and direction of the NAP process, and expectations for advancing medium- to long-term planning for adaptation as part of the on-going planning and budgeting processes at national and sub-national levels;
• Conduct and/or review and comment on gap analysis conducted on key institutional and technical capacities to fully embark on medium- to long-term planning and budgeting for adaptation aligned to national development priorities;
• Coordinate with UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisors supporting adaptation programming with multiple sources of finance, as well as, others both within and outside UNDP on substantive issues relevant to NAPs;
• Ensure a strategic understanding of the substantive technical issues, institutions, and processes of relevance to NAPs within the countries supported, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other agencies, donors, NGOs, the private sector, scientific and research institutions etc. as they relate to advancing NAP processes;
• Ensure strategic partnerships with international organizations, UN Agencies, MDBs, private sector, NGOs, etc. including but not limited to the current partners of the NAP GSPs - UNEP, GEF, UNFCCC, WHO, GWP, FAO, IFAD, UNITAR, UNISDR, GIZ - to advance NAPs;
• Ensure that UNDP staff and external audiences are informed of progress with the NAP process in LDCs, especially those that request support from the NAP GSP, via quarterly newsletters and other effective means of communication.

Coordination of the UNDP global support portfolio on NAP GSP (20%):

• Facilitate partnerships for South-South and North-South transfer of technical and process-oriented information on experiences, good practice, lessons and examples of relevance to medium and long-term national, sectoral, and local planning and budgeting processes;
• Assist inception, contracting and start-up of programmes/projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans, annual status and financial reports and carry out other Project Board directives;
• Identify and source technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports;
• Lead efforts to ensure that project activities are integrated and coordinated with the established operations of both UNDP and UNEP within their comparative advantage and their areas of work;
• Support UNDP Country Offices in liaising with national partners on NAP-related issues;
• Ensure overall quality on the programme’s implementation delivery, monitoring of results, and reporting requirements to the donors;
• Develop and maintain close linkages with relevant agencies, stakeholders, key donors, NGOs, civil society, international organizations, and implementing partners of the project;
• Supervise, coordinate and lead the GSPs project teams in discharging their duties at an optimum level through ensuring efficient and effective resources utilization;
• Ensure that UNDP rules and procedures are fully met in the course of the project implementation including procurement.

Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development (30%):

• Coordinate with UNEP and other partners with relevant stakeholders to formulate technical guidance tools and policy materials, guiding principles, case studies on lessons and good practices and ensure that these are made accessible to all target countries;
• Facilitate training in the use of the tools and approaches to advance to medium to long-term adaptation planning and budgeting;
• Evaluate, capture, codify, synthesize lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development or tool/resource kits and other knowledge materials;
• Respond to queries on programme/project progress, impacts and lessons;
• Develop and carry out a personal learning plan.

Impact of Results

The results of the work of the Lead Technical Specialist will result in the successful delivery of the project’s outcomes and outputs.

Competencias

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;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Management and Leadership:

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Strong ability to manage teams (across different locations) and decision-making skills; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff in a diverse environment;
• Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from a wide spectrum of development experience;
• Ability to work independently and to participate effectively in a team, in an information-sharing environment;
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
• Fair and transparent decision-making and calculated risk-taking;
• Proven ability to coordinate global and regional initiatives and support country programmes with diverse needs.

Managing Relationships:

• Excellent negotiating and networking skills;
• Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills;
• Building support and political acumen;
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP and setting standards.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside UNDP;
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
• Promoting learning and knowledge management;
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Provides constructive coaching and feedback.

Team Building and Communication:

• Building and promoting effective teams;
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
• Strong communications skills with ability to express ideas clearly, both orally and in writing.

Technical Competencies:

• Sound understanding of climate change, sustainable human development, environmental management issues, adaptation, vulnerability and impact, and other related issues;
• Sound understanding of national and local development planning processes;
• Ability and willingness to travel.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Master’s degree in climate change policy and/or science, development studies, environmental economics, energy, environmental law, or closely-related field.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of relevant experience in supporting capacity development of key institutions involved in planning and budgeting (especially in the agriculture sector) and/or strategic advocacy to governments and other partners on climate, environment and development;
• Demonstrated experience in supporting institutional capacities for planning and strategic advocacy to governments and other partners;
• Knowledge of socio-economic aspects of sustainable development
• Extensive contacts with international experts and organizations involved in international studies on climate change and natural resource management;
• Previous work experience in a UN organization is an asset;
• Proven experience with different aspects of project management including development, planning, implementation, evaluation and supervision of environmental experts;
• Experience and knowledge of poverty environment issues and preferably environment mainstreaming into national planning processes would be an asset;
• Demonstrated skills in computer use including Word processing, spreadsheets and Power Point.

Language:

• Excellent knowledge of the English language;
• Proficiency in other UN languages is an asset.