Antecedentes

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. Recognizing that climate change is an imminent threat on the achievement of Millennium Development Goals, UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2008-2011) has adopted adaptation to climate change as a strategic priority. This priority is embedded in the UNDP Climate Change Strategy ‘Enhancing the capacities of developing countries to implement early adaptation policy actions in a programmatic manner’. This goal recognizes that the developing countries face a number of challenges in adapting to climate change.

Over the next few years, national adaptation programmes will be established in a limited number of countries as demonstrations. Based on these early lessons, the international community will be able to more effectively scale up efforts to help developing countries transition to a climate-resilient economy. At the present time, examples are few and far between, with the exception of Malawi. There is concern that different agencies are developing independent methodologies and approaches.

This post is being created with non-core resources to address this concern. Together with multiples agencies, UNDP proposes to develop consistent methodologies and approaches to ensure policy and programmatic coherence for integrating climate change risks and opportunities into national development. An external Peer Review Group will be formed to validate and vet methodologies, approaches and best practices for adaptation. The intent is to ensure that methodologies and approaches adopted by UNDP to promote climate change adaptation meet international standards and are consistently applied across UNDP’s Practice Areas.

At the country level, UNDP will implement multi-donor, co-ordinated adaptation programmes using the existing development assistance architecture, such as the UNDAF, UNDG, and through specialized UN agencies. Partnerships to support country programming for adaptation will include multilateral and regional development banks, UN agencies, European Commission, bilateral and other agencies including UNEP, ISDR. Partnerships will be strengthened among UNDP Practices Areas, such as Capacity Development Group, Poverty Group, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Office of Development Studies, and the Human Development Office. The UNDP Bureau will be engaged to ensure full policy coherence between the global, regional, and national levels.

The Technical Advisor on Methodologies for Adaptation will be responsible for driving integration of climate change risks into UNDP, across geographical scales and practices. S/he will report to the Director of Environment and Energy, and the Principal Technical Advisor (PTA) Capacity Development and Adaptation. The Technical Advisor will liaise with the Regional Bureau and Regional Coordinating Centres. The workplan will be designed to support Country Offices through the Regional Units, and will initially focus on the partnership with the Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery, where discussions are already well advanced.

Deberes y responsabilidades

1.  Methodologies and approaches for integrating climate change adaptation into policy, programming and operations (70%):

Under the guidance of the PTA s/he will:

  • Oversee the development of common approaches, platforms, methods, indicators and tools for decision making in key sectors at the national and sub-national level
  • Recommend approaches to incorporate climate change risk management and best practices into development and sector policies
  • Establish and lead an external Peer-Review group on common methodologies and approaches
  • Provide technical advice on methods and approaches
  • Prepare guidelines, tools, and publications

2.  Strategic Partnerships with External Partners (5%):

The incumbent will implement strategic partnerships with external partnerships, such as the UNEP, Worldbank, ISDR, OECD/DAC, bilateral agencies etc. S/he will:

  • Establish procedures for joint programming, planning, workplan, missions, and activities to support regional and national activities for adaptation, as needed
  • Agree on workplans and procedures for resource mobilization

3.  Strategic Partnerships with UNDP Units (5%):

The incubment will implement strategic partnerships with Capacity Development Group, Poverty Group, Governance, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Office of Development Studies, and Human Development Office. S/he will develop and oversee the work plan and programme activities, including:

  • Establish procedures for joint programming, planning, workplan, missions, and activities to support activities, as needed
  • Agree on workplans and procedures for joint resource mobilization strategies

4.  Other (15%):

  • The incumbent will contribute to implementation of UNDP’s Climate Change Strategy on adaptation

5.  Professional development (5%):

  • The incumbent will design and implement a professional development programme in agreement with the supervisor.

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

  • Development and operational effectiveness.
  • Ability to lead formulation of development projects and oversee implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
  • Good written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesise project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.
  • Good oral communication skills and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors.
  • Ability to apply theory to the specific policy context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.
  • Demonstrated analytical skills (including expert knowledge of critical econometric tools and software for supporting analytical work)
  • Excellent organisational and project implementation skills.
  • Broad understanding of climate change adaptation.
  • Strong interpersonal skills; commitment to team work and to working across disciplines.

Leadership and Self-Management

  • Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
  • Good team player, self starter, has ability to work under minimum supervision and maintain good relationships

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

  • A Masters degree in climate change, development, environmental economics or management.

Experience:

  • 10 years of professional experience relevant to climate change and development
  • Demonstrated increasing responsibilities in a field related to sustainable policy development, technical support and capacity development.
  • Sound expertise in international programmes on climate change.
  • Substantial experience in Government and in interdepartmental procedures.
  • Excellent managerial, organizational, diplomatic, networking, conflict resolution and communication skills.
  • Fully proficient with computer and professional office software packages.
  • Able to travel

Language requirements: 

  • Excellent written and oral skills in English and knowledge of at least one other UN language desirable.