UNDP Jobs - 21693- Head of Origination/Senior Technical Advisor

Head of Origination/Senior Technical Advisor - MDG Carbon Facility

Location :

Bratislava, SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

04-Jul-2011

Application Deadline :

31-Mar-11 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 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

UNDP-GEF has, over the last 18 years, built a large portfolio of Climate Change projects with the help of funding provided by the GEF. The majority of the projects have focused on achieving long-term global benefits in terms of greenhouse gas emission reductions through upstream mitigation activities, such as policy implementation and the creation of an enabling investment environment, in line with UNFCCC guidance and the operational strategy and programs of the GEF.
The Kyoto Protocol, concluded under the UNFCCC in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005, has introduced a number of complementary carbon finance mechanisms (CDM, JI, emissions trading) that can involve immediate investment activities, resulting in concrete and measurable greenhouse gas emission reductions. Looking ahead to any post-2012 climate finance regime, these carbon finance mechanisms will likely evolve and be reformed, with an increasing emphasis on modalities operating at scale, such as programmatic CDM and sectoral approaches.
The opportunity is to maximize/optimize the synergies and use of both types of instruments - GEF and carbon finance - to the overall benefit of achieving the short and long-term objectives of the UNFCCC. Such an approach is well aligned with UNDP’s objective in environmental finance to assist developing countries in combining and sequencing different forms of financing.

To complement UNDP-GEF, UNDP has established MDG Carbon to serve as UNDP’s corporate framework for carbon finance activities. MDG Carbon has 3 core objectives: first, to expand access to carbon finance to currently underrepresented countries and sub-national regions; second, to promote carbon finance activities with sustainable development outcomes, supporting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); and, third, to promote carbon finance solutions with high replicability and scale.

On the ground, MDG Carbon operates through two complementary arms, a Market-Enabling arm and a Project Development arm. The Market-Enabling arm works on public goods: policy dialogue, capacity building and new instruments. Here UNDP, providing its traditional capacity development assistance, uses a donor-funded business model. The Project Development arm provides assistance to develop viable carbon projects to the stage of credit issuance, including working with financial partners who purchase the credits issued by projects. Here, given the more commercial nature of this arm, UNDP uses a cost-recovery model.

MDG Carbon’s team is made up of UNDP staff at the central, regional and country office level. At the central level, a team of Technical Advisors, forming the MDG Carbon Facility, provide specialized support to the UNDP staff at the regional and country office level.

In order to best structure its activities for any post 2012 climate finance environment, MDG Carbon applies its business model in three thematic areas: (i) project-based carbon finance (CDM/JI), (ii) sectoral approaches and trading mechanisms, and (iii) unaddressed sources and sinks of emissions. There are multiple linkages and synergies between these three areas. The post of Head of Origination/Senior Technical Advisor will fall under the first thematic area, project-based carbon finance (CDM/JI).

Duties and Responsibilities

The Head of Origination/Senior Technical Advisor (hereafter ‘the STA’) will have two core, and complementary, responsibilities. The first core responsibility will be to lead the origination activities for MDG Carbon’s Project Based Carbon Finance (CDM/JI) thematic area, with the objective that MDG Carbon effectively sources technically and financially sound projects. The second core responsibility will be to provide overall management and strategic guidance for MDG Carbon’s Project Based Carbon Finance (CDM/JI) activities. It is envisaged that each of the two responsibilities will consume approximately an equal share, 50% each, of the STA’s workload. Clear targets for the overall, aggregate performance of MDG Carbon will be agreed upon, to which the STA will be held accountable.

The position is part of the MDG Carbon Facility, where together with a central team of Technical Advisors (TAs), the STA will advise and collaborate with Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs), Regional Project Managers (RPMs) and climate change mitigation staff in Country Offices. The position has a substantial supervisory component, with the STA supervising the MDG Carbon Facility TAs, as well as RTAs and RPMs on their MDG Carbon related work.

The position will initially be based in the Bratislava Regional Center however may be periodically redeployed, in accordance with capability, consent, and due process, to a different regional centre as needed. The scope of work is global, covering all regions within UNDP. The position, more broadly, falls within UNDP's Environment and Energy Group of the Bureau for Development Policy.

Under the direction of the Principal Technical Advisor, Climate Change Mitigation, the main tasks of the position are set out below:

1. In terms of origination activities, the STA will provide overall guidance, objectives, budgets and targets for project origination. The STA will:

Work with regional and country office staff to devise local sourcing plans, targeting strategic sectors and project types, and establishing relationships and networks with potential project proponents, including both private sector and government entities.
Work with regional and country office staff to screen and perform due diligence on project concepts, including the review of business plans, technical aspects, CDM/JI eligibility, and commercial (financial and legal) structuring. Ensure overall quality control in sourcing.
Engage directly in project origination, including in marketing MDG Carbon and signing up projects. Act convincingly, and in a commercially astute manner, to win project proponents’ trust, to negotiate contracts with counterparties, and to bring in and close deals.

2. In terms of management of the MDG Carbon’s Project Based Carbon Finance (CDM/JI) activities, the STA will:

Manage the programme, including supervision of relevant staff, oversight of budget, administrative, corporate and HR matters, and effective operational execution. Oversee MDG Carbon’s business model, including its cost recovery model, with the objective of achieving financial sustainability.
Lead the programme’s strategic vision and planning, identifying new opportunities, instilling an entrepreneurial spirit, and setting out short and long term objectives. Stay abreast of developments in carbon finance and proactively develop relationships with relevant actors and potential partners, including the private sector.
Working with relevant staff, oversee and provide input into resource mobilization activities, including the development of new programming concepts and securing financing from donors and funds.
Oversee the development of knowledge management and communications tools, products, and systems, to share knowledge and best practice internally and externally
Act as a figurehead for MDG Carbon, proactively ensure visibility and advocating UNDP’s position in carbon finance events, including conferences, industry groups and UNFCCC meetings.

Competencies

Technical Competencies:

Ability to provide technical/financial advice relating to the screening, structuring and due diligence of private sector business plans and investment projects, preferably with direct relevance to carbon or closely related sectors (like agribusiness, energy, industry etc.);
Ability to take a market mechanism based approach to development, working to use public funds catalytically to promote private sector investment
Technical and analytical capability to undertake detailed analysis of heterogeneous data and draw meaningful and relevant conclusions for practical applications;
Ability to advise on problems with full technical competency leading to fact-based and practical recommendations and creative solutions;
Ability to produce high-quality outputs in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating evolving needs.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN 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
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
Ability to lead effectively, mentor, as well as possess conflict resolution skills
Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
Proven networking, team-building, and organizational skills
Skills in facilitation and coordination, entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated ability to work in an independent manner

Development and Operational Effectiveness

Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting
Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations
Ability to develop and facilitate private and public sector partnerships
Strong analytical and advocacy skills

Knowledge Management and Learning

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 of UNDP

Communication:

Ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences, and speak clearly and convincingly, demonstrating strong chairing and presentation skills in meetings, and adapting style and content to different audiences;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters degree in Engineering, Economics, Business, Finance or other closely related quantitative field

Experience:

At least 10 years of relevant experience, of which at least 5 years is in project origination (sourcing) in a private sector investment context, preferably in a developing country context;
Experience in business relationships/client management;
Experience in carbon finance a distinct advantage, but specific experience in other sectors (energy, waste management, agribusiness etc.) also highly desirable;
Experience in climate change mitigation, specifically in carbon markets and CDM / JI projects (in both technical and advocacy work)
Experience in capacity development activities in developing countries
Management experience, preferably within the context of an international organization

Language Requirements:

Fluency in both written and spoken English;
Working knowledge of another UN language desirable.