Background

Environment and Sustainable Development in Burkina Faso
 
Despite of the importance of the environment and its natural resources for sustainable development in Burkina Faso, they continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate. The lack of consideration of the links between poverty and environment (P-E links) in the national and sectoral planning processes plays a major role in the continued deterioration of living conditions in the country – especially for the most vulnerable groups. Despite all former attempts to raise the profile for environmental issues, they are not considered - by policy makers - at the height of the stakes for the economic and social development. Therefore environmental issues do not receive adequate budgets and funding from government and donors.
The Government of Burkina Faso plans to revise its current Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), and develop a five year strategy for accelerated growth and sustainable development (Stratégie de croissance accélérée et de développement durable - SCADD). The participative process for the development of the SCADD started in July 2009 in view to replace the PRSP during its revision in 2003, it is widely recognized that it is still insufficiently considered in the document. The next five year plan – SCADD – aims to integrate sustainable development, which induces the inclusion of sustainable environmental and natural resources management.
 
The drafting process of SCADD provides an ideal entry point to ensure operational mainstreaming of P-E links into national development activities, from the planning stage to their operational funding and implementation.
The UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (UNDP-UNEP PEI) provides the government with technical and financial support to ensure the integration of environment for sustainable development in the national planning and budgeting processes as targeted by the SCADD.
B. Background: The Poverty-Environment Initiative UNDP-UNEP (UNDP-UNEP PEI)
 
Planned for an initial period of about 3 years, the PEI-Burkina Faso programme will conduct a set of strategic activities identified as necessary for the completion of the integration of P-E links into national, sectoral and decentralized planning processes (and related budgeting processes).
Initial support will target the formulation of the SCADD through:
  • Conducting a range of specific studies and assessments to generate country specific:
  • Evidence on P-E linkages and enhance national knowledge and awareness P-E issues;
  • Developing a range of P-E mainstreaming tools (including monitoring and evaluation) and;
  • Capacity building. 
The UNDP-UNEP PEI is a global joint programme aiming at establishing sustainable institutional processes for P-E mainstreaming within government structures. It aims to (i) mobilize national planning and finance authorities to reduce poverty and stimulate growth through by better taking into account P-E links and (ii) strengthen the role of environmental institutions and non-governmental actors in decision making. To this end, UNDP and UNEP have developed a programmatic model (i) based on the participatory approach and (ii) feeding into the existing national processes (see www.unpei.org).

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Based in the UNDP Country Office, the Poverty-Environment Expert will be responsible for the implementation of the PEI-Burkina Faso programme. He / she will guide the P-E mainstreaming process and coordinate the PEI-Burkina Faso activities in close collaboration with the national PEI team. He / she will provide technical support to the implementation of PEI-Burkina Faso monitor (ensure quality control of) the work implemented by national PEI team and all consultants recruited under the programme.
  • As an advisor to the SCADD’s Technical Committee for UNDP, he / she will work closely with UNDP’s Economic and Environment Units to support the drafting process of the SCADD.
  • The P-E expert will also support the integration of P-E links during the formulation of Burkina Faso’s upcoming UNDAF.
  • The P-E expert will constantly analyze Burkina Faso’s political, economic and social conditions and provide support and advice on technical and strategic interactions between poverty and environment to the government (especially the Ministry of Finance and Planning, the Ministry of Environment and their institutions) and to UN Coordination and UNDP-Burkina Faso.
  • He / she will work closely with the various actors involved in the development of SCADD (including the SCADD Secretariat, its permanent cell and Thematic Sectoral Committees), the staff from the Ministry of Environment (MECV) and its Permanent Secretariat of the National Council for Environment and Sustainable Development (SP-CONEDD), the Ministry of Finance/Planning (MEF) and its Directorate General for Economy and Planning (DGEP), UNDP, the regional UNDP-UNEP PEI-Africa Team (located in Nairobi, Kenya), other agencies of the United Nations (especially the UNCT), civil society and development partners (notably through Environment and Rural Development donor groups) to ensure the successful implementation of the PEI-Burkina Faso programme.
Responsibilities / Key Tasks:
 
Under the overall responsibility of the Resident Representative and direct supervision of the UNDP Country Director in Burkina Faso and in close collaboration with the National PEI Coordinator, the national PEI team, S/Ms of UNDP’s Economic and Environment Units and the team UNDP-UNEP PEI-Africa, the P-E expert will have the following responsibilities:
  • Provide strategic and technical support to the implementation of the PEI-Burkina Faso programme
    Provide support for effective programme management for PEI-Burkina Faso focusing on quality control and monitoring-evaluation.
  • Contribute to strengthening capacities of national actors and stakeholders of the PEI-Burkina Faso programme
    Establish strategic partnerships and synergies for integrating poverty-environment into decision-making, planning and budgeting in Burkina Faso in view to ensure sustainability of the results of the PEI-Burkina Faso programme. 
  • Provide strategic and technical support for the successful implementation of PEI-Burkina Faso in view to integrate poverty-environment linkages into decision-making, planning and budgeting:
  • Identify strategic areas of support and priority interventions for achieving the objectives of PEI-Burkina Faso; 
  • Identify and synthesize best practices (national and international) and lessons directly related to the objectives of PEI-Burkina Faso to inform and guide the P-E mainstreaming process;
  • Analyze the political, social, environmental and economic trends and conditions and prepare strategic and technical briefing notes (including by using the results of various studies and assessments conducted by the PEI-Burkina Faso programme and other partners during the SCADD process ) for policy makers, stakeholders involved in the SCADD process and the UN Coordinator and UNDP-to Burkina Faso to influence the integration of poverty-environment linkages in the SCADD process, sectoral strategies/policies and the UNDAF, CPD and CPAP;
  • Provide information and advocacy for better consideration of poverty-environment into decision-making, planning and budgeting;
  • Promote, in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners, development policies and the strengthening and / or the emergence of institutions for poverty-environment mainstreaming in the country’s decision-making, planning and budgeting processes. 
  • Provide support for effective management of PEI-Burkina Faso, focusing on quality control and monitoring-evaluation:
  • Introduce performance indicators / success criteria for PEI-Burkina Faso;
  • Provide strong guidance for the preparation of annual work plans, timelines for activities, procurement plans and annual budgets for PEI-Burkina Faso (in collaboration with the national PEI team, UNDP focal points and the PEII-Africa team) and revisions (identify financial and operational problems and develop solutions);
  • Ensure the implementation of activities under the project logical framework and annual work plans and timelines for program activities;
  • Participate in the preparation of terms of reference for activities to be undertaken and ensure the quality of reporting (in collaboration with the national PEI team and PEI-Africa);
  • Participate in recruitment processes for PEI-Burkina Faso activities;
  • Supervise and guide national and international consultants working for PEI-Burkina Faso;
  • Ensure timely and quality reporting (financial reports and technical progress reports);
  • Monitor and analyze PEI- Burkina Faso and assess its impact.
  • Contribute to strengthening the capacities of national actors and stakeholders of the program IPE-Burkina Faso:
  • In cooperation with stakeholders, identify capacity building needs and conduct training courses, workshops and exchange visits on integrating poverty-environment into decision-making, planning and budgeting for PEI-Burkina Faso’s key stakeholders, particularly in the process of SCADD;
  • Strengthen capacity of key national stakeholders (including members of the SCADD. 
  • Secretariat, its permanent cell and Thematic Sectoral Committees, officials and technical staff from  MECV/DEP, SP/CONEDD and MEF/DGEP) (i) for a better understanding of poverty-environment linkages and related impacts of policies/decisions and (ii) for the use of P-E mainstreaming and related M&E tools (such capacity building will include on-the-job capacity building for the SCADD’s permanent cell and Sectoral Ministries).
  • Establish strategic partnerships and synergies for integrating poverty-environment into decision-making, planning and budgeting and strengthening institutions and long-term capacity building to ensure sustainability of the results of PEI-Burkina Faso:
  • Promote ownership and understanding of the PEI-Burkina Faso programme by national institutions (including through active participation in sectoral thematic consultations);
  • Provide guidance to the government to strengthen ties between the MEF and MECV and make a plea to bring the sector ministries to better address P-E issues in their activities;
  • Strengthen the linkages and synergies / partnerships with international financial institutions and development partners in Burkina Faso (including through Environment and Rural Development donor groups), private sector and civil society in view of: (i) their active involvement/participation the P-E mainstreaming process and (ii) ensuring sustainability of activities undertaken by PEI-Burkina Faso, including through supporting government and UN in developing new proposals and the mobilization of additional resources for longer term continued efforts for P-E mainstreaming and its operationalization. Particular attention will be given to developing synergies and partnerships with other UN agencies (including non-resident agencies e.g. UNEP);
  • Develop partnerships with the national scientific community and research centers for their involvement and contribution to the PEI-Burkina Faso activities in view to strengthen ownership and capacity building in terms of P-E analysis;
  • Encourage collaboration between UNDP’s Economic and Environment Units to ensure synergies between their programs for the benefit of PEI-Burkina Faso’s long term objectives;
  • Contribute to UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Facility’s Knowledge Network by sharing lessons learned, results and best practices of PEI-Burkina Faso;
  • Document the achievements of PEI-Burkina Faso for wide distribution. 

Competencies

Communication and partnerships:
  • Excellent command of French and preferably English;
  • Excellent writing skills and ease of articulating ideas clearly and concisely;
  • Excellent oral communication and advocacy skills with a wide range of stakeholders, government, United Nations officials, donors and NGOs;
  • Excellent skills in terms of strategic and policy advice;
  • Ability to establish lasting relationships with key stakeholders, create partnerships and mobilizing political, technical and financial support;
  • Planning, analysis and problem solving:
  • Good analytical skills and ability to identify and solve problems;
  • Proven ability to work under tight deadlines, prioritising between competing tasks;
  • Ability to manage complex situations with calmness and serenity.
Teamwork:
  • Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team;
  • Ability to lead teams effectively and competently.
Professionalism: 
  • Respect and integrity to UN values and ethical standards;
  • Ability to treat all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Demonstrate a constructive and positive energy in their work approach.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Masters or equivalent in environmental sciences and / or economics specializing on issues of sustainable development.
Experience :
  • The P-E Expert must demonstrate professional experience of at least 7 years in the field of development planning and sustainable development (with minimum 5 years experience on development programs in West Africa):
  • Proven experience in the field of environmental management, development planning processes and sustainable development (with emphasis on PRSPs/NDPs and MDGs) in West Africa;
  • Experience with environmental mainstreaming in decision-making, planning and budgeting at national and decentralized levels; 
  • Mastery of the conceptual framework and policies governing the poverty-environment linkages and the potential role of sustainable management of the environment in relation to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
  • Experience working with government institutions (ministries) preferably in the fields of environment, economy and planning;
  • Experience in strategic planning after managing for results, formulation, management and administration, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects;
  • Experience working with the UN system or projects of the World Bank.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in both French and English required. Knowledge of another UN language desirable. 

N.B.: Before to go with the recruitment process, the authenticity of university degrees of shortlisted candidtes will be checked