Background
- providing policy support on specific climate change areas;
- helping coordinate and integrate UN/DP and other relevant climate change programming at the national level, including GEF projects;
- ensuring climate change considerations are fully integrated into UN programming instruments (such as UN Development Assistance Frameworks) and national strategic planning documents, such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers;
- promoting cross-practice collaboration on climate change within UNDP (poverty, governance, capacity development, gender) and across the UN system.
Duties and Responsibilities
Policy Coherence and Programme Support to Regional Policy Advisors
- Coordinate timely guidance and support from HQ to Regional Policy Specialists as they engage in the climate change policy dialogues at the national level with key partners such as governments, donors, civil society, ensuring adherence with, and consistent and integrated application of HQ/global approaches, methodologies, and strategies;
- Coordinate HQ support on specific climate change policy issues related to preparing for a post-2012 institutional and financial regime, ensuring consistency with international climate policy guidance provided by HQ;
- Coordinate briefings from HQ regarding the formulation of national low carbon and climate resilient development strategies, building on methodologies developed by EEG;
- Coordinate briefings on HQ guidance to build capacity of governments in programming climate change related resources and provide advice on the effective use and management of different climate financing mechanisms, including national multi-donor climate funds;
- Coordinate briefings on HQ guidance on cross-practice pilot initiatives that can maximize synergies between climate change, gender, poverty, and MDG-related activities, including south-south cooperation and innovative clean technology options for energy access.
Knowledge Management, Networking, and Partnerships
- Provide substantive background on EEG HQ briefings to Regional Policy Specialists on the status of international climate change negotiations and other global and regional events and initiatives of strategic importance being implemented by UNDP and other UN organizations;
- Secure a flow of information between EEG HQ, Regional Service Centres, and Country Offices by putting in place mechanisms to ensure the region and Country Offices know about climate change related activities undertaken by EEG as well as by other UN bodies and major global and regional actors, while also delivering information on national needs for policy support to RSC Senior Management and EEG HQ.
- Liaise and coordinate with development partners (i.e. government, NGOs) and donors, supporting strategic alliances at the global level.
- Coordinate and/or provide substantive briefings on HQ technical and strategic position papers, presentations, advisory and briefing notes;
- Coordinate and/or provide substantive briefings on HQ policy briefs/position papers prepared in collaboration with other practices that address links between climate change and other development concerns such as governance, private sector, poverty alleviation, gender, crisis prevention and recovery, and capacity development.
- Support hiring of Regional Policy Specialists and National Officers under the programme;
- Ensure Regional Policy Specialists follow UNDP rules and regulations;
- Approve travel plans of the Policy Specialists, liaising with the EEG Director and Regional Practice Leaders; ensure policy advisors submit regular progress reports of deliverables against agreed work plans;
- Oversee project budget formulation and budget revisions within Atlas system; prepare for year-end closure of accounts in timely manner;
- Ensure records are maintained in Atlas so as to produce managerial information and other corporate reports on real time;
- Prepare project progress reports (quarterly and annual / financial and substantive).
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.
- Good oral communication skills and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors.
- Good written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.
- Demonstrated solid knowledge and relevant experience in climate change and international climate negotiation processes.
- Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high ranking members of national institutions, government and non-government.
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.
- 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.
Required Skills and Experience
- Masters degree in environment, energy, economics, business, or a closely related field.
- A minimum of 7 years relevant work experience on climate change and/or environment activities.
- Excellent knowledge of all thematic areas of climate change (adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer, and financing).
- Work experience in an international organization is required.
- Excellent knowledge of UNDP rules, regulations, policies and procedures is an asset.
- Demonstrated experience in project and budget management and leadership of teams is required.
- Experience in working and collaborating with governments on climate change issues, particularly in developing countries.
Language Requirements:
- Excellent knowledge of English, as well as writing, presentation and communication skills.
- Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.