Background

UNDP’s Environment and Energy Group (EEG) is based in the Bureau for Development Policy and is responsible for providing leadership and technical support to delivery of the Environment and Sustainable Development pillar of UNDP’s 2008-11 Strategic Plan. EEG’s main focus is helping countries develop capacity to fully incorporate environmental sustainability into development at national and local, but also global and regional, levels. The four principal areas of work are environmental mainstreaming, environmental finance, adaptation to climate change, and local governance of resources, including energy.
 
There is increasing concern that climate change, including variability, could undermine the achievement of a number of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), most notably in poverty reduction. This is particularly true for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which are most likely to bear the brunt of climate change, yet are least equipped to adapt. Consequently, developing countries are increasingly turning their attention to the formulation of comprehensive approaches to address climate change, in particular the human development and economic implications, and the investment decisions that need to be made to implement these.
 
UNDP Country Offices are, in consequence, receiving an increasing number of national requests for assistance with understanding the implications of climate change on national development and preparing integrated strategies and plans to manage anticipated challenges and opportunities. UNDP has played an important role assisting countries to access and deliver climate change financing, as implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), joint manager of the National Communications Support Programme, and by delivering initiatives like MDG Carbon, Capacity Development for Policy Makers, the MDG Achievement Fund, Africa Adaptation Programme, CC-DARE, UN REDD, and Carbon Neutral and Climate Resilient Territories. Yet at the same time, UNDP must further strengthen its climate change policy advisory capacity – particularly to support LDCs.
 
Acknowledging the need to incorporate climate change concerns into the design and implementation of its core development assistance at the national, regional and global levels, UNDP approved a $5.6 million strategic initiative to provide climate change capacity building to LDCs over 2010-11, termed “Boots on the Ground”. The purpose of the Boots programme is to support selected LDCs with a package of focused climate change services. Under the programme, National Officers will be hired in 24 Country Offices to support governments by:
  • 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.
The National Officers will be backstopped by four regional policy specialists on climate change, based in UNDP Regional Service Centres and Sub-Centres. The Policy Specialists will complement and strengthen a team of Policy Advisors already active in the regions – particularly the five undertaking complementary work programmes under the EEG project, Integrating Climate Change Risks into Development Planning and Programming (ICCPP). 
 
At the HQ level, a three-person team led by the Global Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating and disseminating the policy, technical, and methodological guidance to the Boots cohort, ensuring consistent and coherent application at the regional and country levels. The HQ team will also lead knowledge management and reporting activities under the Programme, and provide technical backstopping and training services, as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:
 
The Global Coordinator will be responsible for overall programme management, including guidance to the four regional policy specialists. S/he will report to the EEG Practice Manager. The Global Coordinator’s primary roles are to ensure policy coherence between HQ, the regional specialists and Country Offices, and oversee two staff that will lead the knowledge management, communications, and training functions. 

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.
 Project Management & Budget Management Functions
  • 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).
Impact of Results:
 
As a result of this initiative, multiple capacities will be enhanced. Through the Regional Policy Specialists, the UNDP Country Offices supported will be better placed to deliver UN climate change activities in-country, including decision-making; short, medium and long-term planning; improved business results; and client services. Accurate analysis, production and presentation of strategic information will strengthen decision-making and promote timely positioning and readjustment of UNDP programme management. Through the HQ activities, UNDP will also obtain a suite of knowledge products, trainings, and success stories for corporate use.

Competencies

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
  • 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.
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.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  •  Masters degree in environment, energy, economics, business, or a closely related field.
 
Experience and requirements:
  • 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.