Background

Instructions to Applicants:  Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, résume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that your CV or P11 and the cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate, and the contact details for three (3) most recent professional references which may include previous supervisors and peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

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UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes and assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

Climate change mitigation – or reducing greenhouse gas emissions - is essential to fulfilling commitments to the Paris Agreement and limiting the global mean temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. UNDP, with more than 280 climate change mitigation projects and programs in over 110 countries, is a key actor supporting countries in their emission reduction plans, contributing to ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions.  Activities in energy, as well as forests and agriculture, will be critical to meeting global mitigation objectives. 

UNDP’s approach to forestry aligns with the SDG 15 and contributes to UNDP's 'signature solution' on environment and nature-based solutions for development. Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for more than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and it is clear that the stabilization of global temperatures cannot be achieved without reducing emissions from the forest sector. UNDP's Climate and Forests programme supports countries to conserve and sustainably manage forests and ensure sustainable and equitable development paths that lead towards carbon neutrality. More information here: www.climateandforests-undp.org

Forests support up to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity and can offset up to one-third of the carbon emissions to reach the climate commitments. However, forest sector receive about 1% of total climate finance. The engagement of private sector companies with ambitious mitigation targets related to forests can contribute to cover this gap.

On 24th September 2018, a global Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Eni s.P.a and UNDP. The MoU provides a framework of cooperation and facilitates and strengthens collaboration between the two institutions. Stemming from this global MoU and following a meeting between the CEO of Eni and the President of the Republic of Ghana on October 3rd, 2018, Ghana became the first country to operationalize the MoU and initiate concrete collaborations.

Through a Development Services Agreement with Eni,  the UNDP’s Climate and Forests Programme Team based on its expertise garnered over the last 10 years with REDD+  will  develop, for Eni,  a large climate mitigation programme in the AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use) and energy sectors in Ghana. This integrated REDD+ programme will address the drivers of deforestation, forest degradation and the barriers to the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks while also promoting energy efficiency in Ghana.

Financial planning should be part of the Jurisdictional REDD+ Programme development process. Before the financial planning can start in earnest, a clear understanding of what is required to address the drivers of deforestation and degradation at multiple scales and across multiple agents will be required. This information will be available including the activities that will change behaviors to protect and enhance forests and support other sustainable sand productive land uses.

Once completed the financing plan will reflect the economics of what is required to implement the jurisdictional REDD+ Programme. The financing plan will be developed alongside the process of designing what is needed to implement the REDD+ Strategy and make it operational at this subsidiary level.

An Operations Plan will accompany the Financial Plan and any new requirements from the perspective of the governments and principal land managers will be clearly identified.

The jurisdictional programme will be implemented in the context of the National REDD+ Strategy which has set in motion a set of policies and measures for REDD+. Gaps will be identified at the activity level related to unfavorable market and industry conditions, policies, regulations, and competitive factors for production and livelihood needs. It is in this context that these gaps will create incremental budgetary needs to business-as-usual operations and should be incorporated into the financial and operational plan.

Duties and Responsibilities

The activities will include a consultative process with local and national stakeholders, participation from the key actors and capacity building of host institutions as required.  The mitigation programme builds on the policies and measures included in Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and its REDD+ strategy whilst ensuring compliance with UNDP’s social and environmental and fiduciary management standards and other relevant market-based provisions.  Specifically, the selected candidate will conduct the following tasks:

1. Collection of data on land use data relating to Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities

• Review of land use activities observed in reference and program periods to collect data on land use and associated socioeconomic variables.
• Collection of physical and socioeconomic data of land use activities in the reference and program periods from official, primary and secondary sources.

2. Organization of data and information on land use and land use change

• Review of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities to identify data gaps and inconsistencies.
• Organization of data and information on land use and land use change during reference period.
• Organization of data and information on the land use activities proposed in support of REDD+ and sustainable land use during program period.
• Compilation of activity data on land use and land use change and emission factor data in reference and program periods.

3. Estimation of costs and benefits of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program

• Compilation of data on cost norms adopted by public and private entities for land use activities in reference and program periods.
• Assessment of different categories of costs (institutional costs, implementation costs, transaction costs and opportunity costs); and revenue streams associated with reference and program periods. The FCPF Cost Elements Assessment Tool12 and the Manual of FCPF Cost Elements Assessment Tool provide guidelines to assess costs and revenues of REDD+ activities. Guidelines of the manual can be used to assess costs and revenues of other land use activities of Jurisdictional REDD+ Programs covered under the BioCarbon Fund ISFL.
• Estimation of costs and revenues of land use activities per hectare, annual and total costs (institutional costs, implementation costs, transaction costs) and revenues of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program. Guidance on quantification of program costs using FCPF Cost Elements Assessment Tool can be provided by the Facility/Fund Management Team (FMT) of the FCPF and BioCF ISFL.
• Quantification of socioeconomic costs and benefits (income, employment etc.) of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities at per hectare, province and overall program contexts.

4. Assessment of sources and amounts of financing

• Review of financing of ongoing and proposed forestry, agriculture and other land use programs involving government, bilateral, multilateral, and private sector funding in support of REDD+ and sustainable land use to assess magnitude of secured and unsecured financing available to an Jurisdictional REDD+ Program, including financing to ongoing programs that are complementary to an Jurisdictional REDD+ Program.
• Identification of secured, unsecured and potential sources and amounts of financing from government, bilateral, multilateral, and other public/private sources.
• Collection of data on amounts of financing from government, bilateral, multilateral, private and other sources for the activities of an Jurisdictional REDD+ Program.
• Estimation of source-wise financing for Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities.

5. Analysis of financing surplus or gap

• Analysis of cash flow and sources of financing to assess surplus or gap in Jurisdictional REDD+ Program financing.
• Estimation of financing gap, if any, for implementing Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities.

6. Identification of options for addressing financing gap

• Review of options to address financing gap of an Jurisdictional REDD+ Program.
• Assessment of public and private financing sources of financing, including alternative sources (e.g. bonds, guarantees, payment for ecosystem services etc.) feasible.
• Identification of sources of financing to address financing gap.

7. Arrangements on flow of funds

• Review and analysis of institutional arrangements for flow of funds from existing and potential financing sources for implementation of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities.
• Description of institutional arrangements for flow of funds to an Jurisdictional REDD+ Program.

8. Conduct financial and economic analysis of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities

• Conduct financial analysis to estimate the net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) of land use activities associated with reference and program periods.
• Conduct financial and economic analysis of costs and benefits of reference and program periods considering costs and benefits (income, employment etc.) associated with land use activities of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program to national economy.

9. Sensitivity analysis of program financing

• Conduct sensitivity analysis of costs and revenue/benefit streams of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program activities.
• Analysis of variables influencing program costs and benefits.
• Assessment of potential impact of changes in costs, revenues and financing sources on the performance of an Jurisdictional REDD+ Program.

10. Preparation of financing plan of Jurisdictional REDD+ Program

• Preparation of financing plan covering costs and revenues of program activities, sources of financing, assessment of financing surplus or gap, options to address financing gap, conduct of financial and economic analysis, and sensitivity analysis of costs, revenues and sources of program financing.
• Preparation of spreadsheet annexes with data and presentation of financial and economic analysis and other supporting documentation of financing plan.
• Description of linkages between operational and financial planning and fund flow arrangements

Institutional Arrangement

This assignment is home-based. The selected candidate will be supervised by, and report to the Global Advisor, Climate and Forests Programme, UNDP BPPS.  S/he will work closely with the Ghanaian Government counterparts, and especially colleagues at the Forestry Commission working on financial planning, the UNDP Country Office, the Ghana Eni country Office, and the Climate and Forests Regional Technical Specialist.

Travel

If required, and subject to (local) Covid health permission, UNDP will cover travel costs to field missions within Ghana, and will be processed in accordance with UNDP travel policy.

Competencies

UN CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients " and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

A written technical test will be conducted for shortlisted candidates, to assess the knowledge and technical suitability of the candidate to be selected.