Background

Article 13 of the Paris Agreement provides the outline for an enhanced transparency framework (ETF) for countries through which they can report on the actions they take related to climate change action and support needed, provided and received. UNDP has been supporting countries across the world in establishing and improving ETF, as well as achieving reporting obligations to the UNFCCC (National Communications, Biennial Update Reports and Biennial Transparency Reports), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

At COP26, the guidance for operationalizing the modalities, procedures and guidelines for the enhanced transparency framework was adopted. Common reporting tables for GHG inventories, common tabular formats for information necessary to track progress in implementing and achieving NDCs and outlines for BTRs, National Inventory Documents and Technical Expert Review Reports were adopted. The Convention further emphasized the need for financial and technical support to coutries to develop these BTRs and encouraged the GEF and development partners to provide this support.  

Further, led by UNDP’s Climate Policy and Strategies Team, the “Climate Promise” initiative is the world’s largest offer of support to countries on NDC enhancement and has contributed to an increase of climate mitigation and adaptation ambition. At COP26, the second phase of the Climate Promise was launched – entitled:  From Pledge to Impact.  This phase will continue the momentum of the first phase and focus on supporting countries to implement their NDCs and enable achievement of targets.  One of the most critical challenges to countries in designing and delivering their NDC targets is effective data and transparency. The ability to track, monitor and report on NDC progress directly informs an understanding and ability to advance ambition in subsequent NDC revisions. As such, data and transparency have become a critical workstream within UNDP’s Climate Promise.

As part of this umbrella initiative, the Government of Beligum has approved a contribution of 1.2 million euros to provide capacity building support on transparency to lusophone and francophone countries and foster south/ south exchanges. The project, “Enhancing climate transparency in developing countries – a contribution to the Climate Promise”, has as a primary objective to provide targeted countries with effective governance and enabling environment over time, to accelerate and scale NDC implementation, by providing streamlined support and capacity building on data and transparency. This will be delivered at the country and regional level with a focus on francophone and lusophone countries.

As such, UNDP is seeking a seasoned professional to manage the project “Enhancing Climate Transparency in Developing Countries” and to serve as Transparency and Reporting Advisor for the broader Climate Promise initiative. The position is housed in UNDP’s Climate Policy and Strategies Team within the Bureau of Policy and Programme Support.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager and Transparency advisor will carry out both project management tasks as well as technical and strategic functions, with an estimated distribution of labor of 50% technical support and 50% coordination-management tasks. This position is expected to be home-based. The incumbent will report to the Climate Change Integrated Strategies Specialist in the Climate Policy and Strategies Team and will work in close collaboration with and supervise the work of two network coordinators (for the lusophone cluster and the francophone clusters) under the project.

The project manager and transparency advisor is expected to coordinate closely with GIZ under the PATPA[1], CITEPA[2], and the UNEP-led global project “Capacity-Building Initiative on Transparency Phase II”, particularly in the roll-out of the support to the regional networks.

Lastly, the project manager and transparency advisor will liaise closely with others in UNDP working on transparency and reporting issues, such as the Climate and Forests Team, as well as a team of technical advisors overseeing the UNDP/GEF global portfolio of projects on reporting obligations to the UNFCCC and CBIT.

Project management tasks for the “Enhancing Climate Transparency in Developing Countries” project

  • Design an annual work plan to deliver the activities expected under the project, collaborating closely with the francophone and lusophone network coordinators and in consultation with UNEP;
  • Draft terms of reference, identify and lead the contracting for subcontracts and relevant procurements under the project;
  • Perform quarterly progress reporting to the Lead Technical Advisor on Data and Transparency;
  • Supervise the two network cluster coordinators and other project support consultants recruited to deliver on the project’s activities;
  • Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified and submit any new risks to the Project Steering Committee for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the project risks log;
  • Produce annual report, as per donor and UNDP requirements;
  • Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in delivery of the project, as well as inform and engage the Project Steering Committee;
  • Work closely with other partners (UNEP, PATPA, CITEPA, UNFCCC, GEF) to ensure their involvement in project activities.

Data and Transparency advisory tasks for the Climate Promise

  • Provide strategic and thought leadership on Transparency, and Reporting including to inform training workshops and knowledge products expected under the project and through UNDP’s broader Climate Promise support, with a focus on tracking of NDC progress (this would require coordination with other teams within UNDP such as Climate and Forests, Adaptation and Mitigation vertical funds teams, and the Energy Hub);
  • Lead the development of guidelines, manuals and other programmatic tools to assist countries in preparing their NCs and BTRs, taking into account lessons from BURs;
  • Provide technical assistance to country teams in the field on national MRV systems (design, implementation and review), in response to country needs and defined workplans under UNDP portfolio;
  • Identify and capture capacity building and technical backstopping support needs to inform UNDP’s offer to countries on Transparency and Reporting;
  • Establish a roster of experts on Transparency and Reporting who can be deployed to support countries when necessary
  • Provide technical reviews of the Mitigation assessments or chapters in BURs and BTRs, on an ad hoc basis;
  • Provide inputs to the identification, organization and roll-out of Climate Promise workshops on Data and Transparency related issues at the global, regional and national levels, as needed;
  • Support the development of BTR, NC, and CBIT proposals to the GEF (on-demand basis);
  • Support the development of Climate Promise communication pieces and content to the website, on Data and Transparency;
  • Develop project outreach and public relations materials, including material and side events at the UNFCCC COPs;
  • Keeps the Climate Promise platform updated with the transparency portfolio information.

Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent will report to the Climate Change Integrated Strategies Specialist in the Climate Policy and Strategies Team in UNDP BPPS (HQ).

 

[1] Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement (transparency-partnership.net)

[2] Citepa - Données et expertise Air & Climat

 

Competencies

Core Competencies:

  • Innovation – Ability to make new and useful ideas work
  • Leadership – Ability to persuade others to follow
  • People Management – Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
  • Communication – Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
  • Delivery – Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

Master’s degree in Environmental Management, Natural Sciences, Forestry, Climate change policy/climate change science or other closely related field.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

7 years

Required  skills and competencies

  • Minimum eight years of professional working experience in fields related to climate change, climate vulnerability and adaptation or closely related issues;
  • At least eight years of experience working on National Communications and Biennial Reports, MRV systems, NAMAs, NAPs, and/or GHG inventories at the national or international level. In particular, this includes:
  • Expertise in planning, preparing, and reviewing National Greenhouse Inventories and National Inventory Reports
  • Expertise in preparing and undertaking Technical Reviews of BURs and National Inventory Reports, GHG emission trends and projections as well their effects on policies and measures
  • Experience on Technical review of financial support, technology transfer and capacity-building
  • Experience in development, implementation and review of national or international MRV systems
  • Demonstrated experience in managing multi-year projects with a global outreach in the field of climate change (at least 2 projects);
  • Demonstrated experience in designing and/or conducting capacity building activities
  • Experience working with international and national climate change- focused ecosystem of NGOs, think tanks, UN agencies, UNFCCC consultative groups and partnerships (PATPA), bilateral and multilateral donors, and/or multilateral vertical funds (GEF, GCF);
  • Excellent organizational, diplomatic, networking, conflict resolution and communication skills;
  • Proven understanding of the UNFCCC negotiation process, reporting requirements, funding mechanisms, and other related issues;

 

Desired additional skills and competencies

  • Demonstrated work experience in developing Lusophone or Francophone countries is an asset. 
  • Experience with the GEF, preferably including at both project formulation and implementation levels, is advantageous;
  • Work experience within UNDP is an asset.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

  • Excellent (fluency) verbal and written communication in English, and
  • Excellent (fluency) verbal and written communication in French and/ or Portuguese

Professional Certificates

Being a member of the roster of the UNFCCC MRV/ETF Transparency Division of the Mitigation, Data and Analysis Programme will be considered an asset.

 

 

Travel:   

a) UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.

b) Include any official travel expected to be associated with performing the functions – COVID- permitting the incumbent is expected to travel to deliver at least two in-person workshop in one of the cluster countries

 

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

  1. 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 at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
  2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
  3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as  reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.