UNDP Jobs - 105672- IC/016/22 - International Technical Advisor

IC/016/22 - International Technical Advisor

Location :

Home-based with at least 2 missions to Uzbekistan

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

02-May-2022

Application Deadline :

11-Apr-22 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

50 w/d

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

May – August 2022

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP supports the Government of Uzbekistan in revisiting and increasing the ambition of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement in the light of the targets set by the government by 2025.

An important step towards including climate change considerations across national policy areas was the adoption of the Strategy for the transition of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the “green” economy, 2019-2030. Climate change has been addressed, to some extent, in the Uzbekistan Agri-food Development Strategy 2020-2030.

The Government of Uzbekistan is currently implementing Uzbek Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation System (UAKIS) Strategy and Roadmap which aims to provide effective solutions to overcome challenges faced by farmers and agri-food businesses. A range of financial and technical assistance support is being mobilized to facilitate the process, focused primarily upon knowledge development and accelerating learning in the first stages of development. To complement this approach, more direct support for the development and promotion of innovation is needed.

The intention of the EU-funded UNDP UAKIS project is to establish a range of Agri-food Innovation Support and Brokering Services that will play a crucial role in galvanizing local knowledge and capacities and getting many worthwhile practical projects off the ground, accelerating the process by which ideas can be turned into innovations and used by farmers and agri-businesses to respond to the growing threats caused by climate change, boost rural livelihoods and promote sustainable resource use and protection.

The project intends to bring up European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP) expertise in different countries and ensure transfer of EU knowledge and technologies on climate resilient agriculture.

For that purpose, UNDP is looking for an International Technical Advisor (hereafter Advisor) who will support the project technically to ensure transformation of Uzbekistan’s food and agriculture sector towards climate resilient and low-carbon development. The Advisor will complement the UNDP project team, which consists from a National Project Coordinator, a Task Manager on Capacity Building, Specialists on Agricultural Innovation Support, and Field Assistants in each of the project pilot sites.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Advisor will be responsible for the providing technical guidance to the project that aimed at supporting the government in transformation of Uzbekistan’s food and agriculture sector towards climate resilient, nature-positive and low-carbon development. The Advisor will take responsibility for providing technical support to the project in line with its objective and performance indicators. The Advisor will be responsible for establishing a close coordination and synergies between the project and the research and integrated planning components of the NAP process in Uzbekistan, facilitation of enhanced coordination and new partnerships with various EU partners with relevant government institutions. The Advisor will contribute to progress and final reports of the Action, technical papers, publications, implementation of the Communication strategy, and provide other required inputs. The Advisor will work closely with relevant partners in identifying partnership strategies with regard to providers of specialized expertise, and implementing possible synergies with donors funded projects.

Key tasks of the Advisor as follows:

Through technical backstopping, mentoring, and creative leadership, bringing his/her cumulative experience in EIP to the project.
Provide regular advice to the Project National Coordinator and Task Manager on Capacity Building on issues that need particular attention, on priorities of issues that require analysis and/or decisions, or on gaps and/or barriers to the project that the Advisor feels may require attention.
Provide guidance and support to the National Project Coordinator in monitoring of the project progress against the initial quality criteria, analysis of problems that hamper implementation of activities/components and taking appropriate measures to ensure timely delivery of required inputs and achievement of project-wide results.
Bringing up appropriate EU knowledge, technologies and best practices on climate resilient and nature-positive agriculture to be transferred to relevant national institutions, pilot communities, and other stakeholders.
Engagement of international experts for designing training modules that will be targeted to increase capacities on the practical realization of innovative projects at smallholder and family farmers, farmer cooperatives, and micro-agri-business.
Facilitate coordination and new partnerships facilitated between various EU partners and relevant national government and non-government institutions in line with the project priorities.
Provide required support: in the process of establishment and operationalization of Operational Groups in at least 1 of the UAKIS defined regions; in animating bottom-up initiatives, refining innovative ideas, finding partners and preparing solid project proposals by Operational Groups as an innovative solution or opportunity. All required support provided for successful implementation of innovative projects and initiatives by Operational Groups in the project pilot regions’ contexts with given consideration to their climate change implications, existing and potential issues in natural resources management, rural development, and agricultural activities.
Ensure strong liaison with EU expertise on establishing and operationalization of Operational groups around various challenges.
Support in identifying and formalizing of innovation project proposals aimed at demonstrating solutions in reduced GHG emissions, enhanced climate resilience, reduced impacts on natural capital and ecosystem services, promotion of net-zero solutions (both for climate and nature, including through repurposing of fiscal incentives to producers), reduced losses, enhanced agricultural productivity and farm incomes.
Support in establishing partnership between the project and the financing sector (public and private) to transform the financing of innovation and repurpose financial flows from climate- and nature-negative to positive impacts.
Contribute to progress and final reports of the project, technical papers, publications, implementation of the Communication strategy, and knowledge products.
Support to UNDP provided in identifying partnership strategies regarding providers of specialized expertise and possible co-financiers, resource mobilization for project components, and implementing possible synergies with donors funded projects.
Perform other duties as required to ensure achievement of the project objectives and under the request of the National Project Coordinator

Competencies

Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work under pressure;
Excellent communications, negotiation and presentation skills;
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Good analytical and writing skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree or bachelor’s degree in economics, agriculture, agricultural economics, natural resource management, climate change, green development or a closely related field, or another field combined with relevant work experience.

Work experience:

At least 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years of experience (with bachelor’s degree), preferably in the implementation of natural resource management/agriculture/climate change/green development projects.
At least 6 years of experience in implementing Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation Systems or agriculture extension and business advisory service.
Proven knowledge of the EU EIP-AGRI Innovation Partnership framework experience and activities, and lessons learnt.
Experience in establishment, operationalization of action and result-oriented Operational Groups within the EU EIP-AGRI Innovation Partnership framework will be considered an advantage.
Experience in providing support, facilitation of implementation of innovative projects and initiatives by Operational Groups in EU countries, which worked out in similar development contexts, including exposure to climate change implications, with various issues in natural resources management, rural development, and agricultural sector will be considered an advantage.
Experience in gender mainstreaming in the context of climate change, natural resources management and other relevant areas is required.

Knowledge of languages:

Fluency in English both oral and written. Knowledge of Uzbek and/or Russian is desirable.

Computer skills:

Proficiency in the work with Microsoft Packages and IT skills.

Application Process:

Interested candidates need to apply online at www.jobs.undp.org and upload requested documents in Part 4 of Procurement Notice no later than 11th of April 2022 (New York time). Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows you to upload a maximum one document. Your on-line application submission will be acknowledged to your email address provided in application. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. Link to application at the UNDP Job Site - https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=105672 (cut and paste into browser address bar if the link does not work).

You can review detailed Procurement Notice, Terms of Reference and download templates from the UNDP Procurement Notices Site following the link: http://procurementnotices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=89546 (cut and paste into browser address bar if the link does not work).

Applications submitted via email, incomplete applications or received after the closing date (11th of April 2022) may not be given consideration.

For more detailed information about UNDP Uzbekistan please visit our website at www.uz.undp.org. UNDP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified female candidates, people with disabilities, and minorities are highly encouraged to apply. UNDP Balance in Manage Policy promotes achievement of gender balance among its staff at all levels. Requests for clarification must be sent in writing to pu.uz@undp.org, ensuring that the reference number above is included in the subject line. UNDP shall endeavor to provide such responses to clarifications in an expeditious manner, but any delay in such response shall not cause an obligation on the part of UNDP to extend the submission date of the Proposals, unless UNDP deems that such an extension is justified and necessary.