Background

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

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

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.

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

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.

Office/Unit/Project Description 

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 works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS 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.

UNDP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlighting our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

Project Description

At the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) in Madrid (the United Nations Climate Change Conference), the Adaptation Fund launched a new US$10 million pilot grant programme to foster innovation in adaptation in developing countries. The programme targets a broad range of potential finance recipients, including non-governmental organizations, community groups, young innovators and the private sectors. The programme is part of the Adaptation Fund’s innovation facility, providing small grants to developing countries to support innovation for effective, long-term adaptation to climate change. UNDP acts as small grant aggregators for innovation in adaptation, making small grants available to a broad scope of stakeholders on a competitive basis. In January 2021, the European Commission and UNDP signed €10 million in funding for the UNDP-led Innovation Small Grant Aggregator Platform (ISGAP).

The AF-EU-UNDP Innovation Small Grant Aggregator Platform (ISGAP) is designed to support the development, diffusion and evidence building of innovative adaptation practices, tools, and technologies in developing countries. ISGAP programme is intended to provide 20-30 direct small grant fund to local entities (i.e. programme grantees).

The ISGAP Communications Analyst is responsible to design, implement and monitor ISGAP´s Communication and Visibility Plan. The analyst will be in charge of ISGAP´s public facing communication, including websites and social media, and in monitoring and capturing communication efforts throughout programme implementation. S/he will coordinate with programme partners to jointly organize knowledge  sharing  and  peer  learning  conference / webinars  for  communication and  cross  learning. S/he will also contribute to the generation of knowledge reports for dissemination locally and internationally.

Institutional Arrangement

The Analyst will report to the ISGAP Project Manager, under the guidance of the Regional Technical Specialist -Climate Finance and Investment. S/he will work closely with other staff in the UNDP Regional Hubs, HQ staff and counterparts as appropriate (grantees, responsible parties and partners).

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

General responsibilities

• To support the communication and diffusion of innovative adaptation practices, tools, and technologies, leveraging traditional communication channels, social media platforms and upcoming innovative communication approaches
• To communicate and share knowledge, best practices and lessons learned, to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the programme and adaptation practices and outcomes more generally;
• To highlight the contribution of the donors (European Union and Adaptation Fund) and other partners in supporting climate action and to position them as leaders in supporting adaptation;
• To disseminate viable adaptation solutions and success stories from communities and developing countries;
• To support South-South knowledge exchange with the knowledge management responsible party Global Resilience Partnership (GRP).

1. Communications strategy, action plan and monitoring

• The analyst will produce and implement a detailed communications strategy and action plan, which shows how project grantees demonstrate the donor’s contribution to locally-led action and adaptation innovation. The communications strategy needs to focus on reaching different target audiences, with an emphasis on two-way communication (in which the programme will monitor and respond to feedback);
• The communications strategy and action plan should consider the following themes and integrate them into programme communications: locally led action, adaptation innovation; contribution to UNDP’s strategic plan 2022-2025; social impact and contribution to SDGs;
• The analyst will monitor and capture communication efforts on an ongoing basis, and provide inputs to ISGAP´s quarterly and annual reports on number of outputs, reach (where possible to measure) and impact (qualitative examples and/or quantitative where possible).
• The analyst will liaise with UNDP´s and the donor´s communications officers, to ensure that communications comply with the expected quality standards, rules and procedures.

2. ISGAP´s public facing communications

• Communications around ISGAP will take a solutions-focused approach, highlighting results, success stories and positive messaging, with emphases on community-driven adaptation, innovation and voices. The analyst will elaborate public facing communication materials as more stories and impacts from the grantees are collected directly by ISGAP or though knowledge management partners;
• As far as possible, good quality visuals – including photos, graphics and video – will accompany project communications and bring to life activities on-the-ground. The analyst will be in charge of the design of these visuals and ensure their quality is in alignment with UNDP´s communications standards;
• Design and layout materials and templates (e.g. reports, posters, infographics, images, presentations, etc.) using a variety of software including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Word and PowerPoint for internal and external audiences, and for presentation, print and online use;
• Key moments for communication will include the awarding of individual grants, project inception, implementation of key milestones or achievements, and in particular, results at project completion.
• Lead the development and dissemination of outreach and promotional materials with consistent messaging, such as brochures, fact sheets, presentations and quarterly bulletins, event materials, briefing packets and press releases.
• The communications analyst will ensure to share communications products regularly with the donors, partners, UNDP Country Offices, national governments, private sector, NGOs/CSOs via appropriate channels.

3. ISGAP´s communications in social media

• The analyst will ensure that all stories, news, case studies and communications products related to the programme are hosted on UNDP’s global adaptation website at https://www.adaptation-undp.org/smallgrantaggregator/, and where relevant in the Adaptation Innovation Marketplace (AIM)´s website at https://adaptationinnovationmarketplace.org
• The analyst will ensure to disseminate online via UNDP and other UN channels, including website cross- promotion, social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube), newsletters and knowledge-sharing networks, including those managed by relevant and synergetic UNDP projects/programmes.  The designated hashtag #AFCIA will be used for all Twitter and LinkedIn posts in relation to the programme. Grantees will be advised to also use this hashtag in their own communications.

4. Provide communications advisory services to grantees

• The analyst will provide to each ISGAP grantee simple guidance on communications and visibility and will be offered support to develop an initial plan – including specifics around agreed communications deliverables, targets and indicators, and monitoring and measuring communication efforts by grantees. Materials produced will be highlighted through programme channels and shared with the donors;
• Leverage social media platforms, provide direct support to programme grantees on communication materials, and aggregate stories from the ground and elevate these stories and impacts to a global level;
• The analyst will work with project grantees to ensure and demonstrate the donor’s contribution to locally-led adaptation action.

5. Provide communications support in ISGAP events

• The analyst will provide communications services to showcase programme´s news and results at national and international events and for a where ISGAP is participating (including for example Adaptation Week, Climate Ambition Summit, UNFCCC COPs, and related international UN days).
• S/he will also provide communications coverage, whenever appropriate and in agreement with UNDP, in events organized by donors, grantees or relevant partners as appropriate.

6. Contribute to ISGAP´s knowledge management strategy

• Contribute to the annual knowledge report and knowledge management materials, in collaboration with UNDP, grantees and the knowledge management responsible party (GRP), to promote knowledge for adaptation innovation, and share lessons learnt while expanding the on-going knowledge of locally led action.
• Assist in curating and sharing stories, blogs, photos and videos in ISGAP's web content management system with support of UNDP´s website consultant/officer.
• Co-organize and facilitate with UNDP and knowledge management partners, knowledge sharing events in the field of “Adaptation Innovation”, “Locally Led Action” and “Adaptation Enterprise development”. ISGAP´s workplan foresees to carry out the following events in a year´s timeframe, with a knowledge management component:

a) One annual induction workshop to promote peer learning and disseminate resilience knowledge

b) Two yearly convenings on topics including resilience program design, measurement, evidence and learning

c) An annual leadership academy for grantees

d) A biennial investor matchmaking event

• Creates/updates a space accessible to all NCE personnel with relevant ISGAP programme´s information.
• Supports the detection of knowledge and learning portfolio priorities and gaps
• Produces and updates an annual pipeline/calendar for knowledge products in line with corporate and NCE priorities.
• Serves as the focal point to connect people with relevant portfolio experts and between different thematic teams.
• Coordinates with NCE Comms and KM leads and ensures s/he work is aligned with NCE and UNDP KM priorities.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements

• Master’s degree in communications, journalism or other relevant field.
• Bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years of experience  can be accepted in lieu 

Min. years of relevant work experience

• At least 2 years of professional experience working on the design and implementation of communications strategies/plans/programmes in the development or private sector, preferably working with donor-funded projects and project teams.
• (4 years for Bachelor’s degree holders)

Required  skills

• Demonstrated experience in handling a variety of software including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Word and PowerPoint for internal and external audiences, and for presentation, print and online use.
• Demonstrated experience of social media applications and tools (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube) to design, produce and measure indicators/outreach of communications materials.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Previous experience working on climate change adaptation, innovation or enterprise development is an advantage.
• Previous work experience with UNDP or an international organization is an advantage.
• Previous work experience supporting the planning, management and execution of public and private events that amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives is an advantage.
• Previous experience working with non-profit organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations  (CSOs), or storytelling, is an advantage.

Required Language(s)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English language is required . Knowledge of Spanish, French or Portuguese is an advantage.

Professional Certificates

• None