UNDP Jobs - 109433- Climate Change, Indigenous Peoples and Local Commu

Climate Change, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Specialist - IPSA 10

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

IPSA (Regular)

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

13-Oct-22 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

IPSA-10

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

12 months

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

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’s Climate Promise

UNDP launched the Climate Promise at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019. The Climate Promise supports over 100 countries to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Delivered in collaboration with a wide variety of partners, it is the world’s largest offer of support for the enhancement of climate pledges.

While climate change poses a risk for everyone and threatens to roll back decades of sustainable development gains, the poorest, marginalized, and most vulnerable populations are disproportionately burdened. UNDP advocates for an inclusive approach that supports whole-of-society ownership, advances equality, and strengthens social and environmental sustainability. UNDP is leveraging its extensive climate change portfolio, its Country Office network and global policy services to provide thematic technical support to countries and ensure that NDCs are fully aligned with national sustainable development priorities.

A key area of work under the Climate Promise is mobilizing society and promoting social inclusion in the NDC development and implementation process. The Climate Promise aims to ensure a whole-of-society approach to NDCs, and in particular that marginalized groups are considered and meaningfully engaged in decision-making at all levels. As part of this work with various groups and communities, the Climate Promise intends to build its portfolio of support to Indigenous Peoples and ensure Indigenous viewpoints are considered in decision-making at UNDP HQ and at the country-level, as it relates to NDCs and climate change more broadly. This includes but is not limited to developing an Indigenous Peoples engagement strategy and relevant guidance for UNDP Country Offices and practitioners on best practices for engaging Indigenous communities in the NDC process and climate change decision-making.

UNDP’s Climate and Forests

The forest and land use sector can provide up to one third of the emissions reductions needed to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. Forests also provide the basis for livelihood for some 1.6 billion people – including indigenous peoples and local communities – as well as hosting the largest share the world's biodiversity and providing essential ecosystem services.

UNDP Climate & Forests assists developing countries to implement inclusive forest solutions to the climate crisis. The work of the UNDP Climate & Forests Team contributes to both SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 15 (forest ecosystems), addressing their close linkages. When promoting forest and climate policies and investments in countries, UNDP employs a social inclusion approach, wherein effective stakeholder engagement is ensured, the rights of indigenous peoples and forest communities are promoted, gender equality and women’s empowerment principles are mainstreamed, and policy reforms towards more equitable land use and tenure systems are encouraged.

Institutional Arrangement

The Specialist will report directly to Programme Specialist, Climate Change and Gender Equality and Inclusion and the Technical Specialist, Climate & Forests. They will work closely with the UNDP Global Policy Network (GPN) Team, UNDP Executive Office, Regional Bureaux, and relevant counterparts as appropriate.

If travel is required, and subject to (local) Covid-19 health permission, such travel shall be at UNDP’s expense in accordance with UNDP’s travel guidance and policy, and the personnel shall receive a per diem not to exceed United Nations daily subsistence allowance rate.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The Climate and Forests Programme requires the services of a Specialist to provide support in the implementation of a new project area of work under the Forests, Land and Nature work area of UNDP’s Climate Promise, to increase ambition, implementation, and engagement on NDCs. The Specialist will contribute to the strategic integration of UNDP’s climate and forests work with support on NDC implementation, including tracking of NDC progress in particular on indicators related to the full and effective engagement of Indigenous Peoples. This integrated support will involve close collaboration with the Climate Strategies and Policy Team, Regional Technical Advisors and Country Offices in priority countries, and the work of the Forest Declaration Platform (formerly known as the New York Declaration on Forests).

The Specialist will also be expected to support the Climate Strategies and Policy Team in developing an Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities engagement strategy for the Climate Promise beyond the area of Forests, Land and Nature, developing and contributing to guidance documents, policy papers and UNDP service offers, engaging with existing Indigenous groups, networks and committees, participating at relevant meetings and events, and providing insights related to Indigenous Peoples issues and NDCs, climate change, and/or sustainable development.

Other specific tasks include:

Develop and implement an Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) engagement strategy for the Climate Promise in collaboration with other pillars of the Climate Strategies and Policies Team (CSPT) and NCE teams.
Incorporate best practices, guidance, and protocols to ensure appropriate inclusion and consideration of Indigenous People’s rights and local communities and their perspectives into the thematic offers and policy papers produced by the CSPT and within the ongoing development and implementation of the Climate Promise. Examples include, but are not limited to, corporate offers on just transition, net-zero, carbon markets, loss and damage, work planning, gender equality and social inclusion, youth, etc.
Support increased efficacy of Indigenous Peoples and local community advocacy at UNFCCC COP, UNFCCC-organized negotiations and events (SBI, pre-COP, etc.), and other UN-led events and forums in the area of climate change.
Provide strategic leadership for the development of a guideline or toolkit targeting governments and climate policy/climate finance practitioners to meaningfully engage and respond to Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives and needs in NDC as well as other key climate instruments and processes.
Support the delivery of outputs related to Indigenous Peoples in initiatives related to UNDP’s support in implementing the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use (in collaboration with the Forest Declaration Platform).
Support the Senior Policy Adviser on IPLC Engagement to deliver Outcome 3, Lasting Inclusivity, of a DEFRA-supported project to scale country NDC ambition. This includes support delivering direct grants to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, ensuring stakeholder engagement in national NDC revision and implementation, as well as developing capacity building materials and events related to NDCs, carbon markets, finance, etc.
Support the Senior Policy Adviser on IPLC Engagement to strengthen information flow between UN-supported processes, including the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the UNDP Local Action Pillar (which includes the Equator Initiative, Small Grants Programme and ISGAP); the IP endorsers of the Forest Declaration Platform, the Interagency Support Group on Indigenous Issues, etc. as it relates to climate change and NDC-related issues and thematic areas.
Support other relevant meetings, events, and engagements related to Indigenous Peoples issues, climate and/or sustainable development on behalf of UNDP and organize discussions with CSPT on related issues.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

*Thematic Area*	*Name*	*Definition*
Business Direction & Strategy	Strategic Thinking	Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.
Business Development	Knowledge Generation	Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.
Business Management	Communication	Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
Digital and Innovation	Co-creation	Ability to design and facilitate a process that enables a diverse group of stakeholders to solve a common problem, develop a practice, or create knowledge together. Ability to embrace diversity, work with a diverse group of stakeholders understand their interests, perspectives and views and tap into to them as a source for creativity. Ability to facilitate processes and create conditions that are open for diverse inputs, stimulate collaboration and sharing.
Digital and Innovation	Creative facilitation	Ability to design workshops that considers and addresses multiple interests, agendas, worldviews; set out clear objectives and engaging activities; select appropriate tools, materials, resources that are needed to enable or support the activities. Ability to swiftly build rapport with participants and create a safe space (on-and offline) where they feel comfortable to share their views, concerns, experiences and reflections; supporting this with a range of tools to stimulate active participation. Ability to facilitate inclusive conversations, ability to work with a diverse set of people with different backgrounds, seniority and expert levels, using different approaches tailored to fit the people in the room, drawing out the perspectives and ideas of each individual and making decisions through deliberation and discussion across a group. Ability to pace a session, adjust to the abilities and energy levels of attendees and the nature or purpose of an exercise. Being flexible and able to improvise; adapting and changing approaches in response to the needs, while staying true to the intent and objectives of the session.
Partnership Management	Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding	Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.
2030 Agenda: Planet	Nature, Climate and Energy	Climate Change Policies: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements	Advanced degree in Environmental Management, Environmental Science or Studies, Environmental Economics, International Development, Development Studies, Indigenous Studies or Rights, Human Rights, or other closely related field. First degree acceptable with an additional two (2) years of relevant work experience in the areas mentioned above.
Min. years of relevant work experience	A minimum of five (5) with Masters degree or 7 years of experience with bachelors degree of relevant professional experience in the areas of climate justice, climate policy, Indigenous Peoples rights, forests and climate change, or related topics.
Required skills	Expertise in UNFCCC processes and negotiations, including advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights in the international climate agenda. Previous experience in conducting consultations and incorporating IP and local community perspectives, including on the ground experience on issues related to community-based adaptation, agriculture, labor markets/value chains, land-use, energy, forests, and/or biodiversity. Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples rights and related UN frameworks and processes. Excellent analytical, writing, presentation, and communications skills are required. Sound understanding of sustainable development, NDCs/relevant climate policy instruments and UNFCCC processes. Professional level skill in Microsoft Office 2019 or 365.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section	Experience working with national and international non-governmental organizations, IPLC organizations, grassroots organizations, development partners, and in developing countries would be an advantage. Candidates who identify as Indigenous People are encouraged to apply.
Required Language(s)	Proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese, or French, and/or Indigenous language is an asset.
Professional Certificates	Not required