Historique

Environment and energy are essential for sustainable development. The poor are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and lack of access to clean, affordable energy services. These issues are also global as climate change, loss of biodiversity and ozone layer depletion cannot be addressed by countries acting alone. UNDP helps countries strengthen their capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels, seeking out and sharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through pilot projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods.

UNDP’s environment and energy activities include support for greater access to energy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, the sustainable management of land, water, biodiversity and chemicals, and ozone layer protection. These activities, which focus on helping developing countries assess and develop policy options, strengthen implementation capacities and mobilize finance, support the efforts of these countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and meet obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements.  In particular, UNDP seeks to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into national development strategies and frameworks.

The Environment and Energy Group (EEG) in UNDP’s Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) provides advocacy, policy advisory and operational services to support the organization’s work in these areas across 166 countries. It leads UNDP’s efforts to advance the environmental agenda in development through a close partnership with other UN agencies and especially with the UNEP.  On behalf of UNDP, it also has responsibilities for communications, outreach and global advocacy on development-related environment and energy issues.

EEG focuses its efforts in two priority areas of intervention: Mainstreaming of Environment and Energy into Policy Frameworks; and Catalyzing Environmental Finance for Sustainable Development. In finance, the focus is to mobilize funding from financial instruments under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, particularly the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Multilateral Fund under the Montreal Protocol, and sequence and combine them with ODA, Foreign Direct Investment and market based financial instruments, such as carbon finance and payments for ecosystem services, in order to assist developing countries in moving towards sustainable development.

The GEF Trust Fund is a financial mechanism for the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention to Combat Desertification and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The Trust Fund also provides finance to assist groups of countries to manage shared water bodies and their constituent natural resources. GEF also provides limited finance to assist countries with economies in transition to meet their obligations under the Montreal Protocol on the elimination of ozone depleting substances.

As one of the three GEF implementing agencies, UNDP mobilized on average $ 1 billion a year ($ 250 million in GEF grants and about $ 750 million in co-financing) for global environmental management during GEF-3 (Fiscal Years 2003-2006). UNDP expects to mobilize a similar amount during GEF-4. Although these resources are small compared to the overall environmental finance needs, they play a critical role in laying the foundation for effective markets that can, in turn, leverage new sources of environmental finance to attract needed private investment for sustainable development. Over the past 10 years, UNDP technical assistance through GEF has evolved from supporting technology demonstration projects to promoting market development or transformation for environmentally friendly technologies and practices.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The Deputy Director and GEF Executive Coordinator will, as part of the senior Environment and Energy Group Management Team, be responsible for supporting its Director in the management of the Group and in providing leadership to the world-wide team of Environment and Energy practitioners across UNDP. He/she will also support the Director in strengthening UNDP’s partnership with UNEP, in particular to ensure operational collaboration in environmental finance.

As GEF Executive Coordinator, and under the supervision of the Director, the Deputy Director is responsible for management of UNDP’s GEF programme. She/he has duties and responsibilities which include:

• Plans and monitors UNDP’s GEF work programme, including to ensure it is closely aligned with the Organization’s broader objectives, contributing directly to both global environmental benefits and to environmental mainstreaming at the national level;
• Directs, coordinates and supervises the day-to-day operations and activities of UNDP-GEF, including financial and human resources management as well as preparation, implementation and monitoring of UNDP-GEF work programme and the GEF Small Grants Programme;
• Advises on GEF policy issues and UNDP’s work in environment and sustainable development more broadly;
• Represents UNDP in key GEF policy fora and interactions, including in political engagement with members of the GEF Council and Participants’ Assembly, the GEF Secretariat, and secretariats of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Desertification;
• Ensures effective collaboration with the World Bank, UNEP and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, other GEF agency partners as well as UN system agencies and non-governmental organizations.

The Deputy Director also coordinates the development of environmental finance programmes managed by the Environment and Energy Group. In overseeing the MDG Carbon Facility, the selected candidate will:

• Ensure that the Facility over the next three years develops a healthy portfolio of carbon financed projects  including in least and less developed countries;
• Ensure that the Facility develop strong strategic links to the UNDP GEF portfolio and other UNDP environmental finance and poverty reduction operations as well as with UNEP and other relevant UN agencies;
• Oversee the development of strategic partnerships with relevant donor agencies, private sector actors and international non-governmental organizations;
• Oversee the development of both the compliance and the voluntary pillars of the Facility;
• Oversee the development of the unique full cost recovery model of the Facility.

In the area of climate change adaptation, the selected candidate will work with the rest of the Environment and Energy Group Management Team to build strong policy capacities and lead the development of a global operational portfolio that draws on GEF and other sources of financing to promote effective mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into national development frameworks.

The candidate will also oversee development of other environmental finance initiatives that build on or complement existing finance operations.

The candidate will work closely with the Chief of the Montreal Protocol Unit in developing a coherent and consistent approach to environmental finance and maximizing opportunities for synergy.

Compétences

Given the highly visible, complex and innovative nature of the GEF and environmental finance activities, the position of Deputy Director requires political acumen, diplomacy, flexibility and sensitivity to developing concerns and the requirements of international organizations’ structures. It also requires a strong, professional understanding of UNDP as a development agency at the center of the UN system’s development efforts at the country level.

Leadership & Management:

• Strong managerial/leadership and decision making skills;
• Demonstrated flexibility in leadership by performing and/or overseeing the analysis of complex programme issues, financial and/or administrative management matters including human resources in an international, multi-cultural setting;
• Proven record of building and managing teams and creating an enabling environment, including the ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor, develop and evaluate staff, and design training/skills enhancement initiatives to ensure effective transfer of knowledge/skills;
• Good judgment and decision-making skills.

Professionalism:

• Is well versed on all key facets of Environment and Energy topics, including knowledge of GEF-specific areas and principles, techniques, practices, as well as knowledge of broader economic and market perspectives;
• Sound knowledge of and experience in in-depth cost analysis evaluation techniques combined with knowledge of administrative and management principles relevant to the direction of operations of significant complexity,
• Volume and financial and/or operational impact;
• Demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives;
• Independent judgement and discretion in advising on and handling major management and operational related issues and problems;
• Excellent negotiation skills and ability to persuade and influence others to reach agreement on complex issues;
• Ability to assume higher-level responsibility within large international organizations and to respond flexibly to their structural changes;
• Demonstrated ability in handling complex organizational issues.

Planning and Organizing:

• Proven ability to plan and organize work, requiring an in-depth understanding of its strategic direction and ability to integrate environmental finance work into the EEG Organization’s work programme.

Judgment/Decision-Making:

• Mature judgment and initiative;
• Proven ability to provide strategic direction and ensure an effective work structure to maximize productivity and achieve goals.

Communication:

• Excellent drafting ability and communication skills, both oral and written; ability to defend and explain difficult and complex issues with respect to key decisions and positions to staff, senior officials and members of legislative and oversight bodies.
• Excellent presentation skills.

Client Orientation:

• Ability to identify needs and propose appropriate solutions as well as establish and maintain effective relationships with outside collaborators and other contacts, including representatives of Member States and the public.

Integrity:

• Demonstrated integrity, ability to stand by the decisions that are in the Organization's interest and resist undue pressure in decision-making.
• Ability to act without consideration of personal gain and take prompt action in case of unprofessional and unethical behavior.

Commitment to Continuous Learning:

• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in the relevant technical field and to develop own managerial and leadership skills.

Managing Performance:

• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor the work of others;
• Ability to make timely decisions;
• Ability to coach, mentor, motivate and develop staff and encourage excellent performance;
• Ability to create an enabling work environment and consider work/life issues.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• Ability to provide leadership and take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives into substantive work;
• Commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing and creating a gender sensitive working environment.

Building Trust:

• Reputation for dealing honestly and openly with issues and staff;
• Recognized and highly respected by peers, clients and staff.

Qualifications et expériences requises

• Over 15 years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in the field of environment, leadership and management including, management in multicultural institutions as well as experience in programme and project planning and analysis, human resources management and budgeting.
• Proven track record of excellent management and technical leadership skills.
• Work experience in specific developing countries and proven ability to take on more senior management-level assignments will be advantages.
• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environment and energy, international affairs or development, economics, business or public administration, or related area.
• Excellent command in written and spoken English is essential; working level proficiency in Spanish and/or French is highly desirable.