Background

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, UNDP works with national level partners to seek solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP Environment and Energy Group (EEG) is based in UNDP’s Bureau for Development Policy and is responsible for providing leadership and technical support toward delivery of the Environment and Sustainable Development pillar of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. Its main focus is to help countries develop capacity to manage and mainstream environment into national, local, global, and regional policy and practice in support of sustainable development.

Since its launch in 2009, the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) is a state-led South-South cooperation initiative involving developing country UN member States self-identified as particularly vulnerable to climate change and currently chaired by Costa Rica. The CVF serves as an international platform for cooperation, coordination, advocacy and knowledge-building on climate change policy issues. For more information on the CVF initiative, please go to the Chair’s website here: www.thecvf.org.

At the request of lead CVF governments, UNDP hosts the member- and donor- financed CVF Trust Fund (CVFTF) established in 2012 as administered by UNDP’s Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office. UNDP is a primary implementing agency of the Fund assisting the realization of CVF-determined objectives. In 2013 UNDP initiated a global project with which to carry out CVF support. The project’s overall objective is to ensure representatives of climate vulnerable counties involved in the CVF are empowered as collective agents of more effective climate change policies at international and national levels. Expected outcomes of the project include:
  • Increased institutional capacity of the CVF to collectively address global and national climate change policy issues;
  • Enhanced collaboration, coordination and knowledge building/exchange on climate change policy issues among CVF member countries.

The global project’s two principal expected outputs include:

  • Provision of institutional support for the CVF, creating increased effectiveness of CVF members’ cooperation on climate policy issues;
  • Provision of implementation support for the activities outlined in the CVF Trust Fund (CVFTF) work plan.
In 2014, UNDP support is particularly focused on the implementation of the 2013-15 Costa Rica CVF Action Plan. In this respect, UNDP is providing targeted assistance to CVF governments for a range of activities, including high-level events, expert workshops, online communications, commissioned research, resource mobilization and other technical support.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will monitor and support the UNDP CVF Support Project. The consultant will liaise with the UNDP Climate Vulnerable Support Project Board, and will undertake day-to-day support needs for this global project. Within this framework, the Specialist shall work in direct assistance to and in coordination with the incumbent CVF/CVFTF Steering Committee Chairs to additionally fulfil CVF/CVFTF institutional support and Technical Secretariat functions. The consultant will liaise as required with CVF and donor governments, external partners, sub-contractors and other actors towards the effective realization of the following deliverables.

Deliverables
 
Objective 1: Support the effective implementation of UNDP’s support to the CVF:
  • Support the day to day project management and the implementation of project target activities as well as responsibility for the production of approved project outputs;
  • Ensure the effective performance of the Project Support functions, including responsibility for substantive and administrative assistance for project implementation tasks or as otherwise assigned by the Project Board;
  • Liaise with CVF and UNDP colleagues to ensure effective preparations of forward stages of the global project, including with respect to financial means, human resources arrangements, office facilities and other requirements as requested/appropriate; and
  • 1 x mission to support CVF activities, as required.
Objective 2: Support the UNDP partnership and CVFTF Technical Secretariat institutional support functions, with special emphasis on resource mobilization for the CVFTF/UNDP programme:
  • Support a full range of institutional and programme tasks in secretariat support to CVF Members working directly with the CVFTF Steering Committee and CVF Chair, and in close association with the CVFTF Administrative Agent and other partners as appropriate;
  • Support CVFTF functions, such as by organizing CVFTF Steering Committee meetings, through the preparation of draft documents for the CVFTF Steering Committee, and by assisting with the implementation of the CVFTF resource mobilization strategy and those resource mobilization efforts by CVF Chairs and Members for the financing of the CVF programme of work;
  • Support the coordination of the implementation of activities undertaken by Forum members and CVFTF Implementation Partners/Participating Organizations and in monitoring the implementation of the decisions of the CVFTF Steering Committee;
  • Prepare the official reporting documents for the first operational year of the CVFTF (2013) in liaison with the CVFTF Administrative Agent;
  • In coordination with the CVF Chair and UNDP colleagues, manage project external relations and engagements including new partner development and existing relationships with key institutional partners and
  • 1 x mission to support CVF activities, where necessary.
Objective 3: Perform implementation assistance for the realization of specific on-going CVF policy-related and communication activities:
  • Support CVF Permanent Missions in Geneva and other partners as requested/necessary towards the implementation of the 2013-15 CVF Action Plan in priority areas, including in the sectors of human rights, labour and migration/displacement;
  • Support the CVF Chair with preparatory actions in relations to other activities foreseen in the CVF Action Plan, including the Costa Rica CVF;
  • Provide necessary programme and organizational support behind a CVF expert Central American sub-regional workshop;
    Monitor the development and consultation process pertaining to an Inception Report for a third CVF-mandated “Climate Vulnerability Monitor”;
  • Maintain and progress the CVF Chair public web site and related online social media channels on a regular basis during weekdays;
  • Commence translation of the CVF web site into French and oversee the site translation into Spanish and
  • Liaise with UNDP colleagues at Headquarters and in relevant regional and country offices as appropriate with respect to the implementation of priority CVF activities.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:
  • Strong analytical, writing and communication skills;
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills;
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills; commitment to team work and to working across disciplines;
    Proven ability to deliver reliably within tight timelines;
  • Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
  • Proven ability to work independently with little supervision and responsiveness during duty station working hours;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
Corporate Competencies:
  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in international relations, political science, climate change, public/environmental management or a closely related field.
Work experience:
  • A minimum of 7 years of progressively relevant experience in environment, development, humanitarian affairs or other related area;
  • At least 5 years of experience directly related to climate change issues at the international level, including a focus on developing countries and/or fieldwork experience, and progressively responsible experience in programme/project management;
  • Extensive experience in managing international conferences and policy dialogue and communication projects;
  • Experience in liaising with Permanent Missions to the UN and with senior officials in relevant international and national institutions required;
  • Broad and proven understanding of all thematic areas of climate change, in particular vulnerability, finance, UNFCCC and adaptation issues, including demonstrated experience with global climate change policy research, communications and publications;
  • Good understanding of climate change groundwork in countries, particularly National Communications and national policies and actors;
  • Excellent analytical, drafting/writing, presentation and communication skills in English, with extensive experience required in drafting formal communications and briefing documents of all kinds, including press releases, speeches, talking points, op-eds, technical reports and meeting minutes;
  • Experience in web publishing, web editing and/or web development especially desirable;
  • Proven experience with resource mobilization, working with multiple donor countries and with the processes of UNDP-managed Trust Funds an imperative;
  • Experience of development of cost effective and pragmatic programmes/projects and their coordination and execution is also required;
  • Proven working experience in diverse cultural working scenarios comprising different cultural and professional backgrounds a distinct asset and
  • Experience of UN processes/procedures.
Languages:
  • Excellent knowledge of English is essential;
  • Fluency in French and / or Spanish would be beneficial.;
  • A good working knowledge of other UN languages (especially Spanish) is an advantage.
Institutional Arrangement:
  • The consultant will report to the Climate Specialist of EEG with regular consultation with the EEG Climate Policy Team.
  • The consultant will receive payments on a monthly basis, upon successful delivery of the expected outputs as cleared by the BDP/EEG Climate Specialist, in consultation with the EEG Policy Team.
Duration of Work:

3.5 months from 25 March – 15 July 2014 (79 days level of effort) with possible extension through 31 December 2014 pending the availability of funds.
 
Duty Station:

The consultant will be office and home-based with travel as deemed necessary; the consultant will be required to visit the New York or Geneva office occasionally for meetings with UNDP staff.
 
Scope and Price:

Financial proposals must be all inclusive and must be expressed on the basis of a daily fee in USD; Note that all travel will be arranged and funded by UNDP, and should not be included in the proposal.
 
To Apply for this consultancy assignment:

Kindly note we will NOT accept any applications through this webiste.  All applicants should submit the following documents by the deadline to be considered for this position which can be downloaded at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=14844:

  • Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
    P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement
    (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Criteria for Selection of Best Offer:

The selection will be based on a combined Scoring method – where the qualifications will be weighted 70% and combined with the price offer, which will be weighted 30%. The 70% rating will be based on how well the applicant meets the minimum qualifications/competencies described below:

  • (20 points) Experience and understanding of all thematic areas of climate change, in particular vulnerability, finance, UNFCCC and adaptation issues, including demonstrated experience with global climate change policy research, communications and publications;
  • (30 points) Experience in managing international conferences, policy dialogue and communication projects, and in liaising with Permanent Missions to the UN and with senior officials in relevant international and national institutions, including proven experience with resource mobilization, working with multiple donor countries and with the processes of UNDP-managed Trust Funds;
  • (20 points) Relevant education;
  • (15 points) Excellent analytical, drafting/writing, presentation and communication skills in English, with extensive experience in drafting formal communications and briefing documents of all kinds, including press releases, speeches, talking points, op-eds, technical reports and meeting minutes;
  • (15 points) Experience in web publishing, web editing and/or web development especially desirable.
The term ‘all inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal.