Background

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. 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.

Office/Unit/Project Description:

UNDP’s Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. 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, and promote more resilient governance systems.

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies; support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements. The portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification; Water and Ocean Governance; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

Sound chemical and waste management could reduce the risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals and protect the human health and environment. UNDP Montreal Protocol/chemical Unit focuses on providing policy and technical advisory, design and implementation oversight to the chemical projects funded by GEF, MLF, and bilateral donors. Currently, UNDP supports 85 countries in meeting their obligations under the Montreal Protocol, Stockholm convention, Minamata convention, as well as strategic approach of international chemical management (SAICM). UNDP has been on the forefront of efforts to advance the Kigali Amendment to tackle the climate change and improve cooling efficiency by partnering with developing countries, MLF, GEF, K-CEP, CCAC, Cool Coalition, bilateral donors and private sectors. UNDP’s Chemicals and Waste Programme  helps client countries improve their capacities for sustainable production and consumption, clean air action plan, integrated waste management (healthcare waste, E-waste, plastics), sustainable and non-chemical development in SIDS, promotion of Green/Circular Economy, resource efficiency, good practice in Artisanal and Gold Mining sector (ASGM).

Under the Montreal Protocol, the Article 5 countries committed to phase-out its ODS consumption.  Furthermore, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed under the Decision XIX/6 on the “Adjustment to the Montreal Protocol with regard to Annex C, Group I substances (HCFCs)” to “accelerate the phase-out of production and consumption of the hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs)”, and the Article 5 (A5) countries have been requested by the ExCom to adopt a staged approach to the implementation of their HCFC Phase-out Management Plans (HPMP). 

Furthermore, in order to further protect the climate and the ozone layer, in October of 2016, during the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, more than 170 countries agreed to amend the Protocol.  The Kigali Agreement establishes specific targets and timetables to phase-down the production and consumption of HFCs, and carries an agreement by developed countries to help finance the transition of developing countries to climate-friendly substances, through a global commitment that will avoid more than 80 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 2050.

The International Expert in Polyurethane (PU) Foam will work with UNDP, under the direct coordination of the UNDP MPU Regional Programme Coordinator for LAC in supporting countries where UNDP implements the Montreal Protocol.

Institutional Arrangement:

• The Contractor will work from home;
• The Contractor will report to the Regional Coordinator for LAC, based in Panama City, Panama;
• The Contractor will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Contractor will be responsible for providing her/his own workstation (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection;
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, Contractor is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones.

Travel: 

UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements.

Home based, with possible missions to Angola, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Mozambique, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. The expert may support additional countries not listed here

Duties and Responsibilities

The IPSA is expected to provide up to 120 days, for a maximum of 12 months. International Expert in PU Foam s is expected to guide activities including, but not limited to:

• Collaborate with the Lead International and National Experts for Kigali Initiation Plan preparation through the development of a sectoral plan including selection of HFC-free alternatives for the formulation of polyurethane systems, selection of equipment, work plan for technology conversion of the System Houses and their customers
• Support to the National and International System Houses in the selection of the alternative(s) for the formulation of HFC-free polyurethane systems
• Provide assistance to the System Houses on issues associated with the sector conversion plan
• Support beneficiary companies in projects, associated to the technological conversion
• Hold technical discussions with companies and equipment suppliers to enable the conversion project environment.
• Collaborate with local Consultants for the collection of data from companies using HFC in the PU Foam sector and provide quality assurance
• Perform field visits to meet with main stakeholders, and/or validate, verify and/or crosscheck field industry data
• Review implemented activities at the company level for the co-endorsement of deliverables and Certification of Completion from the investment projects
• Collaborate with the National Experts, as needed, for the adjustments in the investment projects documents.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA: