UNDP Jobs - 62704- Programme Officer - Resilience and Climate Change

Programme Officer - Resilience and Climate Change (Open to only Maldivian Nationals)

Location :

Male', MALDIVES

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

28-Feb-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NO-B

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months with possibility of extension

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

UNDP Country Offices (CO) are receiving an increasing number of national requests for assistance with understanding the implications of climate change on national development and preparing integrated strategies and plans to manage anticipated challenges and opportunities. UNDP has played an important role assisting countries to access and deliver climate change financing, as implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), joint manager of the National Communications Support Programme and by delivering initiatives like MDG Carbon, Capacity Development for Policy Makers, the MDG Achievement Fund, Africa Adaptation Programme, CC-DARE, UN REDD, Carbon Neutral and Climate Resilient Territories, and the 2007 Human Development Report on climate change (activities totaling more than 220 million USD in catalytic funding). Yet at the same time, UNDP must further strengthen its climate change policy and technical advisory and management capacity.

In light of the increasing urgency of climate change responses in every programme country, UNDP is now investing in strengthening its climate change services to all countries, in particular to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Up to 26 climate change specialists (Programme Analyst (Climate Change)) at the national level will be recruited to supplement existing Country Office staff capacity on climate change. The Programme Analyst (Climate Change) will seek to strengthen UNDP’s climate policy capacity and promote strategic engagement on key climate issues for UNDP. The Programme Analyst (Climate Change) will be fully integrated in the community of practice of climate change advisors and experts already working at national, regional and HQ levels. In addition to their integration into the respective CO structure, the Programme Analyst (Climate Change) will work under the technical guidance of the ARR-RCC. It is expected that workplans and priorities will be fully aligned with corporate global and regional goals.

As the CO ends one programmatic cycle at the end of 2015 and starts the new programmatic cycle with the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2015 – 2020, the Programme Analyst (Climate Change) will support the CO by providing technical input to existing climate change related projects and programmes as well as to resource mobilization and pipeline projects. The Programme Analyst (Climate Change) will also assist the Resilience and Climate Change Unit at UNDP to explore synergies between the UN agencies and different programmatic areas of UNDP in supporting the implementation of the relevant outcomes of the UNDAF and CPD

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Responsibilities

Implementation of programme strategies
Management of the CO programme
Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy
Provision of top quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management

Under supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative – Resilience and Climate Change (ARR-RCC), within existing climate change structures in the country office and guided by the climate team at HQ, the national Programme Analyst (Climate Change) will:

Promote a substantive and strategic policy engagement on climate change with government and development partners, building on and ensuring consistency with international policy guidance on climate change provided by HQ
Engage in climate change policy dialogue at national level with key partners -- including key line Ministries, donors, NGOs, private sector, and civil society -- on preparing for a post-Paris institutional and financial regime, using technical guidance available at the regional and global level and ensuring consistency with international climate policy guidance provided by HQ.
Provide inputs on national low-carbon, climate-resilient development strategies and plans and review of sector policies, building on and ensuring consistency with international climate policy guidance provided by HQ.
Source expertise and backstop on economic climate change impact assessments for vulnerable sectors of a country’s economy, as required, using technical guidance available at the regional and global level.
Support capacity development of government agencies to programme climate change-related resources and provide advice on the effective use and management of different climate financing mechanisms.
Observe and engage in national and international climate change policy debates within the overarching UNDP climate change policy framework.
Identify areas of comparative advantage for interventions where UNDP can add value and inform the Regional Hub and HQ.
Advise UNDP management on all climate related policy issues to provide strategic advice and guidance with a specific focus on adaptation.
Serve as a resource person on capacity development activities on climate change for the UNDP Country Office
Provide technical and implementation support to existing projects under the Resilience and Climate Change portfolio of UNDP Country Office

Under the supervision of the ARR-RCC, support a UN-wide approach to climate change and promote UNDP’s role, including policy and programmatic initiatives, ensuring consistency and integration with regional and global approaches, methodologies, and strategies

Support development of a programmatic approach to integrate climate risk management in the existing framework documents (UNDAF, CPD) and project portfolios across all practice areas.
Provide technical guidance and support to the country programme in identifying and addressing climate related risks and opportunities in all practice areas such as resilience and climate change, governance, policy and inclusive growth, gender, capacity development) within UNDP as well as within the UN system.
Provide technical and programmatic support in the area of climate change adaptation & mitigation to the initiatives of the country office including related project conceptualization, formulation and implementation
Identify and elaborate UNDP components of the UN approach.
Promote cross practice collaboration (poverty, governance, CPR, gender, capacity development) within UNDP as well as within the UN system.

Support the ARR-RCC with strategic partnerships and knowledge management

Adapt global and regional technical and strategic position papers, presentations, advisory and briefing notes, for national circumstances.
Prepare and adapt inputs to policy briefs/position papers that address links between climate change and other development concerns, in collaboration with other practices such as governance, poverty reduction, gender, crisis prevention and recovery, and capacity development.
Strengthen strategic and thematic partnerships with key stakeholders, particularly government, donors, private sector to identify opportunities, formulate joint initiatives with maximum impacts and efficiency, minimize duplication of efforts and reduce transaction costs.
Explore the potential for private sector partnerships on climate change and explore opportunities for carbon/environmental financing.
Support resource mobilization efforts of the government on climate change, especially tapping into the climate change specific financing mechanisms such Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility and other multilateral and bilaterial donors.
Support the establishment of pipleline projects such as the Green Climate Fund project of UNDP Country Office during its preparatory and inception-phase.
Promote information sharing and facilitate dialogue within the donor community by initiating and/or participating in consultative meetings and preparing briefs and policy papers on climate change.
Provide regular briefings on the status of international climate change negotiations and forthcoming events, using disseminated inputs from the Regional Hubs. These inputs should contribute to the development and strengthening common UN positions regarding climate change issues.
Ensure optimal flow of information about initiatives, projects, international climate negotiations, and related issues between CO and other partners, in particular the Regional Hubs and HQ

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda - Ppreparing information for advocacy

Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate

Results-Based Programme Development and Management - Contributes into results through primary research and analysis

Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation
Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development
Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly

Building Strategic Partnerships - Maintaining a network of contacts

Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches - Enhancing processes or products

Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches

Resource Mobilization - Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategies

Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors
Develops a database of project profiles. Identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing- Basic research and analysis

Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise- Fundamental knowledge of own discipline

Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals- Preparing information for global advocacy

Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences
Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for advocating for UNDP’s mandate

Client Orientation- Establishing effective client relationships

Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly

Core Competencies:

Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
Self-development, initiative-taking
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
Creating synergies through self-control
Managing conflict
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
Informed and transparent decision making

Prince2 training and certification, RMG

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Master’s Degree in climate sciences, environmental sciences, earth sciences, natural resource economics, political science, management, economics or related social sciences.

Experience

At least 2 years of relevant work experience related to the area of climate change, environment, disaster management and/or project/programme management.
Background in partnership building is desirable.
Experience working with government, donors or the UN previously is an asset
Experience in policy analysis, development work in the area of climate change and related issues is desirable.
Familiarity with and contributions to high-level policy dialogues and advisory functions involving high-level government counterparts and other stake-holders is an added advantage
Knowledge and understanding of the global debate and policy on climate change and experience in multilateral environmental debates and dialogues and processes is an added advantage
Experience and knowledge of the country’s institutional framework and policies of climate change is an asset.
Experience in development planning and project management and implementation is a major asset.

Language

Fluency in the English and Dhivehi.
Excellent written communication skills in English and Dhivehi

We only accept online applications.

All interested applicants must submit the following documents for each position as part of their application:

a cover letter,
an updated and signed Personal History (P11) form

(These documents need to be scanned as one document )

Salary: Monthly take home pay of MVR 23,000 - 26,000 (after deduction of pension and medical insurance) depending on the level of experience.