UNDP Jobs - 82873- Re-advertisement - Portfolio Analyst, Environment

Re-advertisement - Portfolio Analyst, Environment and Resilience

Location :

Nairobi, KENYA

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

22-Mar-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NO-B

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One year renewable

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

The UNDP Country Office in Kenya sought to reposition itself strategically and realign its human resources to better respond to the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2018-2022 and the articulated need to work in a more integrated and collaborative manner to help Kenya address interrelated development challenges and achieve sustainable development, particularly in those regions which have a high level of poverty

To remain globally competitive Kenya has to manage and sustain her environment and natural resource base. The country subsistence and national economies, foreign exchange and significant contribution to GDP depend on agriculture and agro-based industries, tourism, water resources and hydropower. Despite this reality Kenya is facing many environment challenges that include deforestation, soil erosion, land degradation, desertification, loss of biodiversity, water scarcity and pollution from industry.

With a global enhanced focus on the blue economy, Kenya is one of the countries in the forefront of building global consensus around best approaches to promote sustainable blue economy development. The country is also engaged on several fronts of the Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Risk reduction work and it has exhibited a true vocation to build up resilience given consideration to new sound policies in these areas by enhancing the ability of Kenyans and ecosystems to withstand crises, recover from them, and adapt so as to better withstand them.

Whether working in the Joint Program to Support Low Carbon Climate Resilient Development for Poverty Reduction in Kenya or the Environmental Governance in the Extractives Sector or endeavoring to support

the Green Climate Fund Readiness Program, or in the organization of the Blue Economy Conference, UNDP has been a steady partner in supporting the country to address the challenges as well as capitalize on new programme opportunities.

Post Context:

In this context and under the overall guidance of the Head of Programme and direct supervision by the Team Leader Environment and Resilience, the Programme Analyst, Environment and Resilience analyzes political

social and economic trends and leads formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within his/her portfolio, provides policy advice services.

The Programme Analyst supports the programme team’s efforts in the strategic planning and the identification of new programme opportunities within these thematic areas while ensuring consistency with UNDAF/ CPD priorities and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Programme Analyst analyzes political, social and economic trends and leads formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within his/her portfolio. He/she contributes to policy dialogue with the government counterparts providing policy advisory inputs as well as supporting the identification of top-notch national and international environment practitioners to further this dialogue.

The Programme Analyst leads programme support staff, in matrix supervision with other Programme Analyst and coordinates activities of the projects’ staff as they relate to her/his portfolio. She/he works in close collaboration with UNDP´s programme staff, the operations team, programme staff in other UN Agencies, UNDP HQs staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and trust funds as well as civil society ensuring successful UNDP programme implementation.

The Programme Analyst leads programme support staff, in matrix supervision with other Programme Analyst and coordinates activities of the projects’ staff as they relate to her/his portfolio. The incumbent will contribute to the promotion and observation of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy in all programmes and projects under her/his management as well as support the Youth Global Programme for Sustainable Development and Peace – Youth-GPS (2016-2020). The incumbent works in close partnership with the Operations Unit, programme staff, other UN Agencies, UNDP HQ and RSCA staff, Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UNDP programme implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Implementation of programme strategies;
Management of the CO programme under portfolio;
Substantive support to the 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

Ensures implementation of programme strategies focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support formulation, design and implementation of Natural Resource Management (NRM) , Disaster Risk reduction, Climate Change mitigation projects to build capacity of Kenyans under the auspices of the Country Programme Document (CPD).
Support NRM sector specific plans and strategies that aim to protect the environment and to use natural resources for poverty reduction and sustainable economic development.
Support and backstop the country office Global Environment Facility (GEF) portfolio through ensuring that projects meet prescribed requirements and approval processes including Project Implementation Plans and Project Execution Plans.
Contribute to development of GEF national and regional projects for funding to address global environmental issues as well as those derived from the implementation of the Blue Economy within the mandates of national policies and obligations of various international environment conventions.
Support management of projects through preparation of requests for procurement and payments, budget revisions under ATLAS, and following up CDRs and GDRs.
Ensure the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, with particular attention to the rural women, poor grassroots communities, and the use of broad participatory approaches in design implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects.
Explore possible options for resource mobilization and for partnerships within the UN system (under UNDAF) and with other relevant donors and institutions in order to encourage co-funding combined programming, avoid duplication and to strengthen impact actives of the programme.
Backstop and evaluate progress made by ongoing projects through regular visits to project sites and discussions with project personnel, target beneficiaries, implementing authorities, cooperating agencies and donors.
Undertake monitoring and evaluation through undertaking field visits preparation of APRs, convening TPR and Project Steering meetings and propose necessary actions to enhance impact of UNDP support and to determine new approaches for ongoing and future projects.
Participate in consultative meetings within the UN system under UNDAF and with partners and clients.
Brief country office colleagues, experts and visiting missions and maintain contacts and liaison between stakeholders and national authorities.
Maintain networking at national and global levels with professional colleagues in UNDP energy and environment community of practice and knowledge network environment and natural resources sector to enrich the programme.
Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs to CCA, UNDAF, CPD, and other documents.
Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic areas under her/his purview.
CO business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management.

Ensures effective management of the CO programme within ERU focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation of the country programme achieving the following results:

Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results.
Design and formulation of CO programme within the area of Natural Resource Management, translating UNDP’s priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones.
Initiation of a project, presentation of the project to PAC, entering project into Atlas, finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review, POs and vouchers approval, participates in recruitment processes for projects.
Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions. Participation in audit of NIM projects.
Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported.
Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.

Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy in cooperation with the Management Support and Partnerships and Resources Management Team focusing on achievement of the following results:

Development of partnerships with the UN Agencies, IFI’s, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society in the specific thematic areas based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities.
Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals.
Support to development of policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.

Competencies

Core:

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Level 4: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully.

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow.

Level 4: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction;
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Level 4: Models independent thinking and action

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Level 4: Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis.

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services.

Technical/Functional:

Data Measurement

Ability to set goals and indicators and to interpret and synthesize results into usable information to inform policy, strategy, and/or action.