Background
Eswatini is a landlocked kingdom in Southern Africa covering a total area of 17,364 km². Eswatini comprises magnificent mountain scenery with unique, ancient rock formations, which are a source of fascination for geologists, scholars and visitors. The Kingdom has four topographical and climatic areas ranging from 400 to 1800 metres above sea level, each with its own unique characteristics. The country’s ecosystems are home to biodiversity of global significance. Country has one of the largest intact altitudinal gradients of natural ecosystem in Southern Africa and its ecosystems provides natural resources, ecological infrastructure and ecosystem services which are essential if not lifeline for food and water security, poverty alleviation, livelihood generation.
In 2019 the country launched its National Development Plan (NDP) 2019-2021 and Strategic Road Map 2019-2021, respectively, with a special focus on economic recovery, financial stability and growth and improved quality of life. The Strategic Roadmap identifies five growth sectors, namely; Education and ICT; Mining and Energy; Tourism; Manufacturing, Agro-processing and Agriculture as priority sectors for renewed economic growth. However, climate change and rapid depletion of natural resources contribute to increased vulnerabilities and disaster risks, that pose significant challenges to these growth sectors. The Government has prioritized the energy sector, particularly the renewable energy sector, and has developed a Grid Code and Renewable Energy and Independent Power Producer (RE&IPP) Policy to create a transparent regulatory regime in order to stimulate industrialization and economic growth. Eswatini imports 80 percent of its power from South Africa and Mozambique, rising as high as 100 percent during the 2016 drought. With both South Africa and Mozambique experiencing electricity shortages, Eswatini is working to increase its own energy generation using renewable sources. The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs (MTEA) has launched its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) which will see the adoption of a medium-to-long-term approach to reducing the vulnerabilities to climate change and its impacts.
In Eswatini, the UNDP Country Office is working closely with government to enhance response to climate change, including, support to the development of government’s NAP and NDC, as well as integrating the NDC into its economic recovery plan at the macro level. Other areas of intervention include, support to strengthening Protected Area Systems, promotion of climate smart agriculture and policy development. The CO has recently signed cooperation agreements with the government to support two large Italian funded projects; one on greening a public hospital and the other to strengthen the national early warning system.
Furthermore, the Country Office (CO) is developing its new Country Programme Document (2021-2025) and is looking to identify strategic areas of programme focus that form a comprehensive response to a definite set of environment, climate change and energy issues in line with UNDP’s signature solutions and SDG integrator role. Within this context CO wishes to recruit a senior national Technical Advisor to support the Country Office in re-defining and aligning its environment, climate change portfolio to the Country’s NDP and SRM priorities.
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
- Provide overall technical guidance and insights on national policy frameworks, sector plans and programmes on environment, energy and climate change/DRM; and Eswatini’s domestication of related international agreements, protocols and other instruments;
- Propose strategies on how best to align these with UNDP strategic priorities in the area of environment, energy and climate change/DRR; and environmental safeguard policies,
- Provide UNDP management with quality inputs to country and thematic reports, briefings, analytical/strategic documents
- Review UNDP’s environment, energy and climate change portfolio trends and outline gaps/opportunities in addressing environmental, energy and climate change issues in the country; identify strategic areas of programme focus that form a cohesive response to a definite set of environment, climate change and energy issues, in line with national priorities and UNDP’s signature solutions and SDG integrator role.
- Support resource mobilization for the Environment programme portfolio
- Actively engage with relevant Government and other partner institutions to support cross-sectoral coordination and dialogue in these sectors and ensure incorporation and implementation of concerns and suggestions from such interactions in UNDP supported programmes
- Maintain good communication and co-ordination with relevant government institutions and community organizations to effectively identify and address safeguard activities related to UNDP programme interventions;
- Actively engage with UNDP programme staff, Implementing Partners and relevant officials of other agencies (government and non-government) to proactively identify and mitigate programme/project implementation bottlenecks.
Expected Outputs and Deliverables:
- Facilitate key consultation workshops with national counterparts to support development of UNDP’s offer and engagement in the Environment, Energy and Climate Change/DRM sectors;
- Support the development of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Portfolio Strategy and Plan for UNDP CO;
- Support the development of the CO Resource mobilization strategy, including capacity support to government to access vertical funds and key climate change opportunities;
- Prepare SDG progress reports, advisory notes, policy briefs with specific focus on environment, energy and climate change/DRM.
- Facilitate project/programme inception and periodic performance review stakeholder workshops.
Timeline and Key deliverables:
Inception Report: Payment 10%
This must detail the work plan for the entire period and the methodology for developing the required deliverables.
Monthly Progress and Periodic Reports: Payment 80%
Monthly progress reports against all deliverables in addition to preparing a set of SDG progress reports, advisory notes, policy briefs with specific focus on environment, energy and climate change/DRM according to CO's needs.
Consolidated Report of the Consultancy: Payment 10%
Submission of final report of the consultancy with a set of recommendations and lessons learned.
Reporting:
The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Resident Representative and in close consultation and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative. The consultant is expected to comply with the follow reporting activities:
- Inception report.
- Progress reports (on monthly basis).
- Final Completion Report.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards and acts in accordance with the Standards of Conduct for international civil servants;
- Advocates and 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.
Functional Competencies:
- Good knowledge of the legal framework;
- Ability to advocate and provide technical advice on the relevant sector/theme;
- Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision;
- Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture;
- Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, respectful and helpful relations with all UN/UNDP staff;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage;
- Excellent communication (both oral and written) and partnership building skills with multi-dimension partners, people skill for conflict resolution and negotiation;
- Excellent English language skills with strong technical writing skills.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s degree or Post Graduate Diploma in the field of climate change, meteorology, natural resources management/environmental sciences, economics, or other relevant discipline.
Experience:
- At least ten years of experience in the field of climate change, natural resources management/environmental sciences, economics, or other relevant discipline;
- 8 years of demonstrated experience and ability to deal with a range of national stakeholders, international organizations, development agencies, scientific and technical bodies, private sector entities, developing country counterparts, and NGOs would be an advantage.
- Ability to think analytically, strategically, and programmatically.
- Excellent technical and working knowledge in various sectors (environment and natural resource management, energy, climate change, disaster risk management)
- Proven record of constructive and positive engagement in leading program and policy dialogue with client Governments, GEF and GCF, donors and other stakeholders;
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, including ability to communicate complex issues to a wide range of audiences.
- Ability to work independently on complex tasks with tight deadlines which requires engagement with government at all hierarchical levels of Government;
- Experience working in a multicultural environment in an international setting.
Language Requirement:
- Proficiency in written and spoken English and Siswati.
Additional Information:
How to apply and procedures to follow up
Only applications with a demonstrated understating of the context and a clear technical proposal will be invited to the next stage. Consultants intending to apply should prepare a package that include the following:
- A most updated CVs of the consultants.
- Proposal plan and approach for conducting this assignment with proposed budget (financial proposal to be separate from the technical proposal).
- The proposal must be submitted in English maximum 10 pages, Calibri 12.
General Conditions of Contract for the ICs:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf
Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
P11 Form link: https://un.org.sz/p11/P11.docx