Background
UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.
Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS's staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder including public-private dialogues, government, and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.
BPPS’s Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, with the support of the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit, works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste.
The UNDP Climate Hub is the arrowhead of UNDP’s commitment to the “Climate Promise” that aims to support programming countries designing and implementing pledges under the Paris Agreement, including ambitious National Determined Contributions, with climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions fully embedded in the national development planning and budgetary processes. The Climate Hub will build on UNDP’s existing over USD 4 billion country-level climate portfolio on Climate Change Policies and Strategies, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate and Forests, covering over 142 countries, as well as on UNDP’s Nature portfolio, UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub, UNDP’s Digital offer and other relevant portfolios on youth, gender, health, climate security among others.
The UNDP Climate Hub is responsible for:
Thought leadership on Climate and to be the custodian of UNDP policy positions on Climate; Strategy and vision formulation; Pipeline development in coordination with the other hubs and the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit; Provision of integrated policy and programme support to Country Offices; Global engagement, advocacy in collaboration with BERA; Integration across thematic areas; Strategic Partnerships development and resource mobilization; Lead and Support global flagship initiatives and partnerships on Climate; Serve as focal point with relevant UN coordination mechanisms and Conventions (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change); Cross-organization knowledge and learning; and Innovation.Under Climate Hub, the Climate Change Adaptation Team (CCA) works with governments, private sector, academia, and civil society to build capacities to implement transformative approaches to securing resilient lives, livelihoods, ecosystems, and markets, particularly focusing on the most vulnerable and marginalized. With a large and diverse portfolio of adaptation projects and programmes, UNDP is a key actor within the UN System in supporting countries to access and catalyze public and private finance to implement their adaptation priorities in the context of the SDG agenda.
The Regional Technical Specialist (RTS) for Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) is primarily responsible for providing high quality technical policy, programming, implementation support and oversight, and knowledge and capacity development services to UNDP country offices in the region. Secondary clients might include other UN agencies, governments and inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, donors, and the like. The RTA will work under the overall supervision of the Senior Regional Technical Advisor based in Addis Ababa as primary supervisor and the Environment Regional Team Leader as secondary supervisor. The incumbent will also work in close collaboration with other Regional Technical Specialists and Advisors at both regional and global levels. The RTA will be part of the Climate Hub and located in the Regional Hub for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia supporting country offices in the region and is expected to travel frequently.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & rises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Regional Technical Specialist (RTS) will provide second level oversight, quality assurance and compliance with fund/donor requirements for programming initiatives during the design phase and implementation phase and ensure portfolio wide risk-based oversight of the CCA portfolio, for the related technical area, within the Africa region. The Regional Technical Specialist is primarily responsible for providing technical, policy, and programming implementation support and oversight, and knowledge and capacity development services pertaining to the work of the CCA team to UNDP country offices, working with other UN agencies, governments and inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, donors, the private sector and many others. Specific results are expected in the areas of:
Provide, Strategic Leadership, Innovation Policy Dialogue and Advocacy
Support the establishment and maintenance of a strategic understanding of and engagement with substantive technical issues, institutions, and processes in the region. This includes building strategic partnerships with agencies, donors, NGOs, the private sector, scientific institutions, and other stakeholders; Contribute to the identification, development, and implementation of new strategic programming opportunities and partnerships in climate change adaptation, low-emission and climate-resilient development, and sustainable livelihoods; Provide strategic and policy development support by contributing to the development and implementation of UNDP’s global and regional strategies, supporting policy and advocacy work with external partners, and maintaining a trusted leadership role within the region; Support policy analysis and guidance by providing policy development support, facilitating the development of technical tools and guidance, and contributing to the preparation of strategic UNDP policy position papers and internal briefing notes; Engage in cross-substantive area technical dialogues, strategic visioning, mainstreaming, and collaborative programming within the regional team; Ensure strategic communication and leadership engagement by keeping the Principal/Senior Technical Advisors informed of regional trends and issues, in addition to keeping the Regional Team informed; Participate in global retreats, focal area retreats, regional strategic planning, and pipeline management exercises.Ensure Effective Programming and Portfolio Management:
Contribute to the development of strategic policy and technical guidance to strengthen UNDP Country Offices in designing and implementing climate change adaptation projects, ensuring alignment with national priorities and corporate results frameworks; Lead the identification and development of integrated, strategic, and/or high-risk programmes and projects, in line with UNDP’s project origination Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), , Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed (RACI) matrix, and fund/donor requirements; Providing timely and quality information and technical advice on sources of funds, policies, priorities and activities – including the GEF, GCF, AF, other multilateral donors, bilateral donors and foundations; Identify and recommend to the Principal Technical Advisor (PTA) and Senior Technical Advisors (STAs) strategic priorities and entry points for UNDP support in nature, climate, and energy programming; Provide 2nd level technical quality assurance and compliance checks with UNDP technical investment criteria on nature, climate and energy related matters and fund/donor requirements, including providing quality assurance for technical specialists assigned to projects, across the process of preparation, design, submission, reviews and approval of programme/project concepts and full-fledged proposals, in line with Fund/donor/UNDP policies and requirements; Ensure second-line quality assurance on project components such as budgets, procurement plans, safeguards, implementing partner due diligence, and risk mitigation measures, in coordination with the Regional Bureau and relevant units in line with the Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and RACI; Support UNDP’s positioning and thought leadership by contributing to strategic retreats, pipeline planning exercises, and the establishment of the UNDP Climate Hub and Vertical Fund Unit as regional leaders; Design and advocate for the use of policy analysis tools, methodologies, and technical guidance to inform programme design and enhance the effectiveness of climate adaptation financing; Guide the identification and sourcing of technical expertise, including preparing and reviewing Terms of Reference (TORs), evaluating candidates, and quality-assuring consultant outputs; Lead and facilitate relationship-building with financing institutions and technical partners to strengthen programme development, co-financing, and strategic collaboration; Promote gender equity and the empowerment of women through the integration of inclusive approaches across climate programming and project design; Monitor portfolio performance by providing inputs to internal systems such as PIMS+, tracking delivery rates, assessing project risks, and ensuring timely escalation and corrective actions where needed; Support the Regional Hub in integrating lessons from evaluations, audits, and monitoring into regional programming to foster continuous learning, adaptive management, and improved impact.Establish and maintain strategic partnerships and support Resource Mobilization
Provide timely, high-quality information and technical advice on donor policies, priorities, and funding opportunities; Offer technical guidance, review, and quality assurance for concept notes and project proposals submitted to donors; Support the coordination and technical oversight on project design, preparation, submission, and approval processes for development financing; Facilitate liaison with potential co-financing agencies and institutions to strengthen funding opportunities; Continuously explore opportunities for scale-up of UNDP’s adaptation investments by partnering with other development agencies and private sector entities that are applying non-grant financial instruments.Ensure Quality Assurance and Development Impact
Guide and support with project inception, contracting, and startup, ensuring the establishment of indicators, benchmarks, and work plans to ensure that these align with the technical investment criteria and the requirements of funds/donors; Support UNDP country offices and programme/project implementation partners in supervision, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, troubleshooting and adaptive management (including project revisions and extensions, etc.) in line with Fund/donor policies and requirements; Support Country Offices and the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) in aligning regional and country priorities, while liaising with other regional hub practices; Provide quality assurance for annual reports and work plans; Maintain project and portfolio information in corporate systems; Develop guidance and tools for operationalizing projects, including inception, contracting, and startup processes; Undertake risk management oversight of technical risks that compromise the effectiveness and efficiency of the Fund/donor approved projects, including conducting risk-based second tier portfolio oversight and support Country Offices (Cos)/Regional Bureaus (RBx)/BPPS to address escalated project risks/critical issues through action plans.Facilitate Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development
Evaluate, capture, codify, and synthesize lessons learned, while promoting the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including through the development of knowledge products and materials; Participate in peer reviews, provide constructive feedback, and enhance the technical quality of programmes, projects, policies, guidelines, advisory notes, publications, and related materials; Contribute to the planning and preparation of regional Community of Practice meetings, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange; Support the design, preparation, and delivery of training courses to build technical and operational capacities; Respond to queries related to programme and project progress, outcomes, impacts, and lessons learned; Develop and implement a personal learning plan to strengthen expertise and contribute more effectively to team objectives; Prepare reports and communication materials that effectively highlight socio-economic development benefits and environmental results; Prepare reports and communications pieces effectively showcasing socio-economic development benefits as well as environment results.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization
Institutional Arrangement
The incumbent will be based in UNDP Offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; The incumbent will report to the Senior Regional Technical Advisor - CCA (primary) and the Environment Regional Team Leader (secondary) at UNDP Regional Hub for Africa in Addis Ababa; The incumbent will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment. The incumbent will be provided a working station (i.e., desk, laptop, docking station, monitor, internet, scanner/printer access, assignment specific software, etc.) through support of the Climate Hub. Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the incumbent is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones.Competencies
CORE
Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivityCross Functional & Technical Competencies
Business Direction & Strategy: Systems Thinking
Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the systemBusiness Management: Results-based Management
Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.Business Management : Project Management
Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goalsBusiness Management: Partnership Management
Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies2030 Agenda: Planet Climate
Climate change adaptation policy and planning: National Adaptation Plans2030 Agenda: Planet Climate
Climate Change Adaptation: Climate-Resilient InfrastructureBusiness Management : Communication
Communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Economics, Environmental Law, Natural Resources Management, Sustainable Development, Climate Change Adaptation/Mitigation, International Development with a specialization in Climate Change Adaptation, Environment and Development, or other closely related field is required. Or A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university.Experience:
Minimum of 7 years’ (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience working with developing countries on climate change adaptation is required.Required Skills
At least 5 years of experience in substantive functions that relate to technical domains relevant for climate change adaptation such as water, agriculture, livelihoods, infrastructure, ecosystem protection, disaster risk reduction, coastal protection, and adaptation finance is required; At least 5 years of experience with project development, implementation, and/or management (direct project management experience is preferred) is required; Substantive experience in policy development processes associated with environment and sustainable development issues is required.Desired Skills
Demonstrable extensive experience developing or implementing adaptation projects with financing from vertical funds (the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Least Developed Country Fund and/or Special Climate Change Fund) is highly desirable; Demonstrable success in resource mobilization and strategic partnership development (e.g. with governments, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, the private sector, scientific institutions, and other stakeholders) in the areas of environment and sustainable development is an advantage; Substantive experience in program management including managerial experience, procurement, recruitment of staff and/or consultants is highly desirable; Experience working in the Africa region is highly desirable; Experience working in an international organization is an advantage; Experience and knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices would be a strong advantage.Required Languages
Fluency in English and French, including excellent oral and written communication skills, in required. Good command of oral and written Portuguese and/or another UN official language is an asset.Travel
The Regional Technical specialist will be part of the Climate Hub and located in the Regional Hub for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia supporting country offices in the region and is expected to travel frequently. Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the Supervisor. The BSAFE course must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel. The incumbents are responsible for ensuring their vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designed by the UN Medical Director. The incumbents are responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP. The incumbents are required to comply with the UN security directives under http://dss.un.org/dssweb/ The incumbents will be responsible for making their own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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