Background   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.  

Organizational Context

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 offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its 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 UNDP’s 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 staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages; represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, including public-private, government and civil society dialogues; and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

BPPS’ Nature Climate and Energy (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; and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy. This multi-billion dollar portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Sustainable Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships in NCE, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds (VFs), UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

Sustainable Energy

UNDP has been a leading advocate and the largest UN implementing agency for the energy transition at global, regional and national levels for several decades. UNDP’s sustainable energy programme supports policy makers with high quality data to make informed decisions on selecting and designing cost-effective public instruments to promote private investment in clean energy, contributing to SDG 7. UNDP has a successful track record in using policy instruments to de-risk and catalyze investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy access projects, including a series of sustainable energy initiatives specifically adapted to the needs (and resilient recovery) of fragile and crisis-impacted countries.

Under UNDP’s new Strategic Plan (2022-2025), energy is one of UNDP’s six signature solutions – alongside poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, and gender equality - to support countries towards three directions of change: structural transformation, leaving no one behind and resilience. 

In energy, UNDP’s first objective is to increase energy access for those furthest behind. By speeding up investment in distributed renewable energy solutions, especially for those hardest to reach and in crisis contexts, UNDP aims – together with its partners - to increase access to clean and affordable energy for 500 million people by the year 2025. Second, UNDP works to accelerate the clean energy transition through systems-change that supports inclusive, green and resource-efficient economies. This work capitalizes on technological gains, clean energy innovations and new business models in the energy sector. Throughout, recognizing that change can be disruptive, UNDP strives to ensure that such transitions are just, and that their impact on vulnerable people is understood and duly mitigated.

UNDP’s scaled-up activities on energy access and the energy transition are coordinated under the newly established Sustainable Energy Hub (SEH), representing UNDP’s systematic and programmatic approach to respond to the energy and climate change agendas. Through the SEH, UNDP harnesses networks, experience and innovation to scale-up energy programming efforts and shape policy, building on the existing portfolio of energy projects, covering over 100 countries to harness clean energy and support the energy access and transition as well as on UNDP’s Climate Promise, UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub and UNDP’s Digital offer. UNDP also works with Governments in programme countries as they recover and build forward better from COVID-19 and with investors to unlock and harness public and private finance to power progress towards multiple SDGs.

The Regional Technical Specialist (RTS) works under the overall supervision and leadership of the Principal Technical Advisor (PTA) for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy and the Regional Team Leader for NCE based in UNDP’s Regional Hub in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and in close collaboration with other technical specialists and advisors at both global and regional levels.  RTSs have global responsibilities in their area of specialized technical expertise but are deployed from Regional Hubs, normally close to the countries to which they provide most support.

The Regional Technical Specialist for Energy and Climate Change will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and will be required to travel. RTSs may be periodically redeployed, in accordance with capability, consent, and due process, to a different duty station as needed. Position Purpose The Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy is primarily responsible for providing technical, policy, and programming implementation support and oversight, and knowledge and capacity development services pertaining to the work of sustainable energy to UNDP country offices, and works 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:

  1. Innovation, Strategic Leadership, Policy Dialogue and Advocacy
  2. Portfolio Management
  3. Resource Mobilization
  4. Development Impact
  5. Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development Duties and Responsibilities

    Innovation, Strategic Leadership, Policy Dialogue and Advocacy (25%) [1]

    • Contributing to a strategic understanding of, and engagement with, the substantive technical issues, institutions, and processes within the region, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other agencies, donors, NGO’s, the private sector, scientific institutions and the like;
    • Participating in the development and implementation of UNDP’s global and regional strategies on environment and sustainable development within the BPPS, GN and beyond; engagement in policy and advocacy work with external partners where relevant;
      • Providing policy development support and guidance to countries and governments;
        • Supporting the development of strategic UNDP policy position papers and internal briefing notes;
        • Facilitating policy analysis and the development of technical tools and guidance;
        • Maintain trusted relationships with country offices, government and non-governmental partners’ role within the region;
        • Keeping the NCE Regional Team informed of trends and issues with respect to the substantive technical area and contribute actively to regional NCE programming and Business plans;
        • Keeping the Principal/Senior Technical Advisors and RTL informed of trends and issues in the region;
        • Work in coordination with other RTAs/RTSs in the region to develop projects requiring technical guidance from multiple areas, including collaborations with NCE regional team members and broader GPN and RBAS teams at the Regional Hub on delivery of integrated support to Country Offices.

          Portfolio Management (5%)

          • Assisting in the maintenance of programme/project and portfolio information and corporate information systems;
          • Facilitating the identification, and sourcing of technical expertise and support, including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports.

            Resource Mobilization (20%)

            • Supporting programme and project identification and development, including on integrated approaches and multifocal area projects;
            • Providing timely and quality information and technical advice on sources of funds, policies, priorities and activities – including the Global Environment Facility funds, the Green Climate Fund, other multilateral donors, bilateral donors and foundations;
            • Identifying and suggesting to the PTA and regional RTL priorities and entry-points for UNDP assistance and linkage with broader UNDP priorities;
            • Facilitating the process of preparation, design, submission and approval of programme/project concepts and full-fledged proposals for financing;
            • Providing guidance and support in the identification and sourcing of technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports;
            • Facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions.

              Development Impact (40%)

              • Assisting with inception and start-up of programmes/projects, ensuring the implementation teams’ understanding of technical and operational aspects of the projects, and strong technical and operational capacity of project management units;
              • Supporting UNDP country offices and programme/project implementation partners in project supervision, and timely and quality implementation, providing troubleshooting and guidance for adaptive management;
              • Undertaking virtual and physical supervision missions aimed at (a) verification of results and (b) troubleshooting to manage technical quality assurance risks;
              • Undertaking technical quality assurance of the Annual Work Plan cleared by the CO, ensuring alignment with the approved project document and technical robustness of proposed AWP activities in line with the approved project result framework;
              • Undertaking risk management oversight including conducting risk-based second-tier portfolio oversight and address escalated GEF project risks/critical issues through Action Plan;
              • Providing oversight for monitoring and evaluation support including quality and timely completion of the annual Project Implementation Reports (PIRs) reports and technical oversight related input during mid-term reviews (MTRs) and terminal evaluations (TEs);
              • Facilitate production of project communication pieces effectively showcasing socio-economic and environmental impacts of individual projects and its linkage to the UNDP Strategic Plan priorities and targets.

                Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development (10%)

                • Evaluating, capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development of knowledge materials;
                • Peer reviewing, commenting on, and seeking to improve the technical quality of programmes/projects, policies, practices, guidelines, advisory notes, publications and the like;
                • Assisting with preparation of regional Community of Practice meetings;
                • Preparing and delivering training courses as needed;
                • Responding to queries on programme/project progress, impacts and lessons;
                • Developing knowledge products of relevance to UNDP-NCE’s support to countries on low emission climate resilient development in the area of energy, infrastructure and transport;
                • Developing and carrying out a personal learning plan.

                  [1] Exact percentages are agreed annually with the supervisor based on each team member’s individual work plan. Required Skills and Experience

                  Education:

This vacancy is archived.

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