Regional Technical Specialist

UNDP Environment and Energy Group (EEG) is based in UNDP’s Bureau of Development Policy and is responsible for providing leadership and technical support to delivery of the Environment and Sustainable Development pillar of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  Its main focus is on helping countries develop the capacity to fully incorporate environmental sustainability into development at national and local, but also global and regional, levels.  The principal areas of work are in environmental mainstreaming, environmental finance, adaptation to climate change, and local governance of resources, including energy.

With its technical focus, the Environment and Energy Group (EEG) is organized into substantive technical teams with a Principal or Senior Technical Advisor (PTA/STA) being the team leader within each area.  Each team leader supports and guides a team of Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs).  As well as being a member of a technical team, each RTA is also a member of a regional team, which consists of RTAs from all technical teams working together under the leadership of a Regional Practice or Team Leader.  The regional teams are based in regional service centres from where they primarily support UNDP’s country offices and partners in the region, but are also called upon to provide support globally as necessary. 

The role of a Regional Technical Advisor (RTA) is to provide high quality technical guidance and support to policy and project development and implementation partners, primarily UNDP country offices but also other UN agencies, governments and inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, donors, etc.

The PTAs and RTAs are also responsible for providing detailed knowledge related to sources of funds for environment work, and assisting partners to obtain, use, and report on, such funding.  Currently the main sources of funds include: the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and its Adaptation Funds (LDCF, SCCF), the CDM carbon market; and various bilateral, multilateral, and sub-national donors and partners including country governments, NGOs, and the private sector.  EEG is in the process of expanding its capacities to assist countries access the voluntary carbon markets, the private sector, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation fund, and, if they become available, mechanisms associated with United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from  Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD).

The role of the Regional Technical Specialist (RTS) for Low-Emission Climate-Resilient Development (LECRD), within the technical area of sustainable (climate-resilient) development strategies and finance, is to attract and direct public and private investment towards catalyzing and supporting sustainable economic growth, in the context of integrated LECRD. The RTS works under the overall supervision of the UNDP/GEF PTA/STA for LECRDS and under the local guidance of the UNDP/EEG Regional Practice Leader. S/he will work closely with other RTAs at the global and region level who focus on sectoral areas of work such as water, ecosystems and biodiversity, sustainable rural livelihoods, energy, infrastructure, transport/technology and chemicals and ozone.

Depending on the workload and resources, the RTS can be periodically redeployed, in accordance with capability, consent, and due process, in any region as needed.

Innovation, Strategic Leadership, Dialogue and Advocacy (10%)

• Maintaining an understanding of substantive technical issues, institutions, and processes within the region, including establishing contact with and developing strategic partnerships with other agencies, donors, NGO’s, the private sector, scientific institutions and the like;
• Contributing to identifying new strategic programming opportunities and partnerships especially with the private sector, in the area of low emission climate resilient development (LECRD);
• Managing correspondence and communications with the Regional Team, Country Offices and partners on trends and issues with respect to the substantive technical area;
• Participating in cross-substantive area technical dialogue, common strategic visioning, mainstreaming, programming, and other collaboration within the regional team;
• Assisting in keeping the Regional Team informed of trends and issues pertaining to climate change adaptation and LECRD finance of relevance to their thematic area of focus.

Programming and Management (20%)

• Developing strategic policy development support and guidance for strengthening UNDP Country Offices with adaptation project design and implementation including alignment with national priorities, as well as leveraging public finance to attract private sector partnerships and investment;
• Developing and advocating for specific policy analysis and development tools and guidance in support of programming and finance for adaptation, including from both public and private sources;
• Supporting the establishment of a trusted leadership role for UNDP/GEF within the region;
• Sourcing of technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports;
• Contributing to regional retreats, focal area retreats, regional strategic planning, pipeline management exercises, etc;
• Promoting gender equity/empowerment in adaptation and LECRD-related programming opportunities;
• Ensuring that LECRD projects are aligned to country outcomes and UNDP corporate environment results in internal UNDP project tracking systems (e.g. ERBM);
• Maintaining quality/accuracy in data and project  management (UNDP EF systems like PIMS), management of ATLAS Risks logs, portfolio delivery rates;
• Ensuring expected quality standards are maintained in project implementation reviews; 
• Supporting the RCU to internalize lessons from evaluations in adaptation programming in the region.

• Assisting with the provision of timely quality information and technical advice on GEF and other sources of fund (e.g. Adaptation Fund) policies and activities to country offices and other partners to enable the preparation of projects;
• Assisting with the coordination of design, preparation, submission and approval of project proposals, project documents and requests for project development financing;
• Draft, revise, finalize and help editing concepts and project documents for submission to donors;
• Support the liaison with potential co-financing agencies and institutions from both the public and private sector.

Development Impact (35%)

• Assisting with inception, contracting and start up of projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans;
• Supporting UNDP country offices in the supervision, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, troubleshooting and adaptive management of approved projects;
• Developing guidance and tools for country offices to utilize in operationalizing projects inception, contracting and start up of projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans;
• Providing supervision, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, troubleshooting and adaptive management of approved projects including preparing and reviewing annual reports and work plans;
• Functioning as surge capacity to COs, supporting EFP with urgent, pressing, complex and /or specific tasks in the context of adaptation programming;
• Maintain project and portfolio information and corporate information systems.

 Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development (15%)

• Capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development of resource kits and other knowledge materials;
• Developing knowledge products of relevance to UNDP/GEF’s support to countries on low emission climate resilient development;
• Assisting with preparation of regional Community of Practice meetings;
• Developing and carrying out a personal learning plan (5%). 

Technical Competencies:

• Ability to advise on the integration of climate risk management, including vulnerability and adaptation impact analysis, climate risk assessment, and long term and medium term responses to these, into national, sub-national and local institutional structures, and systems of governance, including public financial management;
• Ability to guide the design and implementation of multi-sectoral and sectoral programmes and projects at different scales; and
• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• 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:

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Education:

• Masters degree in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Management, or a closely-related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in the area of Climate Change Adaptation, Low Emission, Climate Resilient Development strategies, or closely related fields; 
• Experience working with private sector especially on financing and operations for small, medium and multinational enterprises;
• Experience with project development, implementation and management especially UNDP/GEF projects;
• Experience in the policy development processes associated with environment and sustainable development issues;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; commitment to team work and to working across disciplines;
• Skills in facilitation and coordination, entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated ability to work in an independent manner;
• Strong analytical, writing, communication and advocacy skills;
• IT literacy, familiarity with e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with on-line web-based applications;
• Excellent drafting ability and presentation  and communication skills, both oral and written; ability to explain complex issues to UNDP staff and external partners;
• Work experience in an international organization is an advantage, as is knowledge of UNDP policies and procedures;
• Previous experience with GEF mechanisms will be an asset.

 Language Requirements:

• Fluency in Spanish and English is required (both written and verbal).  Proficiency or working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.