Vacancy Announcement from UNDP :Programme Analyst – Climate Change and Resilience
Job ID: 39186
Duty Station: Kathmandu, Nepal
Languages
Required:
Desired:
English, Nepali
Grade: NOB
Vacancy Type: FTA Local
Posting Type: External
Bureau: Asia & the Pacific
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension
Only for Nepalese Nationals
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.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nepal works with the people and the Government of Nepal, and other development partners to pursue equitable and sustainable human development goals through eradication of poverty, increase in livelihood opportunities, improvement in community resilience against conflict, disasters and impact of climate change, while laying down strong foundations for a society based on rule of law with an inclusive and participatory democracy. In addition to the above-mentioned thematic area, gender equality and social inclusion is core of the work that UNDP does and is mainstreamed and addressed through the specific interventions targeting to the most marginalized and other vulnerable groups.
Job Purpose and Organizational Context
The overarching priority of UNDP Nepal’s current Country Programme Document (CPD) 2018 – 2022 is to support the people and Government to build a lasting peace and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by:
- Strengthening governance institutions from community to national level;
- Improving incomes and generating employment;
- Improving the policy environment and planning capabilities;
- Protecting Nepal’s development gains from the effects of natural disasters and climate change and socio-economic impacts of the on-going COVID-19 crisis, and
- Promoting gender equality and social inclusion, and empowering women and excluded groups.
In order to advance 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNDP has been providing policy and programming support to the countries to deliver as per commitments made under Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Sendai Disaster Risk Reduction framework, post-2020 global Biodiversity Framework and linked multilateral environmental conventions agreements. These supports mainly include scaling up climate action for sustainable development (through implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) sustainable management of ecosystem, biodiversity and water as well as working on challenges and opportunities around COVID-19. Climate change is the single greatest challenge humanity has ever faced, threatening water and food security, health, livelihoods, and the safety of billions of people. The global response to this challenge must be just, inclusive, and leave no one behind, while seeking the most efficient climate solutions that advance multiple Sustainable Development Goals at once. Nepal submitted its revised NDC to United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariate in December 2020 with an ambition of net zero emission by 2050 and major sectors included for emission reduction are Energy, Agriculture, Forestry and Land use (AFOLU), Industrial Process and Product Use (IPP) and Waste. UNDP Nepal has been supporting the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) in finalizing Nepal’s enhanced NDC and development of long-term long term low carbon strategy and implementation plan for NDC.
Considering the urgent needs of socio-economic recovery in response to COVID-19 pandemic impacts, the International development partners group (IDPG) working in Nepal including the WB and UN/UNDP has collaborated with the Government of Nepal to support for a coherent approach of recovery with twin objectives of reviving the economy impacted by the pandemic at short term through creating green jobs as well as contributing to a long term green recovery vision through delivery of Green Resilient Inclusive Development Action Plan (GRID-AP). The GRID-AP has estimated future investment of US$ 8 billion for green and inclusive recovery which are aligned to Nepal’s 15th Development Plan and its climate goals reflected in NDC document.
UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2018-2021) focuses on structural transformation through inclusive and accountable governance critical to achieve the NDC target of net-zero emission by 2050 and realize the vision of making Nepal a resilient society by 2030. Likewise, UNDP’s new Strategic Plan (2022-2025) has given emphasis on equitable, green transformation linking to 2030 Agenda, with focus on green recovery through a system-wide resilience focussed approach that integrates gender equality and empowerment of women. To realize Nepal’s GRID vision and UNDP’s new Strategic Plan objective of green transformation, UNDP CO is committed for scaling up climate mitigation and adaption actions by breaking the existing sectoral silos through integrated, coherent planning for climate, energy, biodiversity and water linked to livelihood, governance and gender outcomes. UNDP also commits to establish and strengthen partnerships with private sector to support and leverage financing and build capacities of sub-national governments to deliver inclusive low carbon resilient development in line with Nepal’s Climate Change Policy 2019 and revised NDC 2020.
UNDP’s Environment and Resilience portfolio is currently managing a number of programme and projects in the areas of disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, renewable energy for rural livelihood, building resilience to people living in vulnerable watersheds together with a number of upstream policy projects such as biodiversity finance and climate promise and climate enhancement acceleration package. Building on its experience of supporting the government in Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risk reduction, UNDP plans to scale up this intervention at national levels through Green Climate Funds (GCF) funds for which process of submission to GCF is approaching soon.
Building on its past and ongoing policy work, starting in 2021 UNDP plans to implement joint programme on climate and environment funded by The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) to support for building internal capacities for integrated planning. Likewise, a joint programme with FAO on Scaling up Climate Ambition on Land Use and Agriculture (SCALA) has been agreed and is ready for implementation to support the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development for scaling up climate actions in agriculture sector. The portfolio works extensively with federal, provincial and local governments to build capacities for integrating climate risk management and environment in development planning and promote low carbon development, disaster risk reduction, EWS and climate change adaptation. As a response to COVID-19 pandemic from socio-economic recovery lens, UNDP has been supporting the provincial and local governments as well as the community in planning and implementation of economic recovery activities to generate immediate income and employment while taking a long-term green recovery approach with focus on agriculture, agroforestry, plantations, eco-tourism and waste management.
This assignment is part of UNDP Nepal CO’s efforts for long-term green, resilient recovery from COVID-19 and to build capacities for integrated climate, environment and resilience programming and support climate actions through effective NDC implementation in Nepal’s federal context.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative and the day to day supervision of the Policy Advisor, Resilience and Disaster Preparedness of UNDP Nepal and in close collaboration with the Portfolio Manager for Environment and Resilience, and guidance from the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, the Programme Analyst is expected to deliver the following responsibilities and tasks:
1. Strategic programme/project planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting
- Support strategic planning, coordination and implementation of Nepal CO climate change, resilience and green recovery related programmes/projects to ensure timely and effective management and coordination across the portfolio;
- Take responsibility of on-going GCF project preparation including liaison with international and national consultants to ensure finalization of full project package as per GCF requirements for timely submission to GCF;
- In collaboration and under the guidance of the Policy Advisor, contribute to identifying new strategic programming opportunities and partnerships in the areas of green recovery, sustainable water management, ecosystem, biodiversity, and climate change, including governance of climate finance in partnering with public and private sector institutions;
- In collaboration and under the guidance of the Policy Advisor, contribute to identifying strategic policy development support and guidance, including contribution to UN Country Team and UNDP Nepal Country Programme Document (CPD) processes;
- Conduct research and analysis of the climate and environmental situation in Nepal, including related to governance and financing, and support the development of strategic UNDP policy and position papers and internal briefing notes;
- Support UNDP management on development of policy and technical notes on various aspects related to green recovery, climate change and environment, including adaptation, mitigation, governance and financing;
- Support the preparation of project progress reports and related presentations, briefings, knowledge products and relevant documents as required;
- Liaise with regional technical advisors on the implementation progress and new programming/partnership opportunities;
- Through the provision of technical guidance to the relevant project teams, take responsibility for delivering joint programmes with SIDA on climate and environment, with FAO on SCALA and with NDC partnership for implementation of Climate Promise and CEAP.
2. Stakeholder management, partnership coordination, and external relations
- Support the coordination and management of communications with government, development partners, implementing partners, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders in close consultation with the RR and DRR and Policy Advisor on Resilience and Disaster Preparedness;
- Keep UNDP management updated about policy changes and new guidance related to potential opportunities for collaborations with government and other partners including Vertical Funds in the area of environment, climate change and green recovery;
- Participate in and provide substantial contributions to coordination processes related to integrated climate and resilience planning, green recovery and climate change adaptation and environment in which UNDP participates, including with the government, development partners, UN agencies, private sector and civil society;
- Liaise and build relationships with government counterparts, other UN agencies, development partners, academia, private sector, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders;
- Conduct analysis and research of information on partners and donors for the preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation related to green recovery and climate change.
3. Policy advice on green recovery and climate change
- Support to the federal and provincial governments in policy, institutional strengthening and planning for implementation of NDC and NAP under the Paris Agreement for greater emissions reduction and resilience building and green recovery programming contributing to sustainable development;
- Support the improved capacity of all levels of government and other stakeholders to integrate climate change concerns into development planning and policy processes at the national, sub-national and/or sectoral levels and implement these policies;
- Provide technical and advisory support to enhance climate change mainstreaming across the UN/UNDP portfolio and programming and opportunities for innovative and green financing.
4. Ensure Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)
- Ensure that GESI is mainstreamed and well captured and mainstreamed in Planning, implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation Frameworks; and implementation of the projects under climate change and resilience portfolio;
- Ensure that the GESI related policies/strategies are implemented by the projects/programmes;
- Coordinate with the GESI Specialist of CO to ensure that the GESI-related results are well captured in all project initiatives / efforts;
- Ensure expertise are mobilized to provide advice and direction on strategic and policy issues to strengthen gender & social inclusion initiatives in the work plan and implementation strategy;
- Ensure gender and social inclusion issues are substantially incorporated in policy notes, briefs, talking points, knowledge products;
- Contribute to showcase and reflect on the learning on gender equality and social inclusion;
- Ensure that the policies related to workforce diversity, gender parity, prevention of sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse is implemented and play active role in creating enabling environment for all.
5. Perform any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
Competencies
Core Competencies- Level 3: Manager/ Specialist/ Expert
Achieve Results
- Demonstrates focus on achieving quality results and impact
- Consistently strives to meet or exceed excellent standards
- Efficiently establishes appropriate plans and resources for self and others to
- accomplish goals
- Holds self and others accountable for results
Think Innovatively
- Seeks patterns and clarity outside, across and beyond boxes and categories, resists
- false certainty and simplistic binary choices
- Looks beyond conventional approaches and established methods
- Proposes new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems
Learn Continuously
- Actively pursues opportunities for learning and self-development, professionally and
- personally
- Keeps up to date with new developments in own professional area
- Proactively seeks feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from experience, both positive and negative
- Contributes to the learning of others
Adapt with Agility
- Actively pursues opportunities for learning and self-development, professionally and
- personally
- Keeps up to date with new developments in own professional area
- Proactively seeks feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from
- experience, both positive and negative
- Contributes to the learning of others
Act with Determination
- Is flexible in handling change, and adopts new ideas, approaches and ways of working
- Seamlessly adapts to working with new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways
- Participates in, supports, or drives meaningful change in UNDP
- Is comfortable with ambiguity and effectively manages juggling multiple demands
Engage and Partner
- Establishes and develops networks that deliver powerful collaborations
- Demonstrates and encourages teamwork and co-creation, internally and externally, to
- achieve joint objectives and results
- Acts in a way that demonstrates empathy and emotional intelligence, showing consideration for the needs and feelings of others
Enable Diversity and Inclusion
- Understands and appreciates issues from the perspective of others
- Treats all individuals with respect, considers ethical implications and responds sensitively to all differences among people
- Fully accepts and values all people, creating an inclusive environment
- Understands that inclusion is multi-faceted (e.g. race, gender, age, disability, culture, etc.) and treats everyone fairly and equally
- Demonstrates honesty and transparency
Cross Functional Competency
I. Business direction and strategy
Strategic Thinking
- Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
- Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
Entrepreneurial thinking
- Ability to create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs based on UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate
II. Business development
Knowledge Generation
- Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
Knowledge Facilitation
- Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
III. Business Management
Partnerships Management
- Ability to 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 policies
Risk Management
- Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
Communication
- Ability to 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
Working with Evidence and Data
- Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
Technical Competencies
Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
- Disaster Recovery Policy, Planning and Programming
Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
- Disaster Risk Management
Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
- Gender Responsive Disaster Risk Management and Reduction
Nature, Climate and Energy
- Climate Change Policies: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
Nature, Climate and Energy
- Climate Change Adaptation: strategies
Nature, Climate and Energy
- Green Economy: Circular economy concepts, policies and tools
Nature, Climate and Energy
- Water Governance: Water governance for sustainable solutions
Project Management
- Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Gender
- Climate Change and Risk Management of Disasters with a Gender Perspective
Gender
- Knowledge of gender, inclusion and overall diversity issues in the context of Nepal and proactiveness to learn.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s Degree or equivalent Advanced Degree in Development/Sustainability Studies, Environment, Natural Public Administration, Law, natural or social sciences related to natural resources management and/or sustainable development.
Experience:
- A minimum of two years of work experience related to sustainable development, climate change, natural resource management or environmental protection;
- Demonstrated experience in the areas of project development, planning, implementation, and monitoring is required;
- Experience working with the UN or another international organization is a considerable advantage;
- Strong analytical and writing skills and a track record of producing high quality reports and other written materials;
- Experience working with multi-donor and/or vertical funded (GCF, GEF, AF, LDCF/SCCF) projects is desirable;
- Knowledge on gender equality, women’s empowerment and inclusion will be an added value;
- Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
- Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in spoken and written English and Nepali is required.
Disclaimer
Important applicant information
All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: 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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