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Technical Specialist (Climate Change and Sustainable Natural Resources Mainstreaming

The majority of the population in Malawi depends on natural resources for subsistence and income. Thus, unsustainable use of these resources will make it harder to achieve food security, poverty reduction and other national development priorities. Consistent with this, the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS), the overarching national planning document of the Government of Malawi (GoM), includes ‘Conservation of the Natural Resource Base’ under Theme 1: Sustainable Economic Growth. Furthermore, in 2009, GoM included “Climate Change, Natural Resources and Environmental Management” as Key Priority Area KPA) in a revised MGDS.

Under the present United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the UN aims to enhance the contribution of the sustainable management of natural resources to poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth, food security and broader achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, as spearheaded by the UNDP-UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative (PEI). While issues such as land degradation have existed for some time, more recently the increasing likelihood of the negative impacts of climate change on development priorities such as food security, poverty reduction and national development priorities has become apparent. For example, climate change is likely to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. It is therefore necessary that responses to the degradation of natural resources and other threats, that could be further aggravated by climate change, are integrated into relevant Government of Malawi projects, programmes and policies. It is equally important that these threats are responded to in a coordinated cross-government and cost-effective manner.

The government has taken steps to put in place such a coordinated response, namely by setting up a Steering Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change (chaired by the Principal Secretary of Development Planning and Cooperation – DPC), Technical Committees on Climate Change (chaired by the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services – DCCMS) and Poverty – Environment (chaired by DPC), as well as a Sector Working Group (SWG) on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change (chaired by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment - MNREE). The government also established a Government – Development Partner Working Group on Climate Change, co-chaired by the PS for DPC and the UN Resident Coordinator. The UN support these efforts, in particular through the PEI and the National Climate Change Programme (CCP), both coordinated by the UNDP Country Office, with further support from the UNDP-UNEP PEI Africa Program in Nairobi. Several activities are implemented under these programme by diverse government stakeholders, including MNREE, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), Ministry of Finance, etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

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
  • Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring
  • Working in Teams
  • Communicating Information and Ideas
  • Self-management and Emotional intelligence
  • Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements
  • Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning
  • Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making

Functional Competencies

Technical

  • Understanding of the value of natural resources and its impact on development planning;
  • A sound, practical understanding of development economics and how regulatory and fiscal policies can help to allocate resources equitably, applying this in particular to the agricultural, water and energy sectors.
  • A sound, practical understanding of how risk assessment can be applied to development investments and planning processes.
  • Knowledge of how natural resources and climate risk information can be used to add value to policy processes and planning tools.

Influencing, communicating and working with others

  • Track record in developing partnerships between government, financiers, and the UN created through effective advocacy.
  • Ability to communicate technical concepts among many different stakeholders – government, donors, civil society organizations - in plain language, and to understand the language of sectoral policy makers.
  • Strong team working skills;

Job Knowledge

  • Knowledge and working experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and ideally Southern Africa;
  • Computer literacy and ability to use common information and office technology equipment.
  • Strong background in planning and budgeting; knowledge of UNDP project management systems
  • Track record in providing leadership in the development and implementation of policy initiatives.
  • Demonstrated ability to provide technical and policy advice at senior level

Management and Leadership

  • Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills with ability to work under pressure and to establish and maintain effective work relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
  • Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly, logically and effectively, both orally and in writing;

Competencies

  • At least a Masters degree in a development related field (e.g. development, agricultural or natural resource economics and/or environmental/Disaster/Climate Risk policy and management);
  • Minimum of 7 years professional experience at senior program management level in development, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction policy related field.
  • Experience in national development planning and budgeting processes.
  • Strong knowledge of the linkages between environment, poverty reduction and economic growth.
  • Working experiences with development partners, in particular with UN will be an advantage.
  • Experience working in Southern Africa is preferred

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • At least a Masters degree in a development related field (e.g. development, agricultural or natural resource economics and/or environmental/Disaster/Climate Risk policy and management).

Experience:

  • Minimum of 7 years professional experience at senior program management level in development, environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction policy related field.
  • Experience in national development planning and budgeting processes.
  • Strong knowledge of the linkages between environment, poverty reduction and economic growth.
  • Working experiences with development partners, in particular with UN will be an advantage.
  • Experience working in Southern Africa is preferred.

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English.


Technical Specialist (Climate Change and Sustainable Natural Resources Mainstreaming