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UNREDD Technical Specialist (Development Project Funded Post)

Cambodia has one of the highest levels of forest cover in Southeast Asia, with approximately 10.7 million hectares of forest in 2006 or 59% of Cambodia’s land area. Cambodia also has a relatively high rate of land-use change with Forestry Administration statistics showing that 379,485 hectares of forest were lost between 2002 and 2005/6, a deforestation rate of 0.5% per year.

A future mechanism for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) being developed through the UNFCCC provides an opportunity to support Cambodia’s efforts to reduce levels of deforestation and help to maintain and protect this natural forest.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has shown early support for the development of approaches to REDD+ with the approval of two pilot sites in 2008 and 2009. In August 2009, the General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Ministry of Economy and Finance as representatives of the RGC were granted observer status in the UN-REDD programme. Following this time the RGC with support from UNDP Cambodia and FAO Cambodia, prepared a REDD+ Readiness planning process, which led to the development of the Cambodia Readiness Plan Proposal on REDD+ (“Roadmap”), a document outlining how the country would develop policies and measures to become ‘REDD+ ready’.

The Cambodia UN-REDD National Programme forms part of this approach and has been specifically designed to support implementation of the Roadmap, which was developed by the interim REDD+ Taskforce and stakeholder groups during the period January-September 2010. The UN-REDD programme has four outcomes:
  1. National REDD+ Readiness Management arrangements and stakeholder consultation;
  2. National capacity-building towards development of the REDD+ strategy and implementation framework;
  3. Sub-National REDD+ capacity-building and demonstration;
  4. Support to development of the Monitoring system.
The programme design looks to fully incorporate relevant line ministries and agencies with FA, GDANCP and FiA being fully engaged within the implementing structures, while other ministries are engaged within higher level decision making bodies as well as technical assessment and consultation processes. This approach marks the programme out as one of the most highly integrated UN-REDD programmes globally.

A final programme agreement was signed between General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Ministry of Economic and Finance representative of the Royal Government of Cambodia and UN-REDD in August 2011. Since this point in time the UN agencies have worked to make initial preparations for the beginning of the programme and an Inception Workshop was occurred the week of the 14th of November. At this workshop it was decided that the period from December to March would focus on establishment of the programme with approval of the first annual workplan being scheduled for March 2012.

The UN-REDD Technical Specialist works under the supervision of UNDP ACD/Team Leader of Environment and Energy and will be based in the REDD+ Taskforce Secretariat, where he/she work closely on a day-to-day basis with the Secretariat Chief and Deputy Chief.

The incumbent will work as part of the broader Secretariat and National REDD+ Programme team and respond to the needs of that programme where required and appropriate. The incumbent will also work closely with the MRV Technical Expert as well as with stakeholders from outside government and other relevant ministries/agencies, and bilateral and multilateral development partners.

Given the complexity of the programme in terms of broad-based stakeholders involvement, the need to advocate for policy change in forestry and environment sectors, and the need to build trust and relationship between key stakeholders, the incumbent is expected to play an instrumental role in providing strategic guidance to achieve project results and impacts and advocating REDD+ to become a key development agenda. S/he is expected to work toward a higher result through effective communication, coordination and building synergies and promoting sustainability of the UN REDD programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide management advice and coaching to the REDD+ Taskforce and Secretariat for effective implementation of the UN-REDD programme, including:
    • Provide guidance on the formulation and implementation of Annual and Quarterly workplans and provide quality assurance on the Annual and Quarterly reports before submitting to UN agencies;
    • Provide close and regular backstopping to the Secretariat Chief and senior members of the UN-REDD Team and other implementing entities for the implementation of various components of the UN-REDD programme;
    • Provide advice to the Secretariat Chief and other members of the UN-REDD Team in coordinating and supervising activities of national and international experts and consultants to secure the timely production of planned outputs and the review of these outputs;
    • Advise the Secretariat Chief, Deputy and National Programme Director in their work to coordinate and liaise with stakeholders – including line ministries, development partners, civil society, indigenous peoples and the private sector;
    • Provide advice and inputs in the identification of technical expertise and preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts, and reviewing reports produced;
    • Provide advisory support to the REDD+ Taskforce to strengthen communication between with its members;
    • Provide mentoring and coaching to taskforce secretariat members on project management, oversight, coordination, planning and reporting.
    Provide technical advisory inputs and oversight:
      • Provide strategic guidance to ensure that UN-REDD programme outcomes are fully achieved;
      • Review of relevant policies and policy frameworks as well as the institutional arrangements for REDD+ development;
      • Organisation of and substantive contributions to high level policy dialogue on development of a National REDD+ Programme;
      • Provide guidance on the development of policy options and strategies for the design and implementation of Cambodia's REDD+ Programme to the RGC and other development actors including support on the development of:
      Benefit distribution mechanisms
      A national registry
      Conflict resolution mechanisms
      Other elements of National REDD+ development
      • Provide timely quality information and technical advice to the RGC, UN Country Team, implementing partners, line ministries and other partners to ensure effective development and delivery of the UN-REDD national joint programme;
      • Develop concept notes and TORs for each technical output
      Develop and strengthen Partnership and coordination with UN Agencies and Government and Donors to support the implementation of the UN-REDD programme:
        • Ensure coordination with other REDD+ initiatives, in particular the CAM-REDD;
        • Ensure communication between different government agencies, national and international initiatives and stakeholders;
        • Provide advice to the REDD+ taskforce on UNFCCC negotiations relating to REDD+;
        • Provide strategic guidance to strengthen coordination and communication of relevant stakeholders;
        • Coordinate institutional capacity assessments of relevant national, provincial and local entities along the REDD+ supply chain.
        Facilitate knowledge building focusing on achievement of the following results:
          • Share knowledge on REDD+ by documenting lessons learnt and best practices from the UN-REDD programme and contributing to the development of knowledge based tools (including policies, strategies, guidelines, etc);
          • Support the development of communications strategies for the UN-REDD programme and provide technical guidance to implement the communications strategies.
          Impact of Results:

          It is anticipated that the work of the Technical Specialist will have the following impacts:
          • REDD+ becomes a key development priority;
          • The Cambodia REDD programme has a high level of visibility;
          • The partnerships and relationships of key stakeholders on REDD+ built and enhanced;
          • Cambodia REDD+ Programme outcome are fully achieved resulting in transformative change;
          • A strong bases for the sustainability of the REDD+ programme is built;
          • Stakeholders working on REDD+ and related issues coordinate their activities;
          • The REDD+ Secretariat is functioning effectively;
          • Information gained from the development and implementation of the UN-REDD and Cambodia REDD+ Programme in Cambodia is shared at both the country and international levels;
          • Different stake and right holders gain a balanced perception on REDD+;
          • There is an enhanced capacity within Cambodia to further develop and implement a national approach to REDD+.

          Competencies

          Corporate Competencies:
          • Promoting Ethics and Integrity / Creating Organizational Precedents;
          • Building support and political acumen;
          • Building staff competence, Creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
          • Building and promoting effective teams;
          • Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
          • Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
          • Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
          • Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
          • Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.
          Functional Competency:

          Advocacy / Advancing Policy Oriented Agenda: analysis and creation of messages and strategies
          • Creates effective advocacy strategies;
          • Contributes to the elaboration of advocacy strategies by identifying and prioritizing audiences and communication means;
          • Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
          • Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work
          Building Strategic Partnerships: Identifying and building partnerships
          • Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to the UN’s mandate and strategic agenda related to REDD+;
          • Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to UN-REDD’s strategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts;
          • Develops positive ties with civil society to build/strengthen UN-REDD’s mandate;
          • Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
          • Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments
          • Takes responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved.
          Innovation and Marketing new Approaches: Developing new approaches
          • Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
          • Generates for regional and innovative ideas and effective solutions to problems;
          • Looks at experience critically, drawing lessons, and building them into the design of new approaches;
          • Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
          • Documents successes and uses them to project a positive image;
          • Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
          • Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.
          Promoting Organizational learning and Knowledge Sharing: Developing tools and mechanisms
          • Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
          • Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms;
          • Develops and/or participates in the development of tools and mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies.
          Job Knowledge and Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge of the Subject-matter
          • Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
          • Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff;
          • Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
          • Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
          • Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
          • Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.
          Global Leadership and Advocacy for UN-REDD’s Goals: Analysis and creation of messages and strategies
          • Creates effective global advocacy messages/strategies;
          • Contributes to the elaboration of a global advocacy strategy by identifying and prioritizing audiences and messages;
          • Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
          • Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level.
          Client Orientation: Contributing to positive outcomes for the client
          • Anticipates client needs;
          • Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
          • Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
          • Keeps the client informed of problems or delays in the provision of services;
          • Uses discretion and flexibility in interpreting rules in order to meet client needs and achieve organizational goals more effectively;
          • Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

          Required Skills and Experience

          Education:
          • Master's degree in Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics, or similar.
          Experience:
          • At least 7 years of working experience on REDD+, conservation, resource management, forest economic policy and community development livelihoods with experience in Cambodia preferable;
          • Strong facilitation and coordination skill;
          • Experience of working in multinational teams to implement programmes involving different funding and implementing agencies;
          • Experience of implementing programmes across the UN agencies and across Government are definite advantages;
          • Experience the REDD+ developments at international, national and local levels;
          • Knowledge on the UNFCCC negotiations, decisions and guidelines for national systems in the context of REDD+, as well as national and international best practices within REDD+ and other natural resource management initiatives.

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          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.