Programme Officer, Bonn, Germany

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

(Two posts in one vacancy announcement)

MITIGATION, DATA AND ANALYSIS (MDA) PROGRAMME

Review, Methods and Training (RMT)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NO: VA 13/082/MDA

PUBLICATION/TRANSMISSION DATE: 23 December 2013

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 21 January 2014

TITLE AND GRADE: Programme Officer, P-3

POST NUMBER: FCA-2924-P3-013

FCA-2924-P3-014

DURATION OF APPOINTMENT: One and a half years, with possibility of extension

DUTY STATION: Bonn, Germany

EXPECTED DATE FOR ENTRY ON DUTY: As soon as possible

Background

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the focus of the political process to address Climate Change. The Convention secretariat supports the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol by a range of activities, including substantive and organizational support to meetings of the Parties.

The Mitigation, Data and Analysis (MDA) programme supports the intergovernmental negotiations on matters relating to national communications, inventories, assigned amounts and policy instruments. MDA is also responsible for the substantive support of the international transaction log and registry systems under the Kyoto Protocol.

Responsibilities

The Programme Officer post is located in the National Communications/International Assessment and Review (NC/IAR) Unit of the Review, Methods and Training sub-Programme (RMT). RMT is concerned with Annex I (developed) countries mitigation activities including reporting in the national communications (NCs) and biennial reports (BRs), international assessment and review (IAR) for developed countries as part of the measurement, review and verification (MRV) system established under the UNFCCC, methodological and scientific issues of mitigation, training and certification and sectoral issues, such as land use change issues, reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, agriculture and bunker fuels.

The Programme Officer independently organizes and oversees technical reviews and multilateral assessments of the NCs and BRs of these countries, both falling within the IAR process. The incumbent provides technical guidance both within and external to the Secretariat on IAR related matters. S/He is assigned moderately complex NCs and BRs of developed countries for a majority of the time, but may occasionally be assigned more complex assignments. S/He reports directly to the RMT manager. The key results expected are:

• Co-ordination of technical reviews and overseeing multilateral assessments
• Support to intergovernmental processes on MRV matters and on the methodological, scientific and implementation aspects of mitigation
• Support for co-operation within MDA and across the secretariat, including co-ordinate greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory reviews
• Representation and knowledge management

Key activities/accountability

1. Organizes the IAR process, including technical reviews and multilateral assessment for National Communications (NC) and biennial reports (BR) from developed country Parties to enhance the timely and accurate reporting, review, assessment and monitoring of implementation of the Convention, Kyoto Protocol and subsequent agreements and decisions of the governing bodies:

a. Co-ordinates the IAR of NCs and BRs from several developed countries categorized as moderately complex on national climate strategies relating to commitments of Parties under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol (KP) and any subsequent agreements and decisions by governing bodies:

• Recommends and assists in the selection of experts for review teams; facilitates the work of lead reviewers and ensures procedural guidance is fully taken into account by the expert teams while conducting technical reviews and by the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) working group and presiding officers when conducting the multilateral assessment;
• Provides input to the development of training materials for technical experts and technical tools, including software and templates for summary reports;
• Prepares for and organizes country visits, centralized and desk reviews. May adapt guidance provided by the COP, CMP and subsidiary bodies in the respective decisions and conclusion to the specific national circumstances of assigned countries; and
• Supports the facilitative sharing of views by Parties for multilateral assessments during proceedings of the SBI working group; and

b. Ensures effective support is provided to SBs and COP/CMP on NC and biennial reports matters, including preparing complex, high quality analytical papers and materials; overseeing drafting of technical reports on reviews and coordinating inputs of review experts; conducting policy analysis of national and international activities in the climate change area and the preparation of related reports.

2. Ensures timely, substantive support to the intergovernmental processes at the Ad Hoc Group on Durban platform (ADP) and other Subsidiary Bodies (SBs) under the Convention on matters related to Measurement, Review and Verification (MRV) and methodological, scientific and implementation aspects of mitigation, including emission reduction targets in assigned countries:

a. the intergovernmental negotiation processes on matters related to the work programme Supports under the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advise (SBSTA) on further development of the MRV system;

b. Provides substantive guidance to intergovernmental processes on matters related to the MRV of developed country Parties ensuring ADP, SBs and COPs are furnished with relevant guidance and information to effectively conduct negotiations on MRV;

c. Organizes workshops and prepares technical papers and other documents on MRV for consideration by the ADP, SBs and the COP ensuring they are of high quality to support the negotiations and to achieve the desired outcomes; and d. Furnishes ADP and SBs with timely and relevant authoritative guidance and information on matters relating to climate policies and mitigation targets for developed countries to enhance the effective conduct of negotiations.

3. Supports co-operation within MDA and across the secretariat, including co-ordinate greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory reviews.

4. Representation and Knowledge Management:

• Promotes recommendations and exchange of ideas with the MDA and across the secretariat; and
• Ensures substantive cross sub-programme support to the IDS/GHG inventory review process for Annex I Parties under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol during periods of high volume;
• Attends meetings and workshops, both internal and external to the secretariat, to promote an exchange of ideas and clarify the guidance from the UNFCCC process in order to facilitate its consideration by Parties and relevant stakeholders;
• Contributes to co-operation across the MDA programme as well as with other programmes on related policy issues and actions;
• Promotes recommendations and exchange of ideas across the secretariat; and
• In partnership with the Secretariat's Knowledge Management service, contributes to the identification, creation, distribution and adoption of substantive data, information, insights and experiences relating to the UNFCCC's mandate, processes, practices and lessons learned.

5. Performs any other job related activity required to meet sub-Programme, overall MDA programme as well as secretariat-wide mandates, goals and objectives.

Essential Requirements

(Only candidates who meet the requirements stated below will be considered.)

Education:

• First level university degree in environmental sciences, economics, development studies or a related discipline is required.
• Advanced university degree in these disciplines would be an advantage.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years progressively responsible professional experience at the national and/or international level in the monitoring, analysis, reporting and representation of technical programme activities on climate change issues is required.
• At least one (1) years of the total 5 must include work on climate change mitigation issues pertaining mostly to developed but also to developing countries.

Specific professional knowledge and job related skills:

• Very good knowledge of the UNFCCC intergovernmental support process and related negotiations is essential as is knowledge of climate change mitigation policy with a specific focus in in developed countries.
• Good knowledge of the Climate Change Convention and its Kyoto Protocol, in particular the reporting and review systems is required.
• Familiarity with policy formulation and interaction with various stakeholders including governments, international organizations, research institutions and private sector is desirable.
• Experience in analyzing and preparing policy and strategy papers to promote cooperative action is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Expected competencies Professionalism:

• The capacity to identify problems/issues and participate in their resolution.
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan.

Commitment to Continuous Learning:

• Willingness to keep abreast of new developments in their field of work.

Communication:

• Ability to provide thorough, well-reasoned contributions to documents and papers.

Technological Awareness:

• The capacity to make effective use of required computer software and other equipment relevant to the post.

Teamwork:

• Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multi-cultural organization.

To apply Candidates whose qualifications and experience match the requirements for this position, should use the on-line application system available at http://unfccc.int/secretariat/employment/recruitment.

Please note:

1. Qualified women candidates and candidates from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.

2. Service is limited to the UNFCCC Secretariat.

3. We will confirm receipt of your application. However, only candidates under serious consideration and contacted for an interview will receive notice of the final outcome of the selection process.

4. Salary and allowances:

US$ 56.091 to 62.803 (without dependents)

US$ 60.091 to 67.387 (with dependents)

(Plus variable post adjustment, currently 57% of net salary) plus

other UN benefits as indicated in the below link:

https://unfccc.int/secretariat/employment/conditions-of-employment.html