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Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy

9:40:00 AM ,

Title: Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy
Job ID: 7302
Practice Area - Job Family: Poverty Reduction - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ENERGY, Environment and Energy - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ENERGY
Vacancy End Date: 13/01/2017 (Midnight New York, USA)
Time Left: 23d 21h 42m
Duty Station: Istanbul, Turkey
Education & Work Experience: I-Master's Level Degree - 5 year(s) experience
Languages:
Desired: Arabic
Required : English, French
Grade: P3
Vacancy Type: FTA International
Posting Type: External
Bureau: Development Policy
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension
 
Background
 
The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has corporate responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’ staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogue initiatives, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 
 
The Cluster on Sustainable Development focuses on integrating UNDP’s economic, social and environmental work into a coherent sustainable development policy and programming framework. It seeks to provide an integrated package of services covering all strands of sustainable development, including on integrated development planning and inclusive and sustainable growth, sustainable livelihoods and economic recovery in post crisis situations and natural capital and the environment.
 
Based in UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, Sustainable development Cluster, the UNDP-Global Environmental Finance Unit (UNDP – GEF Unit) has an objective to help countries achieve the simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion by assisting Country Offices in accessing environmental finance for sustainable development. This objective is achieved through five inter-related areas of work: (i) sustainable management of ecosystem goods and services; (ii) scaling up of climate change adaptation and mitigation; (iii) sustainable, affordable and accessible energy services; (iv) sustainable management of chemicals and waste; and (v) improved water and ocean governance. These areas of work are fully aligned with the four environmental outputs of the UNDP Strategic Plan.
 
UNDP is an accredited implementing entity for the following environmental vertical funds: (i) the funds managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF): the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF TF); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF); (ii) the Adaptation Fund (AF); and (iii) the Green Climate Fund (GCF). As an Implementing Agency for these funds, UNDP offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibly assessment, programme/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management.
 
The UNDP – GEF Unit is organized into five substantive technical teams corresponding to the five areas of work above. Each area of work is led by a Principal (PTA) or Senior Technical Advisor (STA), who supports and guides a team of Regional Technical Advisors and Specialists (RTAs/RTSs).  The regional teams are based in regional hubs/regional service centers (Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Bangkok and Panama) from where they support UNDP’s country offices and partners in their region. As well as being a member of a technical team, each RTA/RTS is also a member of a regional team, which consists of RTAs/RTSs from all technical teams working together under the leadership of a UNDP – GEF Regional Team Leader. 
UNDP’s work in Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology, has as an overall strategic objective to make the use and supply of energy more environmentally sustainable, affordable and accessible, and to promote low emission and climate resilient urban and transport infrastructure. The value of all UNDP-managed sustainable energy and transport projects currently in planning or under implementation is US$ 0.6 billion, with UNDP supporting more than 100 countries to access Global Environment Facility grant finance for energy-based climate change mitigation, and to combine this with domestic and bilateral sources of finance.  An additional US$ 5 billionin co-financing has been leveraged for these projects from a range of partners, bringing the current total portfolio size to US$ 5.6 billion.
 
Through this project portfolio UNDP provides support to countries’ work in three programming areas: (i) promoting access to clean and affordable energy systems and services; (ii) promoting low emission and climate resilient urban and transport infrastructure; and (iii) promoting access to new finance mechanisms, including climate finance.
 
The Regional Technical Specialist (RTS) works under the overall supervision of the Principal Technical Advisor and in close collaboration with other technical specialists at both global and regional levels.  RTSs have global responsibilities in their area of specialized technical expertise but are deployed from Regional Hubs, normally close to the countries to which they provide most support. RTSs have a secondary line of reporting to the Regional Practice or Team Leaders for the countries to which they provide support.  RTSs may be periodically redeployed, in accordance with capability, consent, and due process, to a different regional hub as needed.
 
The Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy will be initially based in Istanbul, Turkey with a policy and project portfolio emphasis on attracting and directing public and private investment towards catalyzing and supporting environmentally sustainable pathways for energy use and supply, climate change mitigation (including ecosystem based mitigation) and low carbon transport and mobility.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Mitigation and Energy is primarily responsible for providing high quality technical policy, programming, implementation support and oversight, and knowledge and capacity development services, to UNDP country offices in the region.  Secondary clients might include other UN agencies, governments and inter-governmental organizations, NGO’s, donors, and the like.  Specific results are expected in the areas of:
 
Innovation, Strategic Leadership, Dialogue and Advocacy (10%)
  • Provide support to establishing and maintaining a strategic understanding of, and engagement with, the 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 identification, development and implementation of new strategic programming opportunities and partnerships in the area of sustainable energy, climate resilient infrastructure and low carbon transport;
  • Participating in global retreats, focal area retreats, regional strategic planning, pipeline management exercises, etc.;
  • 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 with respect to the substantive technical area.
Key result:  New strategic opportunities for UNDP are realized, UNDP’s technical focus is leading edge and innovative, UNDP has strong partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, UNDP has a trusted leadership role in the technical area of expertise.
 
Programming and Management (20%)
  • Supporting the development of strategic policy and guidance for strengthening UNDP Country Offices with energy, infrastructure and transport project design and implementation including alignment with national priorities;
  • Assisting the development of and advocacy for specific policy analysis and development tools and guidance in support of programming and finance for energy, infrastructure and transport;
  • 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 programming opportunities;
  • Helping to ensure that strategies and 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;
  • Monitoring to ensure expected quality standards are maintained in project implementation reviews; 
  • Supporting the RCU to internalize lessons from evaluations in programming in the region.
Key result:  Portfolio of programmes/projects managed efficiently and effectively.  UNDP recognized as providing outstanding programme and project oversight and supervision support.
 
Programming and Resource Mobilization (25%)
  • Assisting the provision of timely quality information and technical advice on source of funds policies, priorities and activities;
  • Draft, revise, finalize and help editing concepts and project documents for submission to donors;
  • Supporting the coordination of design, preparation, submission and approval of project proposals and requests for project development financing;
  • Support the liaison with potential (co)financing agencies and institutions.
Key result:  Resources are mobilized in support of developing country clients as a consequence of the identification, development and funding of high technical quality and results based programmes and projects in line with country priorities and UNDP strategic priorities.
 
Development Impact (30%)
  • 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, including preparing and reviewing annual reports and work plans;
  • Maintaining project and portfolio information and corporate information systems;
  • 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;
  • Functioning as surge capacity to COs, supporting EFP with urgent, pressing, complex and /or specific tasks in the context of energy, infrastructure and transport programming.
Key result:  UNDP programmes and projects consistently deliver high quality, high impact development results.
 
Learning, Knowledge Management and Self Development (15%)
  • Evaluating, capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development of resource kits and other knowledge materials;
  • Peer reviewing, commenting on, and seeking to improve, the technical quality of projects, policies, practices, guidelines, advisory notes, publications and the like;
  • Assisting with preparation of regional Community of Practice meetings;
  • Preparing and delivering training courses, as needed;
  • Developing knowledge products of relevance to UNDP-GEF’s support to countries on low emission climate resilient development in the area of energy, infrastructure and transport;
  • Developing and carrying out a personal learning plan (5%).
Key result:  UNDP recognized as a learning and knowledge management organization.

Competencies
 
Core
Innovation
  • Ability to make new and useful ideas work.
Leadership
  • Ability to persuade others to follow.
People Management
  • Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.
Communication
  • Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.
Delivery
  • Ability to get things done.
Technical/Functional
 
Primary
 
Energy – Sustainable and Renewable Energy Options
  • Knowledge of sustainable consumption and production patterns and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
Energy – Energy Finance
  • Knowledge of market based energy financing and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
Energy – Energy Access
  • Knowledge of energy access concepts and/or issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
Climate Change Mitigation
  • Knowledge of climate change mitigation concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
Climate Finance
  • Knowledge of climate finance concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
Resource Mobilization
  • Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.
Secondary
 
Knowledge Management
  • Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.
Quality Assurance
  • Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to insure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled.
Required Skills and Experience
 
Education:
  • Master’s degree (or higher) in Engineering, Environmental Economics, Finance or Environmental Sciences or other closely related field, preferably with main focus on energy management, energy systems, renewable energy, sustainable transport, civil engineering, climate change mitigation, including ecosystem based mitigation (LULUCF).
Experience:
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience working with developing countries on one or more of the following: energy management, energy systems operations, in the residential, industrial, commercial and transport sectors, as well as in energy-integrated urban development planning and applications, the design and implementation of RE-based energy systems both for thermal and power generation and applications, carbon finance, urban transport, and/or ecosystem-based climate change mitigation;
  • Experience with project development, implementation and management (direct project management experience is preferable);
  • Experience in the policy development processes in sustainable energy management, climate change mitigation and sustainable development;
  • Demonstrated technical and intellectual skills in substantive area;
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships;
  • Demonstrated facilitation and coordination skills;
  • Full computer literacy;
  • Experience working in the Arab States Region would be an asset;
  • Working experience in an international organization is an advantage as is knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices.
Language Requirements:
  • Excellent knowledge of the English language, with exceptional writing, presentation and communication skills;
  • Ability to work in French required;
  • Ability to work in Arabic is highly desirable;
  • Competency in other UN languages is an asset.
Disclaimer
 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. For more information please click here and here.
 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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.
Workforce diversity
 
UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
 
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