Associate Officer in Climate Change and Energy

Contract

This is a UNV International Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Youth contracts.

The UNV will be assigned to the Environment and Energy Unit at the UNDP office in Ecuador, the largest at the UNDP country office in terms of budget and portfolio. One of the focus clusters of our Unit is climate change since there are many international commitments that are being implemented and carried out at the national and subnational levels, and energy given that the ecological transition is a public mandate. UNDP has been a key partner of the country for the design and implementation of public policies related to climate change, including the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the National Adaptation Plan, as well as the development of National Communications to the UNFCCC. Therefore, our main partners are the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, the Ministry of Energy and Mining, the Ministry of Production, Commerce, Investment and Fisheries, Decentralized Local Governments, among others.

Under the direct supervision of the Energy and Environment Unit Coordinator, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Get in depth knowledge of the Climate Change and Energy portfolio. • Monitor results and outputs from the projects and programs assigned under Climate change and Energy portfolio and keep an updated inventory of project outputs and activities. Map the results and outcomes in a systematic and user-friendly way, which can be used for presentation to internal and external stakeholders. • Actively participate in key program and project meetings to discuss current project development and provide support to the project teams to overcome problems and streamline processes. • Review key outputs of assigned projects (reports, milestones, consultation products, etc.) and systematize the information received through corporate and local platforms on a monthly and/or quarterly basis. Maintain a real time situation of the area project portfolio, identifying key developments and problems faced and deliver suggestions on the way forward. • Maintain close communication with project coordinators and projects implementation units allowing of the portfolio assigned for a quick intervention of UNDP when necessary. • Support in organizing and active participation in field visits to monitor and evaluate the assigned projects and to identify and implement new options for good practices. • Review key documents and policies from the government (international conventions) related to the area of implementation of the energy cluster and provide summaries and key notes on the possibilities/challenges for UNDP. • Maintain contact with international stakeholders in the Environment field. • Maintain contact and provide information when required to the regional UNDP office. • Identify possible contributions to or collaborations with international and regional initiatives, with a focus on implementation of national targets related to adaptation and mitigation to climate change international commitments as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. • Preparation of periodic or ad-hoc reports, terms of reference, Power Point presentations and assist in the maintenance subject area records as required. • Support in the identification of funding opportunities and preparation of project proposals for the energy and other initiatives related to climate change. • Support the efforts to strengthen existing partnerships and develop new ones to consolidate the climate change initiatives in the country. • Support the initiative 'Green Office' as well as good environmental practices of UNDP. • Assist in the organization of events to improve synergy between projects and to enhance cooperation within the area of Environment of the UNDP and other programme areas. • Undertake any other activities/tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Integrity ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Vision ☒ Working in Teams

and/or demonstrated interest in environmental projects, climate change, electromobility, cooperation with government officials, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, etc. • Experience and/or demonstrated interest in nature, environment and/or sustainable development.
• Interest in Results-based Management, Results Oriented Reporting and Evaluation and Monitoring. • Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills. • Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team. • Flexible and open to learning and new experiences. • Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions. • Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded. • Computer skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, social media, and others).

The UN Volunteer will live in the city of Quito that counts with suitable utilities, housing, transportation, banks, malls, etc. Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, has an estimated population of 2 million inhabitants. It is in the Andean Mountains. The weather varies between rainy and dry seasons. Although Quito is 2,800 meters high, it never has snow because of the location close to Equator line. Quito has an international airport and a wide network of ground transportation to all locations within the country. Quito offers access to qualified medical and dentistry services. Ecuador is characterized by geographical diversity, which includes the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Coastal Region, the Andean Highlands, and the Amazonian Rainforest. Ecuador also has a great ethnic and cultural diversity. The city does not present serious problems in terms of public safety but have increased levels of crime. The general safety conditions are guaranteed by the rules established by United Nations.

Regarding the current pandemic context, Ecuador was the first Latin American country hit by COVID-19. According to the Post Disaster Needs Assessment, the human impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been severe and tied to the implementation of sanitary and social distancing measures to contain the spread of the virus. This led to the total or partial shutdown of economic activities, affecting the economy and the daily life of Ecuadorians. The country’s commerce, industry, tourism, transport, and health sectors have been hit hardest--and lost jobs and income could increase the number of families living in poverty and extreme poverty. Currently the lockdown measures have been softened.