Climate Action Associate

UNHCR - UN High Commissioner for Refugees

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Caracas (Venezuela)

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Application deadline in 14 hours: Friday 26 Jul 2024 at 23:59 UTC

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Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

CFamily Type (not applicable for home-based)

FamilyStaff Member / Affiliate Type

UNOPS LICA6Target Start Date

2024-09-01Job Posting End Date

August 4, 2024Terms of Reference

General Background The UNHCR Representation in Venezuela is comprised of the Country Office in Caracas, three Field Offices located on the border with Colombia (Guasdualito, San Cristobal and Maracaibo), as well as four Field Units one in Caracas, the capital district; one in Puerto Ayacucho (Amazonas) in the border with Colombia; Carupano (Sucre) in the border with Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana; and Santa Elena de Uairen in the border with Brazil.

The operational context in Venezuela remains challenging, affecting both refugees and asylum seekers and the Venezuelan population in humanitarian crisis, including displaced persons, returnees, and people on-the-move. Since the first quarter of 2022, an increase in returns and a high need for protection has been observed. Furthermore, Venezuela faces high exposure to the effects of climate change, manifested in natural hazards such as earthquakes, intense rains, floods and droughts, which directly impact vulnerable communities, especially displaced people.

This context requires the operation to adapt and lead collaboration within the humanitarian response, focusing on reintegration and integrating climate action as a transversal axis.

The humanitarian response across the country involves various actors, including state entities, UN agencies, NGOs, the Red Cross, and religious and community organizations. Most recognize the importance of climate action and understand how climate change and humanitarian crises influence each other.

For this reason, UNHCR Venezuela established a Climate Action Strategy in 2023, which defines three main lines of action: mitigation and adaptation to climate change, disaster risk management and reduction of UNHCR's carbon footprint in the country. Through these lines, climate action seeks to be a protection tool and be integrated into the different programs that the agency implements.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative (Operations), the incumbent will:

1) Support the Venezuela operation in the implementation of the UNHCR’s Strategic Framework for Climate Action.

Under this objective, the "Focus Area Strategic Plan for Climate Action 2024-2030" and the national Climate Action strategy will be implemented in the UNHCR operation in Venezuela. In this sense, UNHCR Venezuela will incorporate into its current and future programming opportunities to improve the resilience of populations of interest to the effects of climate change through mitigation and adaptation to climate change, risk management and reduction of risk. carbon footprint. All of these actions would require a comprehensive and coordinated awareness-raising and capacity-building plan so that UNHCR and staff of implementing partners are trained to carry out these efforts in the medium and long term. Complementing these efforts, the mission will also support UNHCR's engagement with strategic and non-traditional partners (i.e. development actors; private sector) to identify synergies and areas of cooperation to further support the actions mentioned above.

2) Assist UNHCR in relevant implementation related to the HRP and UNSDCF

According to the HRP, UNHCR is a leading actor in responding to disasters exacerbated by the effects of climate change. UNHCR will be helped to identify and implement opportunities to strengthen its operational preparedness and response to climate-related disasters as well as increase the resilience of communities to cope with the effects of climate change. In addition, UNHCR leads two groups in Venezuela, within the Shelter, Energy and NFI Cluster, UNHCR leads the inter-agency group in which disaster risk reduction measures and emergency response actions are most relevant given the nature of the activities and has already participated in this type of interventions. Therefore, these efforts will be helped to be strengthened by UNHCR and all the thematic group partners. Additionally, within the Protection Cluster Group, UNHCR Venezuela would seek opportunities to help mainstream protection issues, climate action, disaster risk reduction and emergency response in both respective areas and in other sectors.

UNHCR is part of several Inter-agency coordination structures for the development and implementation of a Joint Work Plan under the "Cooperation Framework 2023-2026" (UNSDCF) between the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the United Nations System in Venezuela, which seeks to develop programs with a Triple Nexus approach (humanitarian, development and peace). UNHCR leads the Disaster Risk Management Working Group and actively participates in other groups with a focus on environmental management and action against climate change.

Complementing emergency preparedness and response under the HRP, commitments under the UNSDCF aim to implement actions within the Sendai Framework to improve preparedness and coordination to prevent or mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen response and recovery.

Under this objective, it aims to strengthen and consolidate UNHCR's working relationship with key stakeholders, including Civil Protection, Firefighters and the Vice Ministry of Risk Management and Civil Protection, among others.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

Technical support • Technically support UNHCR Venezuela in the implementation of Climate Action projects and tools at the organizational, governmental and community levels.

• Promote understanding of terms, tools, quality criteria and approaches for climate action, disaster preparedness, adaptation and resilience.

• Provide technical support for the integration of disaster preparedness, adaptation and resilience into UNHCR Venezuela plans and strategies, as appropriate.

Coordination and advocacy • Advocate, help and support the development of new policies and strategies for UNHCR in key aspects of Climate Action. Support inclusion of environmental and climate action considerations into mitigation measures, emergency preparedness and response processes. Act as UNHCR focal point on issues related to Disaster Risk Reduction and emergency response in interagency settings. Engage in external networking with strategic partners.

• Contribute to UNHCR´s Venezuela's planning and resource mobilization, e.g., prepare concept notes, lead/participate in the development of projects/program proposals related to climate action, disaster preparedness and resilience.

Learning and Knowledge Management • Strengthen capacity-building and knowledge-sharing at the organizational and community levels for climate action and resilience initiatives and processes. • Provide timely updates and advice on scientific and technical developments, trends, best practices, areas for improvement, and lessons learned.

Planning & Reporting • Support the formulation of plans and technical reports. • Provide feedback and quality assurance to UNHCR offices and teams in Venezuela on the application of the climate action approach with the aim of ensuring integration and scaling up of its approach. • Participate in coordination meetings, providing technical support and relevant information.

Qualifications and Experience

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

• Professionals of any area with demonstrated practical experience on any field relevant to climate change: environment; emergency preparedness and response; natural resources management; disaster’s management; climate change, etc.

• Knowledge of English language is required.

• Desirable: Knowledge of humanitarian standards, tools and guidelines, and their linkages to disaster risk reduction and emergency response. These include SPHERE standards, Core Humanitarian Standard, cluster/Sector specific guidelines, UNHCR Policy on Emergency Preparedness and Response, UN Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction, Sendai Framework, CAP guidelines would be an asset.

b. Work Experience

Essential: • At least six years of relevant experience in the field of climate action, emergency response and other fields of work relevant to the position.

• Awareness of and practical experience with refugee-related environmental problems. Familiarity with emerging environmentally sustainable and appropriate technologies. Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.

Desirable: • Budgeting, planning, ability to work with various (relevant) computer software. Broad understanding of climate change narrative and initiatives geared towards mitigation of impact.

• Experience on Climate action, Disaster risk reduction and emergency response work in a humanitarian/relief context and / or post-crisis setting (desirable).

• Professional work experience in the climate action, disaster risk reduction and emergency response field in Latin America and the Caribbean region (desirable).

• Experience in manipulation of quantitative and qualitative data to produce robust environmental / humanitarian statistics or figures (desirable).

• Experience in the Community participation and communication-aspects of Climate action and Disaster Risk Reduction Experience (desirable).

c. Key Competencies

Core Competencies • Accountability • Communication • Organizational Awareness • Teamwork & Collaboration • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies • Empowering and Building Trust • Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies • Analytical Thinking • Planning and Organizing • Innovation and Creativity

d. Travel requirements