Climate Change Officer, LoCAL

Contract

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

The Local Transformative Finance Practice (LTF) aims to be a centre of excellence and innovation fund for local government finance.

Over a 30 year period, the Practice has developed deep expertise in intergovernmental fiscal transfers (IGTF), local development funds, public financial management, and performance-based grants. LTF supports policy reforms and advocates for a greater appreciation and use of IGTF and performance based local government financing mechanisms in development finance.

On the basis of this experience, LTF designed and manages the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), which is a mechanism to integrate climate action into local authorities’ planning and budgeting, through the regular intergovernmental fiscal transfer system using performance-based grants in a participatory and gender sensitive manner; increase awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level, including through ecosystem-based solutions; and increase the quality and number of local investments that address climate change.

LoCAL focuses on the delivery of four outputs that will directly contribute to increasing local governments’ access to climate finance and building resilience to climate change:

• Output 1 – Awareness and capacities to respond to climate change adaptation at the local level are increased; • Output 2 – Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) is mainstreamed into government’s planning and budgeting systems and investments are implemented in line with the Performance-based Climate Resilience Grants (PBCRG) mechanism; • Output 3 – The PBCRG system is effectively and sustainably established in participating countries and leads to an increased amount of CCA finance available to local government and local economy. • Output 4 – The role of local authorities and of the PBCRGS in addressing climate change are increasingly recognized at international level, through outreach, learning and quality assurance.

LoCAL is presently working with 38 countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, and has cumulatively mobilized over US$230m for more than 2,200 adaptation projects. In the Pacific, LoCAL has been deployed in Tuvalu since 2016.

UNCDF is now working with the Governments of Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu, to scope, design, or activate the LoCAL mechanism.

UNCDF LoCAL is currently recruiting national teams in Tuvalu and Solomon Islands, and each participating country of UNCDF LoCAL is supported by the regional LoCAL team, based in Suva, Fiji.

For this position, the Climate Change Officer will be based in the regional LoCAL team in Suva, working under the supervision of the LoCAL Pacific Regional Program Manager (Suva).

As part of the Project Team, the Climate Change Officer will contribute to the effective delivery of the Program’s activities. In carrying out their work, the Climate Change Officer will work closely with government counterparts to ensure the integration of climate change and environmental sustainability in the performance-based climate resilience grants system in partner countries.

Under the supervision of the LoCAL Regional Program Manager and in close collaboration with national counterparts, the Climate Change Officer will contribute to the daily implementation of LoCAL in Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, and to the establishment of LoCAL in Fiji and Vanuatu, including overall planning, oversight and monitoring of project implementation, financial reporting, program communications, and knowledge sharing.

The Climate Change Officer will support the integration of performance-based grants for climate change into sub-national planning and programming.

The Climate Change Officer will support the integration of environment and climate considerations into LoCAL; which may include supporting piloting and establishment of national systems. The Officer will also provide technical advice on climate change to government counterparts at national and sub-national levels. This will include supporting the assessment of grant interventions to ensure they are in alignment with agreed target areas. The position will also support work on gender equality, social inclusion (with a focus on women, youth and marginalized communities), and support the application of environment and social safeguards.

The Climate Change Officer will play a key role in supporting regional outreach, knowledge and experience sharing, and communications for the program. The Climate Change Officer will also support program monitoring, and reporting, as required.

Program management (30%) • Execute, oversee and monitor the day-to-day implementation of selected activities related to LoCAL’s performance-based climate resilience grants; • Build effective and efficient partnerships at the operational level with national counterparts and other UN agencies, to coordinate effectively in country; • Contribute to the preparation and timely submission of comprehensive technical and financial reports in line with contractual agreements, including semi-annual reporting; • Contribute to the management of the risk log of the project;
• Ensure the timely and effective management of the activities as scheduled.

Technical advice to government counterparts and key stakeholders (30%) • Commision and oversee work to incorporate performance based, climate resilience grants into national systems in Fiji and Vanuatu; • Provide technical advice on climate change issues and environmental sustainability to government counterparts at national and sub-national levels; • Provide technical advice and capacity building support for the piloting and establishment of a national local information system for local climate risk assessments (including projections and mapping) addressing hazards, vulnerabilities and exposure of local councils and wards in relation to climate change including desk review, data collection, preliminary design of the system, analytical writing, piloting, consultation and validation, and gradual deployment of the local climate information system in partner countries; • Provide technical advice and capacity building support for the integration of environment and climate change in the local government development plans and investment plans in partner countries; • Provide technical advice and capacity building support for the adequate integration of environment and climate considerations (e.g. specifications) in the investments delivered through LoCAL’s support; • Contribute to the technical dialogue and provision of technical advisory services to national and local government counterparts in relation to climate change information and assessments, climate mainstreaming, climate finance and access to climate finance.

Knowledge management and communication (30%) • Identify key knowledge constraints and organize learning, knowledge exchange, training, workshops, etc. to build the awareness and capacities on relevant themes (i.e. public financial management, climate change, local climate risk assessments, environmental sustainability, mainstreaming, gender etc.). • Input to the communications plan for LoCAL in the Pacific, and contribute to implementation of the plan; • Support regional exchange of knowledge and experience, through systematically identifying, collecting and disseminating best practices and lesson learned from the program; • Manage the process of convening national and regional stakeholders or producing information and communication products to share lessons learned on selected themes.

Networking and partnership building (10%) • Maintain close working relationships with relevant national stakeholders at various levels in order to support the quality of the execution of the PBCRG system and its key results areas; • Organize consultative meetings, seminars and workshops to drive analytical and policy work of the program; • Serve as the UNCDF focal point in working groups and steering committees on the issue of environment and climate change and related sectors and provide inputs for conducive policy and regulatory environment;

KEY RESULTS • The incumbent will pursue the following key results of the LoCAL Program: o Output 1 – Increased awareness of and capacities to respond to climate change and related risks at the local level o Output 2 – Climate change adaptation is mainstreamed into government’s planning and budgeting systems in a gender sensitive and participatory manner and investments are implemented in line with the PBCRG system o Output 3 – The PBCRG system is effectively and sustainably established in participating countries and leads to an increased amount of climate finance available for locally led adaptation through local governments o Output 4 – The role of local governments and potential of the PBCRG system in addressing climate change are increasingly recognized at the international level, through outreach, learning and quality assurance.

• In support of knowledge and information sharing, the following results will be pursued: o LoCAL is supporting partner countries to engage in regional (and global where appropriate) outreach and knowledge exchange to promote climate finance reforms in the region o LoCAL countries have strengthened regional engagement on the promotion of climate finance reforms and implementation o A communications plan is effectively developed and implemented for the program.

• As an active UNCDF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNCDF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including by pursuing the following key results of the Project and related activity results: o LoCAL Solomon Islands and Tuvalu are effectively, efficiently and transparently implemented in line with UNCDF project management regulations; o LoCAL in Fiji and Vanuatu are initiated, with robust implementation frameworks; o Government partners at national and subnational levels and communities benefit from quality and timely provision of technical assistance and capacity building support; o LoCAL in Solomon Islands and Tuvalu is effectively and efficiently monitored, assessed and reported on; o LoCAL’s experience in the Pacific is well documented, with best practices identified and lessons learned and disseminated through various communication channels;

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute with articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Across all activities, gender and social inclusion principles (with a focus on women, youth and marginalized communities) are applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment;

• Professionalism: Deep knowledge and understanding of key concepts related to climate change and environment sustainability; Understanding of key concepts related to local government finance including decentralization and local economic development; Experience in policy, regulatory and technical advice and project management related to the fields of climate change and environment sustainability in relation to development; Relevant technical experience with policy and regulatory bodies and central and local governments; Work experience in developing countries; Experience with addressing gender equality as project objective and/or cross-cutting issue; Experience working with local communities, youth and women;

• Innovation and commitment to continuous learning: Builds confidence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation; Takes on new approaches and fosters innovative thinking; Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities and resolve problems; Excellent analytical skills;

• Client-orientation: Strong client orientation, recognizing the importance of providing appropriate, user-friendly and affordable services; Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and communicates with management to develop new projects or services; Comfortable advocating and advancing an agenda, including with high level counterparts and other stakeholders;

• Integrity: Conducts fair and transparent decision making; Demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNCDF in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;

• Teamwork and respect for diversity: Experience being part of teams, working with other stakeholders to achieve common goals; Experience managing consultants, including recruiting, hiring and managing and evaluating international and national expertise; Proven cross-cultural communication, able to function effectively in an international, multicultural environment; Builds and promotes teams and partnerships; Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability; Treats all persons fairly without favouritism;

• Planning and organizing: Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure; Effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;

• Communication: Creates and promotes open communication; Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude and responds positively to feedback; proven interpersonal skills; Excellent spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; Capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;

• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, UNCDF's mission and vision and to the UN Core Values.

the field of climate change, environmental management and/or climate science applied to development is required; • A minimum of two (2) years’ experience related to public financial management or public sector economics is preferable as this relates to working through national systems, or with sub-national government; • A minimum of one (1) years’ experience working on climate change in the international context, preferably in the Pacific, is desired; • Knowledge of current practices in gender and social inclusion (women, youth and marginalized communities) is desired; • Strong networking capabilities and ability to associate him/herself with a range of actors (inter alia central and local governments; policy makers; national statistics office and donors, local communities, women and youth) with a view to building relations and facilitating links; • Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable; • Experience with Quantum and UNDP Procurement Processes is desired, but not a requirement.

Fiji, one of the larger countries of the South Pacific region, has a relatively high level of human development and is one of the most developed economics in the region. After nearly a century as British colony, Fiji became independent in 1970. Its multi-ethnic population, which numbers approximately 900,000, is growing slowly due to a moderately low level of fertility and a high level of emigration. The economy rests primarily on sugar production and tourism, but is becoming more diverse, with manufacturing now an important sector of employment. The unit of currency is Fiji Dollar.

Fiji comprises of approximately 330 islands, approximately third of which are inhabited. Fiji covers about 15 Jul 2019 Page 1 of 8 Assignment Title UNV Communications Specialist 1.3 million square kilometres of the South Pacific Ocean. The two major islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. The capital city is Suva and is located on the South-Eastern side of the main island of Viti Levu.

Fiji’s population is made up of a mixture of native Melanesian and Polynesian islanders, and a blend of Indian, European, Chinese, Rotuman and Rabi islanders making it a rich and vibrant mix of cultures, sights, sounds and exotic island delicacies. English is spoken widely on the Island, and it is the common language of communication although the native indigenous Fijian language is spoken by many as is the Hindi language.

Fiji enjoys a mild and stable climate most of the year, due to the large expanses of open water that surround its islands. The wet season extends from November to April, but rain falls throughout the year. Tropical cyclones can blow up between November and April, although they are rarely dangerous. Fiji enjoys year-round tropical temperatures of between 25-33 degrees with generally high humidity, making it a perfect location for sun-lovers.

Suva, the capital of Fiji, is a multiracial and multicultural city. Suva is the largest city in the whole of the region but remains easy-going and friendly. It has reasonably modern facilities including two large hospitals, sporting facilities, restaurants and supermarkets. Modest accommodation is readily available in Suva, but availability of small apartments is limited; an open mind and flexibility come in handy when looking for housing in Suva. The public transport is quite good: local buses run every day of the week, and taxis are affordable. Public transport is available also for exploring and visiting other parts of the country, which provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and tropical nature.

Fiji along with many other Pacific islands is known for being one of the friendliest nations in the world. However, security precautions should always be taken. Suva is a safe city, where common sense takes a long way in avoiding risks such as pick pockets and house burglaries.

This post may require regular travel to Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of allowances for UN Volunteers is to enable them to sustain a modest and secure standard of living at the duty station. The allowances are in no way to be understood as a compensation, reward or salary in exchange for the volunteer work. a. Monthly Living Allowance: USD 2646.91 b. Accommodation Allowance Supplement: USD 500 monthly c. Entry Lump Sum: USD 4000 d. Travel Lump Sum to purchase air ticket (amount depends on actual cost) e. Family Allowance: USD 250 per month for one dependent/ USD 450 per month for two or more dependents f. Medical and life insurance (Cigna) g. Leave entitlements (annual leave, sick leave, learning leave, maternity/ paternity leave – details can be found in the Conditions of Service: https://explore.unv.org/cos) h. Access to UNV's learning and career development resources i. Exit Lump Sum: USD 225 for each month served, paid on completion of contract