Climate Resilience Officer, NOB

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a safe and resilient environment

ADVERT – CLIMATE RESILIENCE OFFICER, NOB (Temporary Appointment) - UNICEF MALDIVES (for Maldivian Nationals only)

Strategic office context:

Maldives is home to some 557,000 people. The majority of the population is spread across the 184 inhabited islands. Nearly 150,000 live in the greater Male’ area, including Male’ City the capital. Male’ City one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Maldives is the lowest and flattest country in the world, with high levels of vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change. Given the country’s SIDS (Small Island Developing State) profile, Maldives is highly vulnerable to coastal flooding, storm surges and tsunamis.

Climate change hampers the enjoyment of all rights entitled to children and adolescents and impede the progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Maldives. Thus far, commitments made by governments, the private sector and other partners alone are not sufficient to address the challenges posed by a changing climate on our lives. Young people who have the biggest stake in a sustainable future have a major role to play in leading climate action and environmental sustainability. However, a UNICEF survey report revealed that young people in the region feel inadequately equipped to meaningfully contribute to addressing climate change.

The UNICEF Maldives Country Office (MCO) engages in strategic and high-level advocacy to achieve results for children in the Maldives, especially the most vulnerable. For the current 5-year country programme (2022 – 2026), UNICEF has introduced climate change resilience programming and a specific output on Environment and Climate Response, which includes the engagement with adolescents and young people through integration of climate change with skills agenda and through youth-driven community action.

The Environment and Climate Response output has 4 intervention areas: Policy Influence; Climate Guardians; Green and Climate Resilient Islands, Schools, and Health Facilities; and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), while also supporting the cross-sectoral and interagency collaboration on the activities under the given intervention areas, to ensure climate relevant indicators of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework are captured in the design and implementation of the intervention programs.

This Temporary Appointment (TA) is established to support the acceleration of climate resilience programming in Maldives Country Office, expanding the Environment and Climate Response portfolio of MCO and to advocate for and implement innovate child friendly and climate resilient islands in Maldives and put Maldives at the forefront of the global Climate Response Agenda.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Under the guidance of the Deputy Representative, the Climate Resilient National Officer will be responsible for the following key functions/accountabilities:

• Programme development and mainstreaming of climate change and environmental issues across UNICEF Country Programme

• Coordinate the implementation of the Flagship on Climate Smart and Resilient Actions.

• Coordinate the implementation in Maldives of UNICEF Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan (SCAP).
• Develop a climate resilience programming plan for Maldives Country Office.
• Organize national and island level advocacy and awareness activities.
• Provide technical support to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, the National Disaster Management Authority, and other government agencies and partners to design and implement climate resilience policies and programmes, linked to its commitment to climate action and environment protection.

• Advocate, create partnerships and mobilize resources for accelerating child- and youth-centered climate action.

• Coordinate the design and implementation of the Climate Guardians intervention

• Design and develop a sustainable Climate Guardian intervention to fulfill the requirements and address the gaps.

• Establish and maintain a platform for youth climate guardians from pre-COP28 participants.
• Identify key requirements of a Climate Guardian intervention in the country, and the areas of the Climate Emergency Act which have yet to be effectively operationalized.
• Develop and implement a roadmap for COP29 in coordination with climate guardians.

• Identify partners and stakeholders to implement the intervention.

• Coordinate the design and implementation of WASH initiativesthe Green and Climate Resilient Islands, Schools, and Health Facilities intervention in collaboration with Social Policy, Education, and Health Sections

• Identify gaps, key requirements, and lessons learned and best practices in establishing green and climate resilient islands, schools, and health facilities.
• Organize activities at island level to identify key climate issues affecting children and co-create solutions with island councils, community leaders, providers of social services and young leaders.
• Design and develop a sustainable Green and Climate Resilient Islands, Schools, and Health Facilities intervention to fulfill the requirements, address the gaps, incorporate the best practices and improve on required aspects.

• Identify partners and stakeholders to implement the intervention.

• Coordinate the design and implementation of WASH intervention

• Prepare desk review, conduct stakeholder interviews, and do field visits to gauge the situation of WASH in the country, including existing WASH related policies.
• Identify gaps, key requirements of a WASH program in the country, lessons learned and best practices from previous WASH programs and WASH interventions in other Country Offices.
• Design and develop a sustainable WASH intervention to fulfill the requirements, address the gaps, incorporate the lessons learned and best practices.
• Identify partners and stakeholders to implement the intervention.

Impact of Results

1. Successful implementation of Climate Guardians and Green and Climate Resilient Islands, Schools and Health Facilities will contribute to the wellbeing of children
2. Management is kept informed of climate change action in relevant policies, situation developments, potential threats and opportunities/issues in the country.
3. Technical advice on leveraging UNICEF’s comparative advantage to working with adolescents and young people on climate change action as as well as key strategic entry points for UNICEF to support the Government and partners on climate change are effectively provided.
4. Key documents on climate change action are developed, and guidance to all programme sections are provided.
5. Knowledge sharing and management around climate change action is effectively conducted.

Competencies and level of proficiency required

Core Values attributes

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

Core competencies skills

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Recruitment Qualifications

Education: A university degree in one of the following fields: environment, climate science, social and economic development, sustainable environment management, climate and engineering, biodiversity conservation and management, marine sciences, or another relevant technical field.

A post-graduate degree on the same fields is considered an asset.

Experience: At least two years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: program/project development and implementation on areas related to climate action, climate change adaptation and mitigation, environment, marine biology, or socio-economic development.

Field work experience is considered as an asset.

Relevant experience in a UN system agency or international development organization is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Dhivehi.

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.