Global Social and Environmental Standards Specialist, NCE - IPSA 10

Contract

This is a IPSA-10 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Personnel Services Agreement. It is normally internationally recruited only. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IPSA-10 contracts.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description

As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas. The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies; support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on nature climate and energy, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The NCE Team focuses on managing the oversight of climate and environmental financial resources from global trust funds to catalyze and unlock other types of public and private financing for sustainable development. This includes oversight of the design as well as implementation phase of projects (together with Country Offices and Regional Bureaus), as well as portfolio level oversight and management.

UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES) (www.undp.org/ses) underpin the sustainable development results that UNDP supports. While UNDP’s SES provide a robust safeguards framework for the organization, sustained investment in capacities for implementation is critical and UNDP has put in place a global SES Implementation Plan supported by regional plans. To ensure compliance with this important policy, the NCE Team has established a NCE Safeguards Team covering the portfolio of NCE programming in UNDP.

As part of the NCE Safeguards Team, the Global NCE SES Specialist will be responsible for project-level review and clearance at relevant milestones in the project cycle – including during both the design and implementation of projects. The Global NCE SES Specialist will work closely with programme colleagues in the Regional Hubs and BPPS safeguards experts.

Institutional Arrangement

The Global NCE SES Specialist will report to the Head of Safeguards and Risk Management in the NCE team.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

1) Conduct quality assurance and clearance of NCE programmes/projects at relevant milestones. (80%)

• Undertake technical reviews of individual projects’ safeguards documents (including but not limited to Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) reports, Environmental and Social Management Frameworks/Plans (ESMF/ESMP), Stakeholder Engagements Plans; Gender Action Plans etc…); identify key gaps/issues as related to SES compliance; and summarize those findings in writing for action by the relevant colleagues.
• Carry out additional reviews, as needed, until the required documents meet or exceed NCE quality requirements and clearance can be granted.
• Withhold clearance and escalate issues when necessary for ensuring compliance and quality.
• Remain independent, and disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
• Coordinate with other NCE Safeguards Team members who are responsible for clearance.

2) Support SES capacity enhancement in NCE (10%)

• Provide support to NCE programme colleagues in the Regional Hubs on SES policy matters in the course or in advance of technical reviews.
• Ensure and strengthen a consistent approach to safeguards clearance and SES policy interpretation, with the NCE Safeguards Team.
• Coordinate with Regional NCE SES Specialists as needed.

3) Contribute to NCE learning and knowledge management on SES (10%)

• Participate in NCE SES Conversations and other knowledge management activities.
• Provide technical inputs to, and/or lead on, relevant NCE guidance, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), etc.
• Compile good examples.

Competencies

Required skills

• Direct experience in risk management; due diligence; and/or quality assurance
• Direct experience in design and/or implementation of sustainable development projects
• Exceptional analytical, writing, and communication skills
• Expert Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint skills; familiarity with e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with web-based applications

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Relevant work experience in an international organization
• Knowledge of the UNDP SES
• Experience with climate and environment vertical funds (e.g. GCF and GEF)
• Experience with local communities, indigenous peoples, Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
• Working knowledge of French and/or Spanish highly desirable

Required Language(s)

Professional written and spoken English is required.

Professional Certificates

n/a

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

2030 Agenda: Planet

Nature, Climate and Energy

Environment: Environmental and social impact assessments and safeguards

2030 Agenda: Planet

Nature, Climate and Energy

Environment: Environmental and social impact assessments, including data collection and analysis

2030 Agenda: People

Gender

Gender Issues and Analysis

Business Development

Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need

Business Management

Risk management

Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

Business Management

Evaluation

Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

Min. Education requirements

Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Management, Environmental Policy, Anthropology, Sociology, or a closely-related field.

Min. years of relevant work experience

At least 5 years of experience relevant to the area of environmental and social safeguards; environmental management