Legal and Finance Specialist for Argentina’s Transparency Framework on GHG Inventories and Mitigation Project

Result of Service 2. Objective

CBIT’s most important contribution will be to strengthen Argentina’s reporting capacities so as to adequately comply with the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework through the new reporting format under the Paris Agreement: the Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). In order to carry out the activities of Argentina’s CBIT project it requires the hiring of a Legal and Finance Specialist.

Ultimate Result of the Service:

¿ The project meets its objectives and achieves expected outcomes in the project document, with the required quality standard, within the specified time and cost limits, via day-to-day project operations. The PSC and UN Environment are periodically updated on the progress of the project via progress reports. ¿ UNEP and the Project Steering Committee (PSC) are periodically updated for allocation of the GEF grant according to the quarterly and annual work plans and budgets in coordination with UN Environment and Project Management Unit (PMU). ¿ The local requirements related to budget execution are met. ¿ Annual workplans are prepared in consultations with project partners. ¿ Terms of Reference (TORs) for consultants are published and candidates to the positions are interviewed according to the work plan. ¿ Agreements with universities and academic institutions are concluded and the administrative activities of the Agreements are carried out according to the workplan.

The consultant will carry out the following activities:

¿ Ensure day-to-day project operations; ¿ Take responsibility for day to day project financial operations and administration of the project and preparing the related reports; ¿ Be responsible on a regular and collaborative basis in procurement duties for all project activities; ¿ Prepare Terms Of References(TORS) and Agreements under de supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor. ¿ Follow up the implementation of the different Agreements with universities and academic institutions, especially in the technical and administrative processes required by the United Nations. ¿ Prepare workshops and trainings related with the CBIT project. ¿ Prepare with the Chief Technical Advisor inputs for the Inception workshops, Project Steering Committees meetings and annual projects missions. ¿ Prepare Project Steering Committee meetings and annual project missions when needed. ¿ Collaborate with the Chief Technical Advisor with the closing procedures of the project including the preparation of the final report, accountability, financial report, closing audit, proof of transfer of goods acquired by the project, preparation and archiving of project records; ¿ Prepare monthly reports according to the local requirements including budget execution of the project. ¿ Prepare quarterly reports according to the local requirements including budget execution of the project. ¿ Accompany the Chief Technical Advisor to meetings with the financial team of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. ¿ Collaborate with the Chief Technical Advisor in procurement processes associated with travels and training. ¿ Keep up-to-date on documents/reports/guidelines for procurement requirements from the UN and the local government. ¿ Identify and introduce improvements to administrative and financial procedures, systems and practices in close coordination and collaboration with the UNEP Administration and the financial team of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. ¿ Assist in the follow up of payments and review the monthly activity reports delivered by the consultants; It is expected that following documents are delivered as a result of the consultancy: ¿ Report including monthly budget execution of the project. ¿ Report including quarterly budget execution of the project. ¿ Report including the follow-up of Agreements with universities and academic institutions. ¿ Report with main conclusions from meetings with the financial team of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. ¿ Report on improvements to administrative and financial procedures, systems and practices

Work Location Buenos Aires - Argentina

Expected duration 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities 1. Purpose.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (ROLAC), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The Argentine Republic ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994 (Law No. 24,295), the Kyoto Protocol in September 2001 (Law No. 25,438) and the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol in May 2015 (Law No. 27,137). As a signatory of the UNFCCC, the country undertook obligations including the report of the national greenhouse gases inventories, national programs with mitigation and adaptation actions against climate change and any other relevant information regarding to the fulfilment of the objective of the UNFCCC. As part of the country’s undertaken obligations, Argentina submitted its First National Communication in July 1997, and a revised communication in October 1999. The Second National Communication was submitted in December 2007 and the Third National Communication and the First Biennial Updated Report (BUR) were both submitted in December 2015. The Second BUR was submitted in August of 2017 and the Third BUR was presented to the UNFCCC in November 2019.

In December 2015 during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21), the Paris Agreement (PA) was adopted; its article No. 2 established the objective of “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels”. In September 2016, Argentina ratified the Paris Agreement (Law No. 27,270), then in December 2019, the National Congress approved the National Law No. 27,520 on Global Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Finally, in December 2020, the country submitted its 2nd Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which reflects its enhanced commitment to combat climate change and its effects. Argentina´s 2nd NDC outlines an absolute economy-wide reduction target of limiting its GHG emissions to 359 MtCO2e by 2030.

One of the most relevant challenges that the implementation of the Paris Agreement poses on countries is to count with strong Transparency Frameworks. Article No.13 of the PA establishes the need for Parties to implement national robust and transparent reporting and accounting systems to give clarity on action and support while providing clear information to stakeholders. As part of building and enhancing their Transparency Frameworks, Parties of the UNFCCC will progressively implement better tools and institutional practices, many of them not sufficiently developed in the countries. This is especially true for developing countries.

The UNFCCC Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) demands substantial and immediate progress in the countries’ domestic Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems and strategic de-carbonization planning. This entails moving from often disintegrated and often different-methodological approaches in data management to an integrated and robust system. The success of the Paris Agreement hinges on enhanced transparency of action and support, as a critical foundation to making its bottom-up, country-led approach work, as well as building mutual trust and confidence amongst Parties.

The Global Environment Facility - Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (GEF-CBIT) will support the Argentinian government for four years, mainly in strengthening its ETF. This will happen by improving the accuracy, completeness and consistency of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories, and increasing its capacities to domestically track and evaluate mitigation measures and related finance support received and provided, as well as generating the technical inputs needed for medium and long-term planning contributing to the improvement of climate-related decision-making in the country. In order to achieve this objective, Argentina’s GEF-CBIT project, which was approved in July of 2019, is organized into three components:

- National and subnational GHG inventory System - Domestic tracking of mitigation actions and support received - Medium and long-term projections

In this sense, the Climate Change Unit of UNEP is recruiting a Legal and Finance Specialist to strengthen Argentina’s reporting capacities so as to adequately comply with the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework-ETF through the new reporting format under the Paris Agreement: the Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). The incumbent will work from Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, full time in Argentina and he/she will be supervised by the Coordinator of the Climate Ambition and Transparency Team of the Climate Change Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNEP. He/she will work in close collaboration with the National Climate Change Directorate (NCCD) within the Secretariat of Environment, Sustainable Development and Innovation of Argentina’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MAyDS).

Qualifications/special skills ACADEMIC:

- Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Administration, International/Foreign Affairs, Law, Political Science, Economy, Environmental Science or other university degree relevant to finance, economy, business, climate change, environment and national development (required);

PROFESSIONAL:

- A minimum of 2 years professional experience with project administrative tasks, including monitoring and follow-up of projects (required); - Verifiable professional experience in administrative and reporting tasks, quality assurance of documents, and ability to interact with different stakeholders (desirable); - Professional experience in budget management and reporting of projects with progress and quality indicators (desirable); - Knowledge of environmental topics or global climate change issues in particular (desirable); - Experience working with, and building partnerships with public sector; private or civil society organizations (desirable); - Experience working with UN Environment procurements procedures (desirable); - Experience using UMOJA system and/or “Gestión Documental Electrónica” (GDE) system(desirable).

LANGUAGE:

- The candidate must be fluent in Spanish and have confident writing, reading and editing skills in English.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

PROFESSIONALISM: - Verifiable understanding of GHG Inventory reports and long-term planning processes on climate change (desirable); - Excellent understanding of global and national climate change issues in particular related to transparency, forest MRV; and Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) framework (desirable); - Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to climate change mitigation and adaptation planning, and intergovernmental climate change negotiations; - Relationship skills with public and private sector officials; - Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems; - Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; - Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; - Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations; Shows leadership capacities; - Knowledge of IT tools such as Microsoft Office and Georeference related apps. (desirable)

TEAMWORK:

• Experience in teamwork, with recognition in the field of their specialty to cooperate with consultants of other specialties;
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING:

• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

OTHERS:

• Experts must have availability to travel within Argentina and abroad as needed.

  No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.