National Expert on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) - Ghana - NPSA

Contract

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Background

This position is under a National Personnel Services Agreement (NPSA) modality. The grade level of the position is NPSA Band 5, Level 10.

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.

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.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes and assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

Climate change mitigation – or reducing greenhouse gas emissions - is essential to fulfilling commitments to the Paris Agreement and limiting the global mean temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. UNDP, with more than 280 climate change mitigation projects and programs in over 110 countries, is a key actor supporting countries in their emission reduction plans, contributing to ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions. Activities in energy, as well as forests and agriculture, will be critical to meeting global mitigation objectives.

UNDP’s approach to forestry aligns with the SDG 15 and contributes to UNDP's 'signature solution' on environment and nature-based solutions for development. Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for more than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and it is clear that the stabilization of global temperatures cannot be achieved without reducing emissions from the forest sector. UNDP's Climate and Forests programme supports countries to conserve and sustainably manage forests and ensure sustainable and equitable development paths that lead towards carbon neutrality. More information here: www.climateandforests-undp.org

Forest support up to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity and can offset up to one-third of the carbon emissions to reach the climate commitments. However, forest sector receive about 1% of total climate finance. The engagement of private sector companies with ambitious mitigation targets related to forests can contribute to cover this gap.

On 24th September 2018, a global Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Eni s.P.a and UNDP. The MoU provides a framework of cooperation and facilitates and strengthens collaboration between the two institutions. Stemming from this global MoU and following a meeting between the CEO of Eni and the President of the Republic of Ghana on October 3rd, 2018, Ghana became the first country to operationalize the MoU and initiate concrete collaborations.

Through a Development Services Agreement with Eni, the UNDP’s Climate and Forests Programme Team based on its expertise garnered over the last 10 years with REDD+ will develop, for Eni, a large climate mitigation programme in the AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use) and energy sectors in Ghana. This integrated REDD+ programme will address the drivers of deforestation, forest degradation and the barriers to the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks while also promoting energy efficiency in Ghana.

Technical assistance related to the carbon elements will be a significant component of the feasibility study and will provide refined estimates of emission reduction potential of each identified activity, including identification and application of the appropriate methodology, either Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or other, depending on the activity. The work involves;

• GIS/remote sensing work, assessment of emission reduction potential (generation of digital maps, assessment of carbon stocks, determination of biomass, assessment of deforestation rates);
• Identification of carbon data gaps, research and data compilation to complete VCS requirements; and
• Assessment of available emission reductions through analysis of Ghana's current market-based agreements and plans, including existing voluntary carbon market projects in the target areas for the programme, and alignment with the NDC.

Duties and Responsibilities

The activities will include a consultative process with local and national stakeholders, participation from the key actors and capacity building of host institutions as required. The mitigation programme builds on the policies and measures included in Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and its REDD+ strategy whilst ensuring compliance with UNDP’s social and environmental and fiduciary management standards and other relevant market-based provisions.

Specifically, the selected candidate will:

1. Participate in kick-off meeting with Ghana Forestry Commission and UNDP on the MRV workplan
2. Develop individual workplan to contribute to overall MRV workplan
3. Research and compile existing data and information on forest-related emissions and removals in programme area and through desk review and expert outreach and contribute to summary technical report.
4. Provide analysis to support estimation of mitigation potential of planned interventions, including selection of methodologies/approaches for each activity/intervention.
5. Support the process to interpret and correct maps.
6. Identify data gaps, research and data compilation to complete market standard requirements including analysing effect of any other carbon sale and purchase agreements on the proposed programme.
7. Additional support as needed related to items 3-6 listed above, including technical discussions and other communication with the Forestry Commission throughout the feasibility assessment period.
8. Contribute to report writing for Forestry Commission reports and feasibility study report, organise meetings and liase with the Climate and Forest Team on a regular basis in order to ensure that deliverables are submitted in a timely manner.

Institutional Arrangements

The selected candidate will be supervised by, and report to the Technical Advisor, Climate and Forests Programme, UNDP BPPS. S/he will work closely with the Ghanaian Government counterparts, and especially the MRV sub-group, the UNDP Country Office, the Ghana Eni country Office, and the Climate and Forests Regional Technical Specialist and Global Advisors.

Payments will be made based on the number of days worked on a quarterly basis (or other agreed timeline). A Certificate of Payment (CoP) will be submitted to the Technical Advisor, Climate and Forests Programme who will review and clear the CoP, and for approval by the Principal Technical Advisor.

Travel

If required, and subject to (local) Covid-19 health permission, UNDP will cover travel costs to field missions within Ghana, and will be processed in accordance with UNDP travel policy.

Competencies

UN CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Professionalism: Shows pride in work and 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients " and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

Master’s degree or equivalent experience in geography, forestry, natural resource management, climate-change policies and/or other relevant field.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

Minimum of 5 years practical/progressive working experience in Ghana on environment issues, including climate change, forest carbon and REDD+

Required skills and competencies

• Extensive experience on forests and REDD+ is essential, including GIS/spatial analysis
• Experience with carbon markets standards and methodologies, particularly Verra/VCS methodologies, and the Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ Framework specifically

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Experience working with UNDP is an advantage.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

• Full proficiency in English is essential

Professional Certificates

• Relevant proficiency in GIS software and application