NDC Partnership - National Climate Finance Advisor (Partnerships Specialist) - Malawi - Retainer

Contract

This is a LICA Specialist-10 contract. This kind of contract is known as Local Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally only for nationals. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about LICA Specialist-10 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

WEC Background: UNOPS Water, Environment and Energy Cluster (WEC) supports the design and management of multi-stakeholder initiatives by providing services in financial and grant management, procurement, human resources, and project management. The cluster has supported projects in the areas of water resource management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and transparency, energy access and distribution, and environmental conservation under the Paris Agreement. The WEC has also supported operations and financial management services, in Vienna, the rest of the ECR region, and beyond. The main partners include UN agencies, bilateral agreements (with the Nordics, Germany, and Italy), the Green Climate Fund, and several NGOs (such as CIFF and CWF).

The NDC Partnership: The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work through 120 partners supporting almost 80 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Energy Cluster (WEC)

Country Context The Government of Malawi launched its NDC Implementation Plan in August 2022. As the country is now focusing on NDC implementation, the National Climate Finance Advisor will support development of bankable project proposals from the NDC implementation Plan to advance NDC implementation. The Advisor will also support stakeholder engagement with the aim of resource mobilization and NDC mainstreaming. The advisor will work to support development of an investment roadmap which will be based on the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy. The Advisor will assist the government in engaging development partners and implementing partners to mobilize resources for implementation of the NDC. The support will also involve further engagement of government departments and other non-state stakeholders to identify support areas that remove barriers to NDC implementation.

Functional Responsibilities

The National Climate Finance Advisor will work hand in hand with the In-country Facilitator to achieve the outlined deliverables. She/he will be embedded within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change in the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) where s/he can deal with a whole spectrum of planners and policy makers within government. S/he shall report to and perform under the overall guidance and supervision of the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist and Regional Manager. Official reporting shall be by means of monthly, quarterly and end of assignment reports submitted to both government and the NDC Partnership. Generally, one week will be allowed for finalisation of a report after the end of each reporting period.

The following responsibilities are part of the embedded incumbent role:

Programme and Project Development - Provide technical guidance on development of project concept notes and full project proposals from the NDC Implementation Plan. - Support incorporation of NDC relevant projects into sector development/investment plans to benefit from national budgetary allocations. - Lead the development of an NDC investment plan. - Provide input on NDC mainstreaming into national development plans and other strategies and budgets. - Develop bankable project concept notes and full project proposals. This responsibility includes collection of data and physical consultations (where necessary). - Profile low emission and climate resilient projects that have been developed to a bankable stage.

Resource Mobilization - Provide input on operationalization of the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy. - Provide timely advice on international funding opportunities from which NDC relevant projects may benefit and facilitate exchange between national contacts and the various sources of funding. - Organize meetings and conferences to mobilize resources for NDC implementation. - Support organisation of a results-oriented Donors Conference aimed at mobilising resources for the country to advance NDC implementation. The international Climate Advisor will take the lead to design the conference in a way that will yield the intended results.

Country Engagement - Support incorporation and mainstreaming of the NDC into the National Development Plans, sub-national plans, strategies, budgets and other national strategies where applicable. This includes the Malawi NDC Mainstreaming Guidelines. - Organize and conduct targeted stakeholder engagement meetings which will be complimented by the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) joining regular development partner meetings to provide updates on priority areas in the NDC Implementation Plan. - Identification of support areas that remove barriers to NDC implementation through engagement. - Organize and engage in regular internal and external stakeholder engagement meetings including government departments, development partners, implementing partners and other non-state actors. - Actively contribute to the NDC Investment Plan which will provide information on greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation opportunities and the potential means for financing these opportunities.

This is a home-based retainer position with a lot of interaction and face to face contact for maximized results. Therefore, the national advisor is to be resident in Malawi for the entire duration of the assignment. He/she will need to bring his/her own laptop to the ministry's duty station. The contract is for twelve (12) months with possibility of extension depending on performance and on availability of funds.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education: - Master’s degree in a relevant field, mainly development studies with an orientation towards the economics of the environment or natural resources management. - Bachelor's degree in related discipline in combination with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. - A PhD in a relevant field will be an added advantage.

Experience: Required - Minimum of 5 years of experience in policy analysis, programme planning and development, project planning and appraisal, implementation, resource mobilization, monitoring and evaluation, organizational review, preferably with a bias towards environment and natural resources management. - Previous experience in project proposal development and integrating climate change and or environmental considerations in programme and project development and developing mitigation measures to programmes and projects.

Asset - Have wide exposure to and be well networked among funding agencies that aid small landlocked states on a grant basis or significantly concessional terms.

Language Requirements: - Proficiency in English is required. - Knowledge of another official UN language (Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese Mandarin) is an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA

Contract level: ICSC 10 - LICA 10

Contract duration: Retainer contract (up to 12 months, max 220 working days), with possibility to extend, subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.