Programme Senior Advisor (Climate Action)

Contract

This is a IICA-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-4 contracts.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information - Job-specific

Background information: Secretary-General’s Climate Action Team (CAT), Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG)

The 2019 Climate Action Summit mobilized significant public momentum and new commitments from Member States, private sector and subnational governments to turn the page on the climate change crisis. Such commitments identified new catalytic solutions and coalitions necessary to bend the emissions curve before 2030 – from the transformation of the world’s energy, transport, urban and natural ecosystems to the revamping of the world’s financial systems.

After the Summit, climate change remains at the top of the Secretary-General's priorities and one of the core priorities of the Decade of Action to Deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. In the context of the Decade, 2020 and 2021 are “make or break” years for climate action and the transformations needed for the world to truly adopt a sustainable, low emission development trajectory and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

It is vital that we build upon the momentum from the 2019 Climate Action Summit to raise ambition levels on Nationally Determined Contributions, elevate our commitment to biodiversity, secure funding for climate adaptation and resilience and accelerate the just transitions we need from fossil fuel dependent energy and transport systems to ones powered by renewable energy.

In order to build on the momentum and realize the commitments secured at the Summit, the Secretary-General is building a new Climate Action Team. This Team will focus on the following:

• Raising ambition levels and concrete commitments by the major emitters, particularly the G20;
• Mainstreaming climate change (portfolio shifts to low emission investments, embedding climate risk factors in investment decision-making and carbon pricing) within financial markets and firms;
• Developing and implementing a targeted strategy for fossil fuel and coal phase-out;
• Strengthening and delivering the Climate Action Summit commitments and coalitions and incubating new commitments and coalitions related to energy transition, transportation, urban and local climate action, nature based solutions and climate resilience;
• Enhancing UN system support to countries to deliver on the climate and environment-related Sustainable Development Goals – from water scarcity to industrial innovation and sustainable urbanization;
• Provision of up-to-date analytics and policy guidance for the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, UN leadership and Member States.
• Designing and executing a cross-UN global communications campaign and movement focused on SG and UN leadership on climate action at all levels, and messaging and storytelling to build political will, elevate local solutions and mobilize individual actions.

In order to deliver the level of ambition needed, the new team will be led by a Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Climate Action, supported by a director on Climate Action and a director on Climate Ambition.

This is a position in UNOPS for supporting projects carried out for the UN Executive Office of the Secretary General. The incumbent of this position will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Climate Ambition Team Lead (Director) / Climate Action Team Lead (Director), the incumbent will provide substantive senior-level support on member state engagement, fossil fuel phase-out ambition and acceleration of climate action.

It is expected that the incumbent may focus in one or the two of the areas below mentioned. The responsibilities of the Programme Senior Advisor include:

A. Enhancing climate ambition

• Design and develop targeted fossil fuel and coal phase-out and related just transition strategies with member states - in close collaboration with Action Team and EOSG units, particularly the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU);
• Develop and manage relationships for the team with coal phase-out civil society and analytic partners, to ensure ongoing collaboration and up-to-date analytics;
• Support the engagement with Member States in furtherance of the coal phase-out and related just transition strategies.
• Support development of NDC Enhancement and Long-Term Decarbonization by 2050 (Net Zero) strategies, with focus on specific countries.
• Support coordination on all of the above with the COP 26 Presidency team and the UNFCCC Climate Champions team.
• Develop regional group engagement strategies for NDC and Net Zero commitments in collaboration with the Action Team.
• Prepare briefing notes, key messages and analytic products for SG and DSG engagement with member states.

B. Accelerating climate action

• Support development of strategy to ensure successful delivery and evolution of 2019 Climate Action Summit tracks and related commitments, with concrete milestones throughout 2020, by COP26 and throughout 2021.
• Support development of briefing notes, key messages and inputs into speeches for SG and DSG engagements with private sector, subnational government, academic and scientific partners, with a focus on raising the ambition in high-emitting sectors.
• Monitor trends and innovations in high-emitting sectors, including high-emitting industries (coal, steel, aluminium, heating and cooling systems, infrastructure, transportation, buildings, forestry).
• Support strong outcomes for key 2020 milestones, with particular focus on Transport Conference, Oceans Conference, Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), Food Systems Summit and High-Level Meetings on Water and Energy in 2021.
• Support management of partnerships and new coalitions with private sector, subnational governments and scientific institutions to support all aspects of the Climate Team.

• Support management of High-Level panels and external advisory committees as needed (e.g. Scientific Advisory Committee, Council on Engineers for Climate Action, etc).

• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

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.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree), preferably in International Relations or Climate Change/Science or other relevant fields is required.
• Two (2) additional years of relevant work experience, in combination with a relevant first level university (bachelor’s degree or equivalent), may substitute for the requirement of a master’s degree.

b. Work Experience

• At least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience is required;
• Experience working with high-level government officials required.

c. Language

• Fluency in English (written and oral) is required

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA) Contract level: IICA-4 Contract duration: 3 Months

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

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.